Co-op Talk Texas

In this episode of Co-op Talk Texas, we're joined by Davon Cook from Pinion, a consulting and accounting firm with deep roots in agriculture, dating back to 1932. Pinion has grown far beyond traditional tax and accounting services to offer expertise in estate planning, farm programs, land and water management, financial strategy, succession planning, and business growth.

Davon works closely with farms and related ag businesses, guiding them through ownership and leadership transitions, which often involve the unique dynamics of family-operated businesses. She also leads executive peer groups, interacting with farmers and agricultural producers nationwide, helping them navigate challenges and identify opportunities for growth. Tune in for valuable insights on managing farm transitions and developing strategies for long-term success in the ag industry!

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Kody Bessent, CEO of Plains Cotton Growers, to discuss one of the most critical topics for our farmers—the status of the farm bill. Most of you know Kody is a leading advocate for the cotton industry in Texas and a strong voice for Texas cotton farmers in D.C. and in Austin. He's been working tirelessly now for years to get a good farm bill that will keep Texas farming! In this episode, he provides updates on the current status of the farm bill, and what we can expect in the coming months.

There's one topic that has frequently been discussed with co-op managers and boards lately – how difficult it has been to apply for a disaster relief loan through the SBA. While each co-op has had unique challenges getting their application approved, we thought it might be helpful to have David Hincapie, Lender Relations Specialist and Veteran Business Development Officer from the SBA, to share all his secrets of applying for an SBA Loan. David can be reached by email at [email protected]. To find your contact at your district office, visit this link: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/sba-district-offices

At the end of 2025, there are several tax changes that will affect both cooperatives and farmers. For today's episode, we've invited Greg Taylor, CPA with D. Williams and Co. in Lubbock to discuss the impact and provide actionable strategies to effectively plan for these changes. As many of you know, TACC has been working closely with NCFC to extend Section 199A. I encourage you to listen to Episode 8 with Chuck Conner, President and CEO of NCFC for his take on the upcoming tax change. We will continue to keep all of you updated and let you know how you can help in our efforts.

As many of you know, Texas' last sugar mill, Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers Association in Santa Rosa, was forced to close after more than 50 years in business. Made up of more than 100 farmers, the cooperative's shutdown marks the loss of one of the region's biggest farming operations and is a direct result of an ongoing water crisis. Much of the water crisis is due to Mexico's failure to comply with the 1944 Water Treaty requiring it to share reservoir supplies with the United States. Today's guest, Brian Jones, the Texas Farm Bureau State Director for District 13, joins us to talk more about this ongoing crisis and the many efforts that are being made by the Texas Farm Bureau to bring much-needed relief for farmers and ranchers in South Texas. Brian has farmed in Hidalgo County for 38 years and has held many leadership roles within the Farm Bureau. He grows irrigated cotton, corn, grain sorghum, and soybeans, and provides some very valuable insight into the water crisis in South Texas.

We were delighted to have Kelley Green of Texas Cotton Ginners' Association join us on Co-op Tal Texas for the second time! In this episode, he discusses a wide variety of regulatory updates on topics like OSHA's new "walkaround rules," the EPA's Secondary NAAQS Proposal, and more.

Without action by Congress, Section 199A(g) will expire at the end of 2025. In preparation for next year's tax debate, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) has put together a public relations and lobbying campaign for the extension of the Section 199A tax deduction. Chuck Conner, President and CEO of NCFC joins us on this episode to tell us more about the impact this could have on our cooperatives and farmers, the details of NCFC's campaign to extend Section 199A, and how we can support their efforts.

Bill Curnow, Information Security Manager at Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, brings a wealth of experience encompassing over 27 years of expertise in internet infrastructure, process automation, and database administration. Beyond his security responsibilities, he has actively contributed to various boards and committees, leveraging his expertise in emergency management and crisis communications. We were delighted to have Bill on our podcast, where he shared valuable insights on enhancing cybersecurity, a critical concern in today's landscape. Bill can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (806) 763-8011.

This week on Co-op Talk Texas, Christy was joined by State Representative DeWayne Burns! He talks all things campaigning, election, and his new PAC - DRT, Defending Rural Texas. To learn more about Representative Burns and DRT, you can visit his website https://burnsfortexas.com/

The address for DRT is:

Defend Rural Texas PAC 1108 Lavaca Street, Suite 110 PMB 310 Austin, TX 78701