*We’re not expecting any freeze damage to the Texas winter wheat crop. *Onions are a big crop in South Texas. *Beef production is expected to go up this year. *Cattle feeders continue to produce heavier cattle. *USDA is unfreezing some conservation funding. *Fly season will be here before you know it. *Coastal Bend farmers and ranchers are dealing with the wild February temperature swings. *Liver abscesses are a problem in feedlot cattle....
Feb 24, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1169
*Cotton production is growing in Brazil. *Prairieview A&M is conducting research on organic sorghum. *Another case of New World screwworms has been found in southern Mexico. *Committees have been named by the House in the Texas Legislature. *A new bill could make it easier for students from family farms to get financial aid for college. *Silage production has taken a big jump in the Texas Panhandle, but it's not for everyone. *It got cold last week in East Texas....
Feb 21, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1168
*The cold weather is shutting down cattle marketing. *USDA has given preliminary approval to a vaccine to prevent avian influenza in chickens. *This is National FFA Week. *There are some indications that cow herd rebuilding may be getting underway. *A bill designed to expand school milk options has been reintroduced in Congress. *Thousands of volunteers help to put on the San Antonio Stock Show. *The past two weeks shows the variation we can see in a Texas winter. *A genetic abnormality has been...
Feb 21, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1166
*The House Budget Committee is calling for a $230 billion cut in ag spending. *A Texas native received a posthumous award at the National Cotton Council’s annual meeting in Dallas last weekend. *Texas farmers planted more watermelons last year. *Texas wheat crop conditions continue to decline. *A Texas federal court has allowed enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act to go forward. *A bill has been reintroduced to reinstate country of origin labeling for beef. *The depressed cotton market ...
Feb 20, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1167
*The National Cotton Council held its annual meeting in Dallas. *Cotton growers are expected to plant nearly 15% less cotton acreage this year. *Cattle feeders are getting historically high prices for cattle, but that doesn’t always translate to profits. *Lawmakers in Washington are making another attempt to eliminate the death tax. *Several factors are causing rural Texas land prices to rise. *Spring planting decisions seem to be tougher than usual this year. *Ear tagging cattle correctly is no...
Feb 18, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1165
*Brooke Rollins hit the ground running as the new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. *Rain is good for both crops and weeds. *Land prices in Texas have shot higher over the past few years. *Texas is one of the top four catfish producing states in the nation. *South Texas Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz has introduced a resolution to condemn Mexico for its failure to uphold the 1944 water treaty. *A Texas farmer testified before Congress last week. *The equine coffin joint is a common source of lamen...
Feb 17, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1164
*A Texan is the new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. *Governor Abbot outlined his emergency items for this session of the Texas Legislature. *There is hope for a potential resolution to the water debt Mexico owes the U.S. *It’s unlikely that dicamba will be available for this year’s cotton crop. *Choosing the right cotton variety is very important this year. *Cattle producers should watch out for a retained placenta as spring calving cows start putting calves on the ground....
Feb 14, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1163
*A Texan is now running the U.S. Department of Agriculture. *Texas farmers and ranchers may have another dry summer ahead. *This week’s Texas wheat crop ratings showed a small improvement. *Fighting cattle parasites is a never-ending problem. *Texans are raising more goats. *Burning has been used for year to rejuvenate grasslands. *Some planning is required for artificial insemination to be successful in sheep and goats.
Feb 13, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1162
*A Texas farmer testified before Congress. *New research shows dairy cattle infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus can build natural immunity to it. *Coast Packing Company broke ground on a new edible fats and oils refinery and packing facility in Amarillo. *With cotton prices so low, controlling production costs will be vital for this year’s crop. *Producing weed free hay is possible, but you need to start that process right now. *The passage of a new Farm Bill could be the first step in ...
Feb 12, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1161
*Texas cotton acreage is expected to stay the same this year. *Texas goat producers saw a decrease in mohair production last year. *A Texas Panhandle ranch was recognized at the recent Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio. *It looks like Texas cotton farmers will be doing without dicamba in this upcoming growing season. *A bill that would help Texas cattle producers fight fever ticks has been reintroduced in Congress. *A new year is a good time for estate planning. *Pastures are soggy, and ...
Feb 11, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1160
*Things are moving fast in Washington D.C. *Texas wool production was down last year. *The condition of the Texas wheat crop continues to decline. *Last year was a very dry season for Texas High Plains cotton producers. *USDA has released a new farm income forecast. *The San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo is now underway. *Planting time is here for farmers in Deep South Texas. *Equine imports from Mexico are now allowed into the United States....
Feb 10, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1159
*Brooke Rollins get the thumbs up at the Cattle Industry Convention. *The NCBA is watching the tariff situation closely. *Texas continues to lead the nation in the number of cattle. *Texas citrus growers are assessing the damage from the recent freeze. *The electric company that serves the Texas Panhandle is using AI technology to help fight wildfires. *The man nominated to be the next U.S. Trade Representative discussed agricultural trade and new markets recently. *The overall condition of the ...
Feb 07, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1158
*The annual Cattle Industry Convention is underway in San Antonio. *There are new updates to the Beef Quality Assurance program. *Texas dairy farmers produced more milk last quarter. *JBS USA announced a $150 million expansion project at its Cactus, Texas beef processing plant. *Ag groups are urging Congress to pass a new Farm Bill. *Having a diversified operation is an advantage when it comes to dealing with wild swings in the markets. *The Coastal Bend missed out on any significant rainfall ov...
Feb 06, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1157
*The Texas beef cow herd grew last year, but the statistics can be confusing. *The number of sheep in Texas increased last year. *Imports of Mexican feeder cattle into the U.S. are getting underway. *There has been some very interesting weather in the Texas High Plains in recent months. *We are one step closer to having a new Secretary of Agriculture. *The trade and tariff situation continues to change. *Managing feral hogs is a never-ending task. *The American Farm Bureau held a Convention work...
Feb 05, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1156
*The U.S. cow herd continues to shrink. *There drought situation in Texas has improved over the past few months, but some areas of the state are still in extreme drought. *Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Cotton Specialist Ben McKnight was named the 2025 Beltwide Cotton Specialist of the Year. *The tariff war is officially underway. *The Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo wraps up this week. *Texas cattle producers should be preparing to deal with the Asian Longhorned tick. *It’s cleanup time for ga...
Feb 05, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1155
*Less heifers are going into feedlots. *Signup is underway for the Dairy Margin Coverage program. *Texas Congressman Jodey Arrington has introduced a bill to reduce the federal estate tax. *The Asian Longhorned Tick is a potential threat to the Texas cattle industry. *The House Ag Committee is making the Farm Bill a priority in this Congress. *A very cold January has turned into a milder early February. *The ag industry was one of the hot topics brought up during Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s first c...
Feb 03, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1154
*Mexican cattle imports should resume soon. *A young Texas couple was recognized for their work on their ranch in Sterling County. *A trailer load of cattle was found abandoned in Houston County. *Texas High Plains corn farmers have been learning more about the corn leafhopper. *The U.S. has a new administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. *A new bill has been filed in the Texas legislature addressing the right to farm and ranch. *The winter months are usually a slower time for farme...
Jan 31, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1153
*Placements took a drop in the most recent Cattle on Feed report. *A group of U.S. lawmakers from Texas have reintroduced a bill to combat interference in American agriculture. *The condition of the Texas winter wheat crop continues to decline. *Several Texas County Farm Bureaus were recognized at the recent American Farm Bureau convention in San Antonio. *The push is on to get a Farm Bill passed in the new Congress. *Texas High Plains farmers are planning for spring planting. *Sometimes Bermuda...
Jan 30, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1152
*Agriculture Secretary nominee Brook Rollins had her hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee. *Rollins continues to get high praise from the agriculture community. *House Agriculture Committee leaders were in Texas this week. *Cattle prices are strong and the outlook for 2025 is positive. *Texas Panhandle wheat is in good condition at the mid-point of the growing season. *The very cold temperatures experienced on the Southern Plains of Texas challenged the region’s water system for agric...
Jan 29, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1151
*Enrollment is open for the ARC and PLC programs for the 2025 crop year. *Texas soybean acreage was down last year. *The National Cotton Council is pursuing priority issues in Washington. *Two Texas lawmakers will sit on the House Agriculture Committee this session. *Urban sprawl continues to take Texas farm and pastureland. *The winter wheat crop in the Texas Panhandle is about halfway through the growing season. *The second arctic blast of the winter had Central Texas cattle producers busy kee...
Jan 28, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1150
*The American Farm Bureau Convention is underway in San Antonio. *The cotton disease known as verticillium wilt is a big threat to cotton in the Texas High Plains. *The Texan nominated to be the next Secretary of Agriculture is gaining support. *Farmers and ranchers are feeding more people with less resources. *It’s been a cold winter in East Texas. *Knowing the quality of the forage you’re feeding your cows is important.
Jan 27, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1149
*Texas Tech University's Livestock Judging Team brought home awards from the annual Cattlemen's Congress. *Lawmakers from Kansas and Oklahoma have introduced legislation to de-list the Lesser Prairie Chicken. *Farmers, ranchers and Farm Bureau members and staff from across the nation will be in San Antonio through Tuesday. *What is the optimal date to plant cotton on the Texas High Plains? *Texas' Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has named the State Senate Committees for this legislative session. *Freezing ...
Jan 24, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1148
*Demand for U.S. cotton is decreasing. *A tall perennial plant found on parts of the Edwards Plateau could eventually be listed a threatened. *The condition of the Texas wheat crop has declined over the past two months. *Texas High Plains feedlots experienced a big drop in placements last month. *Several provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire later this year. *Chill hours for East Texas peaches are adding up this winter. *The arctic blast made it into South Texas this w...
Jan 23, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1147
*The 2024 Texas cotton crop was an improvement over the previous two years. *Texas rice production was up last year. *President Trump overturned the Green New Deal’s electric vehicle mandate. *Southeast Texas farmers and ranchers are dealing with snowfall. *Texas High Plains cattle feeders are being paid a lot of money for they cattle they are selling. *The man nominated to run the Environmental Protection Agency has an opinion on the controversial Waters of the U.S. rule. *With this latest snow...
Jan 22, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1146
*Mexican feeder cattle imports won’t resume this week. *The National Ranching Heritage Center and the Ranching Heritage Association are accepting nominations for the National Golden Spur and Working Cowboy awards. *A Texas cotton grower is now the chairman of Cotton Incorporated. *Cattle feeders in Texas have seen fed cattle prices climb into record territory. *President Trump’s new Secretary of State says he will work with Texas on enforcing the 1944 water treaty. *The Ft. Worth Stock Show and ...
Jan 21, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1145
*Solar grazing offers big opportunities for Texas sheep producers. *Texas peanut production was up last year. *Another cheese manufacturing facility is now open in Lubbock. *Strengthening margins is the purpose of the Master Marketer program. *U.S. Agriculture Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins will get her hearing before the Senate Ag Committee this week. *U.S. wheat faces several domestic marketing challenges. *The new year brings changes and challenges. *Antibiotic resistance is a serious probl...
Jan 20, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1144
*Mexican cattle imports may resume this week. *Texas farmers produced less corn and more sorghum last year. *The National Cotton Council’s annual meeting is coming to Texas next month. *There are still many surrounding the new mandatory use of electronic ear tags in cattle. *USDA has finalized a rule that will affect Texas poultry and hog producers. *The new speaker of the Texas House of Representatives has a strong record of supporting agriculture. *The latest World Agriculture Supply and Deman...
Jan 17, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1143
*It’s wildfire season in Texas. *There is assistance available for Texas dairies affected by avian influenza. *Another arctic blast is coming into Texas. *Electronic ID tags for Texas cattle producers are available for free. *USDA has withdrawn a proposed rule change to the Packers and Stockyards Act. *Northeast Texas dealt with some severe weather recently. *Increased nonstructural carbohydrates in the pasture can increase insulin levels in horses....
Jan 16, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1142
*It’s wildfire season in Texas. *There is assistance available for Texas dairies affected by avian influenza. *The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is welcoming the withdrawal of a USDA livestock marketing proposed rule. *The loss of dicamba has made it harder to keep cotton fields free of weeds. *A major effort is underway to keep screwworms out of Texas. *Enrollment for Farm Bill safety net programs for the 2025 crop year begins soon. *The annual Blackland Income Growth conference held re...
Jan 15, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1141
*It’s time for the annual American Sheep Industry convention. *U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins will not get her confirmation hearing this week. *Last week was a week to remember in the cattle market. *Opening new world markets is vital to the success of Texas farmer and ranchers. *Protecting property from wildfires is always a concern in the Texas High Plains. *Lawmakers are stressing the importance of trade to President Trump’s pick for Agriculture Secretary. *Youth livestock shows ar...
Jan 14, 2025•23 min•Ep. 1140
