Texas Agriculture Today

*Farm groups are reacting to the detection of New World Screwworm in Texas.   *USDA has deployed a strike team to Texas to deal with the screwworm. *Hurricane season is here.   *The opportunity to increase base acres is an opportunity for cotton farmers in the Texas High Plains.   *The Central Texas wheat harvest is wrapping up. *Choosing a supplement for your horse can be complicated.  

*Screwworms are in Texas.  Now what?   *Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been found in a Texas dairy.   *The Texas wheat harvest is now 23% complete.   *The winter wheat season in the Texas High Plains will be remembered as a crop devastated by drought.   *El Nino will affect this year’s hurricane season.   *The EPA is working on the problems with Diesel Exhaust Fluid.   *Summer is creeping i...

*Screwworms are now in Texas.     *One crop in the Texas High Plains is off to a good start.   *Hurricane season is here.   *USDA has a plan to revitalize the cotton farm economy.   *East Texas has had a good spring so far, but there are some spots that are suffering from a lack of rain.   *Alternative therapies are used in treating performance horses.  

*The screwworm is close to Texas, but not as close as you may have heard.   *Specialty crop growers can now apply for financial assistance.   *Five Texans were appointed to serve on the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. *Parts of the Texas Panhandle have gotten some rain recently.   *Cotton Council International continues to market U.S. cotton abroad.   *The last two weeks of May brou...

Cattle feeders are profitable, but high price feeder cattle are squeezing those profits. The Farm Service Agency is sending landowners letter about potential base acre allocations. Genetics have played a big role in improving beef quality in recent years, but that's definitely not the whole story. El Niño is just getting started and could impact June weather in Texas. Spring beef calf processing i...

New World Screwworm found in bovine just 31 miles from US-Mexico border. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has reportedly withdrawn its mountain lion harvest reporting proposal following significant opposition.  USDA is celebrating the opening of a livestock insect research lab in Kerrville.  Estate planning is critical on the farm and ranch. The path to profitability is not an easy one for...

Sheep and goat prices look good this spring. There’s a little uncertainty about corn acreage in the Texas High Plains this year. Staff for members of the Texas Legislature are learning more about agriculture. Students at Colorado State University have developed an AI tool to help grade beef. Horn flies cost cattlemen a lot of money.

Farmers are expected to see above-average farm bill safety net payments this fall.  Conditions in the Coastal Bend have switched from drought to flood. Cotton farmers on the Texas High Plains have seen a lot of challenging weather already this season. Texas legislative staff gain agricultural insights at demonstration farm. There are different options for intraarticular joint therapies in horses.

Free mental health services are available for those involved in Texas agriculture. The High Plains has finally received some rain.  There are three steps that sellers of rural land should take before they attempt to market or sell their property.  This time of year, busy performance horses by need anti-inflammatories for sore joints.  The world’s largest ammonia plant, which is expected to help st...

The switch to El Niño is coming. An information service can help farmers in the Texas High Plains as they face challenges with insect pressure. U.S. beef demand continues to be strong around the world. House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson gives us an update on ag labor legislation.  Ultrasounds are now being used to help in the diagnosis of pneumonia in calves.

Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman gives us an update on the farm bill and potential economic assistance for farmers.  The cattle futures market is fighting with the cash market. Consumer demand for beef remains strong even with high prices. Market access for U.S. red meat exports continues to grow. A new strangles vaccine is on the way.

*U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed TFB members in Washington, D.C. this week. *Texas cotton planting is right-on-track in Texas.  *Zoetis receives additional approval for Dectomax to treat New World Screwworm. *Registration is now open for the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course. *Cattle inventories remain very tight. *The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking for produ...

*China should be buying U.S. beef again.   *The latest Texas wheat crop ratings are out.    *High energy prices are helping to boost cotton prices. *Feedlots are making money, but they still need higher fed cattle prices. *Millennials are buying more beef. *There’s some good news in the fight against the New World screwworms.   *Data centers are a touchy topic in Texas agriculture. *Preparations c...

*The feeder cattle market is red hot.   *USDA is raising the average cotton price for the marketing year.   *Nominations are open for the Texas Environmental Stewardship Award Program.   *About 300 Texas farmers and ranchers are in Washington this week.  *Record high fed cattle prices are good news for Texas feedlots.    *A new survey shows consumer’s meat consumption priorities.   *The rising cos...

*Cattle futures trading limits are expanding.   *Hurricane season gets underway soon.    *China is expected to buy $17 billion in agricultural products from the U.S.    *Southeast Texas County Farm Bureaus hosted a Legislative Ag Day last week.   *Cotton and sorghum seem to be the best options to grow in the Texas High Plains this year.   *A few fertilizer plants have been damaged by the conflict...

*The Trump Administration is thinking twice about interfering in the beef market.    *The Wexford Ranches of South and West Texas are recognized for their conservation work.   *More screwworm cases have been confirmed in northern Mexico.   *Farmers in South Central Texas held a legislative ag day.   *The new growing season is just beginning in the Texas Panhandle.  *E15 legislation is moving forwa...

*U.S. wheat production is taking a big drop.   *A bipartisan group of member of Congress have sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative asking for help for specialty crop producers.   *The annual Kansas wheat crop tour is this week.   *Agriculture is benefitting from some important achievement in the policy arena. *The U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Spring conference is next week.   *The Trump...

*The wheat market got a big boost from the USDA WASDE report.    *The latest Texas wheat crop ratings are out.   *The number of heifers in feedlots is going down.   *Are cotton prices high enough to make a profit?   *A state legislative committee heard testimony on the state’s New World screwworm plan.   *President Donald Trump is in China for trade talks.  *The crop and livestock outlook is impro...

*Beef imports are increasing.   *Drought conditions in Texas have improved.   *The entire U.S. cotton belt is experiencing drought.   *Many Texas High Plains farmers are making a gamble with dry planted cotton.   *The Buying American Cotton Act is designed to increase demand for U.S. cotton.   *Whole milk is coming back to school lunches.   *The American Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging actio...

*Sterile screwworm flies are dropped in more South Texas counties.    *The Department of Justice says a new settlement will help ease consumer meat prices.   *The Texas Special Rangers is reminding livestock owners to brand their animals.   *Drought continues throughout the Texas High Plains.   *Beef is winning with consumers.   *The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program has sent out over $9 billion in...

*Winter wheat fields are abandoned across the High Plains.   *USDA has designated 34 Texas as natural disaster areas.   *There are multiple diseases affecting wheat in the Texas High Plains this year.   *A commitment to cotton innovation continues.   *House ag leaders say they would like to see the U.S. Mexico Canada trade agreement renewed.  *Weed control is an important part of pasture managemen...

*The debate continues over cow herd rebuilding.    *The Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications for grasslands CRP.   *The Texas Corn Producers Association is applauding the introduction of a bill to lower fertilizer prices.   *Texas High Plains farmers may see a new disease threat this year.   *The Army Corps of Engineers is working on many water projects.   *The House is expected to ta...

*Texas farmers were denied their claims against Hansen-Mueller.   *Farmer sentiment went down in April.   *Over half of the Texas wheat crop is in poor to very poor condition.   *U.S. beef is being shipped to the United Kingdom duty free.   *Monitoring for pests early in the season is critical for Texas cotton producers.   *A new bill in Congress aims to reduce fertilizer costs.   *Late April rain...

*The cotton market is bullish.    *State and national animal health officials are investigating a case of pseudorabies virus reportedly linked to a hog facility in Texas.     *We’re looking for good farm dogs.   *Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Department of Justice is investigating major beef processors.   *Corn leaf hoppers may not be much of a threat to Texas High Plains corn...

*Wheat prices are having a huge rally.   *The push is on the pass the Buy American Cotton Act.   *Texas 4-H now has its own headquarters.    *Helping Texas High Plains agriculture deal with depleting groundwater supplies is a major focus for AgriLife researchers.   *Central Texas dairy farmers have a new market opportunity thanks to Walmart.   *The Farm Bill has cleared a key hurdle in Congress.  ...