In response to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Sean Duffy, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Carl Ray Polk Jr. issued the following statement:

"As landowners and natural resource stewards, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association expresses its appreciation to Secretary Duffy and the Department of Transportation for their decision to withdraw federal funding for the proposed high-speed rail project.

Our association has consistently opposed this project, and will continue to, due to the inevitable use of eminent domain, which would threaten private property rights. In a state already leading the nation in daily agricultural land loss, we simply cannot afford to remove more land from production—especially at a time when food security is an increasing concern