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Texas Ag Today is a daily look at the latest news in Texas agriculture, hosted by veteran farm broadcaster Carey Martin along with the largest and most experienced farm news team in the Lone Star State. We cover agriculture in every corner of Texas, from the piney woods of East Texas to the rocky ranges of the Trans-Pecos and from the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley.
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*A Texas ranch is suing power companies over the recent wildfires. *Texas landowners have more time to apply for funding and technical assistance to improve water quality. *A North Texas ranch won a national award for environmental stewardship. *The number of cattle in Texas feedlots remains high. *Lawmakers from Texas are working to resolve the Ri…
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*Texas ranchers and landowners got a unanimous victory from the Supreme Court. *A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken about the lack of water payments from Mexico and the effect it’s having on the Rio Grande Valley. *Getting a Farm Bill passed this year won’t be easy. *A groundwater conservation di…
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*Texas has the best wheat crop in several years. *USDA is now accepting nominations for farmers who would like to serve on the United Sorghum Checkoff Board. *Cotton planting nationwide is 8% done. *Students in the West Texas A&M Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter are preparing to hold a special event for students with disabilities. *Texas farmers and …
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*USDA is cutting several cattle reports, and that could cause a problem for the Texas cattle industry. *Registration is now underway for the virtual South Texas Agriculture Symposium. *Industrial hemp processing is underway in Wichita Falls. *West Texas A&M University is getting a boost in its effort to build new feedlot research facilities. *Texas…
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*Texas Panhandle ranchers are recovering from the wildfires. *National Sorghum Producers is accepting entries for the National Sorghum Yield Contest. *The Texas NRCS announced an additional signup for the National Water Quality Initiative. *Fed cattle prices remain strong, but Texas feedyards are finding it challenging to make a profit. *Agricultur…
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*Corn planting is getting underway in West Texas. *Early registration is underway for the Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog field day. *Texas strawberry growers have enjoyed an early start to their season, and the crop looks excellent. *Selling wheat as hay may be the most profitable option for wheat growers in the Texas Panhandle. *USDA is…
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*USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is cancelling the July Cattle Inventory report. *Nominations are being sought for Texas representatives on the Cattlemen’s Research and Promotion Board. *The likelihood of getting a Farm Bill passed this year is slim. Another crop season is getting underway in the Texas Panhandle, and farmers will on…
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*Texas farmers are suing USDA over disaster aid discrimination. *Time is running out for Texas dairy farmers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage program. *The King Ranch has acquired a 50% stake in Cobalt Cattle, which is the nation’s 4th largest cattle feeder. *Farmers can find both economic and agronomic benefits by diversifying their crop mix…
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*The American Association of Bovine Practitioners released a new name for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in cattle. *Drought conditions continue to improve across Texas. *Livestock producers should be careful when restocking drought stressed rangelands. *We’re getting very close to spring planting time on the Texas High Plains. *Rio Grande Valle…
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*Dairy cattle are recovering from HPAI. *There is more corn in storage now than at this same time last year. *Texas is losing a livestock sale barn. *When weather forecasters in the Texas High Plains are trying to assess the potential for severe weather, a key issue is determining where the dry line is. *U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack sa…
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*Agriculture is an integrity-based industry, but farmers and ranchers need to be careful about who they do business with. *The weekly cash fed cattle price is very important to cattle marketing. *Texas cotton growers are watching the Farm Bill debate closely. *When severe weather situations develop, getting the earliest possible warning is critical…
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*The political environment in Washington D.C. is getting tougher for agriculture. *The Texas Bankers Association held its Agriculture and Rural Affairs conference last week in Ft. Worth. *What was behind the recent run up of old crop cotton to over one dollar a pound? *Texas High Plains will be getting the new crop season underway very soon. *Cotto…
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*A Texas ranch is on the cutting edge of gene editing. *A group of Texas lawmakers has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of State asking for enforcement of the 1944 U.S.-Mexican water treaty. *Texas corn planting has passed the halfway mark. *Most are quick to point to Avian Influenza when it comes to the mysterious disease affecting Texas Panha…
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*Preserving the Livestock Risk Protection program is a top priority for cattle feeders. *There are fewer hogs and pigs in Texas right now. *A poultry facility in the Texas Panhandle has contracted Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. *The Texas wheat crop is now in the home stretch. *Texas cotton farmers are looking forward to another growing season.…
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*A new vaccine for bovine respiratory disease has been developed at Louisiana State University. *Texas ranchers who use traps may have to check them every 36 hours for mountain lions. *USDA’s Prospective Plantings report released last week shows a big drop in possible corn acreage this year. *The Texas Panhandle wheat crop has very good potential t…
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*Cotton has a demand problem. *Our time with El Nino is coming to an end. *There are new tools to help Texas ranchers control mesquite. *The condition of the Texas wheat crop is improving. *Forage sorghum is proving to be a good fit for the Texas High Plains. *The chances for getting a new Farm Bill are going down by the day. *April is expected to …
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*Texas cow-calf producers have a positive future ahead. *The recent cases of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas are not the only cases of the disease crossing over into mammals. *Corn planting is nearing the half-way point in Texas. *Spring planting is getting close in the Texas Panhandle. *Farm organizations are asking the EPA to allow E-15 …
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*Lufkin cattleman Carl Ray Polk was elected as president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association at their recent annual convention. *USDA recently authorized landowners enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program to donate their grazing or haying rights to help ranchers impacted by wildfires. *Cotton may be a profitable crop in Te…
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*We are seeing record cattle prices in 2024, thanks to a shrinking cattle herd and strong demand. *Helena AgriEnterprises has an update from the TSCRA convention in Ft. Worth. *The Texas Panhandle wildfires are out, but the need for relief will continue for a long time. *USDA is forecasting lower net farm income this year. *A donation of cotton bla…
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*Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was discovered in milk samples from two Texas dairies. *This year's first case of HPAI in birds was detected a few weeks ago. *The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association has a new president. *Prescribed burning may help prevent future wildfires. *U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack clarified comments…
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*Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been found in Texas dairy cows. *Cattle traceability is a hot topic in the cattle industry right now. *Texas High Plains feedlots are staying full. *USDA is looking to increase its budget by over $2 billion. *Farmers are busy with field preparation on the Texas Southern Plains. *Coastal Bend farmers are experi…
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*Cotton traders are watching Texas closely. *Texas honey production fell last year. *Farmers in the Texas Panhandle are preparing to roll the planters. *There are many stories about ranchers who survived the wildfires. *China’s threat to U.S. agriculture was the topic of a recent hearing in Congress. *The deadline for agricultural water conservatio…
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*There could be a long-term benefit following the tragic Panhandle wildfires. *Burned out ranchers have some important decisions to make. *Cattle producers may be thinking of a herd rebuild. *The House Ag Committee heard about the threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to U.S. agriculture. *Corn is looking very good in South Central Texas. *Extre…
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*Texas Teachers and students are celebrating agriculture this week. *The area of Texas impacted by drought has risen slightly. *Texas corn and sorghum planting are on right on pace this year. *Cattle feeders are getting very strong prices for their animals, but that doesn’t translate into big profits. *Letting a tax cut expire could hurt American f…
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*Planters continue to roll across Texas. *The U.S. House Ag Committee wants to know more about the potential threat China poses to U.S. agriculture. *The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory is asking ranchers in wildfire affected areas to watch livestock for respiratory issues. *One way to fight trichomoniasis in cattle is to prevent…
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*A National Ag Day celebration is hosted at the Ft. Worth Stockyards. *Researchers are looking for ways to improve the diagnosis of trichomoniasis. *A new report outlines way to improve the H2A guest worker program. *USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is giving $24.7 million in grants for local agriculture. *Warm season pastures and hay meadows …
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*Spring planting continues to move across Texas. *A professor at Prairieview A&M has received a grant for an organic cotton project. *Texas rice farmers aren’t very optimistic heading into the 2024 crop year. *The cattle disease trichomoniasis, or trich, can cause significant losses for ranchers. *Poultry production is expanding in East Texas. *Fut…
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*Wildfire aid is pouring into the Texas Panhandle from all over the nation. *Gary Joiner is in the Panhandle with an update on relief efforts in Gray County. *All of the donations for Texas Panhandle wildfire relief have been welcome, but more will be needed. *A quarter horse in Hood County has tested positive for equine piroplasmosis. *Nominations…
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*The Texas Panhandle wildfires may have a long-term effect on the cattle market. *USDA has launched a new program designed to help landowners improve quail habitat. *The latest Texas wheat crop ratings show 44% of the crop in good to excellent condition. *The corn market needs stronger demand to push prices higher. *USDA is finalizing a rule on wha…
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*There will be no help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Texas Panhandle wildfires. *Texas farmers have just a few more days to sign up for Farm Bill safety net coverage for the 2024 crop year. *Walmart is planning to build a milk processing plant in Central Texas. *What effects have the wildfires had on beef production in the re…
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*Farm groups are pushing for a new Farm Bill to be passed this year, but the chances are low. *There are more than 230,000 farms in Texas spanning more than 125 million acres. *Texas Panhandle feedlots didn’t lose any cattle in the recent wildfires, but they may suffer some longer term effects. *A U.S. Senator is questioning foreign ownership of fa…
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Texans are working together to help those impacted by the wildfires that burned over a million acres in the Texas Panhandle. The dairy and beef industries are benefitting from beef on dairy calf production. Youth from across Texas and beyond are in Houston competing for scholarships at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The SEC has removed a pro…
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Although fire crews are making progress, wildfires continue to take their toll on farmers, ranchers and communities in the Texas Panhandle. Texas isn’t the only state seeing declining dairy production. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas was one of the lawmakers who traveled to the Panhandle this week to see the devastation first-hand. Experts say as fa…
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*A small Texas cow herd is now smaller following the largest wildfires in Texas history. *The Joplin Regional Stockyards is raising money for Texas wildfire relief. *The Texas Panhandle will always be vulnerable to wildfires. *As the wildfire recovery effort begins, it’s important to keep good records and document everything. *The EPA has launched …
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*Wildfires continue to burn in the Texas Panhandle while ranchers are evaluating their losses. *The Texas Farm Bureau has established the Texas Panhandle Wildfire Relief Fund. *Texas A&M AgriLife is organizing a major supply effort to help burned out ranchers. *A U.S. Senator says a new Farm Bill and action by the administration could help ease far…
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*We have more coverage of last week’s Commodity Classic in Houston. *The National Wheat Foundation honored the nation’s top wheat growers. *Timing could mean a lot of farmers looking for pricing opportunities for 2024 cotton. *Leaders of the Senate Ag Committee are discussing their Farm Bill priorities. *March means spring weather is near. *Extreme…
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*Texas farmers were hard at work at the Commodity Classic in Houston. *The largest wildfire in Texas history has burned a massive swath through the Texas Panhandle. *A final rule from USDA could put the U.S. cattle herd at risk for foot and mouth disease. *Cotton prices have once again hit a dollar a pound on old crop contracts. *Using antibiotics …
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*The Commodity Classic is underway in Houston. *The Texas winter wheat crop is showing improvement. *There are fewer sheep and lambs in Texas compared to a year ago. *A group of Polish farmers is touring Texas this week. *We could be headed for an active tornado season in the Texas High Plains. *A Texas congressman is fighting a rule that would all…
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*Wildfires are burning in the Texas Panhandle. *Obtaining an agricultural guest worker visa will cost more in a few weeks. *The Commodity Classic is back in Texas. *The month of February will go down as a warm one for the Texas High Plains. *Interest rates have risen, but how has that affected rural land sales? *Several members of Congress recently…
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*Placements took a drop in Friday’s Cattle on Feed Report. *Texas sheep producers sheered more than 200,000 sheep and lambs last year. *Texas dairy farmers can sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program this week. *A big change in the weather is coming for farmers and ranchers in the Texas High Plains. *Mexico’s failure to comply with a water tr…
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*The only sugar mill in Texas is closing. *There are fewer goats in Texas than one year ago. *Texas Congressman Ronnie Jackson is opposing USDA’s decision to import fresh beef from Paraguay. *Rising cattle prices are good for a lot of cattle producers, but the rise in beef prices for consumers can be a concern. *The state’s largest farm organizatio…
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*The Texas winter wheat crop is looking good. *Texas horse owners are encouraged to practice good biosecurity to protect their horses against Equine Infectious Anemia. *Rice production in Texas is declining due to two years of severe drought. *Farmers in the Texas High Plains are getting ready to plant sorghum. *Several lawmakers are concerned with…
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*Texas cattle producers are getting record prices for calves and yearlings. *The Texas mohair industry brought in more than 2.8 million dollars last year. *Five Texas farmers are suing a manufacturer of biosolid fertilizer made from sewage sludge. *Forage production is increasing in the Texas High Plains thanks to the growth of the dairy industry. …
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*Two Texans were honored at the recent National Cotton Council annual meeting in Orlando. *Texas A&M broke ground on a new facility dedicated to veterinary research and outreach in the Rio Grande Valley. *Texas corn farmers will soon have another herbicide to fight resistant weeds. *Male sterile sorghum is becoming more popular in the Texas High Pl…
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*Texas cattle producers are getting cow herds through the winter. *Registration is underway for the Hill Country Land Stewardship Conference. *Texas farmers and ranchers will have access to Kaput feral hog bait this spring. *We’ve seen some big swings in the fed cattle market lately. *Democrats in Congress have released their Farm Bill priorities. …
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*Texas rice farmers face a water shortage again this year. *Over half of Texas is now drought free. *This is National FFA Week. *Cattle prices are at historic highs, but there are still opportunities to add value to calves. *Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are stressing the need for a Farm Bill. *Vertical tillage can pay off in higher yields. …
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*Texas crawfish are in short supply due to the summer drought. *Cotton and soybean growers across the country will be able to use existing supplies of over-the-top dicamba formulations this growing season. *The Texas Panhandle wheat crop is one of the best in the past two decades. *To implant or not to implant? That can be a big question for Texas …
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*The number of farmers and ranchers in Texas is dropping. *USDA farm loan borrowers will now be able to make payments online. *More lambs are hitting the market early this year. *Texas High Plains ranchers are encouraged to boost the profitability of their cattle sales through value-added programs. *The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accused of …
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*Corn planting is underway in Texas. *A bumblebee found in Texas could be granted protection under the Endangered Species Act. *The U.S. trade dispute with Mexico over genetically modified corn is expected to be resolved by the end of the year. *The Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo has been in operation for about two and a half …
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*Texas sugarcane acreage is dropping because of an irrigation water shortage. *Political pressure is needed to solve the water crisis in the Rio Grande Valley. *There is a critical shortage of veterinarians in Texas. *We may not see a completed Farm Bill this year. *Rural child care may help reduce farm accidents involving children. *Cold winter we…
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