issue 33 ofd AG MAG

Michelle Martin

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

Al Benavides

Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407

In This Issue:

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

A Letter from the Editor As we embark on a New Year, many see it as a fresh start. New beginnings, new goals, new challenges and new — well, almost everything. But is it really a new beginning? I used to be the type of person who would write a list of resolutions to tackle in the New Year, but as January slowly faded away so did my resolutions. I got busy with the new things life was throwing my way and my list became a blank space.

After many years of not following through on my resolutions, I changed my thinking.

Instead of making resolutions for the New Year I began making them for the week, and for the day. Every day that I woke up, I was going to give myself one challenge. One challenge to be better than I was the day before. I didn’t always succeed, but I didn’t always fail — what mattered was that I kept going.

A fun little reference I like to think of is Noah. I bet Noah had a rough year with building the ark and surviving the flood, but he didn’t let it bother him. I’m sure he had days where he looked up at the sky and questioned why, or he had a less than desirable attitude. He could have ignored God’s instructions and been swept away by the rushing waters. Instead, he decided to be obedient and keep going.

You may not like a certain time period in each year, but as I always say God’s timing and plan is far more perfect that ours. Keep going. Every year is filled with 365 days (unless it’s a leap year, like this year) and each day is a day to be a better you.

As I have started my TV show, I have faced struggle after struggle, most of which are carrying on into 2020, but I am accepting and welcoming those challenges as they will make me a better person, better business woman, a better mother and more. Welcome challenge, welcome change, and welcome the birth of a new you.

As 2020 is here I encourage you to keep going. The year will bring many new trials just like the years past, but what is important is that you keep going. Pick yourself up, dust the dirt off your knees and stand taller than the day before. This may be the best year you’ve had in awhile, and if it is, do not forget the bad years.

The bad years are the ones that made you stronger, made you smarter, and made you who you are today. We don’t need a change in numbers to make a difference within ourselves or to make a difference in the world. God gave you one life, and one life to be your best. He made each one of us uniquely and set us out on OUR own paths. Don’t live to please others but to please the BIG MAN upstairs.

I encourage you to set a goal for yourself every week, or day, and try to stick to it. It all starts with our attitudes. Be positive, love God, and make a change.

Owner/Creator of AG MAG

6. Texas A&M AgriLife Programs Serve Those Who Served Their Country 10. Consider Sorghum for 2020 12. Gene Hall Retires from Texas Farm Bureau 16. Czech Tradition 19. A Lesson In Cybersecurity: Using the Same Password?

22. The Risk Of Commercial Trials 26. Farmers Around Texas 28. HEMP Becoming a Hot Commodity in Texas?

30. RGVLS Citrus & Vegetable Show Photos 32. All Are Welcome 38. Wild Pigs Increase Their Urban and Suburban Area Sprawls 38. 2020 Soil Fertility Strategy 44. FFA & 4-H Calendar of Events 46. Top Tech In Cotton Management 50. FEATURED FARMER: Obst Family Farms 52. Juan Landivar Receives Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award 54. We Had 825 hD Of Cattle...

56. U.S. House Pushes USMCA Forward 62. AG BORING? Not So...It Can Change Lives!

65. South Texas Farmer Thinks Outside Of The Box To Diversity Farming Operation 66. Farm Bureau Welcomes Phase One Agreement With China 68. Changing Of The Shoes 73. Recipe 76. Angler’s Corner Cover Photo taken by Aaron Treviño Year 6, Issue 33 January/February 2020. 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. Ag Mag is published bi-monthly ©2020.

To advertise in Ag Mag, call (956) 330-8870 or email michelle@theagmag.org

Military veterans plant U.S. flags during a Texas AgrAbility Battleground to Breaking Ground program workshop.

(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG

Texas A&M AgriLife programs serve those who served their country Texas AgrAbility, Battleground to Breaking Ground, more assist veterans in agriculture The Texas A&M University System has a long-standing tradition of supporting active duty and veteran military personnel. That support for military service members, particularly military veterans interested in starting an agriculture-related business, continues through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service programs designed to assist them in reaching their after-service goals.

“We owe a great debt to those people who have served and sacrificed for this country through their military service,” said Patrick Stover, Ph.D., vice-chancellor for Texas A&M University, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station. “Through AgriLife Extension programs like Texas AgrAbility, Battleground to Breaking Ground and the Texas Military Program, we provide assistance to both active duty and veteran military members, which we hope will serve them as well as they have served our country.”

Stephen Green, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist and head of the agency’s Family and Community Health unit, said many veterans are pursuing self-employment and turning to agricultural enterprises to accomplish their after-service goals.

“For many veterans, farming and ranching has become a highly sought-after career, offering self-sustainability, therapeutic healing, meaningful and flexible self-employment, continued service and other benefits,” he said.

But some military veterans struggle with unemployment in rural farming areas and may have difficulty transitioning into civilian life, Green noted.

“AgriLife Extension is committed to providing high-quality educational programs and services to current and former military families,” he said.

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“These programs reach thousands of active duty service members, veterans and family caregivers of wounded service members annually. “They improve the quality of life for military families and provide opportunities to learn skills to help them transition from the battlefield into careers in farming and ranching. It is an honor for us to be able to provide these programs and services and look forward to continuing to expand our programs for military families in the future.”

Texas AgrAbility helps injured, disabled vets remain in agriculture Rick Peterson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist and director of the agency’s Texas AgrAbility project, said the project provides services to individuals with disabilities, chronic health conditions and functional limitations to start or stay engaged in production agriculture. The project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, with additional support from the

USDA’s Risk Management Agency

and the Texas Department of Assis

tive and Rehabilitative Services.

“A number of the people we assist

through this program are military

veterans, some of whom have been

injured while serving their country,”

Peterson said. “Texas AgriAbility The Texas AgrAbility program provides veterans and others with disabilities, chronic health conditions and functional limitations the ability to start or remain engaged in production agriculture.

staff members have expertise in fields ranging from production agriculture to occupational therapy, agricultural engineering and disability services.” Makenzie McLaurin, AgriLife Extension program coordinator for Texas AgrAbility, said program personnel make site visits and provide recommendations for equipment adaptation, home or work modifications or any additional adaptive equipment that may be needed for a farm or ranch operation.

“One of the goals of the project is to connect military veteran farmers and ranchers with service providers who can assist them through training, as well as provide them with the information, resources and technical assistance needed for their specific agricultural operation,” she said.

Texas AgrAbility client Chris Pogue is a Navy veteran whose deployments included northern Africa and Iraq. During his service, he sustained injuries, including back and traumatic brain injuries. After military service, he and his wife Theda, also a Navy veteran, began GP Ranch — a farm and ranch combination in Sulphur Springs. They produce bison, poultry and pigs, plus grow a variety of vegetables. “AgrAbility did an on-site assessment of Mr. Pogue’s agricultural operation,” McLaurin said. “We recommended assistive equipment and task modifications to help him be more independent and successful on his farm. Some of the equipment recommendations were a safer setup for working bison, automatic barn door openers, feeding aids and a hoist for lifting heavy equipment in his shop.”

Navy veteran Chris Pogue of GP Ranch gets ready to spread feed by hand from a 50-pound bag.

A preloaded, high-capacity feeder will help him save time and physical effort. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Makenzie McLaurin)

Pogue said there had been many changes in agricultural technology and delivery systems

in the more than two decades

that had passed since he had worked on a farm. “AgrAbility and its partnering agencies helped me catch up and find more current technology and methods to benefit my operation,” he said. “Some changes they recommended will make a big difference to me physically. For example, right now it takes two people and a lot of time and effort to open our large barn doors. And having an automatic prefilled feeder that can distribute the exact amount of feed will save both time and physical strain.”

McLaurin said AgrAbility will be collaborating with the Texas Workforce Commission’s Vocational Rehabilitation Service to get Pogue the needed equipment.

Battleground to Breaking Ground helps vets start agricultural businesses In 2016, Texas AgrAbility and program partners received an additional USDA-NIFA grant to develop the Battleground to Breaking Ground program focused on military veterans and active-duty military farmers and ranchers.

“The Battleground to Breaking Ground program provides support to help military veterans start or expand their production agriculture businesses,” said Erin Kimbrough, AgriLife Extension program manager, College Station. Kimbrough and her husband, a Marine Corps veteran and chapter president of the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Texas, are also beginning ranchers.

She said the program works with other public and private organizations to reach returning military veterans with ground-up agribusiness training, business planning, financing options, face-to-face expert mentoring, veteran transition assistance, agricultural production training and more.

“The program’s main goals are to enhance farmer and rancher sustainability and increase the number of military veteran-owned farms and ranches,” she said.

Kimbrough said over the past three years dozens of Battleground to Breaking Ground workshops have been held throughout the state, providing education, resources, technical assistance and experiential training to over 1,000 beginning farmers and ranchers – more than 70% of them either active duty or military veterans.

She said Battleground to Breaking Ground has now expanded into a year-long, three-phrase program consisting of workshop or online training focusing on the business aspect of farming and ranching, online training focusing on in-person mentorships, agricultural production and hands-on experiential training in their chosen area of agriculture.

“Successful graduates of the year-long program have the option of accessing leased land, equipment and established markets to start or expand their operations,” she said.

Participants in a Produce Safety Training for Military Veterans workshop held at Doug Havemann’s Mesquite Field Farm in Nixon as part of the Battleground to Breaking Ground program. (Photo courtesy Doug Havemann)

Doug Havemann, an Army veteran, has served as a mentor for other military veterans through the Battleground to Breaking Ground program for the past six years. He and his wife Melissa operate Mesquite Field Farm in Nixon – a 20-acre regenerative farm where they produce grass-fed beef, pastured poultry, turkeys and vegetables.

“There’s nobody better than a (current or former military person) to be a farmer,” he said. “They are used to long hours and hard work. You have to be tough to succeed in agriculture.”

However, Havemann said, not all military people interested in agriculture “want to do agriculture the same way.”

“We ask them what they want and what type of training they need, then bring in the appropriate people to train them,” he said. “Some of the most requested training topics include high-tunnel production, poultry production, grass-fed beef production, no-till pasture management, rotational grazing and livestock watering.”

Matthew Demmer, a Battleground to Breaking Ground project participant and Navy veteran, owns the Crown D Ranch in Floresville and has Havemann as a mentor.

“We have grass-fed beef and hope to expand into sheep,” Demmer said. “I knew I wanted to go into agriculture after military service but didn’t have any experience. The Battleground to Breaking Ground program helped me learn about the ag industry as well as find resources and showed me the importance of having a business plan.

“The program also helped me with my goals so the operation could be financially stable and environmentally sustainable. It got me going in the right direction and linked me with Doug and others who had the same high degree of interest in agriculture as I did.”

Demmer said through the program he has also participated in handson programs at Havemann’s farm on chicken processing, cover crops, composting and grant writing. He said in the future he hopes to provide such onsite, hands-on training at his own farm to assist other beginning veteran ranchers.

The Battleground to Breaking Ground project also offers supplemental educational opportunities such as the Produce Food Safety Training for Military Veterans and an Introduction to Beekeeping program offered at no charge to military veterans and their immediate family.

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Consider Sorghum for 2020

M

BY BRENT BEAN, PH.D., Sorghum Checkoff director of agronomy

any growers will be glad to

see 2019 behind them.

To say 2019 was a stress ful year is an understate

ment. Weather conditions

were simply not conducive

for crop production in many regions of the country. However, grain sorghum actually had a decent year compared to some of the other

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crops. Its ability to withstand short periods of drought and high temperatures allowed the crop to produce a good yield across many areas. The final average expected yield across the U.S. will be around 76 bushels per acre, which is just below the record set in 2016 at 77.9 bushels per acre. This number is a testament to better hybrids being planted today and implementation of better management practices by growers.

Grain sorghum will respond to favorable growing conditions like other crops, but when conditions are less than ideal, sorghum tends to stand out by producing sustainable yields in tough environments. In an environment with low commodity prices, input costs must be considered and minimized when possible.

We all hope for better weather conditions for crops in 2020. However, regardless of weather conditions, consider sorghum in your crop rotation. With sorghum’s input costs, tolerance to short periods of drought and heat, as well as it’s rotational benefits to other crops it has many benefits to offer growers.

The cost of growing sorghum is less than other major commodities, and lower costs begin with seed costs. The cost of seed varies considerably depending on the crop, seeding rate, traits and treatments applied to the seed.

The table below reflects the range in seed cost per acre for dryland production of various crops. High infestation levels and wide distribution of the sugarcane aphid in 2015 caused some growers to move away from sorghum.

Since then, tolerant hybrids are now being planted in those areas most at risk from sugarcane aphid.

For more information on using sorghum in different cropping systems visit the Sorghum Checkoff website, sorghumcheckoff.com.

Additionally, nature has adjusted to the presence of the aphid as beneficial insects have adapted to the new food source. As a result, most fields do not have to be treated with an insecticide, and when they do, one application is generally sufficient for season-long control.

The rotational benefits of sorghum with other crops should be an important consideration. Cotton yields are often higher following sorghum, sometimes by as much as 20 percent. Sorghum breaks up soil disease cycles such as verticillium wilt, and crop residue the following year increases soil moisture storage and protects emerging cotton from wind damage.

By splitting an irrigated field between cotton and sorghum, water can often be concentrated on each crop during their critical growth stages. In the years where irrigation water is in greater demand than anticipated, growers can take comfort in sorghum’s ability to tolerate short periods of drought.

Higher soybean yields following sorghum are attributed to less disease, nematode and insect pests. Sorghum is a non-host plant to the soybean cyst, root knot and reniform nematode species.

Growers are often surprised to learn that corn yields are often higher following sorghum. A five year Kansas study showed an 8.4 percent yield increase when corn followed sorghum compared to continuous corn.

Splitting an irrigated field with corn and sorghum also has its advantages. Irrigation water can be concentrated on corn at critical growth stages while supplementing the more drought tolerant sorghum crop when water is available.

Range in Seed Cost per Acre* Sorghum Corn Cotton

$5 - $14

$56 - $102 $50 - $103

Soybean

$34 - $57

*Based on 2019 Extension Service crop enterprise budgets from Arkansas, Texas and Kansas.

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Gene Hall retires from Texas Farm Bureau What got you interested in agriculture?

I grew up on a small farm in Newton County.

We were in the dairy business until I was about eight, just getting big enough to help. I was the oldest of six, two boys and four girls. We raised beef cattle and hay primarily. We did custom hay baling all over Newton, Jasper, Sabine and occasionally, a few other counties. We were in the hog business in a fairly big way for a while. By the early 70s, about the time I went to A&M, it was apparent that our farm was too small to overcome the economies of scale, which were accelerating at that time. My Dad worked off the farm frequently and finally settled on becoming regional circulation manager for the Houston Chronicle in the Lakes area of East Texas. He settled on a smaller parcel of family land where he continued to raise cattle until fairly recently.

How long did you work for the Texas Farm Bureau?

42 years in all. 29 as Director of Communication.

Why the Texas Farm Bureau?

Growing up, outside of family, I had three great loves - Agriculture (I was a state FFA officer in 1973-74) Texas Aggie football and the written word. I knew that I would make a living, somehow, by writing. My degree at A&M was in Ag Journalism. I had short stints in farm radio at Sherman and as a general assignments reporter and weekend anchor at the CBS television 12

Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

affiliate in Beaumont. When the Farm Bureau gig came up, it was the chance to combine two of those loves. Not working weekends and holidays was a plus. Even so, I thought I might return to television at some point. That was 42 years ago.

I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without Farm Bureau. I came here to do a radio story every day and to do television. We used an 800 phone number and an auto answer device to feed those radio stories. For TV, there were a lot of farm guys on the air and we got some stories on local news. There are very few farm broadcasters now, in radio or TV. Both our radio and video efforts have exploded since then.

We have our own farm radio network at TFB and, of course, the Internet is hungry for video now.

That’s were most of our efforts are directed.

What was your biggest accomplishment while in your position?

When I became Director of Communications, we were primarily dispensing information. We were called “The Information Department. We sent news releases, video packages and did the radio line. Occasionally, we’d talk to reporters.

My vision was to refocus us toward message driven communications. In the 90s agricultural advocacy started to “grow up.” We were among the first state Farm Bureaus to have a website.

We were early adopters of social media. We also were nicely positioned to become part of ag advocacy as it developed.. Our staff grew with specialties. We’ve had a lot of great communications talent and do now.

What inspired you the most throughout your career?

The passion and persistence of the people of the land. They have endured low prices, bad weather and ridiculously ineffective government policy. They deal with activists and government employees that often have little regard for private property rights or costs v benefit. Yet, they persevere. Many great farmers have been forced out of business. Those who are left fight on. I have been honored to share the battle.

Most exciting thing you encountered while in your position?

We never want a public opinion crisis to overtake us. However, being able to use communications tools that we’ve developed over time to defuse that is very exciting to me. That’s how we prove the value of the communications function.

We’ve been one of the pioneers of ag advocacy.

We’ve basically reinvented the way ag news releases are done, incorporating art, video and audio in innovative ways. Of course, these were not always my ideas, but I have always encouraged innovation. We work aggressively with the media, but of course, with the Internet and social media, we can go directly to audiences now.

I regard this evolution as our biggest accomplishment.

Perhaps the most exhilarating single experience was helping elect Rick Perry ag commissioner in 1990. Our AGFUND political action committee was brand new then. I was new to my job as director. We were given no chance to win that race, but we got it done by a razor thin margin of 41,000 votes. I have in the back of my mind to write a book about that some day.

Biggest Challenge?

What will you miss the most?

There is so much misinformation and misunderstanding about modern, technologically driven agriculture. Some of this is due to the disconnect with our farming heritage over time. Some of it is deliberate and spread by our adversaries with the goal of taking farming and land use decisions out of farmer/rancher hands.

The people. I won’t lose touch with my farmer/ rancher friends but working side by side with them was special and I will miss it. I will also miss my team. It is among the finest communications teams in all of agriculture.

They will keep the ball moving down the field and exceed the high marks we’ve achieved thus far.

What words do you have for the people that follow in your footsteps?

Final words of wisdom?

I’ve had a front row seat for the explosion of communications technology. This makes the work easier but no communicator should ever forget this is a people business. It should always be.

I was a barefoot country boy from East Texas who loved to write. I was blessed to find a career where I could tell the stories of the people of the land. It has been my life’s work and my great honor.

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Czech Tradition

BY KATHRYN BRADY

( Č e s k á Tr a d i c e )

What comes to mind when you think of La Grange or Schulenberg? Is it the painted churches, the antiques fair, German Beer or is it food like Kolaches?

Kolaches have come to be part of the cuisine of Texas, arriving in the Lone Star State with the Czech settlers.

Czech immigration began on a large scale after the Austro-Hungarian Empire revolutions of 1848 and the Czech settlements in Texas concentrated around Fayette County. But Czech immigration to Texas could have began as early as the 1820’s. Immigrants landed on the Texas coast and first made their way to Cat Spring, Texas dispersing out toward New Ulm and as far as West and Kaufman, Texas and west toward Hallettsville and Victoria. Most of the immigrants hailed from the Moravian regions.

As of the 2000 census there are 187,729 Czech-Americans living in Texas- the largest num-

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ber than in any other state. Because, for the most Czechs are so concentrated in central Texas that it gives a solidarity and high profile to the culture and traditions, not only is the food and celebrations still unique to the original families, but the people still learn the language and there are still radio broadcasts in the Czech language and Czech-Polka music played. Up until recently schools still taught the language and newspapers were still printed in Czech.

eternity. At Christmas dinner a candle is placed in the center and not eaten until Christmas day because of the observance of Advent in which fasting requires abstinence from eggs until midnight on Christmas Eve.

With them the Czechs brought their culture as did all the various immigrants to Texas.

Part of that culture was of course the food. And probably the most famous of all Czech dishes is the kolache.

A koláč pronounced: kolach, kolache with the ‘e’ is plural) is a type of pastry that holds a portion of fruit surrounded by puffy dough. Originating as a semi-sweet dessert. They could be filled with apricots, prunes, blueberries, or strawberries.

Upon arriving in Texas, the Czech immigrants began adding meat to the puffy dough which became known as a klobasnik. These can be found around Texas these days filled with ham, cheese, jalapeno, eggs, bacon, sausage, potato or cream cheese.

Nowadays, Czechs who remain true to the purity of the Czech dish recognize that a koláč is NOT filled with meat.

The name originates from the Old Slavonic word ‘kolo’ meaning ‘circle or ‘wheel’. In central Europe it was once considered a ‘svacina’ (sfah-CHEE-nah) which is a mid-day snack. And in Texas as well as central Europe the koláče is served at church dinners, bazaars and family gatherings.

Bez práce nejsou koláce: Without work there are no pastries.

In other words; no pain, no gain.

At Christmas time a special koláč is served and is composed of three-braided loaves stacked; representing the Trinity. The circular shape symbolizes

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on Wheels

God has blessed us with you!

Because of you, AG MAG is now expanding to TV! Do not worry, the magazine is still continuing, but we want to make AG MAG available for everyone to see!

Tune in the first two Sundays of every month at 5am on KRGV channel 5 for new episodes.

Last two Sundays are re-runs.

Check our social media for full episodes as well.

(DVR it if you are a late sleeper) you won’t want to miss it!

A LESSON IN CYBERSECURITY:

Using the same

password?

BY HECTOR GARZA

Accessing your home or business from the internet is becoming a revolutionary trend. Open your garage door from your smartphone or see who rang your doorbell by using devices that connect to your wireless network at home. Technology has made our lives more convenient, but without the proper security in place, hackers are using these same devices to enter our homes and offices.

Hackers have hijacked Ring cameras and victimized families over the camera by using its voice function.

In Tennessee, a hacker pretended to be Santa Clause

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while speaking to an 8-year-old girl, according to WMC5. Imagine not being in control of your device and hearing the voice of a stranger over the internet, with the ability to watch through your camera’s live feed. This will make you feel vulnerable and the privacy of your own home violated.

Ring reported the hackers had cracked the passwords of the camera owners. Some of these passwords are obtained from other websites that have had a data breach. By using the same passwords across many websites it’s easy for hackers to access your

accounts. Having the same username and same password can be your greatest digital vulnerability.

Once a hacker has access to a username and password, all they have to do is go to a popular website, like Amazon.com, and check if it works. And that’s just the beginning.

Writing your passwords on a sticky note pasted to your monitor, or in a Word document on your computer is like leaving your keys in the front door. I have even seen a news anchor post a picture on Twitter of himself working, not realizing he published all his passwords because the sticky notes with passwords were on his monitor. By the way, my next guess is that sticky note is probably under your keyboard.

One basic step to protect yourself from hackers is using a password manager. Password managers come with browser extensions which create the password for you and saves it at the same time. Then, you just memorize one strong, master password that you have not used anywhere else (not using it anywhere else is very important) to protect these passwords.

Often, these password managers can be used with your phone and accessed using your fingerprint or biometrics.

All password manager programs conduct the same duties and depending on the features is up to you. iPhone and iPad users can take advantage of syncing passwords using iCloud Keychain. Another one is LastPass, which will also sync passwords across

devices. And for those more concerned about the internet and not using the cloud, KeePass is a program you install on your computer without the need for internet connection.

There are plenty of other steps you should also consider in securing your home or work-place network. To start though, improving your password complexity and management immediately improves your overall security.

Start using a password manager today: LastPass: https://www.lastpass.com/ KeePass: https://keepass.info/ Learn more on cybersecurity by visiting https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/ tips/ST04-001

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THE RISK OF COMMERCIAL TRIALS

BY NAGARJUNA PRASAD PEDDABHOINI

C

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ommercial trials are the product trial program recommended by agriculture companies assuring increase in yields and quality. Companies claim their product show significant difference in results but it is important for farmer to identify the risk

involved before trying the product.

Risk of commercial trial Total cost to grow vegetable crop on open field drip irrigation range $4000-$5000 per acre. Costs divided include land rent, ploughing disking, bedding, plastic,

drip tape, diesel, seed, herbicide, fungicides, insecticide, fertilizers, foliar spray, biostimulants, consulting, insurance, water costs, irrigation, maintenance costs, office costs, petiole analysis, record keeping, field workers. An average farm size for a commercial trial is 20 acres, the total cost invested by farmer on this field is $80,000 - $100,000. Hence, there is big risk involved whenever there is commercial trial. All companies present in the market claim their products excellent in actions and results, but the fact is many products are sold with strong marketing. This powerful marketing does not promise increase in returns instead it increases risks of commercial trial.

It is very difficult to farmer to isolate and select the right products which brings profits. There are companies’ whose main line of business is producing raw materials for the business in other industry not related to agriculture. But during the manufacturing process, by products produced can be used as agriculture use products. These products registered under agriculture use are very low in performance does not show profit oriented results. Products introduced in to agriculture market with very good design, separate label, high marketing costs. When these products tried on fields, this involves high risk of losing returns.

Ethically, product price should be decided based on raw materials cost, operations costs and profit margin to it. But in the present day market, product costs are defined by its competitor price. There is high chance of selecting expensive product from the market, this strategy from companies is increasing risk of trials.

Another risk of commercial trial is companies offer products which guarantee improvement through trial but what they do not offer is sharing of costs of total investments or cover the loss if trial is not successful.

Analyze the problem in relation with costs Generally, some problems related to farm geographical area, soil conditions, weather conditions and management practices are persistent, tough to change. If crop is facing challenges during the season affecting loss of yields and quality, commercial trial may be accepted. But before it is important to do analysis of following questions? What is the cost of the new product? Does the change bring the extra returns even if the season has average price? if there is no yield increase, will product company share costs from

total cost? Evaluation of the crop problems, yield loss, costs of investments, expectations and compensations and penalties is necessary.

Verify the product data accurately before the trial It is important to analyze the product cost, data, active ingredients, guaranteed analysis, before accepting any trial. Pictures, videos, social media statistics, graphical representation of trial data does not guarantee the product will perform significantly different, because they are changed and manipulated accordingly to show the difference and catch the attention.

What Companies should focus more on Companies should manufacture products which are affordable and efficient. More focus on cost-cutting strategy in marketing, packaging, operations etc.

Success of any product lies on efficiency and affordability. Companies create different label for same product to gain market share, this creates confusion with farmer. By adding similar products with different label in company catalogue is not a good idea for product life cycle. Company need to continue with same product label unless there is a major change in active ingredient, raw material or formulation. They should take time and run many trials before creating and positioning a product. Emphasis on understanding farmers point that anything spent in excess more than the total cost of investment, product should promise returns increase in many folds.

Suggestion to farmer It is a good idea that farmers ask for sharing total costs of investment on commercial trial and agreed compensation if the trial is unsuccessful. This will lead the companies to offer products which are actually efficient and guarantee results.

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FarmerS

around xas Te Todd & Amanda Westerfeld; Ember Brooke & Lena Brae

When did you start farming?: With my own operation, 2009. In regard to any farming work, that would’ve been around the age of 7 or 8 working with my dad.

a way to make it through to the other side. If you don’t have a bit of hardheaded nature about you, it’s tough to keep going, knowing all your hard work may not mean much.

Where are you located?: We are located approximately 20 miles southwest of Waco, TX in the Stampede Valley west of Moody.

Irrigated or Dryland?: 100% Dryland. We have explored the possibility of drilling wells but our water table is 1,250 feet deep and very brackish so irrigation would not be economical.

What are the crops you grow?: Wheat, corn, and cotton. We have grown sorghum and soybeans before, but only in disaster years.

What are the struggles in our area?: As is the case in many areas of Texas, we have a very chaotic and volatile weather pattern. Very seldom do you have two years that mimic each. When you are 100% dryland, it puts you at a disadvantage. For example, in 2016 we had a corn crop disaster due to flooding and in 2018 we had another disaster, but this time due to drought. It makes it very hard to crop plan.

We would love to take advantage of more advanced technology, but we lack the consistent rainfall to benefit from it. We’ve tried different practices from year to year to help improve our farm, but we always find ourselves coming back to what we call “farming on an average.”

Our practices today don’t differ much from how they did 30 years ago.

We like to give ourselves the best opportunity to make a good crop without risking too much on chasing a high yield dream that we seldom see.

What drives you?: German stubbornness. All kidding aside you need a bit of that mentality to show up year after year in today’s world of farming.

Times are very hard right now with commodity prices and we all must find

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Where do you see farming in 5 years?: While I hope to see farm income rise, I’m afraid we may be in a cycle of low commodity prices which not only affects the growers’ bottom dollar, but also the way we farm in consecutive growing seasons. For example, we are often forced to adjust crop plans, equipment purchases, or seed quality based upon a previous years earnings. In the end this can cause a spiraling effect for the farmer that makes it difficult to “catch up” in a time where commodity prices are low and operation prices are at an all-time high.

Generations?: 5 generations Tell Society one thing?: Farmers have a mental makeup that should be mimicked by society. We are required to put in maximum effort year after year with no guarantee that success will happen. Imagine working 90 hours a week throughout the year, pouring your heart and soul into your profession, only to have it stolen away from you by something you have no control over. For those blackjack enthusiasts out there, farming is like having a $1,000 bet on the table with only $100 in your pocket, with a 16 showing against a dealer face card. The perseverance, drive, work ethic, and yes in some cases the stubbornness, is something that society could take a lot away from.

Irrigated or Dryland?: We are 75% irrigated and 25% Dryland Where do you see farming in 5 years?: I foresee farming to stay on the steady path of growth that it has been on for centuries. I know we (farmers in general) will continue to face pressure from society as well as minor setbacks, but the tenacity of farmers will prevail.

Continued progress in technology as well as improved farming practices are inevitable, because farmers adapt to their influences out of necessity.

I also believe that farmers have learned that we have to be our own voice.

I am excited to see how advocacy for our industry will benefit farmers as a whole.

Generations?: We are technically a first generation farm. My husband relocated to Texas after college and started custom farming and renting ground to farm (he grew up on a ranch in SE Colorado). When I met him, I was a writing internal software for a company in Nebraska. I left that job to join him in Texas to farm and raise a family.

If you could tell society today one thing about farming what would it be?: We eat what we grow and we drink the water we use as do our children, before biting the hand that feeds you; go directly to the source for information. All of us are extremely proud of our operations because farming isn’t our job, it is our way of life.

Cari Beauchamp When did you start farming?: I grew up on a dryland wheat and alfalfa farm in Kansas and spent my summers swathing and baling alfalfa. So farming has always been in my blood. However, I didn’t truly start farming until I met my husband in 2010. We started our farm from scratch, nothing inherited besides the love of farming! We now own and operate our own farm as well as a custom farming business.

Where are you located?: Farnsworth, Texas What are the crops you grow?: We grow mainly corn and cotton.

However, due to rotation needs as well as cover crop necessities, we also grow milo (grain sorghum), wheat, and oats.

What are the struggles you encounter throughout the years in your area?: Being located in the Texas Panhandle, I would say our biggest struggle is drought. The majority of our land is irrigated, but God is a much better irrigator than we are. Of course dwindling commodity prices paired with inflated input prices is another huge obstacle we continue to face year to year. Being pliable and forward thinking is a must in this industry. We aren’t just farming for a year, we are farming for a lifetime, so we will continue to battle most of these struggles on a year to year basis.

What drives you to continue farming?: There is something about watching a seed that you have sown progress all the way to harvest. It’s a process I look forward to every year and being able to include my children in the process is priceless. I have a desire to instill the love of farming not only into my own children, but as much of the next generation as I can reach.

Daniel Sell When did you start farming?: Well that depends on what you call farming, from a very young age I started collecting toy tractors and I do believe I was the largest carpet farmer in the region! But I’d say my first real memory of driving a tractor for the farm was when I was about 6 years old and I never have wanted to do anything since!

Where are you located?: The farms headquarters is located north of Booker, Tx What are the crops you grow?: We grow winter wheat and sorghum What are the struggles you encounter throughout the years in your area?: Low commodities, but who doesn’t face that? Droughts are a major contender to the panhandle, in the spring of 2017 I leased farmland for the first time in my life and planted wheat on the ground the fall.

From the beginning of October to May of 2018 we had little to no measurable amount of rain.

What drives you to continue farming?: The challenge of it all! There are so many variables to it all and there’s never one year that’s the same as last year! And if I’m being honest, I really believe it’s in my blood to J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 2 0

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farm.

Irrigated or Dryland?: We’re completely dry-land, and I’d say unless a really great deal comes up with irrigated (or as most call it “irritated”) we will stay dry-land Where do you see farming in 5 years?: Well, Lord willing, I’ll have my degree in Agronomy and start farming with Dad, along with having a crop scouting businessafter year with no guarantee that success will happen. Imagine working 90 hours a week throughout the year, pouring your heart and soul into your profession, only to have it stolen away from you by something you have no control over. For those blackjack enthusiasts out there, farming is like having a $1,000 bet on the table with only $100 in your pocket, with a 16 showing against a dealer face card. The perseverance, drive, work ethic, and yes in some cases the stubbornness, is something that society could take a lot away from.

If you could tell society today one thing about farming what would it be? ( like any misconceptions): Farmers knowledge, it’s amazing how society writes farmers off as “Farmer Brown” standing in the chicken pin with overalls on and chewing some straw. Although nothing is wrong with any of that, in my opinion it misrepresents who the American farmer really is.

Anymore now, you must have a degree in order to succeed along with a vast majority of skills ranging from residue management to electrician to commodities specialist to technician and machinist. It’s amazing how much knowledge that the American farmer has. Paul Harvey said it best, And on the 8th day, God looked down on His planned paradise and said “I need a caretaker.” So God made a farmer.” In the end, we’re just taking care of this world that our Father created and I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of any better way to serve the Lord, than taking care of his magnificent creation.

Generations?: The Sell family has been farming for 7 generations and 4 four of those generations have been in the Texas Panhandle.

When did you start farming?: I just finished my 6th cotton crop. My wife and I moved back to Roscoe from Memphis, Tennessee in January of 2014. So, 2014 was my first crop.

About me: I wanted to give more detail to my background. I grew up in Lubbock, Texas which is surrounded by cotton farms but my family didn’t farm.

My mom was a nurse and my Dad was a salesman for WD-40. I went to college at Texas A&M and got a degree in Landscape Architecture. I had no idea I would be farming at the time and I grew up golfing and liked nice landscapes, so I thought that would be a good career.

I met my wife at A&M and she graduated with a bachelors and masters in Agriculture Economics.

We graduated in the heart of the recession and one of the only job offers we received was in Memphis, Tennessee. We moved there in 2011. We lived there for two and half years. She was an Ag commodity analyst and I was working for a landscape architecture firm. While we dated, I did work for her Dad a little on Christmas break and worked one summer for him before we graduated. I really enjoyed it and thought there was a possibility we could come back and farm someday. That day came in January of 2014 when he asked us to come back and help. It has been a good ride, we are always evolving and growing our business.

What are you located?: Roscoe, Texas. Roscoe is west of Abilene 40 miles where I-20 and US Highway 84 come together.

What are the crops that you grow?: Cotton, Wheat, Cover Crops

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We grow cotton and wheat primarily. We have grown corn in the past when the price has been good. We have also planted corn where our cotton crop has gotten hailed out. My father in-law has grown Milo but not in many years. Last year we grew 160 acres of sunflowers. We are always looking for another crop to add to the rotation but given our dry climate it has been difficult to do much other than Cotton and Wheat. We are committed to rotating crops because cotton does best when its rotated. I mentioned cover crops. We are a no-till operation.

My father in-law started doing no-till 15+ years ago in an attempt to keep sand from blowing out his cotton. He quickly added a wheat cover between cotton crops for the same reason. He then transitioned into not using wheat as a cover but a cash crop to take to harvest and letting the land lay fallow after the wheat harvest in June till cotton was planted the next May. That is when he saw some fairly significant yield increases. We kind of accidently stumbled into the soil health thing but in the last 5 years it has become one of the main focuses of our operation. A great majority of our farming decisions and equipment purchases are now geared around no-till and cover crops. Three years ago we added a multi-species cover crop to the rotation. These mixes we plant have about 10 different species. We plant grasses, brassicas, broadleaves and legumes. We are still working on these mixes to see what will work best to achieve our goals and which plants perform well in Roscoe.

This has been an exciting undertaking. Our goal all along has been to improve soil health by: increasing water infiltration, increasing water retention, increasing organic matter, buffering pH just to name a few.

The premise is to have a living root in the soil as much as possible to take carbon out of the air and relocate it into the soil providing food for soil organisms to work their magic and revitalize these old plowed fields. All that being said the goal really is to improve the soil to a point that we produce higher yielding crops that are more resilient to drought and land that has less weed and pest pressures.

into their operations or no-till. I have my doubts. I can say that we have enrolled in Indigo’s carbon credit program. I am excited to see how that goes. It will not be very much money but its nice to be compensated for being a good steward of the land and farming in a manner that improves soil health and sequesters carbon. Agriculture has not been an industry that the general public has been very favorable towards in the last decade. I might be the only one but I am optimistic that will change.

You are starting to see young farmers (<40) take to social media and are doing an awesome job at showcasing agriculture and their day to day life. It is hard to follow these farmers and not be inspired by what’s going on in agriculture and how safe and sustainable it is. It was a one-sided conversation for years because you have aging farmers who don’t tell their story. Now you have these young guys coming out and doing it and I think that its being well received. Farm Policy. Farm policy is critically important to provide a safety net to farms in times of bad commodity prices, trade disputes, drought and a host of other issues. I think we have seen some pro Ag policy the last few years. It’s a shame that protecting agriculture in America has become such a political affair, but what isn’t. This is an election year and I hate to say it but depending on how things turn out can have a lot to do with how farming the next 5 years will go. Fortunately, we have a new farm bill, and I think it is a good one that will get us down the road a bit. We just need to make sure that the next farm bill looks out for farmers.

What are the struggles you encounter throughout the year in your area? I think without a doubt it would have to be drought and excessive heat. We made a very poor dryland crop this year and we made almost zero dryland crop in 2018. Our area has not had a very good cotton crop in almost a decade. We have had several in that time frame that were decent or slightly above average but haven’t had a big one in about a decade. Another big problem in our area is Verticillium Wilt, which is a soil fungal pathogen for cotton. It only affects our irrigated crops. It’s bad enough that it’s the main driver in cotton variety selection on irrigated land. If your crop is infected and gets sick enough it can kill the crop and reduce your yield by 50% or more.

How many generations? My father in-law is a fourth-generation farmer. I am technically a first generation but I hate to say that because I have so much respect for farmers that are truly 1st generation. Starting from scratch is so hard and I married into it, so it’s not the same.

Extreme Weather.

If you look at our annual rainfall the past few years, it would suggest we likely made a good crop. The rainfall we are getting appears to be coming in less frequent but more intense rain events. For example, in 2018 we ended the year with 30 inches of rain. Our average is 18-20 inches so that is well above average. 2018 was the worst cotton crop since 2011. We got 5” of rain from January to the first of September and 25 inches from mid-September to the end of the year. There were multiple 5” rain events. We usually get a 5” once every couple of years.

What drives you to continue farming?

This is probably not going to be that surprising considering my age but I like change. I think that is what has us fired up about no-till and cover crops. We are still early on in the endeavor but it is fun and we are learning a lot. Trying things that are considered cutting edge is exciting.

I think the way we are farming is more representative of what the future will look like than traditional conventional tillage. Learning and pursing these new farming practices keeps us excited and going. I also enjoy the education aspect of it. We are starting to get a little more traction with our neighbors who are curious and not so much thinking we are crazy. I often look around at the land we have been entrusted with and I’m inspired to be a good steward. It is not a responsibility we take lightly. I think that’s a message that resonates with most farmers. We are extremely fortunate to farm. In today’s world it’s a rare profession and I have yet to meet a stranger that isn’t fascinated by it and has lots of questions.

Are you irrigated or dryland? We are about 40% irrigated and 60% dryland. We don’t have “big water” here in Roscoe. A lot of our irrigated farms are 1⁄2 circles, which lends itself to that cotton/wheat rotation.

Where do you see farming in 5 years? Sadly, I don’t know if that is a big enough time horizon to expect to much change. What I hope to see is better commodity prices and no trade wars, lol. I don’t know how to answer that question. From a practical farming sense, I would like to see more farmers try to incorporate some conservation tillage practices

If you could tell society today one thing about farming what would it be?

This idea that all farms are large corporate farms really bothers me.

Now, you can structure your farm as a corporate tax entity but that has nothing to do with it. Every farm operation in our area is a family owned farming operation. I have actually never come across a corporate farm ever. That’s not something that is going to change either. Farming in the US has always been a family business and it always will be. I know that may not be that interesting of a topic but I have met so many people that get upset with Ag and cite all these “corporate farms.” I am curious where all these “corporate farms” are, I have never seen one.

Comments like that suggest that these large farm outfits have no care for the land, environment, their employees or the consumers. That’s ridiculous. We cannot be in business if we don’t take care of the land, environment, and those that work with us. It’s just good business to be a good steward!

Services My father in-law (Randall Bankhead) has always been involved in organizations that support and promote the cotton industry in addition to serving on the Gin Board, School Board, and local water district. He has been pulling me into those areas as well. I am currently a voting Delegate for the Rolling Plains Cotton Growers with the National Cotton Council. I have always been hesitant to take on leadership position in a lot of these organization because I felt I was just a city slicker that married into this. I thought these positions would be better served by people that grew up on the farm and lived and breathed this their whole life. I have since changed my mind. It turns out there is not that many farmers beating down the door to serve. It doesn’t matter what crops you grow. All of the commodity groups are looking for farmers to serve and be the face of the organization. They want farmers because everyone wants to talk to the farmer. Law makers like talking with farmers. They feel like they are hearing what is truly going on in the countryside and not some carefully crafted message from a hired lobbyist. They trust farmers and they should. Don’t think you don’t need to serve in those groups because someone else is looking out for you. That is not always the case. Another point is if you look at the age of the men that serve on these boards. They are going to need new faces in the next 10 years.

Just natural attrition suggests these men will retire and others need to be ready to fill their places.

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C itrus eatandble SHOW Veg

RGVLS

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ALL ARE WELCOME

J

The Winter Garden Soil and Water Conservation District #326 in partnership with the Texas-Mexico Border Coalition wanted to share this story.

ust a mile up the road from the

sometimes busy intersection of

Highway 57 and Highway 83 in

the quaint community of La Pryor

stands an unassuming building.

A hand-painted sign in front of the orange structure is hardly noticed by those hurriedly passing through the area traveling to larger cities. Owner Valentin Villanueva can tell you everything about the place as his Grandfather, a masoner, built it over 80 years ago. “The original owner was Ike Timberlake, Ambassador to Argentina at the time. He bought it as a hobby for his wife. He opened Ike’s Café, or “Ike’s Beer Joint” to some. People came to eat, play pool and visit the rodeo arena next door. During this time, my

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mother worked at the Grub Steak café in town.

One day my Mother said, ‘I can do this on my own!’ My Mother went to Mr. Timberlake with a proposal to rent the café which he agreed to. She opened the restaurant along with my sister and brother. Later, I quit my job at the migrant council to work there as well. That is how it all got started.

There was one change that Villanueva and his family wanted to make immediately. Due to the racial climate during this time, the family changed the name of the café to “People’s Café.” “We wanted everyone to know that all are welcome here,” said Villanueva.

Some things at the restaurant have not changed at all. Villanueva has kept the same menu for over 80

years, all made from his Mother’s recipes.

“Our gravies are all homemade,” said Villanueva.

“My Mother used to make 200 homemade tortillas in a green Tupperware bowl every morning.

The trick to a great tortilla is to roll it once, twice and flip it; roll it once more, then throw it on the grill.” Although the restaurant specializes in Mexican food, you can order other types of food as well. “Many years ago, Dolph Briscoe along with about eight or nine other folks would regularly come into the restaurant. Mr. Briscoe loved his beef; that’s why he came in on Friday for the hamburger steak lunch special,” said Villanueva.

People’s clientele come from all walks of life.

During the summer, there are a lot of teachers and other staff from local schools. Truck drivers passing through seem to come in waves. Some area ranches have been bought and sold and are no longer used for ranching but rather for hunting and recreation.

For years, hunters have traveled far to enjoy the wildlife that this part of South Texas has to offer. The number of actual ranchers seem to be dwindling.

Right now, there is a lot of oilfield activity in the area.

The locals know they are welcome to serve themselves their coffee if no one happens to be at the counter when they walk in. “We really do appreciate our local community, many of whom are farmers,” said Villanueva.

“I listen to the farmers talk.

There are so many issues they must deal with.”

Some of the most important variables farmers must deal with are weather, labor and the market conditions.

“I mainly hear the farmers talk about long months with no rain and what would be the best crop to plant; the weather can make or break some of them. I haven’t heard much about the lack of workers lately. I know they try hard to understand why

the bottom falls out of prices for their crops.

Sometimes they even talk about the tariffs the President is placing on China; I don’t know much about those things, but it seems to be a concern.

At any rate, not only do I appreciate their business, I very much appreciate what farmers do every day.”

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Reprint from Texas Farm Bureau “Voice of Agriculture”

Farm Bureau welcomes phase one agreement with China An interim phase one trade deal with China is a step towards a full agreement and normalized trade with China, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation(AFBF).

“China and the U.S. agreed to an interim phase one deal. Ideally, this phase one agreement will be signed in mid-January, and then will be immediately followed by negotiations for a phase two, phase three, until all of the issues within reason are solved,” Veronica Nigh, AFBF economist, said.

China has reportedly agreed to increase their purchase of U.S. agricultural products over a two year period, averaging between $40-50 billion annually. That’s compared to the $24 billion purchased in 2017 before the trade war started.

“Given that’s such a large expansion over where we were previously, the list of products and the variety of trade between China and the U.S. would have to expand pretty significantly,” she said. “When you look at the total of what China is buying from the rest of the world, there’s probably room there.”

Nigh noted farmers need more trade opportunities, like the opportunities China represents.

“Before all of this trade situation really came to a head, China was our second-largest market. And, while we certainly are exporting a lot of U.S. ag products to a wide variety of countries, it takes a lot of those smaller countries to add up to one China,” Nigh said.

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“So, bringing China back as a sizable market for U.S. agriculture is certainly critical to U.S. farmers’ ability to continue to grow their businesses.”

After the phase one agreement was announced, Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening issued a statement.

“It appears the Phase One agreement includes a commitment by China that it will make substantial additional purchases of U.S. goods and services in the coming years, including agricultural commodities,” he said. “This is excellent news for Texas farmers and ranchers. We are hopeful the Phase One agreement creates positive momentum toward the completion of further trade agreements with China in the near future.

We thank Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and Secretary Steven Mnuchin for their work and efforts to achieve this important Phase One agreement.”

MORE THAN JUST INSURANCE! H We award $8,500 scholarships a year

to graduating seniors that are Cameron County Farm Bureau members.

H

We spent over $11,000 at the Livestock Show on animal bids

H We donated $7,500 to the Cameron

H Texas Farm Bureau has a mobile learning barn.

H We donate to Sunny Glen Children’s Home in San Benito.

H Your Farm Bureau membership provides a

County Fair & Livestock Show to build a new barn.

Anyone can become a member and take advantage of all these services for only

$49.00 a year

lot of services to youth and community

Why you should join your Cameron County Farm Bureau Membership Discounts:

Farm Bureau promotes today’s farmers and ranchers!

Support us today!

Cameron Co. Farm Bureau

335 N. Oscar Williams Rd. San Benito, TX 78586 (956) 399-8183

ADT Home Monitoring System Hotel Discounts Grainger Industrial Supply Discounts CAT and John Deere Amusement Park Tickets Insurance Services Defensive Driving Course Discounts on Polaris, ATV and UTV $500 Discount on new 2016,2017,2018 Ford Vehicles Case IH Discounts

National voice of agriculture, working through our grassroots organizations to enhance and strengthen the lives of rural Americans and to build strong, prosperous agricultural communities.

Meeting your needs as they grow

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®

2315 W. Expressway 83 #102, San Benito, Texas 78586 www.cropguardinsurance.com

956-688-8485 Thanks for 11 Years!

LOOK!

MADE YOU

Wild pigs increase their urban and suburban area sprawls

BY ADAM RUSSELL reprint from Texas Agrilife

As wild pig territory expands into city limits, public health and safety concerns increase

W

hether you call them wild

pigs or feral hogs, they are

no longer just a rural prob lem, according to a Texas

A&M AgriLife Extension

Service expert. Wild pigs cause

more than $52 million in agricul

tural damage in Texas annually, said John Tomecek, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Thrall. But it’s their encroachment into increasingly urbanized areas that is becoming a burgeoning problem for landowners and municipalities.

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Texas’ wild pig population was 2.6 million according to a 2012 study. Now experts estimate their numbers have reached at least 3 million. Damage from the pest has been reported in nearly all 254 Texas counties.

Tomecek said wild pigs entering more populated areas is a growing topic of conversation. As human and wild pig populations continue to increase in Texas, he said interactions in urban-suburban areas will likely continue.

“It’s a subject that’s come up several times in the past six months,” he said. “Everyone knows about the rural problems and how they affect ag producers, but I’m getting more and more questions about pigs in the city.”

Tomecek said wild pigs’ growing confidence to enter more populated areas raises public health and safety concerns. Encounters with humans and pets and contamination of riparian areas or disease exposure are becoming more likely as wild pig numbers continue to grow and sounders range into urban-suburban areas. “Wild pigs are becoming more brazen and ranging into populated areas,” he said. “They realize we are not going to do anything about them.”

Human interactions with wild pigs Tomecek said people should give wild pigs a wide berth. Instances of people being injured by wild pigs is relatively low in the U.S. Most instances occurred when hunters approached the animal. But the first unprovoked human death caused by wild pigs recently occurred in Texas.

“If a person is walking and comes across wild pigs, don’t make them feel cornered,” he said. “You won’t outrun them, but they typically will give up the chase if they don’t perceive a threat. But if a person is threatened or pigs become aggressive, get off the ground. Climb a tree or a car, do anything to get elevated. If that isn’t an option, try to get away, but in that instance stay on your feet at all costs.”

Pets should avoid engaging with wild pigs, Tomecek said. He is not aware of any attacks on domesticated animals, but said that pets should avoid contact with wild pigs. “Dogs are usually on a leash in the areas we are talking about, and that is the best solution,” he said. “You don’t want your pet near them, but if they do engage them somehow, don’t try to get in the middle of the fight.”

Property damage/Public health concerns with wild pigs Wild pigs on urban-suburban roadways is a major property and public safety concern, Tomecek said. Vehicle versus pig accidents cost Texas drivers more than $1,100 per accident, according to an AgriLife Extension report. Human injuries were reported in 6% of those accidents. Tomecek said damage to lawns, as wild pigs search for food resources, is another growing problem in developing areas.

Wild pigs consume resources like acorns and flora that would otherwise be consumed by native species like white-tailed deer and turkeys, he said. They also have been known to prey on white-tailed deer fawns and quail eggs.

They also spread invasive plant species like tallow tree, Tomecek said. Seeds get caked in mud on their bodies as they root around. The seeds are then transferred to other locations.

“There’s no strong deterrent to make hogs wary of entering more populated areas,” he said. “When they feel humans aren’t a threat, they’ll keep ranging into these areas and causing problems.”

Be proactive with wild pigs, but be a good neighbor Tomecek said the best way to deal with wild pigs is effective trapping. This is especially true in areas where they cannot be hunted and dispatched with firearms.

“Landowners with larger tracts of land, such as on golf courses, have been very willing to trap or cooperate with cities to curb their numbers,” Tomecek said. “But the complications of dealing with pigs comes in areas with multiple landowners, HOA rules and conflicting opinions about how to deal with the issue.”

Tomecek said landowners and cities should take proactive stances against wild pigs where possible. They should focus on public lands and right-of-ways adjacent to or near bottomlands, creeks and heavily covered areas. Wild pigs are also mostly nocturnal, which means homeowners will likely see the damage they cause before seeing the animals.

“Hogs spend a lot of time in bottomlands, but they venture out in search of food,” he said. “A lot of creeks and low-lying areas with good cover are like wild pig superhighways, so those areas, especially if there are signs of pigs, are good areas to set up a trap.” Tomecek reiterated that “effective trapping” is important.

Pigs are extremely intelligent, and trapping entire sounders is vital. Any animal that escapes is likely to avoid future attempts with similar methods.

Landowners should contact local chambers of commerce to inquire about reputable local trappers. Some trappers and trapping stations sell wild pigs at regional markets.

“Removal is the best method, especially for this urban-rural interface,” he said. “We also recommend landowners check with municipalities or state agencies when trapping inside jurisdictions or along public right-of-way. We hope all Texans will join the fight against wild pigs, but we also want them to be good neighbors while doing it.”

Golf courses have experienced substantial damages to turfgrass by wild pigs, Tomecek said. “When pigs access golf courses and root around trees or root up a golf green, it can get into the tens of thousands of dollars quickly,” he said. “We get calls about that type of situation frequently.” Wild pigs are also responsible for damaging ecosystems and spreading diseases, including E. coli, to public water supplies and recreational waterways, Tomecek said. They are known to carry a disease – swine brucellosis – that is transferable to humans. Instances have been limited to situations such as hunters with an exposed open wound cleaning a wild pig carcass.

“You can still cook the meat to normal safety standards to kill anything they may carry,” he said. “But anyone handling a carcass should wear gloves and cover their mouth and eyes.”

Wild pigs rooted up this turfgrass in Mesquite.

Ecological damage beyond water quality is The pest is growing increasingly confident and expanding its another concern, Tomecek said. “People who territory inside more populated areas in search of food. live in town may think that pigs don’t hurt anything, (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Billy Higginbotham) but they can contaminate water systems with bacteria and fecal matter or increase erosion and sedimentation in riparian areas.”

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FFA&4-H C 2 0 2 0

RGV

D I S T R I C T

C A L E N

2020 FFA EVENTS CALENDAR

January 13-18, 2020 Nueces County Livestock Show

February 2- 6 Fort Worth Barrow Show

January 16-17, 2020 Citrus Valley District Show

February 5-7 San Antonio Crossbed Gilt Show & Sale

January 18, 2020 Star Gala

February 14-20 San Antonio Barrow Show

January 20, 2020 Area 10 Advisory Committee Meeting

February 21-23 San Antonio Jr Ag Mech Project Show & Awards

RGVLS

Pharr Events Center

9am

January 22-24, 2020 Star Show RGVLS

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

Calendar DA R

O F

AC T I V I T I E S

2020 HIDALGO COUNTY 4-H EVENTS CALENDAR

January 18, 2020 S.T.A.R. – GALA

February TBD, 2020 Round Up Horse Judging

January 22-25, 2020 S.T.A.R. (www.gostar.org)

March TBD, 2020 Shooting Sports – Postal League

Time and Location: TBD

Time and Location: TBD

January 28, 2020 County Council Meeting/ Adult Leaders Meeting 7pm Extension Office

Jan 31 – Feb 1, 2020 Rally in Hidalgo County (Photography, Fashion Show, Edu. Pres.)

Time TBD Location: AgriLife Res. Center, Weslaco

Sponsored by:

Location: San Antonio

Location: Local

March 7 – 17, 2020 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show

Location: RGVLS Grounds

March 24, 2020 County Council Meeting/ Adult Leaders Meeting Time 7pm Location: Extension Office

February 6 – 23, 2020 San Antonio Livestock Show

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TOP TECH IN COTTON MANAGEMENT: GROWER AND RESEARCHER PERSPECTIVES

For perspectives on the future of cotton management, there’s no better place to look than the high plains—specifically Lubbock, Texas, where growers produce more than a quarter of the U.S. cotton supply.

Where there are successful growers, there are successful researchers: Lubbock is also home to Texas Tech University, which hosts the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute, a Cotton Phenomics laboratory, and an international cadre of students exploring new ways to make cotton production more profitable and more sustainable.

With so much of the community involved in cotton in some way—and so many recent innovations in technology and management practices—you’ll naturally encounter a range of opinions on which of these changes have been truly meaningful for the industry. That said, there are a few things growers and researchers alike agree have changed the game. We spoke to crop physiologist Dr. Glen Ritchie, Chair and Associate Professor of the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University, and Tyson Knight, a longtime grower farming nearly 4,000 acres of cotton in Abernathy. As they shared their perspectives on top tech for cotton, both mentioned these three things.

Round-module cotton harvesters Harvest season on Knight’s farm looks dramatically different since John Deere introduced round module cotton harvesters, sometimes known as cotton strippers with baler technology. The harvester Knight owns allows him to take cotton all the way from the stalk to a round bale wrapped in plastic with single machine—a process that in the past would have required several people, a cotton stripper, a tractor, a module builder, and a bowl buggy.

It’s a massive time-saver without much of a downside. “There’s a risk of the wrap on the bales actually coming off and entering into the cotton that’s being shipped out,” acknowledges Ritchie, “but I think that the problem is overemphasized.” For Knight, there’s no question the new machine is worth that small risk: the reduction in labor costs and the time spent dealing with equipment breakdowns is part of what’s allowed him to expand his operation by more

High-resolution aerial imagery Aerial imagery for agriculture itself is nothing new—Ritchie has long used drones in his own research, and as a masters student discovered papers on crop health analysis by satellite written as early as the 1960s. But the high-resolution imagery available today from providers like Ceres Imaging is a world away from those early attempts: today’s products offer the level of precision needed to

pest problems and irrigation issues, and reduce fertilizer use. More computing power means both researchers and growers can accomplish deeper analyses with the information they capture, too. (“You have to have the capability to both store and analyze very large data sets,” Ritchie points out.) Allows more actionable information: Ceres Imaging, for example, identifies a significant irrigation issue in more than 20% of the fields it flies.

Knight agrees that the technology is coming into its own. “Aerial imagery has been a new way of scouting a crop for the past couple of years,” he says. “I believe it has cost-saving advantages if you use the tool appropriately. It can help you find the most productive soil types in your field—and once those are found, you can apply fertilizer and nutrients … to get your most return on investment.” There are big implications for the environment as well as grower profitability, Ritchie says.

“By and large, in my experience, anything that improves efficiency also cuts down on your inputs. As a result, it improves sustainability as well.”

Herbicide-toler ant cultivars Less visible, but equally

significant, is the impact of

technology applied to the

cotton plant itself. “In the

past, all we had to control

weeds in season was the chemical Roundup,” Knight says. “Over the years the weeds became resistant to Roundup and would no longer die. The seed companies added a gene to the cotton seed that would make them either 2,4-Dor Dicamba-tolerant.”

Neither chemical is new, but the ability to apply them in-season is.

“Now we can control weeds in-season better,” Knight explains, “and therefore boost revenue at the end of the year.” There’s no question the development has made it easier to control weeds, but it’s “somewhat of a mixed bag,” Ritchie says. “We’ve seen a lot of that with 2,4-D-tolerant cotton over the last three or four years. There are some issues in terms of drip and weed resistance.”

Why innovation matters now Shrinking profit margins and an increasingly stressed Ogallala aquifermean these and other advancements that improve efficiency in cotton production are more important than ever. “In today’s times [efficient technology] is a big deal for me,” Knight says, “because the water table seems to keep dropping every year. A well that pumped 1,000 gallons per minute 20 years ago now only pumps 200 or so.”

That said, Knight sees the combination of research developments in the lab and evolving management practices in the field as paying off. “They just keep improving the cotton plant to make more lint without as much water. All the new technology advances I’ve described are sustainable practices if you use them to their full potential and take advantage of their money-saving capabilities.” Ritchie’s vantage point from Texas Tech offers the same view. “If you’re in a situation where the margin between profit and loss is pretty small, being able to save a little bit of money by decreasing the labor costs on a large farm is pretty valuable,” he says. It’s a case where the growers’ bottom line and environmental needs have aligned.

“We do see producers generally moving toward more minimum-input systems in order to save money, decrease our environmental footprint, and try to maximize yields. Just as a necessity, we see less water application—we’re moving to more and more water conservative systems.”

A Letter from the Editor Galatians 6:4 (NIV)

“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” How many of us have ever compared something? This one is better than the other, or this is worse than that.

Comparing is something that I think most of us do more than we realize. In today’s society, I think we have started comparing more than in the past, and that’s partially due to social media.

The other day I was talking with a friend, and she said she was going to take a break from social media because it was starting to affect her. I asked her how so, and she replied, “Well, I see everyone else doing all these things, and I am just here doing the same thing all day.”

It got me thinking.. how many of us are guilty of this? It seems social media has a great way of highlighting all of our great moments, but neglects to highlight the bad. I try to be as open as possible with you in my letters and I am going to be open and honest in the next example. The other day, I walked into a nail salon and bumped into a friend. She said you look like you’re succeeding and everything is going great in your career and life. Another friend said the same to me in a text.

When responded, however, they were shocked. As you know, I’ve had the magazine for six years and the TV show is new. When I started the TV show I didn’t expect to have as many challenges as I do. My response to both these girls was, “Social media has a good way of doing that. Truth be told, I am struggling to get sponsors. It seems everyone supports the idea, but getting it funded is a different story.”

You see, I’ve been pretty much funding this show myself. With that comes fear, sleepless nights, an empty bank account, wondering how we will make ends meet. But no one sees that end of it. Why? I think we have gotten too accustomed to highlighting the good that when we highlight the bad it may seem as if we are asking for pity when, in all actuality, we are not. There are times I have heard people say, “I wish I had their life,” or “I wish I was doing as well as them.” I have done this numerous times, and I catch myself. Comparing myself to someone else will do me no good except cause me to stop the path I am on. Every minute that I spend wishing I had someone else’s life is a minute spent wasting mine. A lot of times, people have no clue the trials I went through to get to where I am today. I learned not to compare my life to others because I have no idea what they went through.

Everyone has a story and everyone has their own accomplishments. Someone’s accomplishments might seem small to some, but to that one individual it was a mountain of an accomplishment. Every trial one encounters is unique to them. We can recall several stories in the Bible where people coveted what others had and we all know that it never ended well. God gives us a deck of cards, and it’s how we play the cards given, not the cards themselves. You have what you have because you’ve worked for it, or it’s where God wants you in life.

Don’t compare yourself to others. There is no comparison between the sun and the moon. They both shine when it is their time, and you will too. Run your own race and finish in your time. God made you, you.

There is always going to be someone who has more or done more, and that’s life. Stop comparing yourself to others and just try to be the best you can be. God wants you to be happy. One life, live it to its fullest.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

García Grain Trading 956-464-6000

SERVING THE VALLEY FOR OVER 20 YEARS ALAMO, TX MCCOOK, TX

DONNA, TX PROGRESO, TX

EDCOUCH, TX SANTA ROSA, TX

Ag Mag Featured Farmer

Obst Family Farms

BY HENRY MILLER

W

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hen Bruno Obst emigrated from Germany to the United States, he took up residency in Minnesota and began there working as a lumberjack.

way too cold in Canada and Alamo was much warmer.”

According to two of his sons, Edwin and Paul, he spent some time working the same gig in Canada.

In February, it will have been 100 years since Bruno made the long trek southward from the edge of one border to another. His surname now carries legendary status in South Texas with Obst Farms, still a family run farm that at one point or another has seemingly grown every crop known to South Texas.

“Then he found Alamo,” Edwin said. “He said it was

“We’ve done citrus, cotton, tomatoes, cabbage, corn,

Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

onions, kale and just a little of everything,” said Paul Obst, the remaining sons of Bruno and Gertrude.

Edwin, another son, was born in Alamo in 1929. He raised his first cotton when he was 19 years old, aided by his dad.

“Then I quit for a while,” Edwin said. “I was a soldier in the KoreanWar. When I came back I worked in the oil fields for a few years. I framed a little bit with my brother Herman but I worked to make money and he did most of the farming and took care of it.”

While the entire family doesn’t farm as it has grown with new generations, but many of the Obsts are still a part of the decades old family business. They are even celebrating the Obst Feedstore’s 40th year in business later this year. The store is known as the Obst North Alamo Farm Supply, located at 2720 N. Alamo Road in Alamo.

One of Edwin’s son, Mike Obst, was raised on the farm and say what he still enjoys today is being “out in God’s creation, out in the open.”

Like the rest, he has memories of growing up on the farm, of helping his dad – especially enjoying irrigating. “That was always fun back then,” he said.

“It’s not so much anymore.”

Mike said maybe the biggest memory was during Hurricane Beulah in 1968, which devastate much of the Valley.

“We had an orchard right here and it was raining hard and the wind was blowing and as it was flooding, the wind would blow the oranges,” he said. “There was a bell pepper field behind it and it blew both the peppers and the oranges into the water. The water came down and around the house and it was just green and red.

A river of money just floating down the road.”

Still, that was a time where agriculture grew and flourished in the Rio Grande Valley. According to a 2017 article written by Rod Santa Ana for Agri Life Today, “Despite cyclical and persistent adversities, including uncooperative weather, poor market prices, rising production costs, insect pests and diseases, growers and the labor force persisted...

“The central turning point in developing the Rio Grande Valley hinged on the expanding irrigation system fed by water from two huge upstream dams and favorable water treaties with Mexico in the 1940s,” said Dr. Merritt Taylor, a former economist at the AgriLife center in Weslaco, the article reads.

Paul Obst has farmed since probably before he can even remember. Born in 1937, Paul said he’s been farming all his life. “I’ve never had a job and have never gotten a payroll check,” he proudly states, then adds that “all of them” are his favorite when it comes to crops. “I remember having to go to work every day,” he said.

“We would get home from school and we worked. We’d work usually on Saturdays – maybe not all day – but we worked.”

The Obsts have watched as farming has drastically changed. Larger equipment, more technological advances, opportunities like precision farming has changed the farming landscape. “A lot of development has taken away from farmland too,” Mike said. “But we’ve adjusted just like farming has.” They’ve adjusted also, like Bruno, the founding father of Obst Family Farms, did when he heard about this agricultural miracle land in South Texas. He moved across the country, met a woman named Gertrude in Donna (“they probably met at church, but they never really said,” Edwin said. And 100 years after Bruno’s arrival, Obst Farms is forever in Valley Agriculture history and lore.

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Juan Landivar receives Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award

Juan Landivar receives Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award at the Texas Plant Protection Association conference held Dec. 10-11 in Bryan.

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

J

uan Landivar, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M

AgriLife Research and Extension centers at

Weslaco and Corpus Christi, was awarded the

Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award

by the Texas Plant Protection Association, or

TPPA.

The association grants its highest award to

members who have made special contributions to the association, the conference and Texas agriculture. The award is named in honor of Dr. Norman Borlaug, an agronomist, humanitarian and Nobel laureate who has been called the “Father of the Green Revolution” and “Agriculture’s Greatest Spokesperson.”

Landivar received the award at the annual Texas Plant Protection Association conference held in Bryan on Dec. 11. This year’s conference focused on artificial intelligence’s impact on Texas agriculture.

“Dr. Landivar is well deserved of this honor as his work with leading technology, such as the use of unmanned aircraft vehicles, UAV’s, in agriculture, has been outstanding,” said Bob Sasser, the association’s executive director.

“He has made presentations on precision agriculture and on his team’s work with new technology several times over the years.

He has continued to encourage his team to serve as TPPA leaders, including one as TPPA president and another as one of the TPPA vice-presidents and poster chairman. His support of Texas Agriculture and TPPA is recognized by other agricultural leaders in Texas.”

Landivar has led the work on the mode of action and uses of plant growth regulators, development of remote sensing systems for research and precision management, development of unmanned aerial system-based platforms for high throughput phenotyping.

“Dr. Borlaug has always been a role model, not only as a professional, although he was an agronomist, but also as a person,” Landivar said. “He was always a humanitarian and always thinking about how to help mankind. He made me feel proud to be an agronomist, and that is the meaning of this award to me. To receive this in honor of one of my heroes made it very special.”

• Consultant Award – Justin Chopelas, crop consultant in the Coastal Bend.

• Ray Smith Leadership Award – Gary Schwarzlose, Sr. technical service representative at Bayer CropScience in Texas.

• James Griffin, Graduate Student Award, Ph.D. • Cynthia Sias, Graduate Student Award, M.S. Graduate student poster award winners: M.S. • First place – Zachary Howard, Evolution of Chemical Control Options for Smutgrass in Texas.

• Second place – Sias, Understanding Inter specific Hybridization between grain sorghum and Johnsongrass.

• Third place – Mason House, Comparison of Ground and Unmanned Aerial Sprayer Individual Plant Treatment Methods for Control of Smutgrass.

Ph.D. • First place – Chengsong Hu, Seed Production Estimation of Late-Season Common Waterhemp escapes in Soybean Using Drone Imagery.

• Second place – Jorge Valenzuela-Antelo, Developing a Superior Hard White Winter Wheat “TAM 114” Using Gene Editing.

• Third place – Rohith Vulchi, Stewardship Practices in XtendFlex Cotton and Economic Analysis.

Other award winners from the annual conference include: • Academic Agency Award – David Kerns, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist in College Station.

• Industry Award – Steve Carlson, field agronomist for Bayer CropScience in Central Texas.

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We had 825hd of cattle on the last sale of the year, with 111 sellers…

W

BY EDDIE GARCIA

e had 825hd of cattle on the

last sale of the year, with 111

sellers and 42 buyers. Market

pulled off a hat trick in the

month of December with the last three sales being some of the best of the year. Buyers attempting many shots on goal, scoring with the quality calves, while passing up a few shots on the plainer ones.

Market sprinted to the finish line, unlike last year when we had to drag it across. Early fall prices trended lower than they usually do from different mkt factors like the plant fire, changing trade news, and limited grazing. Late fall prices benefited from reopening of the plant, legislation passing, and better grazing conditions.

Demand is the engine, quality cattle are the fuel and the buyers accelerate the process. One thing I ask of all producers is to continually try to make a better calf. Your idea is the genesis of conception, you more than anybody dictates what happens at auction. 30% produce choice, 50% produce good, 20% other...

People love their cattle, but in every herd there is an ugly duckling or two, if you don’t believe me just look at your brothers or sisters, or maybe even yourself. Right now if you have a calf that slips between the cracks their is some kind of quality deficiency in your herd. Maybe a certain cow, breed type, or lesser quality bull that needs to be addressed.

Some producers I know hold calves over til next year and have them on a feeding schedule. It’s important to “grow”

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

them versus “fattening” them up. Program em at 2% of their body weight with a 10 to 12% protein feed with access to hay or pasture. So they can put on a rate of gain that is still appealing to the buyers.

Usually 1lb to 1.5 lbs per day...

The red “beef demand” valve on the pvc pipe is 3/4 of the way opened which is a great sign. With most feed yards full, and lots of cattle coming up the rear it’s imperative that we have a constant “out” for these cattle. Important economic indicators favor beef, hopefully next year we can run wide open and gain back some money and momentum.

This packer cow deal is hard to track, especially in heavy brush with not much of a blood trail. Just when you think you know which way it’s headed, it spooks and turns back. Packers had been trending higher until they caught up number wise from the turkey day shortage. Come February it will be easier to find them with less cover.

GCLA would like to thank all of our producers on a personal level, we greatly appreciate the duty and trust you place upon us. Your hard work and dedication to the cow calf operation is recognized and reciprocated to the best of our abilities. First sale will be on January 7th.

See you at the Gate...

Happy New Year!

GCLA E.G.

U.S. House pushes USMCA forward

BY JESSICA DOMEL Multimedia Reporter

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is one step closer to implementation following strong bipartisan support by the U.S. House of Representatives. All 36 members of the U.S. House delegation from Texas supported the USMCA measure in the 385-41 vote.

chicken, turkey and eggs. “The new agreement leads to even stronger partnerships with our country’s nearest neighbors. Trade is vital to the livelihood of American farmers, consumers and the U.S. food industry,” Boening said.

The U.S. Senate is expected to consider the measure early next year.

For USMCA to be implemented, it must first be ratified by the legislative bodies of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. “The approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by the U.S. House of Representatives is a victory for Texas agriculture when farmers and ranchers need it most,” Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said. “It is expected to increase U.S. agricultural exports by $2 billion and result in a $65 billion increase in gross domestic product.”

When implemented, USMCA will replace the decades-old North American Free Trade Agreement. It calls for Canada to ditch its Class 6 and 7 dairy pricing system that allowed their farmers to undersell U.S. dairy products on the global market. It addresses agricultural biotechnology, supports innovation and reduces trade-distorting policies.

Under the agreement, Canada will terminate its discriminatory wheat grading system that has kept U.S. wheat from being competitive in the market.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S., Canada and Mexico agree to strengthen disciplines for science-based measures to protect human, animal and plant health, while improving the flow of trade. USMCA grants U.S. poultry farmers more access to Canada for

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Reprint from Texas Farm Bureau “Voice of Agriculture”

Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

“This trade agreement could not come at a more critical time for U.S. agriculture. Farmers and ranchers have been hit with a perfect storm of low commodity prices, weather disasters, trade disruptions and a severe downturn in the farm economy. We are hopeful that USMCA can be a model for future U.S. trade agreements, as these modernized rules will be a strong guide for addressing continuing issue,” Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said.

The Mexican Senate approved the changes to the trade pact on Dec. 12. The Canadian Parliament will likely take action after it reconvenes in January.

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Ag Boring?

Not so… It can change lives!

BY DEBRA ATLAS

Curiosity altered John Romo’s direction in life. With no background in agriculture, the Weslaco native’s passion for agriculture and ag education was ignited by a high school ag class he took, which led to undreamed of international opportunities.

In high school, Romo raised livestock and embraced FFA’s principles of leadership, personal growth and career success.

Later he earned his degree in agricultural science and education at Texas A&M in 2012, then a Masters degree from Oklahoma State University. But there’s more to his story.

In 2013, Romo joined a start-up non profit, AgriCorps, which focuses on school-based agricultural education in developing countries where poverty is rampant.

Population growth, poverty and food access are intertwined: • 1 in 5 people live in extreme poverty (on less than $1.25 per day).

• There are approximately 850 million malnourished people in the world.

• By the year 2050, the global population will hit nine billion.

• As the amount of productive farm land rapidly shrinks, many farmers are aging out and retiring.

• Hunger kills 9 million people per year.

AgriCorps’ mission is to help establish a sustainable agricultural industry, make it profitable and train youth to manage it successfully.

AgriCorps sends young American agricultural professionals such as Romo, part of AgriCorps’ first class of Fellows, into developing countries to establish school-based agriculture education and mentor young would-be farmers. Working with partners including land grant universities, its programs include classroom, laboratory and SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experiences) components, and leadership – things that encompass FFA and parts of 4H here in the United States.

AgriCorps Fellows serve in developing countries for ten to eleven months. Attached to an agriculture program at a junior or senior high school, they receive a stipend equal to that of a local teacher (close to $200 / month). Operating as agriculture instructors, 4H / FFA Advisors and Agriculture Extension Agents, Fellows help establish school farms which generate income and serve as a laboratory, introducing new technology and methodology aimed at creating sustainable farming production.

Trent McKnight, Founder of AgriCorps, says, “(we’ve) seen farmers double yields because of new methods introduced by twelve year olds. Youth were a central player in American agricultural development one hundred years ago and can have the same effect in developing countries today.”

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

Since 2013, AgriCorps has placed over fifty Fellows in communities across West Africa to build capacity for agricultural education, empowering African youth to shift their perspective about farming from one of economic loss to that of a successful entrepreneurial business venture.

“Shifting the perspective of agriculture, to help youth see it as a science and as a business, makes it more attractive,” said Romo.

As drought spreads and water sources decrease, Romo says

AgriCorps works with adults to bring youth into the round table discussion and connect them to local research centers and local universities.

created the $25 million authorization of the International Agricultural Education Fellowship to support agriculture education in developing countries.

“The resources are there,” Romo said. “It’s (about) having a better understanding of the framework and the power of agriculture classroom classes. Students develop leadership skills so they can become agriculture advocates and provide solutions to those very real problems in agriculture,” he said.

Romo is still consults with AgriCorps. He strongly supports its mission, particularly as he’s a product of school-based agriculture. He’s seen how FFA shifted his life trajectory and knows it can do the same for other students – in the US. or around the world.

Romo lived in Ghana, West Africa for three years, working with 4H Ghana and 4H Liberia. 4H and FFA are international organizations, “so there’s a huge network for agriculture advocates around the world,” he said.

Romo’s real world experience motivated him to finally return to the States in 2019 to become an ag teacher at Weslaco East High School and share his experience with his students. His story goes from sitting in the same seats his students do now to going to teaching in West Africa with a 4H type program with foreign governments.

“

In Ghana, Romo served as a 4H type agriculture advisor.

He and his students started a school entrepreneurship program – red palm and cocoa seedling nurseries. As the community he lived in was cocoa farmers, he and his students worked with the local agriculture extension to get hybrid cocoa seeds and hybrid palm oil seeds. Seedlings were sold back to the community to help fundraise money for the school.

Cocoa trees take three years to produce pods. The hybrid seedlings produced cocoa pods faster than traditional seeds and were highly sought after.

The idea for the seedling nurseries came about, Romo says, by “connecting the dots” within the local community – observing and listening to local cocoa farmers, most of whom had been doing this for generations. He also worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and the local Agriculture Extension office.

Seeing agriculture teachers as the driving force for school-based agriculture education, AgriCorps trains ag teachers and Extension Agents (also called Field Officers) by teaching strategy, production training, introducing new technology and identifying new hybrid varieties.

The non-profit’s embracing of FFA principles has morphed into programs such as Ghana’s LEAD (Leadership Education in Agriculture & Development) contest, which is similar to LVEs and CVEs in the US. Students learn an adapted version of the FFA creed and practice parliamentary procedure skills, all within the agriculture context. Schools also participate in the school garden contest.

Returning to the States for the 2015-2016 academic year, Romo toured universities and spoke at conferences, sharing his experience and promoting the need for school-based agriculture education in developing countries. In the Fall of 2016, he became AgriCorps Director of Programs, recruiting college graduates with agriculture degrees plus 4H type and agriculture production experience as Fellows for the following year. He helped develop curriculum for 4H Ghana and AgriCorps and laid the foundation for their Fellowship program.

Romo loved recruiting and advocating for agriculture education, especially doing it in Washington, D.C. His organization helped implement agricultural language in the 2018 Farm Bill which

There’s something for everybody,” Romo said, “regardless if you were born and raised on a farm or have no experience with agriculture. We need to embrace school-based agriculture education because it (encompasses) mathematics, science, business. It’s a holistic approach to help solve issues we face here in the United States.

“

During his first year in Ghana, Romo lived in a small community and taught at a junior high school. “The entire school (50 students) was part of 4H,” he said.

At Weslaco East, Romo teaches livestock production, floral design and equine science. And he works with the Weslaco “Greener Tomorrow” agriculture club which focuses on conservation agriculture, wildlife and conservation, recycling and environmental sciences He’s also taking over a school garden and planting vegetables.

Romo wants to challenge everyone who’s familiar with schoolbased agriculture education to gain a better understanding of what it encompasses and its opportunity for impact.

“There’s something for everybody,” Romo said, “regardless if you were born and raised on a farm or have no experience with agriculture. We need to embrace school-based agriculture education because it (encompasses) mathematics, science, business. It’s a holistic approach to help solve issues we face here in the United States.”

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South Texas Farmer Thinks Outside of the Box to Diversity Farming Operation

I

BY DEBRA PARSONS, Winter Garden Soil and Water Conservation District

t is no secret that a long South Texas drought will cause farm ers and ranchers to make tough financial decisions, affect ing their livelihood that they would otherwise not make. Such

was the case with Zavala County farmer Akram Mohammad. In

2012, Mohammad made the difficult decision to downsize his

operations by selling one of his pecan orchards, Arrowhead

Farms. Since that time, Mohammad has kept busy continuing

to grow pecans, but on a much smaller scale at his Heavenly

Pecans and Fruit Farm. Mohammad grows Pawnee and Wichita varieties of pecans for cross pollination. Last year, Mohammad decided to tap into his many years of experience growing fruit and nut trees in his home state of California.

“Pecan trees are very hardy, so I decided to use them as a windbreak and planted 500 experimental persimmon trees. Unfortunately, between the birds, cut ants, harvester ants, termites, and cotton root rot, only about 200 trees survived. The electric fence did not deter the deer or hogs from doing their share of damage as well,” said Mohammad.

Even with the setbacks, Mohammad was encour

aged with the results. He planted citrus trees

as well as a variety of fruit trees including

pomegranate, plum,

peach, Asian pear

and regular pear.

He has also planted

more persimmon

and plumcots, a

specialty fruit that

is a cross between

a plum and an

apricot. Within each

type of tree,

Mohammad has

planted from 10 to

20 different variet ies. To address the

deer and bug issues,

Mohammad diligent ly sprays deer and

bug repellants

weekly. He has also placed temporary fencing around the orchard borders attempting to keep the deer and hogs at bay.

Mohammad has once again turned to USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for assistance in his new endeavor. “I have been working with NRCS since the 1980s in California with great results and have had the same experience here in Texas,” said Mohammad. “Several years ago, I installed a micro irrigation system at Arrowhead Farms.

I completed a sprinkler irrigation system installation at this farm back in 2017. When necessary, I can efficiently water my entire field in one day utilizing my irrigation system; the turnaround time is quick. I also have the flexibility to cool down the orchard immediately before harvest. Irrigation systems are very expensive; it is nice to know that I can count on NRCS for financial assistance as well as technical assistance.”

Utilizing the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP),

Mohammad has been approved for two conservation practices, cross-fencing and cover crop. He plans to move livestock into one area of the farm and wants to cross-fence the riparian area near the Nueces River. Livestock will keep the area weeds at a minimum and livestock manure will provide nutrients for soil organisms. He will also be planting milo and millet as “trap” crops to deter the birds away from his fruit trees and to reap the benefits of a cover crop, such as increased organic matter, increased water infiltration, and reduced soil erosion. Mohammad’s vision to diversify is an aggressive and innovative one. “I want to put South Texas on the map! I hope to find a new nitch market for these various fruits,” said Mohammad. He will evaluate what has been most successful in his fruit orchard and already plans to plant several cherry mixes, including sweet treat pluerry, a cherry and plum mix and several new plum apricot mixes.

The only issue standing in Mohammad’s way is the continued damage to his trees caused by deer and hogs. Although last year he could not enter his pecan orchard for the entire harvest months of October and early November due to standing water from heavy rains, he remains optimistic about his pecan crop as well and plans to increase the size of his orchard from 20 acres to 100 acres creating an even larger wind break.

Substantial amounts of wind are hard on the fruit trees causing “wind rub” and scarring of the fruit which degrades the beauty of the fruit, and in marketing, quality and appearance are everything.

In partnership with the Texas-Mexico Border Coalition, the Winter Garden Soil & Water Conservation District wanted to share the success story of one of its Zavala County producers.

For more information about how NRCS can assist you with your land management goals, please contact J. M. Villarreal at (830) 374-3838, extension 3 or visit the local office at 319 N. 1st Ave., Suite #2 in Crystal City.

South Texas Farmer Thinks Outside of the Box to Diversity Farming Operation, By Debra Parsons, Winter Garden Soil and Water Conservation District, (2019, Dec) J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 2 0

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HEMP

Becoming a “Hot” Commodity in Texas?

BY NOEL GARCIA, CCA Chief Operating Officer and Senior Consultant TPS Lab

H

A Little History –

emp is an ancient cultivated crop, going back

thousands of years. More recently, Virginia

passed a law in 1619 requiring every farmer

to grow hemp and was legal tender in Vir ginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania (that

must have made for rather bulky wallets).

Hemp fiber was essential for making clothing, paper, rope, sails and other basic commodity products. After the Civil War, hemp was gradually replaced by other materials, especially cotton. By the late nineteenth century, Marijuana / Marihuana (Cannabis indica Lamarck) had become a popular ingredient in medicinal products and was readily available from pharmacies.

Skipping years forward, crime and other unfavorable behavior linked to the ever-increasing use of Marijuana had generated public outcry against it, finally culminating in the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, effectively banning the cultivation of any species of Cannabis. The ban was temporarily lifted during World War II for the production of hemp rope, an essential war-time commodity. The last crop grown in the U.S. was in 1956. How far hemp had fallen!

Now – The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the commercial production of Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa Linnæus). House Bill 1325 authorized the production and retail sale of industrial hemp in Texas. However, as of this writing, hemp is not legal to grow in Texas because the USDA is in the draft stage of the Interim Final Rules. After the USDA Rules are resolved, the USDA will still need to approve the Texas Department of Agriculture’s “state hemp plan” before licensing will begin. Although other states like Kentucky have been growing it for several years, the 80-plus-year national hiatus on hemp has resulted in very little modern research on cultivation due to stringent limitations and regulation by regarding it as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance.

Cannabis sativa L. is not an easy commercial crop to grow successfully. There is more to it than just putting seed in the ground. The very nature of the soil can influence the composition of the crop’s canna-

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binoids. It grows best in fertile, light and well-drained soil. This is not to say that it will not grow under less than ideal conditions, but it will definitely be challenging and come at a high price.

Hemp is one of the most expensive crops to establish and maintain and it has cost a great deal of financial trouble to many farmers over the past few years, especially due to the limitation on THC content.

I recommend studying all the ins-and-outs of farming, harvesting, drying and selling hemp before even considering growing it commercially. It’s a difficult crop to grow even for the most seasoned farmer.

It requires specific conditions to thrive, and each strain can react to an environment differently.

First up is to determine and find the market for which you wish to grow: Seed, Fiber or CBD. Seed has been a great stable market for many, especially Canadians. Fiber is up-and-coming but still needs some time to develop. As of this writing, there are only three processors for seed and three for fiber. But with the hemp industry in general being in a highly fluid and developing state, it is expected that the number of grain and fiber processors together with markets will substantially increase in 2020.

pathogens and pests mostly occurs underground and can negatively affect the plants through their roots.

This year, almost half of the planted acres in the US were unharvestable as pre-harvest cannabinoid tests reported THC levels above the legal limit of 0.30%. Genetics also play a major role in THC levels but even plants with low THC genetics have resulted in “hot” samples in several strains in 2019 as a result of too many stressors.

Plant stress can be prevented and limited by maintaining a stable soil foundation and optimizing key soil performance characteristics.

By optimizing soil health and plant nutrition, plants are better able to withstand abiotic and biotic factors. Soil health can be optimized by implementing management practices that maintain a suitable habitat for the soil micro-organisms that build lasting soil structure. Farmers must take a holistic approach to soil fertility and plant nutrition by not only considering the chemical part of farming but also the physical and biological aspects as well.

Photos courtesy of client Mr. Jud Harward of Springville, Utah.

CBD oil is the present “hot” commodity with the US growing over 500,000 acres in 2019 with many processors/receivers. Oil has brought a very high return for many growers, but it is a volatile market and with ever-increasing numbers of growers, it appears next year’s prices may further decline.

All Cannabis varieties are bio-accumulators and are sometimes used to bio-remediate (clean up) contaminated soils of harmful heavy metals (e.g., lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, etc.). With this in mind, it makes sense to soil test the intended growing area for heavy metals before further consideration; yet, many farmers have failed to do so and have consequently been unable to sell their crops due to metals contamination - and then there is the matter of disposal of that (toxic) plant material. It is essential to do a pre-plant soil test for nutritional aspects of the soil such as: pH, organic matter, salinity, N, P, K and micronutrients. Again, the soil test must also include a heavy metals assay before proceeding to use of land for hemp to minimize risk.

Hemp can grow under most conditions and copes well with some difficult situations - if they don’t occur during critical stages of growth.

It is clear that results are better where the climate is favorable and the soil is provided with the necessary factors for growth: water and fertility. Plant stress caused by unfavorable conditions or substances that affect the plant’s metabolism, reproduction, root development, or growth can very likely result in “hot” (THC levels exceeding 0.3%) plants. Plant stress can come in different forms and durations.

Some plant stressors, such as drought, wind, excessive moisture and dark days are naturally-occurring, while others may be the result of human activity, like irrigation or root disturbance. Abiotic stresses usually occur above-ground, include prevailing growing conditions, salinity and imbalanced nutrition, and can be harmful. Biotic stress by J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 2 0

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Changing of the

Shoes

BY RONI MARIE MCCARTLAN

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I

t was the debutante tea that she was getting

ready for that afternoon. She didn’t dress up

very much anymore and was excited to

bring out her best for this occasion.After she

hobbled precariously around the room, she

realized the shoes on her feet were not

going to work. She tottered back over to

the closet and looked at all the pairs of footwear before her. There were different colors, and styles and she loved them all. She could run, climb, and do just about anything in heels. She picked up another pair and tried them on. Without even taking a step, she realized these were also not going to work.

Again, she perused the rows of shoes. What was going on?

Why were these shoes no longer her friends? The third pair seemed to be working, but she found herself walking like a giraffe as she finished dressing to get to the tea that afternoon. She held onto the walls and chairs walking out to the car and when she arrived at her destiny, she realized, to her dismay, she was on her own. She walked slowly and carefully, looking down, making sure that the pavement was even and that she would not stumble and fall from some pothole or perhaps a rock.

She could not get over how hard it was to maneuver around in these heels. They weren’t new. They were well broken in and had been worn often – – but not often in the last two years. That’s how long she had been on the farm. There weren’t a whole lot of opportunities to wear heels. Maybe that was it. She just wasn’t wearing them enough. Throughout the tea, she thought about this dilemma with her heels. She would just wear them around the house she decided. She would wear them every day and that would get her back in the groove of wearing these shoes she loved so much. As she was driving home, though, she thought of where she could not wear her heels. She could not wear them walking to the barn. She couldn’t wear them out in the field. She couldn’t wear them on the turn row, and it was really not logical to wear them in the yard. There were holes that the grass covered up and when running last spring wearing flipflops, she stepped into one breaking her foot. So basically, her mind contemplated, the only place she could wear them was in the house.

When she got home, she walked around in the house and was amazed at the amount of noise they made on the tile floor. Click click click. Click click click. It was almost impossible to think with the noise and she noticed that again she was holding onto the walls and chairs to get around. How was she going to get things accomplished when her balance was crazy? She walked slowly to the closet, (actually, she hobbled slowly to the closet) took her shoes off and put them on the shelf. She silently stood there looking, remembering, thinking. And it was then that the revelation washed over her.

It was time to say goodbye to heels. She gasped. She was doing what she never thought she would do. She planned to have a collection of heels at her funeral. After all, heels were her and she was heels.

she might as well “sleep on it “. The next morning she arose and went to her closet to put on her tennis shoes and she realized it was the tennis shoes that were the capable and productive shoes for her days, now. She was shocked to think that tennis shoes had become her main stay, her go to, her be all shoe to make each day happen to the best of her ability. And she realized, again, it was probably time to change the shoes; one more item in a long list of things that didn’t work on the farm. She could look back at what she had or she could look forward and live ahead.

It was the same week. She was in her favorite store and came across this plaque. “When a shoe can change your life. Cinderella.” It struck her like a thunderbolt. One shoe… one tennis shoe to replace all the colorful and stylish heels because that’s what her life was now. Tennis shoes. It was tennis shoes that made it possible for her to walk through the fields and check the crops. It was tennis shoes that allowed her to walk to the barn. It was tennis shoes that helped her get in the tractor. It was tennis shoes that assisted her to comfortably work in the garden or use a shovel or even drill a hole. Tennis shoes, a symbol of this beautiful life she had been placed in. And in this new season that was standing, waiting patiently at the door, there was a difference this year.

She was involved. She was not watching it from the sidelines. RoniMarie was a part of the procedures, part of the process.

The hard trials of the past year had been tough for her and her farmer to work through. Now, they realized it was a mountain they had climbed, but when they conquered the pinnacle, they planted a flag – a flag to reminded them that life was going forward and there was another banner to place on another mountain. They turned their faces into the wind and the trials, hardships, breakdowns, and difficult decisions blew behind them and into the year that was the past.

Misty-eyed, they realize their weary minds needed rest and for the first time in their marriage they took a honeymoon.

The trip cleared their judgement and spirit and allowed them to think and look ahead. It was time to make more changes.

Changes that would be positive for the farm, good for the crops, great for the harvest, the success of the season, and most of all the difference for the future.

Plans were made, technology was ordered, and the important equipment arrived. The farmer opened it up and carefully pulled out the drones. It was going to take time to learn, instructions to understand, coaching, demonstrations, advice, teaching, lectures, preparation, training, tutoring, time to practice and guidance to use. They were excited about this future. It was a new age, an era of modern and unique, technology that had practically fallen into their lap. They were heading into a period of learning, working smarter not harder, thinking outside the box. Agriculture at its best was the focus.

As it was when approached by change, there was trepidation, hesitation, and misunderstandings, but the most important feeling in the air was that of faith and hope. She looked down and she had on her tennis shoes.

She knew she didn’t have to make a decision right then, so

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69

China Import Demand Is Much Broader than Just Soybeans

I

n recent years, China has been one of

the world’s largest producers and con sumers of a wide range of agricultural

products. The past decade saw rapid growth in the purchase of agricultural products alongside rising living standards. Over the past two years, the US and China have been involved in a trade dispute that has greatly reduced Chinese purchases of certain US agricultural products. For South Texas, this has been most acutely felt in the price of grain (sorghum) and cotton. But we are also directly or indirectly affected by the loss of a Chinese market for soybeans, soybean oil and meal, dry distillers gains, ethanol, beef, pork, and wide range of derivative products that impact the farmers bottom line.

By the time of this reading, we may be setting in a different position with Chinese with respect to agriculture. According the White House, President Trump is supposed to attend a signing ceremony on the 15th of January to complete what is referred to as a US/China Phase 1 Trade Pact.

As of January 1st, China had yet to confirm the Presidential signing slated for Jan 15th. In addition, there was no confirmation when Liu He, China’s Vice Premium in charge of negotiations, was set to arrive in Washington. Some watchers say he was to arrive Saturday January 4th. While the Phase 1 Deal appears t complete, China officials has

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BY JOHN MILLER

as of yet seemed reluctant to say much about the outcome.

Fortunately, agriculture is a part of the Phase 1 deal since there is no indication that they will address a Phase 2 deal.

Most importantly, US commodity purchases could start as soon as 30 days after the deal is signed.

Keep in mind, however, that China won’t be doing away with retaliatory tariffs. Instead, China will issue waivers of tariffs to manage the flow of US agricultural products. Like the US then, China’s retaliatory tariffs will stay in place for an extended time, at least over several years. While the signing will be historic, it is not as if all tariff measures will just disappear. Even with the signing of Phase 1, we have no idea of when, or how much, of US commodities China will purchase.

It has been suggested that the first year will see purchases of $32-36 billion, with the unused portion of the $40 billion being committed to pushed into a second year. Since the purchases are annual, and will be split across crop years, it would be very hard to estimate the possibilities for the US farmer. As you can see from the chart titled “Value of US Agricultures Products Export To China: 200-2021”, the $40 billion dollar commitment would represent a major increase in US agricultural purchases; a commitment that many say would almost be logistically impossible. A lot remains to be understood about actual outcomes.

Looking forward, commodity traders are very anxious to find new opportunities to export agricultural goods to China.

South Texas commodities such as sorghum, corn, cotton and beef have specifically been mentioned by trade negotiators as part of the $40 billion in commitments.

Other products will find their way to China and indirectly help all farmers. The chart titled “China Vegetable Oil Consumption……” shows the dramatic increase in the importation of cooking oil. It is said the pork cooked in vegetable oil is the household staple of choice.

As discussed above, US farmers can be positively impacted by a much broader range of China imports that stretch well beyond soybeans. It is true that US soybean sales to China are off by as much at 35 percent over the past two years. It is likely that soybeans will be an important part of new purchases, but the magnitude of soybean purchases will be up against strong South American supplies at lower prices, and the reduction in demand due to hog losses from the African Swine Fever, which is estimated to have reduced overall hog feed demand by 40 percent. From the chart titled ‘China Meat Production, 1985 to Present….” you can see the abrupt drop in pork production, falling from roughly 50 MMT to 35 MMT since just two years ago. This has opened the door for greater imports of pork, beef and chicken. It is true that China has been importing a lot of meat production from places other than the US, but we have seen an increase in US meat sales to China in recent months. The chart labeled “Chinese Beef Imports” shows an increase from half a MMT to 1.5 MMT since 2016. This is important since the Chinese diet has traditionally not included very much beef.

China is by far the largest consumer of cooking oil in the world. As US/China relations lead to a more normal trading relationship, the potential is there for almost every agricultural sector. As China rebuilds its hog industry, the need for soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil, corn, dry distillers grains and other feed products is hard to over-estimate.

And as the Chinese government strives to pacify a large and increasingly urban and more educated population, there will be increased demand for pork, chicken, beef and other processed food items. This urban population will want to do more driving, and that has led China to want to increase ethanol use in motor fuel.

Hopefully we know by now that the Phase 1 deal is signed, and we are a step closer to seeing actual cash transaction for more US agricultural commodities. We know that US and South Texas farmers will see benefits to a better trade relationship with China and bring benefits to farming communities as a whole.

J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 2 0

71

RECIPE

Recipe can be found at http://www.texasweet.com/recipes

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Texas Wild Caught Shrimp & Andouille Sausage atop Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Texamati Rice

Serves Four – Six

Ingredients 1/4 cup Texas olive oil 1 fresh rosemary leaves, minced 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 1/2 pounds Texas wild caught shrimp, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar 12 ounces Andouille sausage Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Rice (see recipe)

PREPARATION • Prepare a charcoal or gas grill and heat to medium high.

• In a small bowl mix together olive oil, rosemary and garlic and set aside.

• Peel and de-vein the shrimp leaving the tails intact.

Then marinate the shrimp with the rosemary garlic oil for about fifteen minutes.

• Begin grilling the sausage for about four minutes, turn over and cook for another four minutes until heated through. Set to the edge of the grill to keep warm • Season the shrimp with salt and pepper accordingly and place on the grill in a single layer cooking for about three minutes, turn over and cook for another three minutes until the shrimp begins to curl a bit and is no longer translucent in the center. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they will become tough.

• Remove the shrimp from the grill and place in a bowl with the sherry vinegar, toss to coat the shrimp.

• Spoon rice onto a warm platter.

• Slice the sausage and lay on top of the rice and then top with the shrimp. Serve hot!

Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Texamati Rice Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Texas olive oil 1/2 cup yellow onions, minced 1/2 cup celery, minced 1 cup Texmati long grain white rice 1 3/4 cup chicken stock, boiling 1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves 1 bay leaf 2 small Texas oranges

1/4 cup San Saba pecan halves, toasted 1/4 cup sundried cranberries 1 pinch cayenne pepper Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION • Add the oil to a medium size sauce pan over medium heat and stir in the onions and celery, sauté until the vegetables become softened and the onions are translucent. (Do not allow them to brown). Add the rice to the pan and stir for one minute.

• Pour the boiling chicken stock in to the pan and stir with the rice to mix, add thyme and bay leaf.

• Bring the mixture back to a boil over high heat and then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest covered for 6 minutes.

• While the rice is cooking use a zester to get enough zest from one orange to fill a scant teaspoon and set aside. Peel both oranges and use a paring knife to cut segments of the orange flesh by cutting the orange between the membranes to extract small wedges, discarding any seeds that may be lodged in the orange segments.

• When the rice is finished cooking pour it into a bowl and stir in the zest, orange segments, pecans and cranberries mixing well. Adjust seasoning accordingly with cayenne, salt and pepper.

Remove bay leaf and serve hot.

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension

Why are we leaving reproductive technology sitting on the shelf?

Increasing reproductive efficiency with technology at hand is vital to improving beef production.

M

BY DR. KY POHLER

as USDA’s

any technologies developed in the last 20 to 30 years have helped increase reproductive efficiency.

Some producers were early adopters and have used these technologies successfully for years. Yet, there’s still room for more technology adoption,

National Animal Health Monitoring System data indicates only:

• Pregnancy diagnosis. Knowing if a cow or heifer is pregnant

allows producers to make management decisions much sooner than if they wait until the subsequent calving season. They can decide to sell an open animal or roll the animal from a spring calving group into a fall calving group, if they have the option.

The adoption investment When it comes to technology adoption, there’s always some investment required. It may be labor, time or dollars. Evaluate how technology costs stack up with opportunity costs.

• 18% of operations palpate for pregnancies • 2.2% ultrasound for pregnancies • 7.9% use estrus synchronization • 7.6% use artificial insemination (A.I.)

For instance, let’s say a producer paid $5,000 for a natural service sire, which provided breed average genetics. The next year the bull is culled because of lameness or low fertility. The bull only sells for $1,000 at cull price, so that is $4,000 of opportunity cost.

Taking a step back, 54.5% of cow-calf producers don’t have a set calving season. Those herds account for more than a third of the total U.S. cow herd.

These statistics are not meant to call out any single herd or producer.

As an industry, we need to progress if we want to feed a growing population. And it’s up to all of us to help ensure we can.

Adopting reproductive technologies that have been sitting on the shelf will help get cows bred, improve profitability and feed a growing population.

Instead, that $5,000 could be invested in the highest quality genetics available through A.I. From an efficiency point of view, you can move the herd forward because those genetics are going to lead to more pounds from your calves and enhanced calf value. At the end of the day, if producers can capture value using technology, it offers more opportunity to improve profit.

Technologies on a shelf

Looking forward, beef producers must find efficiencies to help feed a growing population. Projections from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations state that nearly double the amount of meat will need to be produced by 2050 to feed 9.1 billion people.

A multitude of reproductive technologies exist, but here are a few that producers should be taking advantage of if they aren’t already:

• Estrus synchronization. A lot of people associate estrus

synchronization with A.I., but those two don’t have to be linked.

Operations employing natural service can use estrus synchronization to move the cow herd forward into the breeding season by getting more cows cycling early. Doing this will help shorten the calving window and ultimately lead to a more uniform calf crop to market down the road.

• Breeding indicators. A breeding indicator is a self-adhesive patch many producers have used primarily for heat detection. As cows are mounted, the surface ink of the patch rubs off to reveal an indicator color. Once a certain amount of color is exposed, typically 50%, the animal is considered in standing heat and ready to breed.

What’s at stake (or steak)

In beef production terms, 2050 is not that far away. It’s only 31 calf crops. If we don’t start to use efficiency-enhancing technologies, we may quickly wind up 15-20 calf crops down the road with limited improvements.

Pohler is assistant professor of beef cattle production/physiology of reproduction at Texas A&M University. Source: ESTROTECT, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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Angler’s Corner

BY ERICA HIRSCH

B

efore four years ago the tiny fish ing town of Port Mansfield did

not exist to me. Growing up on a ranch in a small Texas town, I only knew fishing out of stocked ponds for bass, catfish and the occasional perch. When I heard “South Texas” I thought of Corpus Christi, and The Rio Grande Valley was not a place I’d heard of before. Never in a million years did I see myself wading through the salty bays of the Lower Laguna Madre in search of trophy trout and upper slot redfish. Fishing has now become a way of life.

For those of you who have not ventured East towards the Laguna Madre you might not be familiar with Port Mansfield, Texas. This town is a hidden gem among anglers. Surrounded by wildlife and brushland, you feel as if you are at the last stop before venturing out into the untamed wild. More often than not, a boat ride out brings some new sighting of what mother nature has to offer. Speckled trout, redfish and flounder are just a few of the species of fish in our saltwater fishery.

I am always in awe when I leave the harbor in the early morning light and run out to the first fishing spot of the day. Will I see bottled nose dolphins feeding?

Will I see a coyote on the bank hunting or a nilgai grazing in the early morning fog? It is sights like these

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that bring a calm to me and keep me coming back for more. I think all anglers can agree, the Laguna Madre is a special place.

The winter months in South Texas provide some of the best variables for catching large trout and redfish. When the ambient temperature is warmer than the water, which is often the case during the winter months, the fish will push into shallower waters trying to soak up the heat as the shallower waters will grow warm more quickly.

During cold fronts, trout move to deeper waters, hovering on the bay floors, lethargic and needing to be enticed to strike a lure. Bouncing lures on the bottom is key when searching for large trout in all

sible. As I mentioned above, there are more anglers than ever. The growing number of those that love to fish is a great thing, but only if we all do our part in practicing conservation.

If you are interested in experiencing what Port Mansfield has to offer, venture over to twilightcharters.com to book a fishing trip. Also be on the lookout for an initiative I am very passionate about, the newly founded group Texas Women Anglers.

Texas Women Anglers was created to connect avid women anglers who are passionate about fishing and conservation. If you are a woman angler who is looking to connect to the fishing community, we can be found on Facebook and have a website coming soon.

Please feel free to reach out to us, we’d love to hear from you!

depths of water.

This winter, I have been chasing these large fish more so than in years past. The term “trophy trout” typically refers to a healthy female trout starting around 28 inches and weighing somewhere around 8lbs.

Females grow heavier during the winter as they pack on weight for their spring spawn. Avid anglers can spend their entire fishing careers looking for a 30-inch trout and if found can be the experience of a lifetime.

Needless to say, it is not an easy task. Trout are picky and with more and more anglers searching for these giants and not releasing them back after being caught they are becoming a rare catch.

Though I haven’t found my trophy trout this winter, fishing has still been superb. Trout are plentiful and redfish can be found in schools. If the redfish are feeding, they will strike hard, putting up a good fight any angler would be happy to win.

As I continue my search for the elusive monster trout, I do my best to maintain a high standard of conservation practices. Conservation is key to keeping the Lower Laguna ecosystem healthy and abundant. I urge all anglers to take only what is necessary and practice CPR (catch, photo, release) as often as posJ A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 2 0

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