*Texas wheat growers should plan now to avoid hessian fly problem later. *The state’s largest farm organization is accepting applications for up to $20,000 in grants for county 4-H programs. *Corn and sorghum harvest are picking up speed across Texas. *Some educational opportunities offered by Texas A&M AgriLife are coming up soon in the Texas High Plains. *It’s unlikely that we will have a new Farm Bill before the current extension expires. *Helena Agri-Enterprises agronomist Kevin Meeks ha...
Jul 26, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1019
*Signup is underway for the National Water Quality Initiative. *Fertilizer prices remain unseasonably high. *A new state-of-the art grain facility is planned for the Texas Panhandle. *In recent years there has been a major upswing in the number of people who want to buy locally grown food. *Both Texas Senators are taking action to get Mexico to deliver the water it owes the Rio Grande Valley. *The U.S. Meat Export Federation is working to reduce obstacles for red meat exports to Canada. *Hurrica...
Jul 25, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1018
*Preparation is underway for the new Texas wheat crop. *The market for U.S. dairy products continues to grow. *The Texas citrus industry is calling on Congress to take action now before the industry collapses. *Is irrigation necessary to grow potatoes on the Texas High Plains? *The lack of movement on a new Farm Bill is not going unnoticed. *Crop conditions in Gaines County in West Texas are favorable, but rain is needed. *Stable flies are common in cattle....
Jul 24, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1017
*USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report was somewhat positive for the cattle market. *Texas citrus growers are expected to produce more grapefruit and oranges this season. *TSCRA Special Rangers uncovered a complex livestock theft scheme in South Texas. *Potatoes grown in the Texas High Plains find their way to customers well outside of Texas. *USDA is encouraging comments on the proposed changes to Federal Milk Marketing Orders. *Water is a critical component of rural land values. *One of the mos...
Jul 23, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1016
*Cattle prices are at historic highs. *East Texas will see an increase in horseflies soon thanks to Hurricane Beryl. *The comment period is now open for proposed changes to federal milk marketing orders. *Corn, cotton and sorghum are the main summer crops in the Texas High Plains, but some farmers grow potatoes. *The Environmental Protection Agency has announced changes to how it reviews and approves pesticides. *Recent hailstorms on the Southern Plains of West Texas have damaged cotton fields. ...
Jul 22, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1015
*There is very little chance of a new Farm Bill getting passed before the November election. *Registration is underway for the 7th annual Texas A&M Ranch Horse Program. *A South Texas congressman says Mexico will begin paying its water debt to the Rio Grande Valley soon. *The Texas High Plains is among the top regions in the country for agricultural research. *EPA’s Waters of the U.S. definition continues to create uncertainty across the nation. *Future infrastructure projects could create b...
Jul 19, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1014
*A new study shows a big return on the beef checkoff. *The U.S. agricultural trade deficit is getting higher. *Cattle feeders in the Texas High Plains are making good profits. *The new Producer Owned Beef plant in Amarillo received a $10 million grant from USDA. *Texas farmers are active with mid-summer crops. *Hurricane Beryl brushed by the Rio Grande Valley. *Anemia is common in small ruminants due to parasites.
Jul 18, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1013
Cotton prices have been dropping and the outlook is bleak. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack dismisses claims made about the Environmental Protection Agency during a recent House Ag hearing. High prices are impacting beef imports and exports. Post-breeding management of heifers after artificial insemination can have an impact on the number of cows that calve. We’ll have those stories and more on Texas Ag Today .
Jul 17, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1012
*As hundreds of FFA students from across the state gathered in Houston, Hurricane Beryl made landfall, brining with it 100-mile-an-hour winds and massive flooding. *A U.S. Congresswoman from Texas recently shared with the House Ag Committee how EPA’s slow pesticide approval process is impacting Texas farmers. *What are record high cattle prices telling producers? *Texas pork producers are benefitting from lower grain prices. We’ll have those stories and more on Texas Ag Today....
Jul 16, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1011
*The Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association’s annual convention is this weekend. *Cattle prices are at record highs, and the outlook is very positive. *Pork prices are low right now. *EPA’s pesticide registration and review process came under fire in a House Ag Committee hearing. *Farmers in the Coastal Bend dodged a bullet with Hurricane Beryl. *Nutrition can impact a horse’s hooves.
Jul 15, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1010
*Cotton demand is dropping, and that means there is a poor outlook for U.S. cotton exports. *Angus Convention 2024 is headed to Cowtown. *Is it time for Texas High Plains wheat farmers to try something new? *Farmers and ranchers recently testified in front of Congress about the impact EPA’s new regulations have had on their operations. *Biosecurity on farms is an important part of combatting Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. *During hot dry summers, grasshopper can become a big problem for fora...
Jul 12, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1009
*Cotton may not be a profitable crop this year. *It’s time for Texas High Plains cotton farmers to do a good examination of what’s happening in their fields. *The American Farm Bureau is asking the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Agriculture to address the shortage of farm labor. *The Farm Bill hasn’t gone anywhere in the United States Senate. *It’s another hot summer in Texas and that has a big effect on gardens landscapes. *Goats can develop stones in their bladder....
Jul 11, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1008
*The remnants of Beryl are beneficial for farmers outside of Texas. *The economy continues to weigh on farmer sentiment. *Harvest season is well underway in South and Central Texas. *Cattle prices are very high right now. *Political sparring over the Congressional Budget Office’s scoring of the Farm Bill may be getting in the way of any Farm Bill action. *HPAI or Avian Influenza in dairy cattle caused quite a stir in the industry when it was discovered in Texas dairy herds back in March. *Wildli...
Jul 10, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1007
*Texas farmers and ranchers are assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl. *The Texas A&M AgriLife’s annual sheep and goat field day and expo is coming up in a few weeks. *Texas cowboy Joe “Buzz” Thorpe is this year’s winner of the Ranching Heritage Association’s Working Cowboy Award. *The weather in other parts of the country is helping create a tough market situation for Texas corn and cotton farmers. *Texas officials are fighting back against the Endangered Species Listing of the Dun...
Jul 09, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1006
*Hurricane Beryl is plowing through Texas agriculture. *The Texas Animal Health Commission is now accepting applications for its Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program. *McDonalds is giving up on meatless burgers. *Cotton prices are very low right now. *USDA is proposing changes to the federal milk marketing order. *Texas pecan growers are preparing for their annual conference. *Wheat harvest has wrapped up and cotton is planted in the Texas Rolling Plains. *Intestinal parasites are the most signi...
Jul 08, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1005
*Farmers and ranchers in South Texas and the Coastal Bend worked non-stop over the weekend to prepare for Hurricane Beryl. *Texas farmers have more wheat and corn in storage this year. *The Texas FFA convention kicks off this week in Houston. *The recent droughts have made things tough on Texas High Plains farmers and ranchers. *There was a recent hearing on the Mexican ban on GMO corn. *Texas citrus growers can now sell grapefruit to South Korea. *Cloud based digital agriculture is helping farm...
Jul 05, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1004
*The battle against the boll weevil continues on the Mexican border. *The winter wheat season is wrapping up on the Texas High Plains. *Financial assistance is available for dairy farmers impacted by avian influenza. *Williamson County just north of Austin is a high growth area of the state. *This is the time of year to watch for pinkeye in cattle.
Jul 04, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1003
*The Texas wheat harvest is winding down. *Officials from the United States and Chile have signed letters of agreement to protect market access for U.S. meat and cheese products. *The condition of the Texas corn crop remains the same as last week. *Grazing conditions have improved in the Texas High Plains. *The Texas congressional delegation continues working to get Mexico to deliver vital water to the Rio Grande Valley. *Drought continues for farmers and ranchers in far West Texas. *After an ex...
Jul 03, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1002
*The northern Texas Panhandle is having a great wheat harvest. *There are fewer hogs and pigs in Texas. *Friday’s USDA acreage report was negative for the corn market. *Texas High Plains farmers are having a good year with row crops. *The United States Supreme Court has good news for Texas farmers & ranchers. *Cattle producers are very optimistic in the geographical center of Texas. *The summer hay season is rolling in East Texas. *Heat stress can be a problem in cattle....
Jul 02, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1001
*USDA’s acreage report released Friday shocked the cotton market by increasing U.S. cotton acreage by nearly one million acres. *Milk production fell in Texas last month. *Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz took to the House floor last week to shine the spotlight on the Rio Grande Valley water crisis. *It’s hot in Texas, and that’s tough on cattle. *Is the Farm Bill at a stalemate? *The July forecast for Texas is hot and dry. *The recent tropical storm brought good rains to Deep South Texas. *A new...
Jul 01, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1000
*The condition of the Central Texas corn crop depends on the planting date. *The Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course is just over a month away. *USDA is providing disaster aid to Texas dairies with lost milk production due to the H5N1 virus. *Corn farmers in the Texas High Plains should be thinking about some pest control issues right now. *The U.S. House of Representatives will soon vote on a spending bill that will withhold foreign aid funding for Mexico until the Mexican government deliver...
Jun 28, 2024•23 min•Ep. 999
*Central Texas farmers continue to bring in the wheat crop following a lot of rain and storms this spring. *Nearly one-third of Texas is still dealing with drought conditions. *Texas has signed onto USDA’s voluntary dairy herd testing program. *Demand for corn silage in the Texas High Plains has been going up for years. *Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has released a fourth proposed rule under the Packers and Stockyards Act. *Heavy spring rains have had a negative impact in Central Texas. *Summer is he...
Jun 27, 2024•23 min•Ep. 998
*Wheat producers in Central Texas are struggling to get this year’s crop out of the field. *A new smart phone app designed by Texas A&M AgriLife can help farmers optimize their water use. *The condition of the Texas corn crop is declining slightly. *The weather is always going to be a challenge for cotton growers in the Texas High Plains. *Several lawmakers from Texas are asking USDA to make sure ranchers have access to the predator control tools they need. *Chinese tariffs are having a long...
Jun 26, 2024•23 min•Ep. 997
*Central Texas corn is getting too much of a good thing. *A water agreement between Texas and New Mexico has been rejected by the United States Supreme Court. *There is optimism about the new start of the cotton season on the Texas High Plains. *American farmers and ranchers will be affected by a proposed national heat standard. *El Nino is moving out while La Nina is moving in. *Farming season is in full swing in North Central Texas. *Sheep and goats are good at hiding sickness....
Jun 25, 2024•23 min•Ep. 996
*Texas corn and sorghum growers have new weed control tools available. *The Farm Bill debate is moving very slowly through the Senate. *Things are looking good for winter wheat in the Texas High Plains. *OSHA is moving forward with its proposed national heat standard. *The Ultimate Beef Trail digital pass is now available for consumers to experience Texas’ wide array of beef restaurants. *Tropical Storm Alberto moved across the Coastal Bend last week. *Prevention of disease in sheep and goats is...
Jun 24, 2024•23 min•Ep. 995
*A Texas congressman is asking USDA to allow the use of M-44 predator control devices. *The chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee says the House version of the Farm Bill uses “magic math.” *Tio Kleberg of the King Ranch will receive the National Golden Spur award. *There have been some big rains around the Texas High Plains recently. *The agricultural trade deficit continues to grow. *It’s been a good year for sheep and goat producers in Central Texas. *Triple digit temperatures have arrived...
Jun 21, 2024•23 min•Ep. 994
*Texas wheat producers are happy to see the recent action on the Farm Bill. *USDA is looking for farmers and ranchers to serve on local FSA committees. *Fed cattle prices are expected to continue rising into 2025. *Cattle feeders in the Texas High Plains are making money. *The pecan industry is looking for a bit more fairness when it comes to trade promotion funding. *At a recent field day in Southeast Texas, farmers learned more about protection crops from insect pressure. *Respiratory disease ...
Jun 20, 2024•23 min•Ep. 993
*Overregulation is hurting Texas farmers and ranchers. *Rio Grande Valley farmers and ranchers are still waiting for Mexico to deliver the water they owe the U.S. *Texas spring crops are looking very good compared to a year ago. *High interest rates are a challenge for Texas cattle feeders. *Results are in from the Central Texas wheat trials. *Both Senators from Texas are expressing concerns over trade promotion funding that favors other nuts over U.S. pecans. *Symptoms of ergotism have been fou...
Jun 19, 2024•23 min•Ep. 992
*The northern Texas Panhandle cotton crop is off to a good start. *The cotton market is struggling with futures at the lowest levels of 2024. *Texas High Plains sorghum farmers are having a better time getting the supplies they need. *A year-end Farm Bill may be in the works. *The weather is still the hot topic in East Texas agriculture. *Overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding vehicle emissions standards have led to a lawsuit. *There are potential side effects when using Altr...
Jun 18, 2024•23 min•Ep. 991
*Wheat harvest continues to roll across Texas with variable harvest conditions. *The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has awarded more than $700,000 to Texas A&M to combat animal disease outbreaks. *The Texas High Plains sorghum crop is off to a good start. *The U.S. Trade Representatives office is working to promote our agricultural goods abroad. *Farming practices vary from one region of Texas to another. *Sorghum harvest is underway in the lower Coastal Bend. *It’s important to ...
Jun 17, 2024•23 min•Ep. 990
