Texas Agriculture Today

Texas livestock producers made it through Winter Storm Landon. We don't have a lot of soybeans in our state, but we may see more planted on the Texas High Plains this year. More Texans are growing vegetable gardens. There’s a new opportunity for Texas anglers to win prize for reeling in a fish. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association will not support government purchasing mandates. There will be a lot of forage produced by Texas High Plains farmers this year, but water concerns could influence what type of forage is grown. Purchasing rural land in Texas for the first time can be a challenge. We will have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The Cattle Industry Convention in Houston is winding down. The Texas cattle herd is shrinking. Texas High Plains farmers are trying to find a way to work around the input nightmare. There are several things that first time buyers of rural Texas land need to keep in mind. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The U.S. cattle herd is shrinking. There may be a decline in corn acreage in the Panhandle this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing in rural community infrastructures. We'll have those stories plus Texas wildlife news and a look at the markets.

Cotton prices continue to climb, which could lead to interesting marketing decisions for farmers. Texas Farm Bureau is offering four scholarships to help future veterinarians in Texas. New information from AgriLife can help High Plains growers select cotton varieties. Cooler temperatures are on the way for most of Texas. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The entire cattle industry is waiting to see what position NCBA will take on mandatory cash sales this week. Texas High Plains wheat has suffered a lot this season, but the crop isn’t done yet. Spring stock shows are a great place to educate the public about agriculture. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The cattle industry converges on Texas for the Cattle Industry Convention in Houston. Recent snow in portions of the Texas High Plains is certainly welcome, but the drought continues. Resistance to cattle dewormers is becoming more of a problem. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The first Texas wheat condition ratings of 2022 are out, and they are not good. With the ever-present water challenges in the Texas High Plains, new approaches to irrigation are always welcome. Drought is intensifying across Texas, and that is causing some very poor range and pasture conditions. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

How many cotton acres will be planted in 2022? Texas farmers continue to look for ways to deal with rising input costs. The wheat industry has a good story to tell when it comes to sustainability. Farmers are more comfortable talking about stress and mental health than they were a year ago. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

More cattle are being placed into feedlots because of the winter drought. It’s going to take a lot of moisture to rescue the Texas High Plains from the ongoing drought. US pork is now eligible for export to India. How much Texas farm land is foreign owned? We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The 2021 Cotton Marketer of the Year is from Texas. There are lots of college scholarship opportunities available for Texas youth at the Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. In the Texas High Plains, corn and cotton are two of the main crops, and maintaining a rotation between those two crops can save water. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

It's time to write a new Farm Bill, but it doesn't look like Congress is in any hurry to get started. Texas High Plains farmers may want to consider buying beneficial bugs. Investment in research and innovation is key to improving American agriculture. A lack of moisture continues to be a concern in Central Texas. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The cotton market hit ten year highs this week. Herbicides are a big topic as producer education meetings continue on the Texas High Plains. "Rise and Shine" is the theme of this year’s Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Extreme south Texas is finally seeing some cool temperatures. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Cattle prices are starting strong in 2022. The recent Covid surge has slowed down the cattle supply chain, and that’s tightening margins for Texas feedlots. 2021 was a good year for the cotton market and that’s continuing into 2022. All eyes are on the weather in East Texas. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Texas Congressman Mike Cloud is wrapping up his first year on the House Agriculture Committee. Without some significant moisture soon, things are only going to get tougher for cattle producers on the Texas High Plains. The impact of high fertilizer prices on Texas farmers and ranchers is substantial. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

A Texan is leading the American Farm Bureau's Young Farmer and Rancher committee. Texas High Plains farmers are facing some serious challenges right now, including a worsening drought. As dry conditions continue in West Texas, field preparation is becoming more difficult. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

AFBF will not support mandated cash cattle trade. There’s a special online budget resource available for Texas farmers. The economic outlook for 2022 was previewed at the recent American Farm Bureau convention in Atlanta. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

USDA's Crop Production and Supply and Demand reports were friendly for the cotton market. 2022 could be a good year for Texas corn farmers, even with the higher cost of inputs. Texas delegates led the way on livestock marketing policy at the recent American Farm Bureau convention in Atlanta. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The first cotton acreage estimate of the year is out. Dicamba products can be very helpful to Texas High Plains farmers, but there is the issue of dicamba drift. With the holidays behind us, the work pace is picking up on the Texas Rolling Plains. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

China is behind on Phase One trade purchases. Annual certification trainings are available for Texas High Plains farmers who are planning to apply dicamba or 2-4D this year. The successes of 2021 and the priorities of 2022 were laid out this week at the American Farm Bureau convention in Atlanta. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

Packer concentration is getting a lot of attention right now. Wildfires are a big danger in the Texas High Plains. Corn mites can be a challenge for some Texas corn growers. The American Farm Bureau Federation named it’s “Farm Dog of the Year” at the annual AFBF convention in Atlanta. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The Beltwide Cotton Conferences are in San Antonio this week. There is a lot of thought that goes into a farmer's planting decisions. Conditions are dry in the north central Texas Big Country. Most spring calving beef cows are now in the last trimester of gestation. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.

The Justice Department and USDA are teaming up to combat anti-competitive practices in the meatpacking industry. Consumers continue to drive demand for beef. Labor shortages are impacting the pork industry. The drought is hurting ranchers in the Texas Panhandle. The federal government is expanding a national wildlife refuge in Texas.

Today's headlines: *Improving competition in the packing industry *New technology to protect cotton from thrips *Be prepared for interest rate hikes *Livestock Forage Program deadline approaches *ARC/PLC decision aid online

The Biden Administration is addressing the lack of competition in the meat packing industry. The rising cost of inputs is putting a squeeze on Texas High Plains farmers. High fertilizer costs are affecting all segments of agriculture, including horticulture. We'll have those stories and more on this episode of Texas Ag Today.