Agriculture came in better and remittances continued to be good. These two factors reduced the impact of higher oil prices on spending.

That reflects the imposition of the value-added-tax on oil and electricity, plus the seasonal increase in demand because of Christmas.

our resolve to position Agriculture as a key revenue generating sector ranking more than OIL, is what we must pursue until it becomes a reality

The crude Oil that we depend on is a non renewable resource so we must use it wisely to develop our Agriculture and other sectors of our economy

Galveston was down and out when the state economy shifted from agriculture to oil in 1901. Houston was bound to become the center, to represent the state's economy.

I'm pleased that USDA can offer assistance to farmers and ranchers who have sustained losses from Hurricane Katrina, ... This agriculture disaster designation will enable eligible producers to apply for low-interest emergency loans from USDA to help cover their losses. This announcement is a part of our commitment to help farmers and ranchers to rebuild their operations.