Issue 22 of The Ag Mag by THEAGMAG

Matthew 7:12

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Staff Michelle Martin

Owner/Editor michelle@theagmag.org (956) 330-8870

Al Benavides

Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407

A Letter from the Editor It is the peak of show season once again. It is the time when kiddos put all their hard work on the line to be judged. Will their project or animals make the cut? Show season is a lot about being judged. We want to impress the judge who is judging our projects, we want to impress the fans in the stands, and we want to impress ourselves. The judges are constantly looking at the overall composition of the project or animal. Basically, the winner is chosen on the project with the least amount of imperfections. This got me thinking about judging in our everyday lives. We strive to be the best. Sometimes we get so fixated on the imperfections that the good goes unnoticed. It is so easy to allow the demands of society to shape us into what we think we should be. We are constantly being judged at our jobs, how we raise our children, and sometimes on how we present ourselves. How many times have you felt like you were being judged? Or how many times have we been the person judging? I have judged someone based on their outward appearance, and at times I have felt that I was being judged. In-fact, to be honest. I was judged at one point in my life by a group of people and it tore me down to pieces. I was in a very sad state, all due to the words of people who were judging me without knowing my reasons. Sometimes judging is inevitable. We are judged if we do not have a certain amount of income, if we do not raise our children the way society finds acceptable, for women we are judged on our outward appearance of weight, clothes, shoes, and at our jobs we are judged on our performance. Judging is all around us. One thing we can agree on is everyone is different, we may have similarities but everyone is different. Before we judge we must know that everyone is fighting their own battles some of which we do not see. Some are struggling just to make ends meet, or just to make it through the day. Picking out imperfections in people can destroy relationships and confidences. Just as a child enters the show ring, they are being judged on their animal’s appearance, but we do not see the trials and tribulations that child went through to get the project to where they are today, the late nights, the early mornings, the tears, the lessons learned. Let’s all take a break from judging and realize we all have different struggles, most of which others do not see. It is important to take a step back and instead of judging, we should take the time to compliment. If we found one compliment to give each day, the world would be a better place. So many people want to judge the actions of others, or the person in general that we neglect to see the good in others. Finding the good in every situation makes for a brighter outlook. It helps us enjoy the life God has given us. The ultimate judge is God, and we should live to serve Him and not the world. We should enjoy this life, and pass on kindness. Once act of kindness can mean the world to someone. One simple act can change a person’s life.

In This Issue: Considerations for early season Sugarcane Aphid Management....................................................6 NAFTA near death experience.................................10 Community Gardens help grow healthy communities................................................12 Featured Farmer: Life of Commitment...................16 Development of methods to treat fever tick.............20 Avoid Agro-Vation.................................................... 22 Grain Sorghum suddenly under political spotlight...26 Tackling Old foes to Vegetable Production in South Texas..........................................................28 An update on the Citrus Industry.............................. 30 Devil’s Horse- Hunting Nilgai Antelope in South Texas......................................................... 38 FarmHer the Beginning............................................44 STAR GALA 2018.................................................... 47 2018 Special Show...................................................48 Life of a ShowMOM.................................................. 49 Soil Health is the ground we stand on RGVLS Vegetable Show..........................................56 Compliance Dates for the Produce Rule have arrived..............................................................57 Texas leaders amplify Cotton Policy at National Level.......................................................... 60 La Casita Hot Sauce: A labor of Love......................62 South Texas Ag Update........................................... 65 Maverick- Builder of a fabled Empire...................... 68 What’s the deal with ELD’S..................................... 74 Volume 4, Issue 4. March/April 2018. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ag Mag reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequence arising from it. All correspondence to the publication become the property of Ag Mag.

Cover photo taken by Bryce Wilde Owner/Creator of AG MAG

Considerations for Early Season Sugarcane Aphid Management for 2018

his time of year, I often reflect on the wide envi ronmental fluctuations that occur from one year to the next. Just one short year ago farmers were planting all row crops in the Rio Grande Valley and corn was being sown in the Lower Gulf Coast regions of Texas. Water in the Gulf was warming, and the talk of hurricanes was being tossed around. Fast forward to today and the same region has experienced cooler than average conditions and, because of dry conditions of late, planting is creeping along at a snail’s pace. Recent freezing weather burned top growth of all vegetation in much of south Texas. If freezing weather has adversely affected plants, it most certainly be killing insects, should it not? It is a frequent question presented to entomologists and our answers are always the same, “yes and no” …or “it just depends”. So, let’s explore what is happening with the sugarcane aphid (most certainly the wintry weather must have killed any overwintering populations). Well, I wish I could say that wintry weather has eliminated all crop pests, but insects have an incredible ability to survive the harshest of conditions. This is particularly true with the sugarcane aphid… as-long-as their overwintering host survives. Early last week I found 3-leaf sorghum growing from the base of a plant that had

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BY DR. ROBERT BOWLING

top growth killed by freezing weather. Inside the whorl of this small sorghum plant were ~300 sugarcane aphids! A few warm days and overwintering aphid populations will explode. This really has me thinking of strategies for managing sugarcane aphid in the off season. South Texas is unique from most other sorghum production regions in that the sugarcane aphid readily overwinters on sorghum and Johnsongrass. Sugarcane aphids will move from their overwintering hosts to edges of sorghum fields (an edge effect) in early- to mid-spring. Wind direction can influence where the aphid will colonize a field. In 2017, several consultants shared that they were scouting south and west field edges of sorghum for early detection of sugarcane aphid. Numerous northerly winds in April influenced localized movement by sugarcane aphid to the north edges of these sorghum fields. In many cases it was not until the aphid populations exceeded threshold that their error win scouting was exposed. It is always highly recommended to scout all field edges for early detection of sugarcane aphid. Edge effects are commonly reported in the Rio Grande Valley and coastal regions of Texas but not in other sorghum production regions where the aphid is not known to overwinter. Spot spraying sugarcane overwintering hosts with an herbicide would reduce or eliminate early season aphid infestations along field edges. This does not guarantee aphids migrating from southern regions of

North America will not infest sorghum, but it could prevent early season establishment by sugarcane aphid and may possibly prevent to need to spray in the absence of wind-aided migratory movement of sugarcane aphid. In-season environment changes can have a big impact on insect pest populations. Certain environments can favor epizootics in insects caused by entomopathogens. Entomopathogens are either bacteria, fungi or other microorganisms which infect insects and eventually kill them under the right conditions. Late last year a student from Mexico visited the Texas A&M Agrilife Research and Extension Center in Corpus Christi to continue her work with fungal entomopathogens of sugarcane aphid. She identified two entomopathogens of sugarcane aphid from field collections in the Coastal Bent of Texas. The two entomopathogens have been identified as Lecanicillium lecanii (most common) and Isaria sp.

Lecanicillium lecanii was identified in all aphid collections. For more information access the following link: https://betteryield.agrilife. org/2018/01/09/3-1-using-fungal-diseasessugarcane-aphid/

epizootics as a possibility for sugarcane aphids to collapse across large areas following an extended period of cool and wet conditions. The widespread occurrence of these two-sugarcane aphid fungal entomopathogens support our suspicion. It may be possible that, as managers, we can predict sugarcane aphid colony collapse when environmental conditions favor an epizootic and adjust strategies for managing the aphid in south Texas sorghum. It may be possible to develop biological insecticides from these pathogens to help control the sugarcane aphid without disrupting beneficial arthropods. As managers and researchers, it is critical for us to explore all options available and make use of all resources to control insect pests like the sugarcane aphid. For additional information on sugarcane aphid management visit our Better Yield n the Field webpage at: https://betteryield.agrilife.org/

The widespread occurrence of these entomopathogenic fungi among sugarcane aphid in south Texas may make it possible for researchers to evaluate environmental conditions necessary for an epizootic (outbreak of the pathogen across an area). We suspect

MARCH/APRIL 2018

NAFTA’s NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE THREATENED TEXAS AGRICULTURAL TRADE BY ROD SANTA ANA

NAFTA narrowly escaped an immediate and complete

death in the first few days of President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a new book about presidential chiefs-ofstaff. In The Gatekeepers, by Chris Whipple, the withdrawal of the U.S. from the trade treaty with Mexico and Canada was among 100 executive orders ready for implementation the day Trump took office. According to the book, Trump’s chief-of-staff, Reince Priebus, was able to save the treaty after convincing the president that ending the North American Free Trade Agreement would be politically costly, saying it would “kill farmers in many swing states.” Instead, Priebus convinced Trump to renegotiate NAFTA, an ongoing process that likely will continue through at least 2018, according to one expert. Dr. Luis Ribera, a Texas A&M AgriLife agricultural economist in College Station, said the 7th round of negotiations are currently taking place in Mexico City and talks likely will not conclude before the agreed-upon deadline. “There seems to be a better feeling from all three countries that a new agreement can be reached,” Ribera said, “but it will take much longer than the March deadline negotiators had set 10

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for themselves.” Ribera cited Mexican presidential elections this summer and mid-term U.S. elections in the fall as reasons for the disruption. “Those elections could further delay negotiations,” he said. “And if they do, future talks will depend on who wins in Mexico, and whether the U.S. House and Senate will still be controlled by Republicans. So, it’s all up in the air right now.” Ribera said that if Trump’s executive order to end the treaty had been carried out, tariffs on Texas exports to Mexico could have jumped immediately, making Texas products more expensive, likely encouraging Mexico to look elsewhere in the global market for other options. “If NAFTA ends, chances are we would revert to the higher tariffs of the World Trade Organization, to which both the U.S. and Mexico belong,” Ribera said. “With NAFTA, especially on agriculture, tariffs had gone down to zero in most cases. Under the WTO agreement for product rates, they would jump significantly. And among the top ten states affected, Missouri would be at the top of the list, and Texas at number four, with 37 percent of all its agricultural exports going to Mexico.” The largest chunk, almost half, of Texas ag and food exports to Mexico are meat and meat packaging products, Ribera

said. In 2016, Texas exported almost $1.6 billion dollars in meat-related products to Mexico. “Under the WTO rates, the tariff, or tax, Mexico could impose on our beef would jump from zero to 25 percent, and up to 20 percent for pork,” he said. “Dairy products would jump from zero to 45 percent, 20 percent for oilseeds and grains, 20 percent for fruits and tree nuts, and 15 percent for soybean meal.” Total ag exports from Texas to Mexico have been significant, Ribera said. In 2016, Texas sold $362 million in dairy products to Mexico, $355 million in oilseeds and grain, $152 million in fruits and tree nuts, and $125 million in grains and oilseed milling products. “Ending NAFTA could make U.S. products more expensive,” he said. “That could reduce our competitiveness and could invite producers throughout the world to take over these markets.” The best-case scenario for the fate of NAFTA would be an update to the treaty, Ribera said. “NAFTA has been around since 1994, and while it’s been working well, it could use some upgrades,” he said. For example, in 1994 the internet was not yet such a dominant force in the business world, so new regulations could be implemented in making the switch from paper documents to online documents. Ribera said other areas of improvements could include food safety, sanitation rules, labor standards, and improvements in mobility to ensure a more seamless transfer of products. The impact of the U.S. trade treaty with Mexico and Canada ripples throughout the Rio Grande Valley’s economy in a very positive way, Ribera said, adding to the area’s existing economy of agriculture, retail sales, the maquiladora industry and tourism. “The main objectives of NAFTA were two-fold,” said Ribera. “The first was to increase the flow of products and investments among the three countries. The second was to reduce or eliminate tariffs and duties on those products.” It’s difficult to know what would have happened without NAFTA, but since the treaty was implemented, those two goals have been met in a big way, while opening new trade opportunities with other countries worldwide, Ribera said. NAFTA has allowed each of its three countries to tap into its counterparts’ supply and demand situations. “In agriculture, Mexico knows the U.S. can’t maintain a year-round supply of fruits and vegetables, so investments in both countries have been made to transfer Mexican produce to the U.S.,” he said. “Those investments include greenhouses, cold storage facilities, transportation, highways, etc.” Similarly, the U.S. and Mexico invested resources to supply what Mexico can’t

produce in sufficient quantities for their needs, including corn, grain, rice and cotton. Those investments are having a huge economic impact on the Valley, especially through its bridge ports of entry and the Port of Brownsville. In 2016, the U.S. imported almost $12 billion of fresh and frozen produce, including fruits, vegetables and nuts from Mexico. Half of that entered the country via Texas land ports on about 220,000 trucks. A new east-west Mexican highway from Mazatlan on the Pacific to Matamoros on the Gulf of Mexico now carries increasing truckloads of produce to Texas, especially through the Pharr International Bridge, that continue to destinations throughout the U.S. “Because the new highway cuts down on travel time and cost, for the first time ever, in September, Pharr outpaced what had been the top land port of entry for produce: Nogales, Arizona,” Ribera said. The Pharr bridge now handles roughly 13,000 northbound produce trucks per month, over 400 per day, with substantial traffic increases predicted through at least 2025, due to increased demand for fresh produce, Ribera said. That increased trade results in infrastructure investments in the Valley as brokers and businesses move to Pharr from Nogales and other smaller ports along the entire U.S./Mexican border. “It creates more of everything here: gas stations, restaurants, cold storage facilities, offices, roads, apartments, houses. The list goes on and on,” he said. With the threat of completely abandoning NAFTA hopefully behind us, and with trade negotiations still underway, Ribera said the future looks promising. “There’s still a lot to be done, a lot to be worked out, but negotiators seem to be finding lots of common ground,” he said. “Hopefully, NAFTA can be improved to increase trade velocity while maintaining food safety and national security.” MARCH-APRIL 2018

BY DEBRA ATLAS

photo by Debra Atlas

Community Gardens Help Grow Healthier Communities

he Rio Grande Valley is known for its produce and citrus. But that doesn’t guarantee residents access to healthy food. With one in six families living below the poverty line, Texans face food insecurity. Less available healthy food often means more obesity.

Sixty percent of Texas adults and twenty-nine percent of kids are either obese or overweight. Because half of all Texans live in food deserts – outside a 5 to 10 mile radius of a supermarket – a good 40 percent don’t eat fruits and vegetables daily. On February 20th, the Food Bank in Pharr presented the “Improving Availability of Healthy Foods - Growing and Nourishing Healthy Communities” workshop to address these sobering statistics. Sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, this informative program detailed their successful Community Gardens programs and provided a blueprint of how to create one. Ashley Gregory, M.S., Hidalgo County Agent Horticulture, Jennifer Herrera, M.S., Cameron County Agent Horticulture, and the Food Bank’s Chris Bueno were the featured speakers. Community gardens were initially funded through a grant in 2013 through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) Program.

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Garden-related programs focus on how to grow and prepare healthy foods, increase access to it and how to get people to actually eat these often unfamiliar foods. Herrera said GNHC first began with Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties. The Extension supports community gardens through daily or weekly education programs. Their Better Living for Texans addresses nutrition issues, introduces recipes, and offers food demonstrations. The Extension works with a variety of partners some housing authorities, community centers, faith organizations, and health centers. To pick the best sites for new community gardens, Gregory said they used the Food Desert maps. The Extension’s community garden program saw changes in 2017. While they were able to expand beyond the three counties in the Valley, funding was cut. No longer establishing gardens, they now focus on weekly education classes. As some cities in Cameron County donate land for new gardens, the Extension is tailoring its curriculum for these. Six weekly sessions of one to 1½ hours are offered in both English and Spanish. Participants can learn to garden at home or use the information to start their own community garden.

A variety of important topics are covered including: Its Gem Valley Farms, which saw its first planting in 2014, is • site selection • soil science, including soil and compost • pest management of diseases and insects • harvesting • preserving, including canning and/or drying • maintaining the garden • marketing

completely community based.

Despite budget cuts, the Extension still works with gardens throughout the three counties. In Hidalgo, there are 7 community gardens and 3 demonstration gardens with ARISE. They’re also working with Buckner Family Hope Center with learning gardens. In Cameron County they have 11 community gardens and another 4 through a Wellness Coalition.

Gem Valley Farms currently has 17 families of homeschoolers that garden there with their parents. The numbers fluctuate from year to year. Originally designed for 25 families maximum, they’ve had as many as 55 families participating.

The county also offers a Youth program, going into local schools and doing a “Train the Trainer” with teachers. This ten week long international curriculum, called “Grow, Eat and Go,” covers everything from soil science to harvest and includes nutrition and physical activity. A lot goes into making a community garden successful. Gardens need to be close to people who will use them, in a neighborhood. “If you want to start a community garden,” Gregory says, “start with a community (with) an interest and desire to grow and be involved.” “Kids love gardening,” Herrera said. “When you can get adults involved with them, it helps emphasize this is something important to do.” Water is critical to a garden’s success. As community gardens often use city / county property, those entities need to know they can’t just turn water off. Communication between garden organizers and landowners is key. Having enough sunlight – at least six hours a day – and quality soil are vital to garden production. It’s also important that those who use the garden have a sense of ownership of it. And you must have a champion to make that community garden work, said Cruz Salinas, a UTRGV professor who’s helped build over 1`70 gardens in the Valley.

Bueno says originally the garden was about giving food to the people in their food services. “Instead of just giving them food,” he said, “we tried to teach them how to grow their own food.” Since then, they’ve opened it up to anyone in the community who wants to grow food or learn to grow it.

The Food Bank has developed programs to serve its community. • A Kids Farmers Market. Kids come to harvest, wash and package their produce every Tuesday, then have the Market on Thursdays. photo Courtesy of Texas A&M • A Vegetable Prescription AgriLife Extension Services program. This year it’s operating through the Hope Family Clinic, which serves the economically disadvantaged. After the Clinic selects a group of clients to go through a 3 or 6 month program; participants receive a weekly bag of vegetables and are monitored to see if their health improves through food and if they can decrease their medication.

• The Farmers Market Nutrition program. Currently nine families sell what they grow at the Market. Through this program they give out $30.00 WIC Vouchers which gives customers more access to vegetables. People can shop the Market or the one at Fireman’s Park in McAllen. The kids selling accept the vouchers and the customers get to buy healthy veggies. The kids who sell are learning valuable skills - how to grow vegetables, how to eat them and how to sell them. And there’s a great side benefit. In 2017 they raised over $600 through the Farmers Market! Some community gardens charge annual fees, which cover necessities such as water or tools. The Food Bank doesn’t charge fees. Getting people to eat healthy isn’t easy, says Bueno. Consider all the health initiatives throughout the Valley versus the obesity levels here. There’s a stigma to growing food here, he said. “A lot of people grew up working in the fields (and they) don’t want to grow their own because of that.”

photo by Debra Atlas

But with a growing demand for local, natural food in the Valley, community gardens have a big role to play.

The Food Bank’s Chris Bueno knows all about these.

They have lots of benefits, Bueno said. They bring people together, educate youth about food production, teach participants about healthier lifestyles and sustainability. They can be a good stress reliever and they provide food for the family and for the community.

The Food Bank, the only one in Texas to have growers, encompasses fourteen acres, only one of which has been cultivated.

Community gardens create a sense of community. They’re a great place to share resources, exchange ideas or just get moral support.

It takes a team to help with things like organizing, recruiting and scheduling volunteers and maintaining the garden.

MARCH/APRIL 2018

Ag Mag Featured Farmer

A LIFE OF

COMMITMENT

rnest Bippert bought his first tractor before he bought his first car. To put that in perspective it would be like a teen buying their first car before buying their first, or second or maybe even third, cell phone. But that’s how committed and focused he was, from the time he was a boy, to becoming a farmer. He’s still that committed and focused. He credits a lot of that to his mom. “My mom is my hero and mentor and she made the farm of 80 acres and ended up raising five children on the 80 acres. She did an amazing job holding the family together. I was blessed by her that she gave me not a crutch to limp through life but a strong feeling of character and taught me all the things I need to know to make it through the world.” “I am who I am today because of her.” “I was born a farmer. I was an outside kid, my grandparents farmed and it was just born in my blood,” Bippert said. “I bought my first tractor when I was 16 years old, a John Deere. It was my life dream to buy a tractor first. I wanted to farm and have my own equipment. Bippert, who farms in Kleberg County, the town he grew up in, said his favorite crop to grow is cotton because it not only pays the bills but because it’s the most challenging. In 2004, Bippert won the Southwest Farm Press High Cotton Award because his commitment to conservation tillage, moisture management and technology helped Bippert save soil, water, time and money on his 2,000-acre cotton farm. “I had heard the conservation tillage in fields with minced soil types would be a disaster,” Bippert said in an article in the Southwest Farm Press in January, 2004. “But I talked with a farmer who had used conservation tillage for years and he convinced me that following a prescription for reducing tillage would work.” “Production of food and fiber that feeds and clothes the world

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keeps me excited about being a part of a large contributor of the effort along with less than two percent of the nation that is able to do the great job that we do,” he said. “It really gives me a lot of pride and satisfaction to be part of it. We do such a magnificent job of silently contributing to an infrastructure of food to the nation that easily goes unnoticed.” While many people may be searching for that acceptance and that pat on the back for what they do as entitlement seems to become a greater and greater part of each new generation, Bippert’s desire since he was eight years old and “doing a man’s work” has been the feeling of responsibility

and good he’s doing for others. “I would miss two weeks of school during planting time to ride the planter with my grandad. The planter was being towed by a tractor and it is something that I think about very often. The fulfillment that I was putting in a crop that would be harvested,” he said. “I would be able to look back to the day the seed was planted and watch it mature into something that would one day harvest. That was one of the responsibilities that I had.” Bippert’s advice to up and coming farmers is advice brought out by not only experience but by the passion in his blood that is as strong today as it was when he was 8 years old growing up on the farm that his grandfather leased – and he now owns today. “To be able to survive in farming, the most important thing to me is to be totally passionate about it. Without the passion and attitude you have nothing. Farming is not an easy way to make money,” he said. “A little joke—how do you make a small fortune in farming?—start out with a real large one.” A career as a farmer is not something that someone can get into easily today, Bippert said. It requires a lot of money and, without that and experience it is nearly impossible. “It is a tough deal; It is virtually impossible,” he said “My children saw what it took to make it, they saw the droughts, they saw the struggles, they saw the trials and tribulations and they remember what it took to make it.” Not only is what he does a passion, but it’s also something that fills him with joy and pride knowing that he and other farmers fulfill a serious need for the country, for the world even. Today Bippert finds time to serve as a director on the Kleberg Kenedy Soil and Water Conservation board. He believes in finding the best ways to conserve the earth’s resources and giving back to a community that has given him so much. His love for farming hasn’t changed and, if he had to, he’d probably still buy a new tractor before a new car – now, that’s commitment.

MARCH/APRIL 2018

HANKA SOD 32054 Weaver Road, San Benito, Texas

956-207-9004

Harvesting year â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;round Delivery Available Your business is our priority! Locally grown

TIFT 419, Bermuda, Floratam & St. Augustine

Development of methodsÂ to treat cattle fever tick infested nilgai antelope with entomopathogenic nematodes BY J GOOLSBY

all photos by J. Goolsby

as Huellas in Brownsville is supporting the research. In particular the research on nilgai common latrine ecology is funded by LH and supports a graduate student at Texas A&M Kingsville, Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Understanding which nilgai visit specific latrines and how latrines are spaced in the landscape is critical to deployment of the sprayer.

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The southern cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus microplus and bovine babesiosis transmitted by it, caused an annual loss to the U.S. livestock industry of $3 billion in the currency of today before they were eradicated from the U.S. The tick eradication program in the permanent quarantine zone along the Texas-Mexico border needs novel strategies due to growing evidence of resistance to acaricides; invasion of pathogenic landscape-forming weed species such as carrizo cane, Arundo donax, and Guineagrass, Megathyrsus maximus that enhance survival of cattle fever ticks; and the emerging role of white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, and exotic nilgai antelope, Boselaphus tragocamelus, as tick hosts. Nilgai antelope are competent hosts of R. microplus and have large home ranges, moving frequently between public lands set aside for wildlife conservation and private lands managed for cattle and/or wildlife. Because they are exotic animals, nilgai do not have a hunting season and are commonly harvested year round in South Texas. Therefore pesticides that have with drawl periods before the meat is consumed from a hunter-harvested animal are not suitable for treatment of cattle fever tick-infested nilgai. Entomopathogenic nematodes have been commercialized as biopesticides may be suitable for treatment of tick-infested nilgai. Remotely activated sprayers have been developed to treat nilgai with the entomopathogenic nematodes. Sprayers can be set up on nilgai common latrines or fence crossings. The nematode species, Steinernema riobrave has performed well in laboratory trials, commercially available, and is native to the Rio Grande Valley. The nematode and treatment methods are being field tested in Willacy Co., with the goal of incorporating this technology into the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program.

MARCH/APRIL 2018

AVOID

AGRO-VATION Local farm frustrations spark idea for tech company to simplify farm food safety.

arlier in 2016, Maryland started educating their farms on the Food Safety Modern ization Act (FSMA). The Maryland Department of Agriculture began by hosting informational meetings for pro duce growers to gain more knowledge on the law: upcoming deadlines, what farms were considered ‘covered’ under the rule and what was expected of each farm. For most farmers, this was the first they were hearing about FSMA and what it meant for their business. In a state that already heavily regulates agriculture, this was not welcomed news. Those in attendance voiced their questions and frustrations regarding the new rule.

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Included in one of these meetings was NextLOGiK, a local software development company. NextLOGiK’s main solution was geared towards larger operations, like manufacturers and packagers, to help manage their food safety operations. But they soon learned, the scale and price tag would not appeal to this audience of growers. Instead of trying to pitch to the group of family-owned farms, NextLOGiK sat down with Kathy Johnson, the Howard County Agriculture manager and started to brainstorm. Using a combination of Kathy’s background in farming and NextLOGiK’s experience with compliance management, the team developed an affordable solution to help farms better understand the impending food safety regulations.

NextLOGiK decided to boil down their original platform, CompWALK, and tailor it to meet the needs of the growers. CompWALK was originally created to manage compliance for large healthcare organizations, but since evolved to also support compliance management for the food industry, specifically food safety certifications and regulations. In the coming months, the NextLOGiK team met with the University of Maryland Extension, the Maryland Farm Bureau and local farms to discover how to best serve small to medium sized farms around the US. NextLOGiK also sponsored multiple Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings, gathering information on the questions and reactions of the attendees regarding the different levels of requirements. Because the rule is so vague, what resulted was a common theme of confusion surrounding the details of the FSMA law. Unfortunately, many farmers expressed that the rule failed to clearly state what the farms needed to do in order to comply, making it very hard to be certain that what they were doing was acceptable. In addition, numerous concerns were brought up regarding the burden of documentation requirements. After hearing all of the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; concerns, NextLOGiK

was determined to help. The team quickly started the development of their affordable farm food safety software using the structure of their previously developed solution, CompWALK. The new platform would be called CompWALK.farm, with the tagline encouraging farms to avoid agro-vation. CompWALK.farm allows users to conduct mock inspections, review reports, store files, and create incidents. Users also have access to a library full of helpful resources and a custom calendar, helping growers manage food safety activities. The mock inspections are broken up into a checklist format, making it clear to the farmers what is required. Some inspections include: the FSMA Produce Rule, USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification, and the Harmonized GAP. CompWALK.farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s file repository provides a place for farms to store all food safety documentation in one secure, cloud-based location. Currently the solution is web-based with enhanced logging capabilities and mobile apps for iOS, Android and Windows 10 coming soon. CompWALK.farm is provided as an annual subscription for $399 per year. To learn more or sign up for the farm food safety software, visit www.compwalk.farm.

MARCH/APRIL 2018

Grain Sorghum is Suddenly Under the Political Spotlight BY JOHN MILLER

For so long, grain sorghum traded within a fairly routine group of buyers and logistical flows. All during the 1990’s and up until 2007, grain sorghum helped supply the US and Mexican feed markets, with regular shipments going to Japan, Morocco, and a few other destinations. When Europe lost its wheat crop in 2007, suddenly US grain sorghum was desperately needed to supply the non-GMO feed markets of greater Europe. From 2008 until 2013, the sorghum trade slowly returned to previous trading partners with the addition of ethanol demand, especially in Kansas. Sorghum demand from ethanol has been important, but was not the game changer such as with Midwest corn. The game changer for sorghum was the sudden entry of China as a major buyer of the US crop. A Chinese adoption of an import tax on corn woke up animal feed-

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ers and sorghum liquor manufacturers due to the fact that we grow a premium grade of sorghum well-suited to their needs. This discovery led to 2 1/2 years of ravenous buyers of our sorghum at the gulf and continues at important levels. Our first understanding of the volatility of this relationship came in the fall of 2015 when the Chinese government arbitrarily lowered the domestic price of corn there, dropping our prices in kind. With large corn supplies building in China, and a desire of their government wanting to prop up their farmers prices, the Chinese officials were starting to question sorghum imports. This situation came to another plateau a few weeks ago when China announced it would question whether US farmers were “dumping” sorghum unfairly on world markets. While this sounds absurd from a price-only standpoint,

their claim wants to include (Government support prices) as part of the accusation. This impact on our sorghum prices was immediate, with basis quotes on the gulf dropping as much as 50 cents per bushel. Our sorghum leadership and politicians are working to minimize the effect of the value-added tax being proposed by China and singling out sorghum. While we work on this issue, there are several things that come to mind. First, open trade is critical. We must constantly be working on strengthening our trade relationships. More than just maintaining our current and active trading partners, we must constantly be scanning the horizon for potential new entrance. The animal feeding industry is also changing, and more countries are focusing on upgrading capabilities.

We must also never take for granted the relationships that are ongoing. The longer that these are maintained, the more time we have to forge new relationships. For the Rio Grande Valley, this means that while we want to continue to invest in resolving the China trade dispute, we must not overlook our vital relationship with feeders to the south. While up to 2/3 of valley sorghum could well go south this year, we would benefit from a higher percentage since that would reflect the importance that feeders in Mexico places on south Texas sorghum. Hopefully the rains will come, and we will have a considerable volume to help maintain our role as a dependable supplier to multiple markets. Another help would be that the sudden political spotlight on sorghum could help in bringing these positive qualities to the attention of other markets.

MARCH/APRIL 2018

TACKLING OLD FOES TO VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN SOUTH TEXAS BY ISMAEL E. BADILLO-VARGAS, PH.D.

he annual vegetable production in Texas has been estimated to generate $312.44 million with an economic impact to the whole stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy of $493.46 million. The Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties located at the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) in South Texas are amongst the leading vegetable producing counties in the state. In recent years, these three counties within the LRGV have contributed 18% to the total vegetable production of the state of Texas, which amounts to approximately $57.4 million per year. The most common vegetables grown in South Texas are tomato, potato, chili pepper, onion, watermelon, cabbage, spinach, turnip, and mustard. Despite the economic significance of vegetable production to the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and the potential to produce locally to satisfy the demand, Texas is a net importer of vegetables. In 2014, more than 7.5 billion pounds of vegetables, most notably tomato, potato and lettuce, were estimated to be introduced from elsewhere and consumed in the state of Texas. A big challenge to locally produce vegetables in South Texas is imposed by abiotic and biotic factors. For example, heat and drought are two of the most important limiting factors for vegetable production in South Texas. Moreover, insect pests and plant pathogens are some of the other constraints to vegetable production in this area due to the subtropical conditions that allow them to persist in the fields all year-round.

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The silverleaf whitefly (also known as the sweet potato whitefly), Bemisia tabaci, is a serious insect pest of vegetables and many other crops worldwide. It is a species complex containing at least 24 morphologically indistinguishable biotypes. However, these biotypes may differ in several biological features including reproductive capacity, susceptibility to insecticides, and competence to transmit plant begomoviruses that infect some vegetable crops. Bemisia tabaci thrives worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and less predominately in temperate habitats as cold temperatures kill both the adults and the nymphs of the species. This insect pest and plant virus vector is present in South Texas where it might persist all year-round affecting vegetable crops during the spring, the cotton crop during the summer, again vegetable crops during the fall, and finally persisting in weeds during the mild winter months. A single female whitefly could lay 50 to 400 eggs in groups on the underside of leaves. Five to seven days later, nymphs will emerge from these eggs and develop through four instar stages. The first instar, which is the only mobile immature stage, is known as the crawler. It walks to find a suitable area on the leaf where to feed and molts into an immobile stage when it losses its legs. The next three instars (second, third and fourth), which are all immobile, remain in place for around 40 to 50 days until molting into the pupal stage. Finally, the adults emerge from the pupal stage in 15 to 20 days and live for up to 70 days. Adult whiteflies possess wings,

making this the only stage that can fly from the plant they developed as nymphs and pupae into neighboring and more distant susceptible plants. In South Texas, Bemisia tabaci might be able to complete 10-15 generations per year depending on weather conditions.

Whiteflies feeding on a tomato plant.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a plant virus that belongs to the begomovirus group. Begomoviruses are all plant-infecting viruses that are exclusively transmitted from plant to plant by whiteflies. Once TYLCV is acquired by a whitefly, it will harbor the viral pathogen and spread it to other plants during feeding (this virus does not affect animals or people). An individual whitefly that has acquired TYLCV will be able to transmit the virus to susceptible plants during its entire life span. Therefore, most of the strategies to reduce crop losses due to TYLCV focus on whitefly control. Use of insecticides to suppress whitefly populations remains

the most used approach to date to control the insect vector and plant virus. However, some whitefly biotypes have been shown to be resistant to certain insecticides commonly used for their control, making this a significant issue for vegetable growers everywhere. TYLCV transmission by whiteflies is probably the most devastating problem affecting vegetable production in South Texas as well as in many other countries in the Caribbean and North, Central and South America. Therefore, alternative control strategies are urgently need it to help farmers, especially in South Texas, manage these old foes to vegetable production so they can obtain good yields and competitive profits from their crops. Currently, research studies in the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, TX are focused on evaluating vegetable germplasm (i.e. different vegetable lines that might differ in certain characteristics) for their potential tolerance or resistance to whiteflies and TYLCV. Replicated studies to evaluate the same vegetable germplasm is also being conducted in the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centers at Uvalde, College Station and Bushland, TX. Our research efforts are also directed to elucidate the whitefly biotypes and TYLCV strains present in these four locations in the state of Texas. There are 24 whitefly biotypes and 7 TYLCV strains known and plant tolerance or resistance to a particular combination might differ for the other combinations. Moreover, controlled studies are in the process of being conducted to better understand the molecular basis of tomato resistance or tolerance against TYLCV. In the near future, we hope we might have vegetable lines that are adapted to the challenges of producing competitive crops in South Texas for our farmers to supply the market with locally grown vegetables.

AN UPDATE ON THE

CITRUS INDUSTRY BY ELEISHA ENSIGN

WHERE WE ARE IN THE SEASON The 2017-2018 Citrus Season is shaping up nicely. So far, this has been a season of great demand, good returns and great quality. Fruit is large and juicy and we have already shipped out more oranges halfway through the season than we shipped out for the entire 2016-2017 season. In January, the Valley experienced freezing temperatures but thankfully the temperatures did not drop too low for too long and our citrus trees did not suffer any damage. There was hopes that the cold snaps would reduce our pest issues, but that has not been the case. The Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) are still present and it is important that all growers participate in the February dormant spray in order to keep the populations as low as possible before the spring flush.

PEST & DISEASE ISSUES Pests and diseases for the citrus industry is an ongoing topic of discussion and focus. Citrus greening disease is still spreading

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and new positive trees are being found across the RGV. We continue to ask growers and residents alike to be on the lookout for symptoms of citrus greening and to report suspect trees. There were also 2 new finds of citrus canker near Rancho Viejo in January 2018. Citrus canker is an easily spread, incurable citrus tree disease that is a very real issue for our industry. The Rancho Viejo area was already under quarantine from previous finds of citrus canker starting in 2015. These recent finds are also the W-strain which effects lemon and lime trees. Richmond, Fort Bend and Harris counties are also under quarantine for citrus canker. The Mexican fruit fly is another pest that typically effects the citrus industry, specifically during this part of the season. To date, there are no quarantines in place for the Mexican fruit fly, but it is important for growers to conduct preventative sprays and for homeowners to remove fruit from their trees. Either eat the fruit or dispose of it properly in the trash. If you have fruit that you do not intend to eat, such as sour oranges, it is best to remove that fruit as soon as possible to avoid your tree harboring the Mexican fruit fly.

For more in depth information about pests and diseases that are plaguing the RGV, visit www.citrusalert.com for details, photos and to report suspect trees.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH EFFORTS One of the great challenges of the Texas citrus industry is dooryard trees. Citrus groves are oftentimes planted alongside residential areas where residents also have citrus trees. It is estimated that there are over half a million citrus trees planted in dooryards in the RGV. Given our pest and disease issues, these typically minimally cared for trees pose a great risk to commercial groves. The Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corporation (TCPDMC) has an Education and Outreach program that educates residents about their role in protecting our citrus trees in the RGV. We provide residents with information via handouts and through our website, www.citrusalert.com. We also exhibit at large and small events all year long to educate residents face-toface about the importance of proper tree care and reporting suspect trees.

In an effort to reduce the Mexican fruit fly population, our team is coordinating volunteers at winter Texan parks for picking parties. The purpose of these events is to strip all of the citrus trees of their fruit in a designated winter Texan park. Oftentimes, since these trees are owned by the park and not the residents, these trees could have their fruit left on long after they should be removed, creating a haven for Mexfly. The fruit is either taken by the residents to consume or is given to the food bank. Thus far this season, 2,500 pounds of fruit has been donated to the food bank and 4 more picking parties are lined up. Winter Texan parks can sign up for this free program by calling Lorenzo at 956-580-1917.

ABANDONED GROVE ISSUES Another serious issue across the RGV is abandoned groves. Research shows that abandoned citrus groves can harbor unwanted pests and citrus diseases, further exacerbating threats that our industry is already facing for its survival. In an effort to help destroy those safe havens for deadly pests, Texas Citrus Mutual lobbied to pass Senate Bill 1459. This bill allows property owners to keep their agricultural open space exemption provided they enter into a written agreement with the Texas Citrus Pest & Disease Management Corporation (TCPDMC) to destroy the citrus trees on their property and at their own expense. This voluntary grove removal program offers economic incentive to land owners who are unable to provide sufficient pest management for their citrus trees in the RGV and/or those who would like to remove their trees and still maintain their agricultural tax exemption for 5 years post-removal. If you are interested in participating, you must have a current agricultural exemption to be eligible. You can then enter into a signed agreement with TCPDMC to remove all citrus trees on the property within a 30-day window beginning on the date of signing the agreement. You must then remove all citrus trees by pushing the trees over at ground level or pulling them out to get as much of the root system removed as possible. You can then stack the trees for easy removal/burning. A TCPDMC representative will verify the removal once completed and provide a verification document to be brought to the appraisal district in that county. Then you will be able to receive the 5 year agricultural tax exemption. If you are interested in participating, contact Eduardo Chavez with TCPDMC at 956-580-8004. MARCH/APRIL 2018

A REGULATION NIGHTMARE

IS OUR GOVERNMENT REALLY ON OUR SIDE?

here are not many industries plagued with such complexities and regulations as the Commercial Fishing Industry – in fact it’s the 7th most regulated industry in the U.S. with a whopping $13,765 regulations – a few regulations shy of the airline industry.

Needless to say, a primary concern for the Texas Shrimp Association – a non profit organization that provides strategies to educate consumers, law makers, environmentalist, the press, and the public at large about the importance of protecting and growing the Texas wild caught gulf shrimping Industry -while maintaining the title as one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. We pushed hard to pass legislation that would implement a new set of reporting and record-keeping requirements on imported seafood, monitored by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) is aimed at preventing illegal, unreported and unregulated-caught and/or misrepresented seafood from entering the

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U.S. market., says Andrea Hance, Executive Director of the Texas Shrimp Association. The bill was passed in 2016, however our celebration was short lived when at the last minute, “shrimp” was stripped from the final bill. Flash forward to 2018 - legislation has been introduced within an appropriation bill that will “life the stay” (or simply include) shrimp under the monitoring program. “I felt like this would be an easy win, especially with a Texas Congressman heading this committee and no doubt have the support of seafood lovers. Unfortunately we are uncertain of the outcome and fear the special interest groups will have the power to persuade the vote.” This is where all common since goes out the window. Why does our Government continue to allow the flood of cheap shrimp (A high percentage harvested under the most deployable conditions) to enter our country, virtually unregulated – yet regulates an American industry out of existence?

While we understand the need for imported shrimp, as our industry is only able to provide 10-15% of the shrimp consumed in the U.S., we simply ask for a little transparency so the consumer can make an informed choice. Our industry has spent millions of dollars educating consumers about the choices they have when ordering shrimp. Unfortunately, we’ve found that approximately 85% of the restaurants who illustrate “Gulf Shrimp” on their menu or convey to the consumer the shrimp are “Wild Caught” – Gulf shrimp, are actually serving imported cheap shrimp and this definitely plays a roll in our ability to continue provide wild caught gulf shrimp in the future.

Have you ever e n o y n a d r a e h f o e t a l p a p u r orde p m i r h s d e t r o imp

If you would like to help with our mission, you can donate to Texas Shrimp Association (a non profit) or simply demand to know what you are eating. Don’t simply take a waiters word for it – in most cases they simply agree with your question or simply assume the shrimp are from the Gulf.

w w w.T e x a s S h r i m p A s s o c i a t i o n . c o m

MARCH/APRIL 2018

2018 Educational Program for RGV Small-Acreage Farmers and Ranchers

Educational Sessions DATE

TIME

TOPIC

LOCATION

March 29, 2018

8am - 12 Noon

Horticulture Production Workshop