*It was a great legislative session for Texas agriculture, especially for efforts to strengthen Right to Farm laws. *Farmers on the Texas High Plains have finally received the rains they’ve been waiting for, but they could use a break in the rainfall to finish planting. *A shortage of ag labor continues to be a huge issue. *There are some new plants available to Texas gardeners. *A new genetic defect has been found in Holstein calves. *A new case of Chronic Wasting Disease has been found in Texa...
May 31, 2023•23 min•Ep. 717
*Cotton exports are up while domestic stocks are down. Both of those are positive for the cotton market. *Wheat farmers continue to benefit from the efforts of Texas A&M AgriLife wheat breeders. *Rising interest rates are having a big effect on farmers and ranchers bottom line. *With the month of May wrapping up, Texas agriculture is moving full speed ahead. *Some horses do not do well when confined in a stall, but there are medications that can help. *The digital tagging programming in Texa...
May 30, 2023•23 min•Ep. 716
*West Texas sheep producers are enjoying recent rains. *The United States Supreme Court ruled that private property rights take precedent over the EPA’s Waters of the US rule. *The northern Texas Panhandle has gotten a lot of rain recently, but it probably won’t change the outlook for cotton there. *The end of the school year brings on the FFA banquets across East Texas. *Early weaning of lambs is controversial, but it can have some benefits. *Ticks are out all over Texas at this time of year....
May 29, 2023•23 min•Ep. 715
Recent rains have helped South Texas crops progress. A pair of landowner bills have passed through the Texas Legislature. What’s the future for the cattle contracts library? The dry gap in Central Texas finally received some rain. It is important to have a working relationship with your veterinarian. There are new opportunities for landowners interested in improving habitat for migratory birds.
May 26, 2023•23 min•Ep. 714
Grain marketing specialist Dr. Mark Welch discusses what’s impacting the price of corn. One of the negotiators who helped iron out the North American Free Trade Agreement looks back on the deal. Recent rains may mean more dryland sorghum on the Texas High Plains. Weed control is an important aspect of forage management. Low stress cattle handling can lead to improved herd health.
May 25, 2023•23 min•Ep. 713
Record fed cattle prices have set the stage for more high prices to come. Recent rains have been beneficial for both farmers and ranchers on the High Plains of Texas. The majority of agricultural machinery sold in the United States is now covered by memoranda of understanding allowing for farmers the right to repair their equipment. Storms have brought a series of high winds, heavy rains and even a tornado to extreme south Texas. There are always new therapies coming along in equine medicine, bu...
May 24, 2023•23 min•Ep. 712
Corn and grain sorghum are progressing on the South Plains as cotton planting continues. Recent rains have been a godsend for the Panhandle and South Plains. A program that allows farmers to tests seed before they hit the market is entering its 16th season. Spring storms are beneficial, but high winds and hail that sometimes accompany them can cause trauma to crops and plants. A false claim on social media says livestock owners must vaccinate their cattle with mRNA vaccines. The Coastal Conserva...
May 23, 2023•23 min•Ep. 711
U.S. farmers are expected to plant more than 11 million acres of cotton this year. Is the cattle contracts library working for cattle producers? The U.S. House Budget and Agriculture committees will work together to forge a new farm bill. Rains across the Coastal Bend have improved crop prospects. It is critical for horse owners to work with their veterinarian to determine what is normal for their horse. A project designed to help restore the playa lakes in the Texas Panhandle and High Plains ha...
May 22, 2023•23 min•Ep. 710
*Southern Plains farmers are happy to get more rain, while farmers in the Coastal Bend have had all the rain they can take. *Former Congressman Charlie Stenholm died at age 84. *The process of filing crop insurance claims on wheat is underway on the Texas High Plains. *Bills are making their way through the Texas legislature and onto the governor’s desk. *Cotton planting is underway on the Southern Plains of Texas. *USDA has a livestock indemnity program that could be helpful for livestock produ...
May 19, 2023•23 min•Ep. 709
*We are getting an in the field assessment of the wheat crop with the Kansas Wheat Quality Tour this week. *Texas will be well represented at the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. *A new organization dedicated to advancing food production in the Texas Panhandle is officially opening to the public. *Fertilizer prices have come down recently, and that’s good news as we wrap up spring planting. *Seeds of optimism are being planted with this year’s Texas cotton crop. *Most lameness in horses ...
May 18, 2023•23 min•Ep. 708
*Another week of declining wheat conditions. *Wheat harvest is underway in South and Central Texas. *Grain markets are feeling the pressure as the latest predictions call for huge corn and soybean crops this year. *We’re experiencing a rare moment in time where every segment of the beef industry can be profitable. *The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from the Department of Agriculture projects a record corn crop along with increased soybean production. *There are some chang...
May 17, 2023•23 min•Ep. 707
*Texas cotton farmers can now enroll in the Cotton Trust Protocol. *A Texas livestock producer is feeding a sugarcane waste product to his cattle. *Fed cattle prices are high right now, and that means things are going well for Texas High Plains feedyards. *The head of agricultural research for Texas A&M AgriLife would like to see several subjects addressed in the 2023 Farm Bill. *Technicians are needed to produce the heavy equipment that powers modern agriculture. *The use of probiotics in h...
May 16, 2023•23 min•Ep. 706
*The Supreme Court rules against pork producers. *There will be no more over the counter purchases of livestock antibiotics after June 11th. *Bringing new innovation to agriculture and food production in the Texas Panhandle is the focus of a new organization that will become open to the public this week. *Improving agricultural research infrastructure should be addressed in the 2023 Farm Bill. *Glyphosate is a very important product for farmers, but it continues to be under attack. *Low stress c...
May 15, 2023•23 min•Ep. 705
*For many Texas farmers and ranchers this spring is a complete turnaround from last year. *Hessian Fly is a problem in many Texas wheat fields this year. *Having more knowledge about your cattle can translate into more money for you. *Landowner liability and compensation bills are making their way through the Texas legislature. *What is national food security worth, in terms of an expense for the federal government? *Donkeys are usually healthy animals, but they can develop certain equine diseas...
May 12, 2023•23 min•Ep. 704
*Texas cotton planting is right on schedule. *The nation’s largest wool testing lab is located right here in Texas. *Genetics is an important consideration if you want to produce high quality beef. *The South Texas cotton crop has faced some challenges this year with rain and cool temperatures. *Cotton planters are finally rolling on the Texas Southern Plains. *Downer cows are always a serious problem, and very few of them ever get up. *For years the Texas Dove Hunters association have banded an...
May 11, 2023•23 min•Ep. 703
Recent rains are too little, too late for the Texas wheat crop. Beef exports are not a high priority for the current administration in Washington. It’s not going to be a great year for winter wheat on the Texas High Plains. Farmers and ranchers across the nation are waiting on a Supreme Court decision on the Waters of the U.S. rule. East Texas is seeing its share of weather changes. Obesity in horses can lead to problems like equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis. A field study on invasive dov...
May 10, 2023•23 min•Ep. 702
*A Texas cattle scheme leaves three dead and creditors holding debt. *Texas cotton growers join the FiberMax One Ton Club. *We may be looking at a season of change on the Texas High Plains as spring planting gets underway. *The beef checkoff is selling more U.S. beef around the world. *Bermuda grass decline happens when stands thin or die out altogether. *Mineral supplementation is usually needed in a beef cow herd. *The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is investigating a new case of Chronic ...
May 09, 2023•23 min•Ep. 701
*Rain and warm weather across Texas may bring on the weeds. *Texas leads the nation in organic peanut production. *NCBA is seeking more funding for the foot and mouth disease vaccine bank. *The Senate Agriculture committee is working hard on the 2023 Farm Bill. *Prewatering fields for spring planting can be helpful in areas still dealing with drought. *Central Texas was hit with some big hailstorms. *Spring forage can usually supply the energy and protein requirements for beef cattle. *Early bir...
May 08, 2023•23 min•Ep. 700
*Texas voters will decide the fate of a Right to Farm constitutional amendment. *Wheat farmers may want to consider cutting their crop for hay this year. *A listening session will be held in Texas on the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. *Farmers in the Dumas area have been contracted to grow hemp this year. *Extreme South Texas has been hit with massive storms. *Hardware disease is an issue with cattle. *Texas teens have a few more days to apply for the Wildlife Conservation Camp....
May 05, 2023•23 min•Ep. 699
*Texas farmers spoke to lawmakers this week in Washington, giving their views on proposed improvements to the 2023 Farm Bill. *A freshman Texas congressman weighs in on issues important to agriculture. *The effort to bring a hemp processing plant to the Texas panhandle is continuing. *Coastal bend farmers and ranchers are looking forward to a great growing season. *Horses can develop allergies just like humans. *Texas waters are warming up, and that means more anglers may try their hand at catch...
May 04, 2023•23 min•Ep. 698
*Right to Farm legislation is making progress at the State Capitol. *Another state gets relief from the Waters of the U.S. rule. *Texas A&M AgriLife is planning a youth sheep and goat tour next month. *The cotton industry in Texas is still feeling the effects of last year’s crop failures. *Spring planting is moving forward across Texas. *Non-dairy products should not be labeled as milk. *Determining if sheep or goats are sick requires that you know what normal looks like. *It’s sea turtle ne...
May 03, 2023•23 min•Ep. 697
*A Texas cotton grower addresses Congress. *Texas A&M researchers are working to develop a type of cotton seed that is edible by humans. *A group of Texas farmers and ranchers visited with their elected officials in Washington D.C. recently. *A Texas High Plains rancher has come up with a new way to deal with some pesky trees. *Gardening is in full swing in Texas. *Livestock guard dogs are very important for sheep and goat producers in Texas. *Enrollment is now open for the Managed Lands Dee...
May 02, 2023•23 min•Ep. 696
*There is a big push in the state legislature to strengthen Texas Right to Farm laws. *Applications are begin taken for the Texas Family Land Heritage Program. *Cattle numbers are decreasing but the beef production forecast is going up. *The Producer Owned Beef plant project in Amarillo is moving forward. *A new month, a new weather forecast. *Balloon releases are costing Texas livestock their lives. *A common bacteria that causes sickness in cattle has a new name. *Texas lakes have produced som...
May 01, 2023•23 min•Ep. 695
A better year is ahead for Texas hay production. Over half the states in America have made moves to restrict foreign ownership of land in their state. Legislation has passed in the state legislature that would require electric vehicle owners to pay a fee. The state of the beef packing business was a big topic at the recent Hemphill County Beef Conference. The industrial hemp processing plant near Wichita Falls will start operation later this year. A supplement was recently tested to see if it wo...
Apr 28, 2023•23 min•Ep. 694
Texas feedlot inventories drop while placements climb. There have been two sides of Texas this year when it comes to rainfall. The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee visited with Texas farmers and ranchers recently in Washington D.C. Farmers in the Texas High Plains are transitioning from one crop season to the next. How do you create more meat packing capacity at local and regional levels? Detecting pneumonia in young calves can be difficult. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has...
Apr 27, 2023•23 min•Ep. 693
*Many areas of Texas are getting welcome rain this week. *A new bill in Congress would monitor the Fever Tick Eradication Program. *Texas wheat conditions continue to get worse. *This week’s rain was a blessing to farmers and ranchers on the Texas High Plains. *International trade is very important for Texas agriculture. *Springtime is bringing a lot of activity for farmers and ranchers in East Texas. *Stomach ulcers in horses are common. *The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is considering c...
Apr 26, 2023•23 min•Ep. 692
*The latest Cattle on Feed report shows less cattle in feedlots. *The American Lamb Board released another video. *We are still waiting to see if more money will be available for the 2023 Farm Bill. *Senator Ted Cruz met with a group of Texas farmers and ranchers last week in Washington. *What do this week’s rains mean for the weeks ahead for farmers and ranchers on the Texas High Plains? *The White House’s veto of a congressional resolution on the Waters of the U.S. rule was a disappointment fo...
Apr 25, 2023•23 min•Ep. 691
*The Oklahoma and Kansas wheat crops are just as bad as ours. *Farm groups are urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to drop their proposed rule on reporting farm emissions. *When it comes to making money in the cattle business, it’s important to have high grading cattle. *Texas cotton producers in the Southern Plains are optimistic about the new growing season. *With springtime here, it may be time to reestablish pastures or hay meadows. *Pain in a horse's neck is not uncommon, but the ...
Apr 24, 2023•23 min•Ep. 690
*The Texas dairy industry continues to grow. *WOTUS veto override fails. *We are expecting to see more acres going to sorghum on the Texas High Plains this year. *A Dallas congresswoman who is a member of the House Agriculture Committee discusses her outlook for the 2023 Farm Bill. *The Texas Coastal Bend has received the best rainfall in more than six months. *Many young calves may need supplementation with electrolytes. *The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of Publi...
Apr 21, 2023•23 min•Ep. 689
*Cotton planting is wrapping up in South Texas, but the crop is a few weeks behind in the Coastal Bend. *U.S. Transportation Secretary addresses the AM radio issue. *Farmers on the Texas High Plains are still waiting for rain as spring planting time has arrived. *South Texas farmer and rancher Russell Boening testified before Congress this week. *Extreme South Texas is getting scattered showers and row crops are looking good as a result. *Equine asthma is a common disease in horses. *The 8th ann...
Apr 20, 2023•23 min•Ep. 688
