Texas Agriculture Today

*It’s been a rough summer, but Texas cattle producers are hanging on.     *Pasture and range conditions in Texas are rapidly deteriorating.   *It has been another challenging season for cotton on the Texas High Plains.     *Central Texas agriculture is grappling with high heat and a lack of rain.     *Developing a beef herd health program with your local veterinarian is critical to being successfu...

*The Texas cotton crop continues to decline.   *The nation’s cow herd is shrinking, and there is no evidence of herd rebuilding in the near future.   *The writing of the new is proving to be a challenge.   *The biotech corn dispute with Mexico continues.   *East Texas farmers and ranchers are drying out, just like everyone else.   *Horses have bony projections on their back that can lead to back p...

*The Texas Cattle Feeders Association supports the transition to electronic identification for cattle.   *The Texas Animal Health Commission has confirmed a second case of vesicular stomatitis this year.    *The Texas Sheep and Goat Field Day and Expo is this Friday and Saturday.   *There was a lot of sorghum planted on the Texas High Plains this year.   *The summer drought is forcing a lot of Tex...

*Dryland cotton is running out of time in the Southern Plains.   *Texas farmers and ranchers are paying more to stay in business.   *It’s time to test your wheat seed before planting this fall.   *The Texas High Plains corn crop is nearing the finish line.   *U.S. Pork exports have had an outstanding year so far.   *The hot and dry conditions are causing pastures in the Coastal Bend to suffer.   *...

*USDA cut the U.S. cotton crop production forecast by 2.5 million bales.   *The wheat market did not get any support in last week’s WASDE report.   *There is a 95% chance that El Nino is moving into Texas.   *The pace of fed cattle sales has gotten slow in Texas recently.   *A USDA trade mission to two southeast Asian countries will take place this fall.   *Triple digit temperatures have settled i...

*A cooler, wetter forecast for this winter is giving farmers optimism for the new wheat crop.  *USDA is forecasting the second largest corn crop on record this year.   *A big corn crop and continued drought liquidation will keep cattle prices high for the next two years.   *West Texas A&M in Canyon is expanding its work in animal agriculture.   *We are approaching the most active period of hur...

*The Right to Farm constitutional amendment will be Proposition 1 on the November ballot.   *Farm and ranch land values keep rising both nationwide and in Texas.   *We’ve been seeing drought cycles in Texas for over 100 years.  *Texas High Plains farmers have had a big problem with weeds this year.   *The cotton industry is continuing to weigh in on the 2023 Farm Bill.   *Landscaping and gardening...

*Drought is holding back cow herd expansion.   *Virtual fencing is becoming a reality for Texas cattle producers.   *Two Congressmen representing  the Texas High Plains are holding a listening session on the Farm Bill next week.   *The risk for wildfires is very high right now across the state.   *Artificial Intelligence is moving onto the farm and ranch.   *Heat stress in cattle is caused by a co...

*The El Nino weather pattern is moving into Texas, but it won’t stick around for long. *A special educational opportunity for women in agriculture will soon be offered in Amarillo.   *There’s a new trait available to help Texas corn farmers in the 2024 growing season.   *Summer heat is taking a toll on crops in the Texas Rolling Plains.   *Sheep may need a calcium supplement.   *Dove hunting may b...

*The Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course is looking at the next 40 years in the beef industry.   *Consumers continue to buy beef despite record high prices at the grocery store   *Texas High Plains farmers are looking for the right marketing opportunity at a time when there’s uncertainty in the markets.     *USDA’s Risk Management Agency is making improvements to better serve American farmers a...

*The largest beef cattle educational event in the world is now underway in College Station.  It’s the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course.     *The El Nino weather pattern is expected to be improving Texas weather soon.    *The Texas rice crop is a mixed bag of yield and quality due to the weather.   *It’s a good time to be in the cow calf business in the Texas Panhandle.   *The outlook calls f...

*The Texas cotton crop continues to struggle.   *The Executive Director of the South Texas Cotton and Grain Association says the cotton crop in his area started well, but it has gone downhill fast.   *Two Texas students won scholarships from the National Sorghum Foundation.   *The U.S. House passed a resolution that would nullify the endangered species listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken. *Some...

*We have a good-looking corn and sorghum crop in Texas this year.      *Texas wheat flour production was down last quarter.     *Two “Owning Your Piece of Texas” workshops will be held this fall.   *August is a critical month for crop development on the Texas High Plains.     *Agricultural competition from Brazil and Russia is strong on the world market.     *Summer heat is taking a toll on summer...

*The driest spot in Texas lies in the Hill Country.      *Drought is creeping back into Texas as temperatures soar.     *Hot weather is taking a toll on the Texas cotton crop, and Oklahoma cotton is suffering too.   *Sorghum has long been known as a good source of nutrition for livestock, but it’s becoming a good food source for people.   *China is the largest importer of corn, soybeans and wheat...

*The future is bright for cattle prices, with a higher market predicted for 2024.   *If you are new to land ownership or ranching, Texas A&M AgriLife has a course for you.   *High temperatures across Texas are tough on humans and livestock.   *More and more Texas farmers and ranchers are being offered carbon contracts.   *Will the excessively hot temperatures continue into August?  *The Southe...

*A south Texas cattlemen testified before a congressional subcommittee last week on the damage illegal immigration is causing to his cattle operation.   *The outlook for Texas pork producers for the rest of this year is not very bright.   *Texas cotton crop ratings are slowly declining.   *If you’re a farmer, it’s likely that someone is going to offer you a carbon contract.   *Range and pasture co...

*The 2023 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meetings were held last week in San Diego.   *West Texas A&M University in Canyon is getting six million dollars to continue establishing the Center for Advancing Food Animal Production in the Texas Panhandle.    *Texas A&M AgriLife’s Beef 706 course will be held August 14th and 15th in College Station. *Sorghum is finding success in the pet food a...

*The Texas corn harvest is now moving through Central Texas.   *The hot, dry weather is elevating the risk for wildfires across Texas.   *Commodity checkoff programs are coming under attack in Congress.   *The big increase in U.S. pork exports is good news for Texas pork producers.   *National Sorghum Producers is pushing hard to get a good Farm Bill.   *Hot and dry weather can bring on the grassh...

*Drought is still shrinking the cow herd.   *The upcoming Texas Pecan Growers conference will host a Mini Pecan Short Course.   *A Farm Bill extension is very likely, according to the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.   *An opportunity to protect farming and ranching in the Texas constitution is coming up this fall.   *International economics are affecting U.S. beef exports.   *Cotton h...

*The U.S. cattle herd continues to shrink.    *Congress may vote this week on a bill that would overturn the recent endangered species listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken.   *Exports of U.S. beef are down this year.   *The hot dry summer across much of Texas has increased the chances of wildfires.   *The lack of rainfall and triple digit temperatures are taking a toll on garden and landscape pla...

*This has turned into great year for Texas sorghum with spring rains resulting in a bumper crop in many areas of the state.   *The final cotton production numbers for last year show 3 million bales of cotton produced in Texas.   *USDA is increasing the beef production and price forecast.   *If you’re a Texas High Plains farmer with a playa or two on your property, there’s an organization that may...

*The heat continues and drought returns to Texas.    *There is a new guide to help landowners understand carbon contracts.   *Texas farm groups endorse a bill that supports checkoff programs.   *There are some very full playa lakes in the Texas High Plains right now.   *This has been a very good year for agriculture here in Texas, especially when compared the last year.   *The heat is on in Deep S...

*There is still some Texas wheat left to harvest.   *There is a new way to access and analyze prices from livestock auctions.   *A big hurdle has been jumped in the Farm Bill debate.   *The rising cost of feeder cattle is putting pressure on Texas High Plains feedyards.   *The Texas rural land market is cooling off a bit.   *Deep South Texas is hot and dry.   *Cattle need a lot of water in this Te...

*Cotton crop ratings look good beltwide, except for our crop here in Texas.   *The Texas dairy industry continues to grow.   *The sheep and lamb market has moved higher recently.   *The cash fed cattle market here in Texas all but dried up last week, with only around 500 head sold on negotiated cash trade.   *The Texas electric grid has been holding up through the brutal summer heat.   *Farmers an...

*It’s time to prepare for the new Texas wheat crop.   *A new Texas Ag Teacher of the Year was named at last week’s Texas FFA Convention in Dallas.    *The American Lamb Board is surveying lamb producers and feeders about their sustainability practices.   *The sorghum checkoff is working to create more opportunities for sorghum farmers.   *The Texas winter wheat harvest is almost complete.   *Coast...