Benefits of Deer Breeding in the Rural Texas Economy, by J4 Fencing & Services
In Texas, the deer breeding industry is a relatively new industry that is proving to be vital to the rural Texas economy and is continuing to grow. Traditional agricultural revenues in Texas have declined over the past 15 years, forcing Texans to diversify operations and explore new industries, like deer breeding, in order to generate new profits and continue to enhance the farming and ranching culture of rural Texas.
According to a study entitled Economic Impact of Deer Breeding Operations in Texas performed by the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University, the deer, or cervid, breeding industry “generates an estimated $652 million in economic activity” after taking into consideration all the goods and services consumed by this industry, including farm and ranch suppliers, feed suppliers, construction, advertising, foresters, veterinary services, hunting activities and many more.
In this same study, it is documented that deer breeding operations in Texas “spend an average of $306,000 per year. Forty-seven percent of this average is capital spending including land purchases, fencing, buildings, improvements, breeding stock, feed, ATV’s, etc. Thirty-eight percent is operational spending including labor, insurance, travel, and utilities. Nine percent of spending is dedicated to feed and feed supplies and 6% to general spending including food plots and artificial insemination.
A North American Deer Farmers Association study, recorded that out of a total of 7,828 cervid farms in the US, Texas is home to 1,060 permitted breeding operations as of December 2008. In January of 2010, Eddie Lucio, a Texas State Senator, claims there are 1,198 deer breeder in Texas making Texas the leader in deer breeding operations in the U.S., which include commercial venison sales, urine collection operations, antler operations, breeding stock and stocker deer suppliers.
With over 1,000 operational deer breeding facilities in Texas, it is easy to understand the far-reaching economic impact these operations have on various suppliers, laborers, foresters, builders, and others. These operations purchase large scale goods and services in order to produce high-quality goods in the form of consistent deer to hunting preserves and other breeding operations. Within each step, wages and salaries are paid to workers who in turn spend money and continue the industry cycle and its legacy. In Texas, its feasible that everyone can get a piece of this innovative, fast-growing industry.