Land and Livestock Post Jan. 1, 2012

January 1, 2013

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January 1, 2013 ď‚Ť

The Land & Livestock Post

New smartphone app uses GPS to describe pasture soil condition

By Chad Ellis The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

See APP, Page 14

ing actually to go to the Department of Public Safety office, because it is possible that by the time I get through the line, I will have aged another 10 years — although I hear the lines can be shorter these days. .

You can’t do much about time or Department of Public Safety lines, but you can do something about grasshoppers, besides using them for fish bait.

In our cover story, we take a look at this pest and discuss some ways you can try to control its impact on your pastures.

We also have some ways to lessen your tax burden, news from around the industry as well as our regular features for you to enjoy.

Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for reading. ’Til Next time,

January 1, 2013

and ranchers quickly can obtain information about soil types and properties to help make management decisions while still in the field. Each summary shows the soil name and horizon, or layer. By clicking on the soil horizon, the app will load the Official Series Description, a narrative of commonly used soil properties such as horizon depths, colors, texture and rock fragments. Clicking on the soil name provides the user with a more detailed description, including physical and chemical properties, definitions and links to other databases (plants, ecolog-

I

have a birthday coming up this month, and it’s going to be a tough one. I’m not hung up on age really, but this birthday is tough because I have to renew my driver’s license. The last time I did this I was able to do it online and use the picture of my 23-year-old self. That’s the same picture I see every time I flip open my wallet.

Since it is a legal document issued by the great state of Texas, it is a far more trustworthy reference to my current physical appearance than all those mirrors and civilian cameras portray. I’m afraid the Department of Public Safety office may have changed things up with some fancy new cameras and my new license might bear the likeness of a person that resembles the man from 2003, only 10 years older.

But, I’m not that worried — the extremely handsome rarely are. The thing I am truly worried about is hav-



The Natural Resources Conservation Service launched the Web Soil Survey website in 2005. The site allows online users to access soil survey information for a particular piece of land instead of having to refer to the traditional county-level soil survey books. You can read more about this website in a 2011 Ag News and Views article written by Corey Moffet, entitled “USDA-NRCS Has a Very Useful Tool in Web Soil Survey.”

The disadvantage of the web soil survey is that it is limited to use on a personal computer. Due to this limitation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of California-Davis Soil Resource Lab recently developed an app for iPhone and Android smartphones called “SoilWeb.” One unique feature of the SoilWeb app is that it retrieves graphical summaries of soil types associated with the user’s geographic location through smartphone GPS capabilities. By following instructions on the app, farmers

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The Land & Livestock Post  January 1, 2013

News

Be on the lookout for a smelly new bug in town

By Steve ByrnS Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

With the holiday season in full swing, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologists urge travelers to be wary of a new species of unwelcome six-legged hitchhikers itching to become full-time Texans.

“We’re working to raise awareness about the brown marmorated stink bug in Texas,” said Bill Ree, AgriLife Extension entomologist in College Station. “This pest is hitting some states hard. It’s a great hitchhiker, which is probably one, if not the main reason, it has spread to so many states.

Adults seeking overwintering sites tend to get in recreational vehicles, travel trailers, etc.”

Ree said the pest can cause lasting foul smells in homes and other confines, plus cause major damage to a wide variety of crops and plants.

“So far, we’ve only had one confirmed in Texas, Ree said.

“That single find last November at Corpus Christi was from a pest control operator investigating a stink bug infestation in a trailer or RV that had been moved to Corpus from Pennsylvania.

“That’s why we want the public, pest control operators and those in the landscape industry to be aware that we really want to know about possible sites before they escalate as they have

elsewhere.

“New detections in Texas will more likely come from this group of folks, rather than an agricultural ‘bug scout’ in the middle of a soybean field.”

Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist in Austin, said the pest is not a health threat to people or animals, but she does see the potential for the insect to become a TE PRIVA Y T A E TR

rk An a l C

problem in a variety of outdoor settings.

“It’s possible that it’s already in various parts of the state, and people don’t know about it, so they’re not reporting it,” she said.

Brown said the pest is originally from Asia and is found in China, Japan, Taiwan and

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Roel Lopez, interim director of the A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources and program coordinator, said the flexible, distance learning graduate program offers coursework and research experiences for current and future natural resource professionals interested in the management of military lands.

“The certificate program and associated graduate degrees employ full use of cyber-learning strategies to afford the greatest flexibility to students, allowing them to pursue a graduate degree without having to be physically located on campus,” Lopez said.

“Eric is the type of person we had in mind when we set up the certificate program,” Lopez said. “He was able to continue his military service while completing the program and combine his knowledge and interest in the military and natural resources.”

Metcalf, who is a Tillman Military Scholar, said he was able to complete all but one seminar and an optional one-week long fieldwork course through the

January 1, 2013

Metcalf, a pilot with the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Hood, is the first Texas A&M graduate student to earn the certificate in military land sustainability.

The certification is offered jointly through A&M’s department of ecosystem science and management and its department of wildlife and fisheries sciences.



COLLEGE STATION — When Chief Warrant Officer Eric Metcalf received his master’s of wildlife science degree and certificate in military land sustainability at Texas A&M University in December, he combined his experience in the military with his love of wildlife and natural resource management.

program’s online portal. The Tillman scholarship is named after Pat Tillman, a former National Football League player who left the league to join the military. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

Lopez said the overall goal of this professional degree is to equip students with knowledge and skills for managing relationships among ecology, economics, policy and conflict resolution, and understanding how these factors influence natural resource conservation and management on military lands.

Metcalf said he is already using his knowledge gained through the certificate program and his degree while serving on Fort Hood’s seven-member Hunting and Fishing Advisory Council.

The veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn said the program is an excellent opportunity for a military person who is interPhoto courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Communications ested not only in military tactics Chief Warrant Officer Eric Metcalf became the first military land sustainability certificate graduate at Texas A&M University and strategies but “what our in December. tactics and strategies do for the environment and how we can mitigate any issues that might arise.”

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The Land & Livestock Post January 1, 2013



News

AgriLife Extension photo by Tony Reisinger Tom deMarr,Gladys Porter Zoo senior veterinarian,and Don Hockaday,retired marine biologist, examine the flukes of an injured dolphin.

Master Naturalist class to begin

By Rod Santa ana Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

SAN BENITO — The Lower Rio Grande Valley chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is now accepting applications for training classes that start Jan. 9, according to Tony Reisinger, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for coastal and marine resources based in San Benito.

The deadline to apply is Jan. 2. Class size is limited. The fee for the training is $125.

In the training classes, local experts cover topics about the area’s natural resources and lead hands-on field trips to local ecosystems, Reisinger said.

To become a certified Texas Master Naturalist in the Rio Grande chapter, trainees must fulfill several requirements, including attending a total of 40

hours in training and field trips, provide 40 hours of volunteer services within a year and take a minimum of eight hours of advanced training within a year.

“If you’d like to learn about the unique environment of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, this course will teach you our amazing natural diversity and open a new world of both wonder and understanding for this magical place,” he said.

An application form and background check must be completed and postmarked by Jan. 2. Training fee must be included with each application.

Make checks payable to RGVCTMN, and mailed to RGVCTMN Education Chair, P.O. Box 532129, Harlingen, Texas 78553.

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Memories of calf deliveries of long ago

I

charging heifer.

Well, I was quite relieved for Lee’s sake, but still had to get the heifer in the squeeze chute. She obviously didn’t drive, so I decided to use her natural instincts to my favor. I would become her target and lead the way into the catch pen.

I hopped over the boards of the corral fence near the catch pen and waved my arms.

The heifer repeated her previous performance instantly going from standing still to Mach 1 with me in her sights.

She was fast, but I thought I had enough of a lead. I ran through the catch pen gate, immediately turned left and climbed up the fence as fast as I could. It was closer than I expected, because about half way up I felt her head give my bottom a little boost. How

nice of her to help me over the fence!

Lee slammed the gate shut and we had her in the catch pen. She didn’t like it there and ran up the alleyway on her own. I dashed to the squeeze chute and opened the headgate. She wanted out so badly she bolted at the sight of daylight. I caught her head and squeezed her up. Sure enough, the calf’s head and only one leg were protruding from the birth canal. Malpositioning of the calf was the reason for dystocia.

Corrections of abnormal fetal presentations can be easy or hard. A leg back is probably the easiest one to correct and can be handled by cattlemen who are experienced calf pullers, but stronger than Lee. I washed the heifer up and located the held back leg

flexed at the knee within the birth canal. I carried several handfuls of obstetrical lubricant into the birth canal and rubbed lube everywhere.

I then pushed the head and other leg back into the birth canal as far as they would go to make room to unfold the flexed leg. I grabbed the flexed leg below the knee and pulled it out and upwards as far as it would easily bend. Then I cupped my hand under the foot to keep it from digging into the wall of the uterus and carefully moved the foot out the birth canal until the leg was straight. I easily pulled a live bull calf once his legs and head were properly lined up.

Lee held up a hind leg of the calf to help me iodine his navel. He told me he wanted

January 1, 2013

calf stuck in her birth canal and was almost on my own as far as help was concerned.

I could see this wasn’t going to be an easy assignment, but I was young and still building my reputation. I had not yet acquired the nickname of “Slippery Steve” when it came to calvings. I sprang into action.

I told Lee Dr. STEVE we needed to WIKSE get the heifer into the squeeze chute for me to work on her. There was a catch pen about 20 by 20 feet on the side of the corral with a funnel leading to an alleyway that went to the chute.

Our first step was to drive the heifer into the catch pen.

Lee and I jumped into the corral behind the heifer and waved our arms to drive her into the catch pen. The heifer wheeled around, snorted and charged us full speed.

I was over the fence in one smooth motion. Then to my horror, I thought I was about to witness Lee’s last calving.

Poor old Lee, pale and weak, couldn’t even try to get out of the charging heifer’s way.

He just stood there tall and skinny like a telephone pole.

He faced the heifer, opened his toothless mouth and croaked, “Haa, haa,” as he shook a coiled lariat up and down at the heifer. The heifer locked her feet and skidded to a sudden sliding halt with her head stopped about 4 inches from Lee’s belly button. Lee was a tough old geezer to stand his ground against half a ton of



t has become a tradition of this column to start the year with a humorous or heart-warming story about animals. Anyone who has raised animals for very long has plenty of stories to tell. With the calving season getting into full swing on many Texas ranches, I want to tell you about one of my most memorable calvings.

Although my students and I assisted many calvings while I taught at Texas A&M, this calving occurred while I was in practice. Hope you like it!

It was a Sunday morning when Lee Young called asking for help catching a heifer and delivering her calf. The ranch was just down the road from my clinic and I was there in minutes. Within seconds of arrival, I knew I was in for a tough job.

The only one waiting to help was Lee, a tall, thin 84 year old. Lee was from a pioneer ranching family. He had ranched his whole life and was at ease around cattle. He had been doing rather poorly that winter, however, and was pretty fragile looking as he limped up to greet me.

Now the patient on the other hand was the picture of health. She was a big Hereford heifer weighing about 1,000 pounds. The main impression I got of her was extreme nervousness. She was rapidly circling the corral like a shark trying to find a hole in her cage. I could see the calf’s head and one leg protruding from the heifer’s birth canal as she galloped around the corral.

I had a wild heifer running loose in a big corral with a

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Bug, from Page 4

January 1, 2013



Korea. It was spotted in Pennsylvania in 1998 and has spread .

“Since it’s an invasive species, natural predators and parasites can’t help to keep populations in check,” she said. “It also seems that the pesticides we have do not do much to help manage the populations.”

Charles Allen, AgriLife Extension entomologist in San Angelo, said populations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and other states have built up to high levels as they feed on apples, peaches and other fruits.

“We think this stink bug will feed on pecans in Texas, adding to the losses we may experience from it,” Allen said. “And it probably will be a huge problem in grapes because just one or a few stink bugs can taint the flavor of a whole vat of wine.”

Allen said they also indiscriminately dine on tomatoes, peppers and a wide variety of other garden crops and ornamentals and could pose a threat to those industries.

“Our main concerns among Texas field crops are soybeans, pecans and possibly cotton,” Allen said.

“In the fall when they start looking for a place to spend the winter, they can cause problems for homeowners. In some areas of other states, they have entered homes by the thousands and tens of thousands where they leave a very lasting and foul odor. So they are not only an agricultural problem, but also a very troublesome household pest. Folks in the worst affected areas vacuum them up daily, and their homes still smell like stink bugs for weeks.”

Brown said as with most home insect invaders, excluding them from the home is the best and safest course of action, should the pests gain a foothold in Texas.

In the meantime, the entomologists are asking all Texans to report and submit suspected samples so they can confirm if and where the insects may be taking up residence in the state.

“Though they are not a direct human health threat, they are a

nuisance that could live almost anywhere in Texas,” Brown said.

“The brown marmorated stink bug looks just like other stink bugs, but it’s a drab brown with black mottling on its back and a distinctive pattern of alternating white and black triangles around the outside of the abdomen. If folks start noticing a new stink bug, one they haven’t seen before, then we want to know about it.”

Samples should include the name and contact information of the sender, the location the bug was found, and the plant or place where it was found. Ree said specimens — preferably dead — should be put in something such as a pill bottle and sent to Kira Metz, Minnie Belle Heep Building 216D, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2475.

The specimens also could be sent to any AgriLife Extension agent, but those also will be confirmed by Metz.

Metz is the U.S. Department of Agriculture domestic insect identifier with an office on the Texas A&M University campus.

Improve your herd’s productivity

Photo courtesy of North Dakota State University

Sometimes, cows need more than a little help in giving birth.

Calf, from Page 7 to keep the pair in the corral a couple of days, because he was worried the heifer would not take her calf.

We carried the calf into the corral and set up the gates so the heifer could go back into the corral when she was released. Lee exited the work area through a small side gate.

I opened the headgate and let

8

the heifer out the chute ready to leap to safety if necessary.

She ignored me, ran directly to her calf, and started licking it as if her calf was the only thing in the whole world.

Lee and I got the job done!

• Dr. Steve Wikse is a retired professor of large animal clinical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.

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Hay quality affects calving success for two years University of Missouri Extension

 January 1, 2013

The quality of hay fed to a beef heifer the next 60 days of winter will determine the vigor of her calf to be born next spring — and whether she can rebreed to calve the next year.

The amount of fat on a heifer’s back determines the care she needs, said Justin Sexten, University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist. His concern includes condition of cows in a herd, but heifers pregnant with first calves need extra nutrition.

Sexten is concerned about the coming calf crop-for the next two years because of drought last summer. Too many beef females are going into winter without protective layers of fat that help carry them through until spring grass.

For some, hay supplies are limited and quality low. A ration rich in nutrients allows cows to maintain body condition, keep the fat layer and develop a calf. Normally hay does that.

“Unfortunately, much forage harvested last season does not meet base requirements,” Sexten says. Grain supplement will be needed if hay is not of adequate quality.

Herd owners judge the amount and what kind of feed that will be needed from body condition scores of cows.

By rule of thumb, a heifer should calve at 85 percent of her mature body weight. Most herds target 1,300-pound mature cows. That mature weight is based on 5- to 8-year old cow at BCS 5 on a sale of 1 to 9. That means a goal of 1,200 pounds at calving for heifers — 1,100 pounds of body mass plus 100 pounds of condition.

Growing heifers need more and better feed than mature cows. They should be fed separately from the cows, Sexten says.

Body condition scores are measured in 100-pound increments. Scoring estimates fat on the cow’s body. If she is flat across the back with no backbone or ribs showing, she scores BCS 6 or better, a desired condition for calving.

If, however, her backbone

“splits a raindrop,” she needs feed to add body fat before calving, Sexten says.

With normal summer and fall grass growth, heifers are grass fat by winter. Not this year. “During July and August, when no grass grew, heifers mined condition off their back,” Sexten says.

Now heifers must not only be fed to support normal body and calf growth during winter, but also to replace lost fat.

Lost fat concerns Sexten.

That energy source affects vigor of the calf at birth. Also, adequate body fat adds quality and quantity to milk the heifer provides her newborn calf.

Nutrition in that first 24 hours determines if a calf thrives, Sexten says. Springborn calves come into a cold world. They need the rich energy and antibodies provided by colostrum, the first milk, to survive

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The Land & Livestock Post  January 1, 2013

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News

Hop to it!

Control grasshoppers before they starve out your herd

By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post

T

exas grasshopper populations vary in size from year to year depending upon the weather.

During drought and in areas receiving less than 30 inches of rainfall, they can become a big threat to forage production.

Large populations of grasshoppers consume significant amounts of forage, which necessitates reduction in cattle stocking rates.

“Grasshoppers consume up to 50 percent of their body weight in forage every day,” said Tom Royer, entomologist with Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. “Cattle consume about 1.5 to 2.5 percent of their body weight in forage, so pound for pound, a grasshopper will eat 12 to 20 times as much plant material as a steer. Another way to look at it is that 30 pounds of grasshoppers will eat as much as a 600-pound steer. Some grasshoppers feed on the most desirable forage plants, leaving the less desirable for cattle. Their feeding, if coupled with drought conditions, can cause longterm deterioration of the forage plant community.”

“Grasshoppers are among the most widespread and damaging pests in Texas,” wrote Carl Patrick and Steven Davis in Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Bulletin E-209. “There are about 150 species of grasshoppers in the state, but 90 percent of the damage to crops, gardens, trees and shrubs is caused by just five species. They are the differential, red-legged, migratory, two-striped and Packard grasshoppers.

Of these, the migratory and Packard are destructive to grassland.”

“Migratory grasshoppers are strong fliers and may swarm over long distances,” Patrick and Davis wrote.

“They, as well as Packard grasshoppers, feed on both grasslands and cultivated crops The Packard grasshopper is the less damaging of the two species, but large numbers can be a problem.

This species prefers sandy soils with light grass cover.”

Grasshopper lifecycle

“Grasshoppers produce one genera-

Large populations of grasshoppers consume significant amounts of forage which necessitates reduction in cattle stocking rates.

Photo by Robert Fears

Cover photo courtesy of f Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service tion each year except for the migratory grasshopper, which produces two generations per year,” Royer said.

“Grasshoppers have three stages: egg, nymph and adult. The majority of grasshoppers overwinter as eggs, but a few overwinter as immature nymphs.

In late summer and fall, eggs are deposited in the soil in ‘pods’ that contain from eight to 30 eggs. Embryos begin to develop, become ‘quiescent’ or inactive through the winter, and resume development in spring.

“Eggs hatch in the spring, with specific hatching time affected by weather, especially soil temperature. Each species develops at its own rate, so we tend to see a continuous flush of hatching

grasshoppers over several months.

Cold winters have little effect on eggs because the pod and surrounding soil provide insulation from low temperatures.”

Nymphs start to feed within a day of hatching, usually on the same plants that they will feed on as adults. These small nymphs are most vulnerable to weather, disease, predators and parasites. They grow through five nymphal instars, shedding their exoskeleton each time, and become adults in 40 to 55 days after hatching.

Population assessment

“Ranchers should start watching for grasshoppers early in the season and

begin control measures while grasshoppers are still nymphs and still within the hatching sites such as roadsides and fencerows,” Patrick and Davis wrote. “Treating grasshoppers early results in fewer acres needing treatment and less insecticide required.

Early treatment controls grasshoppers before they cause extensive damage and before they can fly, migrate and lay eggs. Also, smaller grasshoppers are more susceptible to insecticides than larger ones.”

Grasshopper control in rangeland probably never is justified until numbers exceed 12 per square yard. In improved pastures, the economic thresh-

See GRASSHOPPERS, Page 12

By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

January 1, 2013

“If you don’t have a good soilwater profile at planting, and you are a dryland farmer, you may need to just not plant, or wait for more moisture,” Xue said.

“You may be better off letting the profile fill up for the next crop.”

He said the difference between water storage during a three-month fallow period and an 11-month fallow period can be tremendous in a dry period.

Xue said if wheat producers were at the end of a longer fallow period and had the soil moisture, then the second part of the equation is how to use the soil moisture effectively. In this case, a healthy and strong root system plays an important role for water use also.



AMARILLO — Without soil moisture, roots don’t develop and grow. Without a strong root system, a crop cannot survive in a drought year, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research crop stress physiologist in Amarillo.

While most producers realize water is the most important limiting factor affecting wheat production in semi-arid areas Texas A&M AgriLife Research photos by Qingwu Xue such as the High Plains, Qingwu Wheat plants grown under greenhouse conditions with different soil water levels Xue said the past two years of show the growth difference, both in forage development, as shown above, and in drought have emphasized the root development, as shown below. key role of soil water availability at planting time.

“With the erratic seasonal rainfall, soil water storage — the water available in the soil at planting time — is very critical

for a successful crop,” Xue said.

“A dryland farmer’s first important decision must be to determine if there is sufficient soil water in the profile to plant.”

This year is a prime example, he said. In late September, a 2-inch rain fell across much of the Panhandle and many wheat producers got excited.

“But if they didn’t have an existing storage of water in the soil, that 2-inch rain is having a hard time carrying the crop to the next rainfall, which still hasn’t come as of mid-December.”

Long-term field research at Bushland and in western Kansas demonstrated that wheat yields are closely tied to seasonal evapotranspiration, which is determined by soil water storage, seasonal rainfall and irrigation, Xue said.

The Land & Livestock Post

News Crops need soil moisture to build a strong root system that is needed to survive in times of sustained drought

See MOISTURE, Page 12

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Grasshoppers, from Page 10

January 1, 2013



old may be closer to eight grasshoppers per square yard.

“Grasshopper populations can be assessed through several methods,” Royer said.

“To use the square yard method you walk in a straight line across an area and visually delineate a square yard area about 9 to 12 feet apart in front of your feet. Simply count the number of grasshoppers that can be seen jumping out of the imaginary space.

“About 30 samples should

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Kay Ledbetter

Qingwu Xue, Texas A&M AgriLife Research crop stress physiologist in Amarillo, shows the difference seedling vigor can make on plant growth in these wheat variety trials near Bushland.

Moisture, from Page 11 Many management tools can help wheat plants develop a good root system, such as planting date, seeding rates, row spacing, fertilization and variety selection, he said.

When selecting a variety, seedling vigor will be important, Xue said. His studies have shown that vigorous seedling growth not only led to good forage production but also to good

root production — both necessary to take a crop to either grazing or grain harvest.

“We’ve found that if a variety is vigorous under a well-watered system, it is likely going to be vigorous under droughtstressed conditions,” he said.

“So it doesn’t matter if the producer wants to use his wheat for a dual purpose of grazing and grain or just grain, the vigorous seedling growth is necessary to get through dry periods.”

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be taken each spaced about 75 feet apart. Take an average of the counts to determine grasshopper population densities,” Royder said.

“With the square foot method, the surveyor counts grasshoppers from 18 different square foot areas in much the same manner as is done with the square yard method.

“After 18 samples have been taken, divide the total grasshoppers by two to derive an average number of grasshoppers per square yard.”

See CONTROL, Page 13

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Control

“The most common insecticides used for grasshopper control on rangelands and grass pastures are carbaryl (Sevin), diflubenzuron (Dimilin) and malathion,” said Jeffrey Bradshaw, assistant professor of entomology, University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center, Scottsbluff.

“These chemicals can be applied in several treatment op-

tions, most of which involve reduce agent area treatments, or RAATs. By using RAATs, alternating strips of rangeland are sprayed, thereby reducing the treated area by one half.

RAATs also reduce costs and conserve beneficial insects.”

“A widely adopted chemical, diflubenzuron, acts as an insect growth regulator and efficiently suppresses grasshopper populations; however, it also poses potential risks for

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The Land & Livestock Post  January 1, 2013

News

2013 grain prices will be dictated by the weather

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Grain prices for 2013 will

hinge on favorable weather patterns following the devastating 2012 drought in the Midwest, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.

“It’s all about the weather,” said Mark Welch, grains marketing economist. “You’ve got higher prices, and the yield potential is greater if they can get rain.”

Texas farmers will plant more corn to take advantage of higher grain prices in 2013, Welch said.

“Sorghum is a better fit for a lot of areas of Texas and those marginal areas competing with cotton, so sorghum is a better alternative,” he said.

App, from Page 3 ical information system, etc.).

As an example, consider a producer who is contemplating bermudagrass establishment in a particular pasture.

Key factors for successfully establishing bermudagrass are soil type and soil health. The producer instantly can receive soil type and physical property information about pasture using the SoilWeb app and determine if the soil in the pasture is suitable for bermudagrass establishment.

The type of soil determines which nutrients are needed and how much water should be applied or how much rainfall is required for a defined level of production.

The SoilWeb only provides information about soil physical

“If we get a lot of moisture, it will also benefit wheat and there will be a lot of incentive to keep that wheat crop for grain.”

Welch said if favorable weather patterns develop in 2013, it will set up farmers to plant surplus acres of corn and other grains.

“I think WELCH we are going to see a huge increase in production of grain,” Welch said. “Corn production in the U.S. was cut from 13 billion bushels to a 10.5 billion bushel crop due to drought this year.

World production outside the properties — not the current fertility status.

The SoilWeb app provides a lot of useful information, but it does not replace soil testing.

Soil testing still is needed to determine the level of nutrients available for the current growing season.

The SoilWeb app is an extremely useful tool for smartphone-using farmers, ranchers or others interested in land stewardship.

With its embedded GPS system, this app provides instantaneous soil information from your given location, which is very convenient.

Perhaps the best thing about the SoilWeb app is it can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store for the iPhone or from play.google.com for the Android OS.

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U.S. set a record high for 2012 — the biggest corn crop ever outside the U.S. — 22 billion bushels, and it will continue to increase.”

Welch said the U.S. is importing Brazilian corn for livestock feeding operations.

“For years, we have been the biggest corn producer, user and exporter; the U.S. was the world corn market,” he said. “We continue to hold the leadership position in each of those categories, but with margins that are shrinking.

World competition is on the increase.”

Welch said with favorable weather and normal yields in 2013, production will be higher, but so will use.

“Corn use will rebound as supply concerns ease,” he said. ”Corn use declined in every use category tracked

by USDA due to high prices in 2012. Use will come back, though not as quickly as we may increase supply.

“I think that’s the key for 2013. If we have a normal weather year, with more acres planted, supply will out run demand. If it gets dry again, supply remains a concern, and we could be right back to $8 to $10 a bushel for corn,” he said.

Farmers looking for marketing options should consider taking profits a little along the way throughout 2013, Welch said.

“I think as we lay out the marketing year, there are key elements to watch as we move along the crop calendar do some pre-harvest marketing,” he said.

Welch said if there is some profit farmers can lock into

today, do so, but don’t take all of it at one time.

“Come February, we will have a good handle on what the South American crops will look like and early planting intentions surveys will be coming out for U.S.,” he said.

By March and April, Welch said “we start to get reports related to planting pace, emergence and early crop conditions.”

“As the year unfolds, these reports will give us some idea of yield prospects that will shape our price projections,” Welch said.

“If we are heading for increased supplies relative to demand, then farmers can do some aggressive marketing.

If there are emerging production concerns, then it’s best to hold on and see how things will play out,” Welch said.

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the past 11 years began on 9/11/01.

During this OsamaConomy, a large percentage of our population has had to tighten our belts, however a smaller 10 percent has suffered mightily.

But, in Grandpa Tommy’s defense, just a very tiny percent of those of us caught in the vise of OsamaConomy have gone hungry or have no roof

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over their head. Present-day technology has allowed the majority of the unemployed access to computers, cell phones, vehicles, televisions, emergency health care and school for their kids.

The safety net that is helping these “victims” includes family, friends, churches, private giving and government programs financed by those still working and paying taxes. This safety net has prevented any mass migration of the unemployed seeking work. If there had been a mass migration, North Dakota and Wyoming would have doubled in population. The 10 percent unemployed have been able to stay in familiar surroundings and are able to get temporary assistance to ride it out.

The Great Depression had 25 percent unemployment at its peak and lasted a decade.

Only the outbreak of World

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out houses. There were two kinds of people who showed up: those who came to help and those who came to blame.

In this OsamaConomy, we’ve been barraged with ads and debates by those who come to blame. My head is ringing.

But I know we will get out of this mess. Not because I have faith in the government, but because I have faith in those who get up every day and come to work, like Grandpa Tommy did, just doin’ his part.

Happy New Year and God bless you.

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War II brought an end to it.

It is the prayer of all of us, that our foundering leaders will get their collective heads out of the mud, step out of the way and let America go back to work. It took us five years to recover after 9/11. In 2007, the federal government collected a record-high annual tax revenue from the private sector.

That money came from people working and paying taxes, from Bill Gates to the legal immigrant mowing his lawn.

We all breathed a sigh of relief when our soldiers finally sent Osama Bin Laden to hell.

There seems to be a lot of blame thrown around about who should bear the burden of our toxic economy. I don’t have any doubt. It was him. Osama was this generation’s Hitler, Ho Chi Minh, Yamamoto and Small Pox. In 2005, I went to New Orleans after Katrina to muck

January 1, 2013

19.95

percent. We pulled ourselves out and by 2007 unemployment had fallen to 4.5 percent.

Then we over-reached and crashed again in 2008, where we have wallowed for four years with 8 percent to 10 percent unemployment. But BAXTER BLACK this whole On the Edge of series of Common Sense events in



randpa Tommy was reminiscing, “It’s a shame everybody couldn’t go through the Great Depression.”

I know what he meant.

I think. He didn’t mean it like “It’s a shame everybody hadn’t been in a concentration camp or had polio.” He was remarking that most of us Baby Boomers and younger are unable to appreciate how technology has pampered us.

There was no safety net back then. Grandpa Tommy spent the Dirty ’30s in the depths of the Dust Bowl in Syracuse, Kan. Then the first half of the ’40s, he was on a Navy vessel in the Pacific.

He passed away without seeing our OsamaConomy. The hard times that today’s generations are suffering under, began on Sept. 11, 2001. We sank to the bottom immediately.

Unemployment in 2002 was 7.5

The Land & Livestock Post

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The Land & Livestock Post  January 1, 2013

News

Long-term strategies help minimize taxes of ed gross income of $120,000 per year might believe that all of their income will be taxed at the highest possible tax rate for that income (25 percent in this case) if they file as married filing jointly. Such a couple might believe their required tax payment is $30,000 per year when in fact it is only $22,060. This $7,940 difference ($30,000 - $22,060) will create a large error in their tax planning and can be thought of as the cost of not understanding the income tax system.

It is also a good idea to divide the amount paid in taxes for the year by the adjusted gross income to know what percentage of the adjusted gross income is paid in taxes. This percentage is a good number to know for developing a strategy to lower taxable income, and, in most cases, the percentage is not as high as one thinks. In our example, the percentage of adjusted gross income paid in taxes is 18.38 percent, as calculated by the

By JoB Springer Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

As Ben Franklin once noted, the only two things one can count on with certainty are death and taxes. Most Americans go to extra lengths in order to delay both as long as possible.

This article will share some tips on how to minimize income tax obligation across time.

Income and expenses generated from entities such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (taxed as a partnership) and a sub S corporation are reported on the owner’s personal income tax return. It is in the best interest of each business to eliminate all unnecessary expenses, and, from a business standpoint, taxes are considered an expense.

Following are some steps taken each fall by individual taxpayers or taxpayers using the assistance of a tax preparer.

Income tax system

16

First, one needs to understand the tax rates that are expected for 2012. The table reports the estimated 2012 income tax brackets, based on inflation adjustments, released from the IRS on Nov. 7, 2011, for a husband and wife filing jointly as well as those filing singly. The numbers in the table correspond to a taxpayer’s adjusted gross income.

Second, it is important to understand the rules. Many do not know that a filer’s taxable income is not all taxed at the same rate according to the highest applicable bracket. Instead, income is taxed progressively. For example, assume a married couple filing jointly has an adjusted gross income of $120,000. In a progressive tax system, only the portion of the income between $70,700 and $120,000 is taxed at the 25 percent rate while the portion of income between $17,400 and $70,700 is taxed at 15 percent, and the first $17,400 is taxed at 10 percent. This is what is meant by a progressive tax system.

When one understands that taxes are paid at different tax rates progressively, it becomes less important for one’s income to fall at the top of the lowest possible tax bracket when pursuing a tax minimization strategy. For instance, an uninformed married couple with an ad-

formula {(10 percent x 17,400) + [15 percent x (70,700 - 17,400)] + [25 percent x (120,000 - 70,700)]} ÷ 120,000. This percentage will always be less than the percentage associated with the highest tax bracket (25 percent in this case), except for cases where the Adjusted gross income falls within the lowest income tax bracket.

Strategies

What should be the target long-term income tax bracket for a taxpayer? It may not be the best decision to be in the 10 percent income tax bracket one year and the 25 percent tax bracket the next year.

One way to determine this is to look at what the filer’s adjusted gross income has been in the past and what the best estimate is for what it will be in the future. A second question is what will the tax brack-

See TAXES, Page 17

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Forage, from Page 13

However, there was a slight suppression of beneficial insects in response to insecticide application in the sample week immediately following application.”

“Dimilin appeared to have the quickest recovery of beneficial organisms relative to the other nontarget insect affecting treatments,” Bradshaw said.

“It is unclear why the high rate of Prevathon would have a more benign impact on beneficial insects than the

other treatments. This treatment also appeared to show a numerical resurgence in the beneficial insect populations toward the end of the sampling period. No significant reduction in non target sucking insects such as spittlebugs was detected,” Bradshaw said.

Grasshoppers definitely compete with cattle for forage.

When large infestations occur, you’re left with two choices for maintaining cattle body condition by grazing: control the grasshoppers or destock.

Taxes, from Page 16 ets look like in the near future?

That is, will tax rates be going up or down, and by how much?

If one expects income tax rates to go up in the future or for the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income to increase, it may not be the best strategy to delay recognition of this year’s income.

If a person expects tax rates to go down or for their adjusted gross income to fall, it may be in their best interest to delay income to future years.

There are two strategies that can be implemented to delay income. The first is to prepay for expenses that one expects to incur in the coming year. One should be careful, however, that this is done correctly — the IRS frowns on this strategy if it deems it an attempt to distort taxable income. The second is to purchase necessary capital assets. It is important that a business purchase a capital asset that will create a future savings or a cash flow stream that pays for itself minus the income tax savings. This means that capital asset purchases should only be made if it makes good business sense, not simply to reduce a tax obligation in the short term.

Therefore, it is important to know your expected adjusted gross income prior to the end of the year. Once this is determined, it is important to deduce whether or not it falls within your targeted income tax bracket. If the adjusted gross income needs to be raised, then delay payment of bills until after the first of the year.

If the adjusted gross income needs to be lowered, then first understand what expenses you will encounter in the coming year and pay for those in the current year. If the adjusted gross income still needs to be lowered, look for a capital asset that will truly be an asset and not a liability.

January 1, 2013

grasshopper numbers was measured for all chemicals following the initial applications and residual suppression appeared to last for at least three weeks,” Bradshaw said.

“The Coragen and Prevathon low and high rate applications had the numerically lowest grasshopper populations; however, no chemical applications were significantly different relative to each other. In this study, beneficial insect populations were not reduced by any of the chemical applications.



beneficial insects such as the endangered American burying beetle,” Bradshaw said.

“Malathion and carbaryl are also effective in treatment of rangeland grasshopper infestation.

“Because malathion is nonselective, nontarget organisms may be affected, reducing natural enemies of the grasshopper. Persistent treatment with nonselective insecticides such as malathion has been shown

to increase the frequency, duration and intensity of grasshopper outbreaks,” he said.

Bradshaw and his colleagues evaluated three different formulations of chlorantraniliprole (Prevathon 7.8, Prevathon 13.6 and Coragen) for grasshopper control and compared them to dimilin and an untreated check.

Chlorantraniliprole is a relatively new insecticide developed and marketed by DuPont.

“A significant reduction in

The Land & Livestock Post

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60/40 wooded/open, coastal Bermuda, new fence on front third, live creek, small pond, electricity & metered water, approx, 1,675 ft. of county rd. frontage; Franklin ISD; $365,000/$,3650 per acre.

282 Ac, Little MS Cemetery Rd, Franklin

to be divided into two tracts of 112, 170; lots of CR Rd. frontage; electricity, RC water, wooded & coastal, water wells, 50% new fence, 3 bed, 2 bath brick home on 170 ac tract; Franklin ISD; $3,496/ac

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January 1, 2013 ď‚Ť

The Land & Livestock Post

2006 FORD F-250 KING RANCH

(Previously Periko Auto Sales)

STK#585729T

2010 YAMAHA BIG BEAR

$2,995 CASH ONLY!

STK#AR00258 2008 CHEVY CREW

4X4

STK#313280T 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA

Where Buying A Car is Where Buying Fun Again!

A Car is

Fun Again!

BAD CREDIT!

NO CREDIT! ATV Now’s Available!

EXCELLENT CREDIT!!

B AD CREDIT! We Have A Finance Program Available !

NO CREDIT For Everyone!

EXCELLENT CREDIT!!

We Have A Finance Program Available For Everyone!

DIESEL

STK#144898T 2010 CHEVY CAMARO SS

STK#220042T 2007 GMC YUKON XL

$21,483

STK#351150TT 2005 FORD MUSTANG

$19,283

STK#166378P

STK#312813T

No Credit Application Refused

2004 CHEVY SILVERADO

January 1, 2013

STK#545671P

STK#B05607P



2011 JEEP WRANGLER

$35,783 DIESEL

The Land & Livestock Post

2011 DODGE DUALLY CREW

979.696.4700 2310 Harvey Mitchell College Station, TX

Open Monday-Saturday 8:30am - 7:00pm

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The Land & Livestock Post ď‚Ť January 1, 2013

Each New Year brings hope and renewed optimism.

Let us know how we can help.

Your Partner in Agriculture Since 1943 1800 N. Texas Ave. in Bryan

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979.778.6000

www.producerscooperative.com