Texas Agriculture Today

Brazil has temporarily suspended beef exports to China due to a case of mad cow disease.   New wheat variety development continues in Vernon, despite last year’s disaster.  The Texas Department of Agriculture teamed up with the US Meat Export Federation to promote Texas meat exports.  Farmers in the Coastal Bend area of Texas have been busy getting corn and milo in the ground.  Spring calves are n...

Texas farmers are bouncing back from last year's drought as the 2023 crop season gets underway.  Protecting the right to farm is a top priority for agriculture in the current Texas state legislative session.  The Texas A&M AgriLife facilities near Vernon were damaged last year by a tornado, and the recovery is coming along slowly.  Extreme South Texas planters are rolling as temperatures are h...

We should see a rebound in lamb prices this year.  A truth in labeling bill is being considered in the current state legislative session.  Texas High Plains farmers may consider alternative crops this year.  When is the best time to fertilize warm season pastures and hay meadows? Scours and respiratory disease are the top two dangers for dairy calves.   A highly contagious fatal rabbit disease has...

We may see the first ever trillion-dollar Farm Bill this year. Feedlot inventories in Texas are shrinking. Texas corn farmers will have two new crop protection products at their disposal. U.S. farm exports set a dollar value record last year. Insulin resistant horses must be fed low carbohydrate feeds to prevent laminitis. There are a few areas in Texas where spring turkey hunting is likely to be...

The economy is affecting the cotton market. Things are looking positive for Texas High Plains cattle feeders at the moment. Hay has become a very expensive commodity in Texas. The recent storms we’ve experienced in Texas have taken a toll on landscapes. Five people have been treated for rabies after being exposed to a cow in Cooke County. Spring t urkey season is just around the corner.  

Beef wins the fight for consumer dollars in the meat case.  The horse market has been strong over the past year.  Spring planting is still a couple of months away on the Texas High Plains.  This year’s first case of equine herpes virus has been detected in Hood County.  Equine infectious anemia is also showing up.  A major event in American agriculture is occurring this month. Combatting harmful p...

The Texas wheat crop can't catch a break.  Providing farm labor and stopping illegal immigration is a delicate balancing act.  The Texas House of Representatives has made some changes in committees important to agriculture. One Texas producer took an unusual route to become a High Plains farmer.  Texas farmers and ranchers are benefitting from a new right to repair memorandum of understanding with...

A bill in the legislature will protect Texas ranchers from liability caused by illegal immigrants.  Corn planters are rolling in deep South Texas.  Water issues are front and center in this year’s Texas legislative session.  Getting into farming is not an easy task.  East Texas farmers and ranchers are waiting on Mother Nature to make her next move.  We’ll have those stories and more on this episo...

We have a short time to finish the 2023 Farm Bill.  Hay supplies are tight as we reach the coldest time of winter.  Interest rates are causing headaches for Texas farmers as they plan for the year ahead.  Texas cotton farmers will have new pest control technology available for the 2023 growing season.  The Coastal Bend dodged the big ice storm that hit most of Texas recently, the area still needs...

A Texan will lead the National Cotton Council in the coming year.  The NCC released its annual planted acreage survey.  Texas High Plains corn farmers may have a better year in 2023.  The sale of a ranch can have big effects for tenants with leases on that ranch.  Farmers in deep South Texas are rolling the corn planters.  It is difficult to know if a calf on pasture has received enough colostrum....

Texas cattle feeders hope the new Cattle Contract Library will benefit them.   Cotton prices are expected to be mostly steady this year.  Choosing the right cotton variety is very important.  Renewing hunting and grazing leases can be a challenge.  Burning pastures or hayfields is a good way to rejuvenate grasslands.  A recent study looked at the effect of blanketing on hair coat length and diamet...

Higher cattle prices are coming sooner than expected.  We could see a cut in cotton acreage in the Texas High Plains this year.  Texas lawmakers are considering a bill that would strengthen farmers right to farm.  As we get rolling in 2023, there’s some good news and some bad news for Texas farmers and ranchers.  Can dogs sniff out BRD infection in cattle?  A new report highlights some interested...

Will 2023 be a rebuilding year for Texas cow herds?  State legislators are working to improve rural broadband connectivity.  New herbicide technologies for sorghum are making a big impact on the crop.  Last week’s ice storm hit Central Texas, but the impact wasn’t as bad as it could have been.  Studies are underway to develop new tools and tests for detecting Covid virus in wild and domestic anima...

The Texas wheat crop is struggling after a very slow start.  The cost of production remains high for farmers all across Texas.  The 2022 crop season was one that most Texas farmers want to forget.   Chicken wings are expected to score big this weekend.  Tendon injuries are fairly common in horses.  Legislation would add funding for feral hog control efforts.  We'll have those stories and more on t...

The Texas Cattle Feeders Association would like to improve fed cattle pickup times.  Input costs could play a significant role in the cropping decisions of Texas farmers this year.  We’re getting close to kicking off the 2023 crop year in South Texas.  Last week’s winter ice storm took a toll on much of the state.  We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Texans shined at last week's Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans.  There are a lot of new sorghum varieties on the market.  The drought causing La Nina weather pattern should go away sometime this year.  What is insulin resistance in horses?  We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

This is our final show from the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans.  Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Arthur Uhl recaps his work at the convention.  Texas sheep and goat raisers were working overtime this past week to keep their animals safe during the winter storm.  We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Sustainability is a major focus for cattle producers, and it’s a big emphasis of the Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans. This week’s ice storm across much of Texas was a challenge for cattle producers. This week’s ice storm across much of Texas was a challenge for cattle producers. Central Texas is still way behind on rainfall. We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag T...

Our coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans continues with a discussion on the recent Lesser Prairie Chicken’s listing under the Endangered Species Act. We’ll have our monthly check-in with National Weather Service Meteorologist Tom Bradshaw. The winter wheat crop in Texas still has a long way to go. We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

All segments of the U.S. cattle industry are in New Orleans this week for the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. It may not be easy for Texas High Plains farmers to decide which crops to plant this year. There are a lot of decisions to be made before spring cotton planting begins in South Texas. Farmers and ranchers in East Texas are watching the weather closely. We’ll have those stor...

Texas sheep producers are optimistic about the upcoming year. Farmers in the Texas High Plains have welcomed the recent snowfall. Stock show season provides millions of dollars in scholarships to Texas youth. Sandburs are one of the worst weeds to have in Texas pastures and hayfields. We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Texas feedlot inventories are dropping. For Texas High Plains farmers, some good conservation practices could lead to new pest control issues. Senate committee assignments have been made in the Texas legislature. Some horses can develop a lack of pigmentation on their skin. We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Talks continue on the Mexican GMO corn ban. High feed costs are putting pressure on Texas High Plains dairies. It is stock show season in Texas. Water availability is a growing issue across Texas, but that’s no surprise to Texas farmers and ranchers. We’ll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Next week's Cattle Inventory Report should show the nation's cow herd is still shrinking. Crossing dairy and beef cattle has created a new source of revenue for Texas High Plains dairies. The world is rediscovering U.S. sorghum. A Texas A&M research team is working on ways to boost pig birth weight. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Several groups are filing lawsuits against the Environmental Protection Agency's new Waters of the U.S. rule. Snow and rain have fallen across many areas of Texas this week, bringing much needed moisture to fields and pastures. Calving season is getting closer. The Texas legislative session is picking up speed. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.