CHINA SPRING, Texas (KXXV) — Jed Boehme, a senior at China Spring High School, traveled to Austin as part of the Build a Bill program through 4-H and the Texas Youth Livestock Ambassadors. He was one of twelve students from across the state addressing water issues with lawmakers and proposing legislative solutions.
- Texas leads the nation with farms and ranches covering 125+ million acres
- Water scarcity is a major challenge for agriculture. Current drought conditions cause significant crop and livestock losses annually
- Boehme plans entire future career in agriculture as he sees water access as fundamental to industry success. He's excited about potential to create real legislative change
The issue is critical for Texas, which leads the nation in the number of farms and ranches, covering more than 125 million acres. However, water scarcity poses a major challenge to the state's agricultural sector.
Changing Water Priorities
Boehme and his fellow student advocates created the Texas Agricultural Drought Protection Act, which would restructure the state's water priority system during drought conditions.
"Me and a group of people from across the state of Texas went to Austin and we presented a bill that we created," Boehme explained. "The name of the bill that we created is the Texas Agricultural Drought Protection Act."
Currently, Texas prioritizes water allocation with human consumption first, industrial use second, and agriculture third. The proposed legislation would elevate agriculture to second priority, moving industrial use to third place.
"Right now in the state of Texas, human consumption is number one, industrial use is second, and agriculture is third," Boehme said. "Our bill makes it to where agriculture is second, and industrial uses are third because agriculture is the backbone of our country and mostly the entire world."
Protecting Crops and Livestock
The legislation aims to safeguard Texas farmers and ranchers during drought periods, when water shortages can devastate agricultural operations.
"We lose a lot of crops and livestock due to drought every year," Boehme noted, emphasizing the economic and food security implications of water scarcity in agriculture.
For Boehme, this issue is deeply personal. The high school senior plans to build his entire career around agriculture and sees water access as fundamental to the industry's future.
"We wouldn't have half the stuff that we do or have without agriculture, so that's why it's really important, and I really just wanna have my entire future just be about agriculture," he said.
Student Advocacy in Action
The Build a Bill program provides young Texans with hands-on experience in the legislative process, allowing them to research issues, draft proposed legislation, and present their ideas to lawmakers.
For Boehme, the opportunity represents more than just a learning experience – it's a chance to create real change in an industry he's passionate about.
"It's just really cool to where I can actually maybe get something that I created passed and help Texas agriculture out," he said.
The program demonstrates how young advocates can engage with complex policy issues and work toward solutions that could have lasting impacts on their communities and future careers.
As Texas continues to face water challenges amid changing climate conditions, proposals like the Texas Agricultural Drought Protection Act highlight the ongoing debate over how to balance competing water needs while supporting the state's vital agricultural sector.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
