*Agriculture committee leaders in both the House and the Senate have reached an agreement on a one-year Farm Bill extension. *USDA awarded Texas State University $750,000 to continue its work with new and small farmers and ranchers across Texas. *Winter wheat planting in Texas is now 82 percent complete. *Cattle futures have been on a roller coaster ride recently. *A Central Texas elementary teacher has received a statewide award. *It’s time to put up the lawn and garden equipment for the winter...
Nov 15, 2023•24 min•Ep. 837
*A Farm Bill extension is in the works. *This has been a disappointing year for many Texas cotton farmers. *2023 has been another tough growing season in the Texas Southern Plains. *There is some sticker shock happening at grocery stores and restaurants. *There are five calf health considerations to increase immunity and decrease disease. *Special mule deer antler restrictions remain in place this year.
Nov 14, 2023•24 min•Ep. 836
*Cotton is not a profitable crop for Texas farmers. *Drought conditions continue to improve across Texas. *Thursday’s USDA WASDE report showed a cut in Texas cotton production. *Artificial Intelligence is playing a significant role in our society today. *Worldwide beef consumption will be limited by the availability of beef supply. *Central Texas has had some helpful rains lately. *Medical grade honey is commonly used to heal wounds in horses. *Mule deer season in the Texas Panhandle opens Satur...
Nov 13, 2023•24 min•Ep. 835
*Cattle futures have made volatile moves over the past two weeks. *USDA has reappointed several Texans to the Cotton Board. *H-E-B is expanding its San Antonio dairy plant. *Many West Texas ag producers use the West Texas Mesonet to get important weather information. *The U.S. Meat Export Federation is holding its annual fall conference in New Orleans. *Extreme South Texas has had its first major cool down, while citrus harvest gets underway. *USDA has granted $300,000 to Texas A&M to study ...
Nov 10, 2023•24 min•Ep. 834
*Texas wheat planting is on schedule. *The Texas Farm Service agency is sending out ballots for county FSA committee elections. *Texas peanut producers are right in the middle of the 2023 harvest. *The West Texas Mesonet is an important source of weather information for Texas High Plains farmers and ranchers. *The Texas Beef Council is promoting the role of beef in a healthy and sustainable diet. *West Texas cotton producers are harvesting cotton between rain events. *Johne’s disease is a seriou...
Nov 09, 2023•24 min•Ep. 833
*Texas voters approved Proposition 1 Tuesday, the constitutional amendment protecting the right to farm and ranch in Texas. *A new report has good news for the growing Texas dairy industry. *Two Texans qualified for the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship tournament. *Farmers in the Texas High Plains are hoping to get some snow this year. *Strengthening beef’s reputation with consumers is a top priority for the Texas Beef Council. *Farmers and ranchers from across Texas recently gathered in ...
Nov 08, 2023•24 min•Ep. 832
*This has been a tough year for Texas dairy farmers. *Four Texans have been elected to positions on National Corn Growers Association committees. *Texas High Plains farmers are facing the challenge of vanishing ground water. *Animal health is in a pretty good position across Texas, but there are some issues to deal with. *Deer season is in full swing in East Texas. *Now is the time to pregnancy check spring calving beef cows. *The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission met last week to consider sev...
Nov 07, 2023•23 min•Ep. 831
*Drought conditions are improving in many areas of Texas. *Three agriculture professionals from East Texas have been named finalists for the Texas Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture award. *A federal appeals court has struck down the Environmental Protection Agency’s ban on chlorpyrifos. *Texas High Plains farmers are wrapping up a season that had a promising start, but a disappointing finish. *Texas has a new state veterinarian. *Coastal Bend agricultural organizations have been busy informi...
Nov 06, 2023•25 min•Ep. 830
*The Livestock Marketing Association is throwing its support behind the Right to Farm constitutional amendment. *Drought is declining in Texas. *We have run out of time to get the 2023 Farm Bill done this year, but we may get an extension of the current bill. *Weather extremes took a toll on Texas High Plains crops this year. *Online permits are now available for cutting Christmas trees in national forests. *A swing in cattle inventories is coming as the market shifts to rebuilding herds. *The d...
Nov 03, 2023•25 min•Ep. 829
*Cattle producers are still waiting to expand cow herds. *Sorghum growers have a couple of weeks left to enter the National Sorghum Yield contest. *The number of cattle covered by Livestock Risk Protection policies is growing. *A lot of pastures in the Texas High Plains need rain. *Who is buying the big ranches that have sold in Texas? *The U.S. ag trade deficit reached a record level in August. *Low heels in the hind feet of horses can cause lameness issues. *If you plan to hunt deer in the Rio...
Nov 02, 2023•25 min•Ep. 828
*Texas cotton growers are starting the last section of Texas cotton harvest in the Southern Plains and the Panhandle. *Texas corn growers will vote on board members and the fate of corn checkoff amounts. *Texas crop harvest is wrapping up for the year. *Texas A&M AgriLife is offering education on wildfires for Texas High Plains residents next week. *Some huge Texas ranches are changing hands. *Fertilization of winter pastures should be made on soil test recommendations. *Efforts to keep Afri...
Nov 01, 2023•25 min•Ep. 827
*The Texas dairy industry welcomes fall and winter temperatures. *Scientists have developed a robotic arm that may help harvest cotton. *Texas farm groups are urging voters to approve Proposition 1 during early voting. *Freezing temperatures have hit the Texas High Plains over the past few days. *The calendar says it’s fall, but the temperatures feel like winter in most of our state this week. *It is cold this week and time to prepare plants for winter. *Getting a pre purchase exam before buying...
Oct 31, 2023•26 min•Ep. 826
*Cotton has not been a profitable crop this year, with prices below 90 cents. *Work to fight avian influenza is underway. *The new Speaker of the House is a fiscal conservative, but it’s uncertain how he will affect ag spending. *The Texas Cattle Feeders Association is helping young people gain a better understanding of beef production. *Congress is running behind on the 2023 Farm Bill, but the ag committees in both houses are continuing their work. *Nice fall rains have finally come to the Roll...
Oct 30, 2023•25 min•Ep. 825
*A cold blast is on the way to Texas as harvest is winding down. *Texas A&M AgriLife is hosting a webinar to help landowners prevent wildfires. *Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is laying out a plan to get the Farm Bill passed before the end of the year. *Soils in the Texas High Plains may need a fertilizer boost. *USDA has released the latest orange production forecast, including estimates for the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. *A group of Texas farmers and ranchers recently toured farms in t...
Oct 27, 2023•25 min•Ep. 824
*A Farm Bill extension is very likely. *USDA is offering additional aid to Texas farmers and ranchers affected by heat and drought. *Dairy research in Texas is focusing on heat and drought challenges. *Ionophores can be an economical option for cattle producers. *Beef production is decreasing in the U.S. and that affects the beef export market. *Cotton harvest is getting underway in West Texas, while dryland producers are shredding failed fields. *Spring born beef calves are being weaned right n...
Oct 26, 2023•25 min•Ep. 823
*Texas cotton harvest now stands at 40% complete. *USDA is helping veterans get into agricultural production. *Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been confirmed in the Corpus Christi area. *If you are using ionophores, there are some guidelines you need to follow. *USDA is providing funding to expand international markets for American farmers and ranchers. *Cool weather, county fairs and squirrel season are all happening in East Texas. *Anheuser Busch, the owner of the Budweiser Clydesdales, ...
Oct 25, 2023•25 min•Ep. 822
*The recent Cattle on Feed Report contained a big surprise. *Texas milk production fell last month, while national production rose slightly. *Early voting is now underway across Texas. *Ranchers in the Texas High Plains are encouraged to use ionophores to conserve pastures. *Small grains are emerging across Texas. *Extreme South Texas is planting onions and harvesting citrus. *Prussic acid can be a big problem when the first frost arrives. *A proposed rule change would affect Texas deer hunters ...
Oct 24, 2023•25 min•Ep. 821
*Researchers are working to improve sorghum silage quality for Texas dairy farmers. *A West Texas cowboy is being recognized for his decades of hard work. *Texas has the worst pasture conditions in the nation. *Pasture conditions in the Texas High Plains are mixed. *The U.S. beef industry continues efforts to protect our nation from foot and mouth disease. *The drought is not over in Central Texas. *Acupuncture has been promoted in horses for years. *Mule deer season is just a few weeks away....
Oct 23, 2023•26 min•Ep. 820
*The annual Texas A&M AgriLife Southwest Dairy Day was last week in Bovina. *An online CEU program is available for private pesticide applicators. *Texas cotton farmers need market to move above 90 cents to break even. *The wildfire threat in the Texas High Plains is looking high. *TAMA USA and DeltaPine announced a partnership for cotton farmers this harvest season. *Farming activities have slowed down across the Coastal Bend area. *Low rainfall and high heat have left pastures and hay fiel...
Oct 20, 2023•25 min•Ep. 819
*Cotton harvest is getting started in the southern Texas Panhandle. *A Texas university has been awarded nearly $200,000 to enhance drone use in crop farming. *A federal lawsuit in Kansas over the Lesser Prairie Chicken has been moved to a Texas court. *The outlook for winter wheat on the Texas High Plains is encouraging. *The State Fair of Texas is in its final days. *A group of Texas farmers and ranchers recently toured farms in the United Kingdom as part of a global ag education trip. *Cortic...
Oct 19, 2023•26 min•Ep. 818
*The summer drought took a big toll on Texas cattle producers. *We may be seeing a bottom in the wheat market soon. *There’s one part of Texas where cotton may be losing some acres in the years to come. *The cattle and corn markets have a very close relationship. *The fall armyworm is a common pest in Bermuda grass and other crops in North and Central Texas. *Sheep and goat pox is not found in the United States currently, but we do have diseases with similar symptoms. *Some of the best goose hun...
Oct 18, 2023•25 min•Ep. 817
*The Texas sugarcane crop is struggling with a lack of water. *The Texas sheep and goat market has seen both ups and downs this year. *USDA is extending the application deadline for the Milk Loss Program to October 30th. *It’s been a tough summer for row crops in the Texas High Plains. *The cattle market looks great here in the fourth quarter of the year. *Texas gardens and landscapes are still dealing with the effects of the high summer heat. *The American Quarter Horse Association requires a f...
Oct 17, 2023•25 min•Ep. 816
*USDA released the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Report last week. *Texas High Plains ranchers could be looking at an opportunity to strengthen their herds. *Texas has a new State Veterinarian. *A break from the summer heat has arrived in the Texas Rolling Plains. *Treating cattle in the pasture is never ideal, but sometimes it’s the only option. *The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is asking Texans to report alligator snapping turtle poaching....
Oct 16, 2023•25 min•Ep. 815
*Texas researchers have received a $300,000 grant from USDA to study one of the most costly disease in the cattle industry. *Harvest continues across Texas. *Parts of the Texas Panhandle have missed out on recent rains. *Animal rights activists are targeting the farm bill. *Recent rains in Central Texas are improving pastures and helping early planted oats. *There’s a new rule for sanctioned horse shows from AQHA. *Duck hunting to open soon on High Plains Mallard Management Unit....
Oct 13, 2023•25 min•Ep. 814
*The farm bill has expired. What’s going to happen now? *Interested in growing grapes in the Panhandle? The Randall and Potter County Extension offices will host the Panhandle Grape and Wine Tour Oct. 21. * The Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction set another record this year. *There are multiple reasons dystocia may occur during the calving process. *Duck population growth mixed as season nears. We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today....
Oct 12, 2023•24 min•Ep. 813
* There’s both good and bad cotton in the Texas South Plains and Panhandle. *The deadline for funding from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program in fiscal year 2024 is approaching. *Will El Niño mean more snow for the Texas High Plains this winter? *Texas cattle feeders met in Grapevine earlier this week. *The calf market steady to strong in East Texas. *No singular explanation for Churchill Downs horse deaths. *Proposed rule would give hunters more flexibility in Chronic Wasting Disease ...
Oct 11, 2023•25 min•Ep. 812
*State Rep. DeWayne Burns discusses the Right-To-Farm constitutional amendment that will be on Texas ballots in November. *It’s time for ranchers on the Texas High Plains to start getting ready for winter. *Drought and heat stress have impacted Texas pumpkin production. *A new proposal from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department would give hunters three options to dispose of unused deer parts. *There’s a new tool to castrate calves and lambs that may reduce pain....
Oct 10, 2023•25 min•Ep. 811
*BASF held their annual fall cotton field day in Lubbock last week. *Rain has moved across many areas of Texas recently, but drought still has a hold on the state. *Textile manufacturing executives from 15 countries were in Lubbock touring the local cotton industry. *We are now moving into meeting season for farmers and ranchers. *The Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo is underway in Waco. *The State of Agriculture event in the Texas Coastal Bend proved to be an informative program for agricultural l...
Oct 09, 2023•25 min•Ep. 810
*Texas Livestock Auction operators were in Washington D.C. recently sharing their stories with elected officials. *The deadline to register to vote in the November 7th election is almost here. *Fall harvest is right on schedule in Texas. *Putting a carbon friendly label on products is a big deal for many companies these days. *Texas pumpkin production is well below average this year. *Hay is in short supply once again this year, so minimizing hay loses will pay off big. *Most spring calving beef...
Oct 06, 2023•25 min•Ep. 809
The 2018 Farm Bill has expired, and there is no hurry to get a new one passed. There is more wheat in storage in Texas this year, and less sorghum and corn. Registration is now open for the American Sheep Industry Association’s annual convention. Big rains on the Texas High Plains are a good weather development. The Texas Cattle Feeders Association is getting ready for its annual convention in just a few days in the Dallas area. The first days of fall are here, but it feels like summer in most o...
Oct 05, 2023•23 min•Ep. 808
