Texas Agriculture Today

*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 pa...

*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 c...

*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 t...

*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’...

*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'...

*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.   *C...

*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 Environm...

*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 Secretar...

*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...

*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 o...

*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 carb...

*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 sa...

*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 stre...

*Snowfall is beneficial for Texas pastures and rangeland.   *Many Texans continues to feel the effects of La Nina.   *The Texas wheat crop should benefit from last week’s snow and rain.  *Texas High Plains corn producers are gearing up to fight the corn leaf hopper.   *EPA is now accepting comments on proposed changes to the registration for an insecticide.   *Bermuda grass plays a huge role in Te...

*The 2025 Beltwide Cotton Conferences are this week in New Orleans.   *Over half of Texas is still feeling the effects of drought.   *Variety selection plays a big role in controlling the Hessian fly in wheat.  *The 89th session of the Texas Legislature is getting underway this week in Austin.   *There’s hope for work on a new Farm Bill this year.   *Knowing the status of subsoil moisture can help...

*Central Texas wheat producers are getting a break from the Hessian fly.   *The nation’s first human death due to H5N1 Avian Influenza happened in Louisiana.   *Five Texans are set to serve new terms on the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board.   *A Texas Panhandle power company is working on strategies to reduce the potential for downed power lines to ignite wildfires.   *An endangered s...

*There are no signs of cattle herd rebuilding.    *The Texas Department of State Health Services is beginning its oral rabies vaccine air drop this week.   *The American Lamb Board is hosting a sheep grazing workshop in Texas in May. *Wildfires are burning in California, and we’re hitting peak wildfire season in the Texas High Plains.  *More U.S. corn will now be allowed into Mexico.   *The outloo...

*There is no sign of cattle herd rebuilding.   *The Texas Department of State Health Services is beginning the oral rabies vaccine air drop this week.   *The American Lamb Board is hosting a sheep grazing workshop in Texas in May. *The Pioneer crop production clinics are begin held around the Texas Panhandle.   *We now know more about what House and Senate leadership hope to accomplish in the new...

*A winter freeze hits much of Texas this week.   *Wheat prices hit multi-year lows in 2024 and the outlook for this year doesn’t look any better. *A series of crop production clinics in the Texas High Plains is getting underway this week.   *Will we see a new Farm Bill in 2025?   *New cotton varieties are being launched for 2025.   *The Beneficial Ownership Information filing requirement is once a...

*Texas ranchers should watch closely for screwworms.   *Registration is now open for the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s convention and expo.   *Cattle markets are expected to stay strong for 2025.   *President Trump will start his second term later this month.   *Diversifying nitrogen sources can help increase corn production.   *2024 presented quite a few challenges for pla...

*Should Texas cattle producers be concerned about screwworms entering the state?   *President Trump has picked the number two official for U.S. agriculture.   *Texas farmers and ranchers will be the biggest beneficiaries of the new economic aid package approved by Congress.   *The Texas High Plains silage boom continues.   *There will be four new faces representing Texas in Washington D.C.    *It’...

*Bell County farmers and ranchers had a roller coaster ride of a year.   *The new Congress will be seated in Washington D.C. this week.   *Cotton prices took a nosedive in 2024. *When should you call your veterinarian about problems in your sheep and goat herd?  *EPA is proposing a rule that would limit the use of chlorpyrifos.  *Geopolitics are having a big effect on U.S. agriculture.  *USDA’s An...

*Cattle futures were volatile during 2024.   *USDA is investing another $300 million to expand food and agricultural exports.   *The number of cattle in Texas feedlots is down slightly from a year ago. *The level of cow herd rebuilding in Texas is a big unknown.   *There is now more time to comment on the Department of Labor’s proposed heat illness prevention rule. *2024 was a challenging year for...

*There has been another change to the Corporate Transparency Act reporting requirements.   *There were a couple of surprises in the cattle market this past year.   *There are some things you don’t want to leave out of an estate plan. *Dairy farmers and cooperatives have until the end of the year to weigh in on proposed changes to the federal milk marketing orders.   *The pork checkoff is connectin...

*This was a record year for fed cattle prices.   *The deadline to apply for USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program is coming soon.   *Texas farms & ranches lose nearly $200 million a year from natural disasters.  *Estate planning is an important responsibility for farmers and ranchers.   *If dairy farmers vote in favor of a proposed rule, make allowances could rise.   *Cattle producers should...