Co-op Talk Texas

Welcome to another episode of Co-op Talk Texas ! Join Christy as she dives into the often misunderstood world of workers' compensation insurance with Robert Schneider and Dan Jackson from the Texas Cotton Ginners' Trust. In this episode, we explore the origins of the Trust, its move from Austin to Lubbock, and how its coverage goes beyond just cotton gins. Robert and Dan debunk common myths about...

In this episode, Kelley Green, Executive Vice President of the Texas Cotton Ginners' Association (TCGA), joins Christy to break down critical developments impacting cooperatives - Tune in as Kelley discusses the recent U.S. District Court ruling invalidating the Department of Labor's overtime rule and its implications for staffing at co-ops. Plus, get the latest on OSHA's proposed Heat Standards a...

In this episode, Christy discusses essential topic for producers: mycotoxin contamination. Joining us is Andrew Vignati, Inside Sales/Account Manager for VICAM, a part of Waters Corporation. With a background in pharmaceutical research and extensive experience supporting producers with innovative testing solutions, Andrew provides expert insights into managing and mitigating the risks of mycotoxin...

In this episode of Co-op Talk Texas, Erin Mies, co-founder of People Spark Consulting, shares practical strategies for leaders to have meaningful conversations that motivate and connect teams. With her extensive experience in HR and leadership development within the ag industry, Erin discusses the importance of asking the right questions, creating two-way dialogues, and building trust in the workp...

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...

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 T...

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 al...

For this episode of Co-op Talk Texas, we were joined by Christi Short and Stacey Gorman of The Cotton Board! From its foundational role in promoting cotton, to its ongoing initiatives supporting sustainability and technological advancements, this discussion provides a comprehensive look at the board's legacy. Whether you're a cotton industry veteran, a business professional, or simply curious abou...

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 Epi...

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 co...

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 ou...

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 communica...

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

We had the pleasure of having Marcelo Aguilar of Aguilar Insurance Group on our 5th episode of Co-op Talk Texas! Transitioning to Medicare can be a daunting process, but in this episode Marcelo provides an in-depth explanation and answers many frequently asked questions. To learn more, Marcelo can be reached by phone at ( 806)-731-4092 or email at marcelo@aguilarig.com.

We had the pleasure of having Kelley Green, the Executive Vice President of Texas Cotton Ginner's Association on the podcast this week! In this episode, Kelley discusses OSHA's proposed rule regarding the worker walk-around representative process, the proposed changes to the H2A from the department of labor, the executive overtime rule, the EPA PM NAAQS standard, and the potential changes to the O...

For almost 40 years, Steve has performed forensic investigations, internal control design consulting, accounting records reconstruction, litigation support services, and forensic training services for various industries located all over the country and assists cooperatives in the development of proper internal control / anti-fraud programs. This episode provides a deep dive into fraud prevention a...

Early voting begins TODAY, October 23 and extends to November 3. This is a prime opportunity for us, as engaged citizens of Texas and advocates for agriculture, to make our voices heard and actively participate in shaping the future of our industry! In this episode, Representative DeWayne Burns of Cleburne shares valuable insights into the significance of proposition 1 for our industry and our sta...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Co-op Talk Texas! This episode brings insightful discussions on the proposed constitutional amendments as well as an overview of past and future TACC events. In this exciting debut episode, we're diving headfirst into the heart of Texas politics. We'll break down the proposed constitutional amendments that are set to go before the Texas voters in the next electi...