Michelle Martin
Owner/Editor michelle@theagmag.org (956) 330-8870
Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Al Benavides
Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407
In This Issue:
A Letter from the Editor TALK ABOUT CHANGE
Lord knows there has been a lot of change in the past couple of weeks for everyone. Every aspect of our daily routines has changed. The day I got the news about the quarantine I felt sad. If anyone knows me, they know I am always -- and I mean always -- on the go. Having my child with me 24/7 was also going to be a new thing. The first couple weeks of the quarantine was rough. I’m an honest person and I will be honest with you, I “lost it” on numerous occasions. I lost my patience, I cried, I yelled, I felt defeated. The one thing that was keeping me going was agriculuture. Being an agriculture family, being outside was keeping me going. As a farming family, we know farming doesn’t stop. We may not be huge farmers, but we farm. I found myself going around every day and showing my Instagram followers the cool things we do here in the Valley, highlighting all the hard work of those involved in agriculture. One day it was as if God slapped me in the face and said, “Maybe the quarantine isn’t so bad, is it Michelle?” I started to think about all the changes this COVID-19 pandemic has caused. Some good, some bad. But overall, I think God was sending a message that we need to slow down. We get so wrapped up in our daily routines, that we forget what is important. This pandemic has forced us all to step back, and see what’s important. It’s not all about work, it’s not all about rushing to the next event, or meeting. It’s about family, it’s about enjoying time together, and appreciating everyone. I have seen how important even the smallest of jobs plays into our functioning working world. Every person plays a unique roll and every job is just as important as the other. We all work hand in hand. No one person is better than the other. We all rely on one another, whether it be for food, supplies, medical care, etc… hand in hand. Having my son with me all the time and taking him to work with me has taught me that he looks up to me, and I can show him how hard we work to provide and he will too. I realized that a lot of things I thought I needed I don’t. I recognized it’s OK to not constantly be on the go. Now, COVID-19 has hit our economy in big ways that aren’t desirable. But, I know we will come together, work together, to keep this nation going. God has given us all talents to do so. The one thing we need to see is that God will provide for all of us, and in this time if you can help someone please do. The nation maybe suffering, but God’s love is strong and we must have faith in Him and one another. Owner/Creator of AG MAG
6. Q&A: - Man Behind The Mic 8. Commissioner Miller Issues First Hemp License in Texas 10. China Returns For Sorghum 12. Veterans Turned Farmers Get Creative During COVID - 19 16. Worldwide Responses Addressing Coronavirus Jolts Commodity Markets 20. Cotton and Grain Update 2020 22. The COVID - 19 Global Pandemic 28. Facing Off Against COVID - 19 30. Foraging Ahead 32. USDA NRCS Offers Final Year of Funding for Monarch Initiative 34. NRCS Accepting Applications For Urban, Rural Garden Grants 38. Chinese Sorghum Market: A Return To Form 46. Q&A: - Farm Focused 50. Small Business Loans For The Farm 56. Texas Farmers, Ranchers Answer The Call During COVID-19 Outbreak 60. Texas A&M Forest Service Helping With COVID - 19 Relief 62. Farmer Who? 64. New Humic Product Boosting Onion Yields In The Southwest Through A Novel, Dual-Action Formula 70. We Had 975 Head of Cattle This Week
Cover Photo taken by Aaron Treviño Year 6, Issue 35 May/June 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
Ag Mag Questions & answers
MAN BEHIND THE MIC
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Q&A
MAN BEHIND THE MIC
What inspired you to start the podcast ?
How effective do you think podcast are these days ?
It was a combination of things. I was in the middle of a two-year agriculture leadership program with 30 other people. All of them were so damn ambitious and driven. I was at a point in my life where I was kinda on cruise control. I had a desire to create, but just didn’t know how.
They are definitely more mainstream now, than when I started. I think they have earned a spot with main stream ag media.
I had Carrie Zylka come and hunt (I’m a licensed deer outfitter), and she was doing a hunting podcast. Between the inspiration of my classmates and Carrie, it just kinda came together.
Do you farm too ? Yes, I am a 5th generation farmer that raises corn and soybeans with my wife in Illinois.
Tell us a little about yourself… history
I started June 24, 2018
I’ve been married 24 years, and have 4 kids. I returned to the farm, after college, to work as a hired man for my dad. I bought my parents out in 2008 and have been farming ever since.
What is the main purpose of the podcast ?
The podcast has led to an XM nationwide daily radio show, which in turn has led to my own television show on RFD-TV.
When did you start ?
SharkFarmer Podcast is a business to business podcast, telling the stories of agriculture to people in agriculture. I do another podcast, What The Farm Podcast, with Lesley Kelly from Saskatchewan. It is more focused on bridging the gap between rural and urban.
What achievements have you received ? Lol….none I don’t play well with others.
Most memorable guest ? A South African Farmer who talked about the atrocities happening in his areas. He said he would die before being forced from his farm. Two weeks later, his social media went silent and he never returned another text.
Tell me a little about Emily and how she plays a key factor in your success Emily started getting involved the “SharkFarmer brand” when the podcast started to take off. She’s amazing! She is the producer of the radio show and my right hand for the TV show. I’m very creative, but lack skills in so many areas where she excels. She’s my everything and I wouldn’t be here without her.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TV SHOW RFD-TV The new show, SharkFarmerTV is meant to highlight the creative and interesting people of rural America. I truly love giving amazing people a platform to be highlighted.
Favorite interview ? I refuse to ever answer this question! M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ISSUES FIRST HEMP LICENSE IN TEXAS
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Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the first Texas industrial hemp license was issued earlier this week to a farmer in Killeen, Texas. The license grants this farmer the opportunity to grow hemp in Texas for one year. As a part of the application process, the applicant specified a facility where the hemp will be grown. This first license represents the long-awaited launch of the hemp industry in Texas following the passage of the Farm Bill by Congress in 2018. “Let’s face it, Texas farmers and ranchers needed some good news,” Commissioner Miller said. “I am happy that I can be the one to deliver it. I know Texas farmers have been eagerly waiting for a chance at these hemp licenses and now the wait is over.” As of today, the Texas Department of Agriculture has received a total of 546 industrial hemp applications including 458 producer applications, 58 handler applications, and 30 handler sampler applications. Each producer must also register a facility where the hemp will be grown and apply for a permit for every lot to be grown. Industrial hemp production is an opportunity for Texas farmers to expand their operations and grow alternative crops. Commissioner Miller has been a strong supporter of industrial hemp production and is optimistic it will offer farmers a new market accessibility, while also cautioning against unrealistic expectations. “License number #1 is just the beginning for industrial hemp in Texas,” Commissioner Miller said. “Hemp offers Texas farmers a great new opportunity, but I want them to understand that with every promise of high profit comes the reality of high risk. My job was to get this program started, its now up to farmers and processors to build that Texas ‘hempire.’” As a part of the application process, each licensee had to watch an educational video about the hemp program released by TDA and hosted by Commissioner Miller. That video is available here. To Frequently Asked Questions about the Texas hemp program or to apply for a hemp license, visit the TDA Hemp page at this link: https://www.texasagriculture.gov/RegulatoryPrograms/Hemp.aspx
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China Returns for Sorghum BY: JOHN DUFF Originally published in the Spring 2020 issue of Sorghum Grower
A
fter more than two years of economic storm clouds hanging over your industry due to the trade war with China, you’re now selling sorghum to the Asian giant once again. From duck feeders, to dairies, to baijiu producers, the engines of China’s agricultural economy are once again humming along on U.S. sorghum. U.S. agriculture overwhelmingly voted for sweeping overhauls of global trading systems when it played a key role helping elect Donald J. Trump president in 2016. And in the throes of a trade war with their largest export partner, farmers largely stuck with President Trump, believing relationships with U.S. trading partners could be even better. Today, sorghum farmers are finally being rewarded for their persistence as sorghum is moving out and basis is moving up. In late 2017, National Sorghum Producers staff began monitoring discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials. At the time, U.S. sorghum farmers were selling approximately half their crop to China and total exports were coming off historically strong levels, so the prospect of a trade war was unsettling—even if it was largely expected. The situation quickly deteriorated, and in response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum products, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Commerce self-initiated two investigations into imports of U.S. sorghum. Export volumes and basis across the country both crashed in spectacular fashion (see Figures 1 and 2). After a seemingly endless number of false starts over what felt like an eternity, the U.S. and China finally reached an agreement on January 15. President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He held a signing
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ceremony (attended by National Sorghum Producers Chairman Dan Atkisson of Stockton, Kansas) at the White House and the Phase One deal went into effect on February 14. Understandably, neither U.S. nor Chinese officials wished to send signals which might distort planting or other market decisions, so we were left to speculate on the deal’s exact provisions. However, based on history, we believed the volumes could be highly significant for sorghum farmers. The deal required China to purchase an additional $32 billion in agricultural goods over the 2020-2021 period relative to the 2017 baseline. Given U.S. exports to China that year totaled $19.5 billion, this increase—if realized—would represent 64 percent growth over two years. Though this may seem like an impossibly lofty goal, Chinese agricultural imports peaked at $120 billion in 2018, so we believe it to be imminently achievable. The news was just as good for the sorghum industry as it was for U.S. agriculture overall. In the 2017 baseline year, U.S. farmers exported 181 million bushels of sorghum worth $838 million to China. Given 110 million of the 358 million bushels produced in 2019 are projected to be exported, sorghum basis will need to appreciate considerably if production volumes are to increase enough to meet the additional demand associated with the Phase One deal (assuming the increase in exports of sorghum relative to the baseline is similar to the increase in exports of all U.S. agricultural goods). While we still don’t know exactly how many bushels of U.S. sorghum China intends to purchase, we are hearing a large amount of positive information from merchandisers and seeing highly positive market movements. While anecdotal information in the absence of data should be treated skeptically, it is hard to ignore increased export purchase commitments and basis appreciation. Today, we have both—in spades. Figure 3 depicts the 15 largest weekly export commitments since USDA began publishing weekly data in 1999. The Phase One deal only went into effect on February 14, yet we have already seen two weeks with purchase commitments in the top 15, including the fifth-largest week ever. That week saw 17.5 million bushels in commitments in the days immediately following enactment of the Phase One deal, and most of those commitments could be attributed to China.
now 119 percent of the price of corn for the first time in several years), but if the purchase trend holds, appreciation will likely spread across the country. This change is striking on its own, but given the pace of commitments and basis gains even in the face of COVID-19 concerns is an extremely positive indication of the depth of demand for U.S. feed grains in China.
With so much demand from China, the next few years will be interesting. However, it will be important for U.S. sorghum farmers to send a signal to Chinese merchandisers beginning this year that we are ready and able to meet their needs. This means more acres and more production, and fortunately, the economics are on our side. Consider this: Kansas State University crop budgets for the south central region project a per acre return for sorghum of $96.57 compared to returns of $70.34 and $20.24 for corn and soybeans, respectively. These budgets project the price of sorghum at 91 percent of the price of corn. Think about the advantage for sorghum if basis moves to parity with corn.
, s r e m r a f m Sorghu oduct . ur pr o y s d e e n a in h C at h t o t p u p e t s ’s Let 0! 2 0 2 in e g n e ll a ch
With this abrupt increase in purchases, basis has already appreciated significantly (see Figure 4), and we expect this movement to continue as long as commitments continue. Today, most of the appreciation is concentrated around export terminals (where the price of sorghum is M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
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VETERANS TURNED FARMERS GET CREATIVE DURING COVID-19 BY NATALIE MONROE natalie@farmvetco.org
As the world reels from the COVID-19 pandemic, one group of Americans is providing the fuel to keep us going – our farmers. Planting cannot be postponed. Birthing animals cannot be canceled. Springtime does not wait until next year. Yet many small, independent farmers are getting hit hard. Farmers markets are closing. Farm-to-school programs are shutting down. Restaurant movement is reduced. The impact has been a gut-punch of immediate loss of business. But one thing is for sure. People need to eat. We need our farmers to keep us healthy through this crisis. As supermarkets are sold out and customers stand in line to meet their basic needs, a growing number of people are looking to their local farms.
ner. When COVID-19 hit he was in the middle of planting his spring vegetable crops. The wholesalers he buys his plants from were selling out faster than they could grow the crops. That spelled trouble. “We realized if we can’t buy the seedlings and plants, other folks were going to have a hard time too. If people can’t find what they need or don’t want to go into crowded stores, we need to do something to fill that gap,” recalls Cleaton, whose 20 years in the Army taught him that food security is a priority in any National emergency. That’s when he and his wife Cene, a registered nurse for the Department of the Army Civilian behavioral health, decided to shift from growing food for the community to helping them grow their own food.
Farmer veterans across the country are adapting to serve their local communities in this time of need. One national non-profit group – the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) which helps veterans pursue careers in agriculture – sees this time of uncertainty as a moment of great opportunity. Headquartered in Davis, California, their membership includes nearly 20,000 farmer veterans across America. Texas alone has almost 2,000. Many of them operate their own farms that are taking a hard hit. But that hasn’t stopped them from re-inventing the wheel. “If anyone can overcome and adapt, it’s our farmer veterans. Their military training has prepared them for this,” Natalie Monroe, Communications Director at FVC, proudly shares. “Our job is to help them continue to do just that.” And many have adapted, implementing new ways to make fresh food accessible to their communities. They have shown urgency and purpose. Their mood has shifted from distress to growth and even hope. One success story is Damon Cleaton of 4E Farms in Kemp-
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The Cleatons are using their extra starts and herbs to design live plant starter packages. “Salad Bowl” and “Grow-It-Yourself Salsa” are some take-home kits they now sell. These help folks who have never grown their own food to start plants with their kids. The results have been overwhelming and demand is high. The Cleaton kids – Emma, Ellen, Erich, and Edith and the inspiration behind their 4E Farms name – see who can plant the most trays a day to help the team get ahead of the demand. And while Damon only planned to farm 3.5 acres this year, because the crisis he is expanding to all seven acres of his cropland, thanks to other veterans who have stepped in to help. He wants to make sure folks in need can depend on them. Cene offers this insight: “Being able to plant a seed and grow a plant let’s people see and believe in the future.
That’s very important in a crisis because it gives people hope.” Uncertain times create moments of great opportunity. Damon has been helped along the way by Farmer Veteran Coalition. He sells his products under the Homegrown By Heroes label. It’s a powerful marketing tool for nearly 2,000 veteran-operated farms across the country. In 2019, FVC awarded him a $2,000 Fellowship Fund to purchase a flex planter. An annual small grant, the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund directly purchases a piece of equipment that the farmer has identified as crucial to their operation. Since 2011, FVC has awarded over 600 members totaling nearly $2.5 million. For hundreds of members, the grant has single-handedly made the difference in the launch of their farming operation. “What previously took us a day to plant an acre of corn or beans now takes us 15 minutes with the new planter. That’s a massive burden that is lifted when you are a disabled Vet,” Cleaton marveled. For Michael O’Gorman – FVC’s Founder & Executive Director – adding faces to the growing collection of Fellowship awardees is perhaps his most significant achievement. This, even for a man who helped build three of the country’s largest organic vegetable farms over his decades-long career in agriculture. In 2008, he founded Farmer Veteran Coalition out of the back of his pickup. “Sharing this opportunity with men and women returning home from war has been a wonderful and humbling experience. It has been an honor serving those who have served us. Their stories are downright inspirational. These farmer veterans are selfless and service-minded. They ask for very little.” Yet for all the optimism O’Gorman feels, it’s clouded with this stark realization – “Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect us. Now their livelihoods as farmers are on the line.” Earlier this month applications flooded in for the 2020 Fellowship Fund – a record 450 applicants, the most in the
program’s history. FVC only has funds to award a very small fraction. They are actively raising money to help more deserving candidates. Farmers who will in turn put food on our tables. Texas has the largest share of applicants at 50, and the Texas chapter of FVC is launching their own fundraiser. Run by John and Erin Kimbrough of College Station, the chapter directly impacts farmer veterans through Texas AgrAbility’s Battlegrounds to Breaking Ground program. And so, as we find ourselves in these unknown times of social distancing, FVC’s mission is paramount now more than ever before – Mobilize veterans to feed America. These farmer veterans have served their country twice – once by defending it, and a second time by feeding it. Their dedication in the field fuels us at home, and their new mission to feed the country has now taken on an even deeper significance. But uncertain times breed great opportunity, and with veterans like Damon Cleaton, the future of American agriculture looks bright.
About Farmer Veteran Coalition The mission of Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is mobilizing veterans to feed America. A national non-profit charity, it helps veterans pursue careers in farming or related agricultural professions. FVC fosters the collaboration of the farming and military communities and cultivates a new generation of farmers and food leaders. Rooted in their strong belief that veterans possess the unique skills and character needed to strengthen rural communities and create sustainable food systems, FVC recognizes that agriculture additionally offers veterans purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits. To contribute to the fundraiser campaign, visit www.farmvetco.org/donate or to follow along with member stories, find FVC on Facebook at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and Twitter at @FarmVetCo.
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Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand, and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Monsanto Technology/Stewardship Agreement that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.
Worldwide Responses Addressing Coronavirus Jolts Commodity Markets BY JOHN MILLER
In the Coronavirus outbreak, we have a highly infectious disease relatively new to humans that has our medical professionals working around the clock to find a treatment, and ultimately a vaccine, that will allow all of us to better deal physically and financially with this ailment of mysterious origins. The inconsistent nature of Coronavirus, and the fact that this disease is fatal to so many, has led to a wide variety of governmental and medical responses. As country’s around the world adjust social interaction, travel, and business activity policies to stop the spread of Coronavirus, economic activity worldwide has been dealt a jolt now being compared to the Great Depression. As we discuss below some of the most abrupt changes in the commodity markets this year, we must wonder how long before we can return to ‘normal’ daily lives, and how quickly (if at all) business activity will snap back to pre-Coronavirus levels.
By the end of April, more than 30 million US unemployment claims had been filed. From the chart below showing claims back to January, it is clear to see when shelter in place policies began to take effect. US unemployment is closely followed by the marketplace given the obviously important link to consumption including agricultural products. It is reasonable to suggest that high unemployment has a pronounced negative impact on the demand for goods and services related to agriculture, but some more than others. Think only of cotton to imagine a wide range of related products that are experiencing reduced sales due to consumers dealing with personal health or financial challenges, 16
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and/or government policies regulating social interaction. The next chart shows cotton futures prices over this same time period and helps one see how detrimental the Coronavirus has been on this market. To show cotton’s linkage to the overall economy, notice how closely cotton prices (black line) have followed the Down Jones Industrial Average (blue line). The ‘Dow’, and cotton, have rebounded somewhat over the past couple of weeks, but is still trading far below January levels; and well below profitable pricing opportunities for Valley farmers. The ‘Dow’ is showing more resilience of late, but this index reflects overall optimism about our ultimate ability to control the Coronavirus. Time will tell. The corn and sorghum markets have also had to endure a sharp drop in prices. Like cotton, exports are vital for helping to keep corn futures (which sorghum also depends) stabilized at levels that provide profitable selling oppor tunities for Valley farmers. Since about 2007, the ethanol industry has grown to consume approximately 40 percent of the US corn crop. This growth that peaked in 2013 has helped the marketplace to absorb greater corn acreage and production and keep any oversupply at reasonable levels. And now the ethanol industry is under a serious threat. The reduced economic activity brought on by Coronavirus has led to a drastic reduction in driving for any reason. It is estimated that gasoline demand in the US has fallen by half due to the impacts of the Coronavirus, and etha nol has dropped correspondingly. Previous exports of ethanol to places like China or Brazil has vanished as well given similar situations there. The price chart below shows the magnitude of the corn futures price drop (black line) compared to the drop of ethanol prices (blue line). Also notice from the ethanol production chart just how stark the change has been for ethanol production. This chart illustrates weekly ethanol production in barrels ()000) over the past 5 years. It is not hard to see from the dark blue line that since January, weekly production has fallen from just over 1 million barrels per week to a current 550 million barrels. This collapse is historic. With ethanol producers operating deep in the red, a considerable number of plants have closed, and all others have cut production consider-
ably. Many have laid off employees given the uncertainty about how long it will take for gasoline demand to rebound enough to bring those facility’s back in the black. Again, exports including more China ‘Phase 1’ sales are needed.
Regaining momentum in the Chinese market, and the many other markets we serve as well, is key to getting commodity prices back in profitable territory. With comfortable world agricultural production levels for most products, and uncertainty abound concerning the speed of recovery after a better control of Coronavirus, our ability to compete for and supply the needs of country’s desiring to replenish reserve supplies post-Coronavirus is so important. From both a daily living and overall economic standpoint, all eyes are on our medical professionals and political leadership as they strive to balance safe ty and economic sustainability. And while it makes sense that the US govern ment has provided some measure of market loss assistance payments to agriculture the past two years due to the
There are some bright spots starting to emerge. Over the past couple of weeks, China has stepped in and purchased numerous vessels of US soybeans and sorghum. With soybeans, the US is experiencing very tough export competition from Brazil due to big crops there and an historically low currency value against the US Dollar. But short windows of opportunity for US soybeans emerge from time-to-time despite China’s continued battle against the African Swine Fever that has culled a third of hogs there. And while the Chinese sorghum purchases have so far been for remaining 2019 supplies, this has generated a lot of optimism that China will, after being largely absent for 3 seasons, again become a major destination for US sorghum. And this goes for US corn and ethanol, and a myriad of other US farm products that had also been making inroads into Chinese markets.
Chinese trade war and now Coronavirus, with a third round for later this year being discussed, I am sure that Valley farmers would much rather operate in a world where the marketplace alone provides profitable opportunities.
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s d n e i r F r Dea S L V G R e h t of
With this year’s 2020 stock show behind us, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our friends out in the agricultural community for standing behind us and continuing to support this event that we hold near and dear to our hearts. The 81st annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show will go down as one of, if not, the most unique and challenging stock shows in its long history. As we prepared and worked toward the March 12th opening day of the show, I can truly say that the entire staff and Board of Directors here did all we could to make sure that we were ready to present and complete an organized, successful, and lucrative livestock show. I know, in my heart, that we were ready for a banner event. A tremendous amount of planning and preparation went into the event only to see our hopes and dreams torn apart by the Corona Virus and mandates that ceased operations short of its intended completion. In the end, we realized and respected the fact that it had to be done. On Monday, March 16th, we received the call from the county judge and health officials ordering us to shut down operations at midnight. All of this occurred six days prior to the scheduled end of our show. Through our concern and diligence, and the understanding and compassion of the county, we were given two additional days to afford the exhibitors of market animals an opportunity to show their projects and have them sold. Although the modified, abbreviated show cost us the capability of ending in a positive manner from a financial standpoint, the smiles and gratitude from our exhibitors, their parents, and many others somehow helped ease the pain in the end. It is, and will always be, the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and its Board of Director’s intent to do all possible to see that we do everything we can for the ultimate benefit of the FFA and 4-H exhibitors of the Valley. To say my inaugural year here at Mercedes as the new General Manager of the RGVLS has been interesting is an understatement-it’s been one heck of a ride! However, with the ongoing support of our many sponsors, RGVLS Board of Directors, and all of our friends, we will surge forward and survive this hopeful once in a lifetime type of show, and see that 2021 and beyond brings us bigger and brighter days. Your support and words of kindness mean the world to us, and is greatly appreciated - THANK YOU !
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Sincerely,
Mando Correa, General Manager Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show
4113 S. Sugar Rd. Ste. 1 Edinburg, TX 78539 (956) 205-0231 Open Mon - Sat 10am - 7pm
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Cotton and Grain Update 2020
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BY HOLLY DAVIS AND DANIELLE SEKULA
y first year here in South Texas is going well and I am very grateful for the warm welcome and tremendous amount of guidance I have received from colleagues, consultants, growers, and industry folks. It has been wonderful to be out in the field and I have been using this time to learn, learn, learn! We are currently working to develop applied research programs that hone in on a few of our key arthropod pests, for example cotton fleahoppers and Verde plant bugs in cotton. However, these will still be down the road just a bit.
Research and Extension Station to conduct a number of trials on various vegetables including onion thrips, diamondback moth, whiteflies, and potato psyllids.
For this growing season we are planning several foliar and in-furrow efficacy trials in cotton looking at thrips, aphids, and cotton fleahoppers. I am also working closely with colleagues on the Weslaco AgriLife
It is great to be able to work with these companies and see some new products in the field. I look forward to bringing results of some of these trials to growers in the coming year.
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Holly Davis
This year cotton acreage is considerably down from last year. For 2019 we had around 205,800 acres of cotton planted compared to this year 2020 with barely 166,000 planted cotton acres. Acreage is dwindling fast due to the extreme drought conditions with estimates of maybe 130,000 acres of cotton that will make it to harvest for 2020. Across the LRGV row crops are thirsty for water and maturing fast. In cotton we started off with heavy thrips infestations along the Rio Grande. Fleahopper infestations have been very few to none and cotton aphid infestations have been moderate throughout the Valley. Red spidermites have been spotted more this year in stressed cotton and whitefly adults have been showing up in cotton earlier this year and now starting to pick up on nymphs in the Mid Valley cotton. With all these pests in cotton showing up there has been no shortage of predators on the scene as we saw several minute pirate bugs feeding on whitefly nymphs and several ladybug larvas as well feeding on cotton aphids too. In grain sorghum it seems that sugarcane aphids are present once again as they have been increasing in populations and might be a problem prior to harvest. We are seeing many parasitized aphids; both the blue and tan mummies are present. Many syrphids, lacewings, scymnus, and ladybugs in all stages (adults and larvas).
Cotton blooms turning pink
Minute pirate bug feeding on whitefly nymph in cotton
Fleahopper adult in cotton
For more information and the most current Pest Cast for the LRGV please visit: https://southtexas.tamu. edu/programs-and-services/ipm
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The Covid-19 global pandemic BY KALAN ROYAL
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he Covid-19 global pandemic has exposed the importance of the American farmer and rancher. As imports are halted and shopping habits change farmers and ranchers across the United States are adapting to sell their crops and ensure consumers have the ability to access a safe supply of food. Many farms and ranches have opened their farms for direct buying and you-picks following the CDC guidelines for sanitation and social distancing while others are offering curbside pickup and online ordering options. Thankfully we still have 1% of America’s population farming and ranching but as farm bankruptcies and foreclosures continue to increase with over 100,000 in the last 5 years we as consumers have a responsibility to buy American grown and raised. American farmers and ranchers ensure that we have a safe and reliable source of food and fiber as consumers we need America’s farmers and ranchers to continue doing what they are doing. Covid-19 has been an eye opening reminder of why Americans must buy American grown and raised to keep our agriculturalists in business. The danger of America’s dependency on a foreign food supply is a real threat to the viability of this country. Becoming fully dependent on foreign countries to produce our food and fiber is an absolute threat to the national security of our country and one we can no longer ignore. As American farmers and ranchers step up during this crisis by donating
food to those in need and adapting to ensure we have access to a safe food and fiber source we as consumers must step up and cast a vote to keep them in business with our purchases. Check the label and buy American grown and raised, ask the produce managers at the grocery store where are the American grown products and let them know you want American grown and raised or find a local farm or farm market in your area that sells direct to the public. Michelle L. Grainger with the Executive Farm Management Program said “There has never been a more important time to speak up and demand American grown.” Bud Chiles, a blueberry grower out of Tallahassee, started the Demand American Grown campaign to encourage consumers to buy American grown and raised products and is working on ways to better let consumers know what products are American grown and raised. We can no longer just thank America’s farmers and ranchers, we have to thank them by supporting them with out purchases. We cannot become dependent on a foreign food supply and put the national security of America in jeopardy. If there is one silver lining among the chaos of the Covid-19 global pandemic I hope that it is consumers recognize and remember the importance of the American farmer and rancher and buying American grown and raised to keep them in business. Have a blessed day and buy USA!
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BY DALE MURDEN
To say that things here in the LRGV have been interesting of late, would be putting it very mildly, I’m afraid. COVID-19, drought, labor and market disruptions just to touch on a few, have dominated our every move here the last few months.
We’ll start with COVID-19 An old friend with the Texas Farm Bureau, Gary Joiner and I, were talking a few weeks ago about the farmers and ranchers being on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I think he captured it best. Below is an excerpt from his recent “Your Texas Agriculture Minute” column. “We salute the healthcare providers and first responders battling the virus head-on. Their work is admired and appreciated. Heroes every day. No doubt about it. There’s another front line, though. It’s the battle to deliver food to U.S. families. And those individuals protecting our nation’s food security are also answering the call. Everyday. It’s not just farmers and ranchers. It’s the entire food supply chain. From the workers harvesting crops to the grocery store employees stocking shelves. They’re all ensuring America has food to eat. The pandemic has changed the way agriculture is operating. It’s meant new safety precautions and procedural changes on farms. From adding handwashing and sanitizing stations in the field to limiting person-to-person interactions, as much as possible, farmers are taking all the precautions possible to protect themselves, their workers and their communities. Many Texas growers are thanking workers in special ways. In the Rio Grande Valley, one grower is adding “appreciation pay” to worker paychecks, offering paid lunches and giving food packs to more than 400 people.
It’s expensive, they say, but it’s the right thing to do. Those on the front line delivering food to U.S. families deserve it. One thing is certain. The pandemic has put a laser focus on the importance of America’s food security and the people on the front line who make is possible.” Well said Mr. Joiner sir, and we echo the
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THANK YOU to all essential folks on the front lines! Now on to just a few other realities facing our commercial citrus growers. As of this writing, our drought situation has not improved. The U.S. combined storage share for Amistad and Falcon stood at 50.91%, down from 64.46% for the same period last year. Falcon alone stood at 23%. Most of the Valley stands at severe too extreme on the drought monitor index. Unfortunately, one recent rain event up in Willacy County also brought with it damaging hail. While Mexico is not yet technically in debt on water payments to the U.S. under the terms of the 1944 Treaty, they are behind again in payments. The United States negotiated in good faith during the recent USMCA agreements so I would urge you to contact your Congressmen and Senators to let Mexico know this is unacceptable. Many of our irrigation districts have reached a very critical allocation level and might not have enough to make it through this summer, thus jeopardizing many Valley agricultural commodities. The 2019-2020 citrus harvest will be complete when you are reading this, but below is where things stood at the end of March. Our grapefruit crop stood at 3,831,582 cartons of fresh as opposed to 3,673,898 cartons for the same period last year. The early orange crop brought in 1,196,997 cartons of fresh as opposed to 1,159,533 cartons lasts season Our navel orange crop stood at 369,965 cartons of fresh which is also up from 352,993 cartons last season And the Valencia crop is also up at 329,006 cartons from last season’s 297,964 cartons a year ago. While overall fresh production is up almost 240,000 cartons, our industry still faces many challenges ahead. Exports to countries in the European Union were down significantly this season due to the almost impossible to achieve (MRL) maximum residue levels put in place this year. Many see this as merely a trade barrier and we
continue to work to re-open this important market. Our ongoing battle against HLB or citrus greening is another war we are waging. This disease has decimated the mighty Florida industry and some growers are now reporting visual signs here as well. Scouting by USDA, TDA and the TCPDMC has shown the disease throughout our LRGV. We continue to fight the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) populations that spread the disease, through scouting, dormant sprays and all the best management practices we can employ. Scientists worldwide are searching for the answers through working to develop resistant varieties and possible cures. Tree and root health are a must until that help arrives. Citrus Canker is yet another disease we are watching with a wary eye. Thus far the only positive finds have been limited to lemon and lime trees found mainly in dooryard properties in southern Cameron County. Our Texas Department of Agriculture has done an excellent job of removing these infected trees to reduce the spread.
son looked to be a good one and as we set fruit that will make our next crop, we wish you and your families well as we begin the fight back from something many of us have never before experienced. So next time you see anyone working on the front lines be sure to THANK THEM. Without these folks we would be much much worse off. But let’s also not forget the employees and owners of any small businesses forced to shut down during this crisis. We all need them and the world up and running again and soon. On behalf of the commercial citrus industry in Texas we thank each and everyone one of you and pray for good health and a return to normalcy soon. Sincerely, Dale Murden
Unfortunately this season we have seen record numbers of wild Mexican Fruit Flies and larvae which has triggered a large quarantine in Harlingen/Brownsville and a smaller quarantine in La Sara. For a commercial growers within the quarantines this adds a devastating expense to an already expensive venture as we must spray on a ten-day schedule until harvest is completed on that grove to maintain certification status by the USDA. These are just a few of the things we are battling in the Texas commercial citrus industry, but to be sure, there were many others we didn’t have room to discuss and will save for another edition. In closing, I hope to leave with a positive. The new bloom this sea-
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Healthcare workers with Christus Trinity System in masks provided by the Hopkins County Medical Mask Sewing Group. The Facebook group, which has Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service volunteer organization members among its number, has already produced and distributed more than 1,100 masks and plans to produce at least 500 more. (Courtesy photo)
Facing off against
COVID-19
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AgriLife Extension organization volunteers make face masks during time of critical need
BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG
he Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and its network of volunteers are responding to the shortage of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing badly needed face masks. In a coordinated response to requests from throughout the state for face masks and to meet anticipated additional demand, AgriLife Extension has developed and initiated Operation Face Mask, said Joyce Cavanagh, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist in family and community health and project coordinator, College Station.
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asking whether our volunteers can provide homemade face masks,” she said. “We heard from home health agencies, hospitals and clinics, family practice offices, assisted living facilities and cancer clinics.” Cavanagh said once they put the word out to agency affiliated volunteer organizations the response was impressive. “We received a quick response and a broader one than we had expected given the COVID-19 situation and shelter-in-place restrictions,” she said.
Cavanagh said Operation Face Mask is enlisting the services of several AgriLife Extension volunteer organizations to make and distribute cloth face masks to help relieve some of the competition for N-95 medical face masks throughout the state. The effort includes volunteers from the Texas Extension Education Association, 4-H clubs, Master Wellness Volunteer program, Healthy Texas program, Master Clothing group and Texas 4-H Ambassador program.
She said AgriLife Extension volunteers have already begun responding to requests from local and statewide healthcare providers. The volunteer response began March 23 in Hopkins County, and additional efforts are now underway in at least 11 additional counties, with more counties expected to participate. “Our agents from participating counties have reported more than 1,100 masks have been produced and distributed so far, with about 90% of those going into their local communities,” Cavanagh said.”
Cavanagh said the shortage of personal protective equipment has led many working in healthcare to seek other options. “Many of our AgriLife Extension offices have received calls
The face masks are being made for use consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Cavanagh said. Per CDC guidelines, health care professionals may use
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homemade masks for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort. “These face masks are not being used as a substitute or replacement for N-95 masks,” said Angela McCorkle, AgriLife Extension program specialist – family and youth, also a coordinator for Operation Face Mask. “Homemade masks are not strictly for front-line use and should ideally be used in combination with a clear plastic shield that covers the entire front of the face from the top of the head to below the chin and over both sides of the face.”
COVID-19 high-risk groups.” McCorkle also noted due to immediacy of need and shelter-in-place restrictions, many volunteers are using their own fabric and sewing supplies to make the masks, and that too has led to some unexpected
She said healthcare locations using the masks will most likely employ them to help protect high-risk patients, including those with underlying medical problems, and to provide a degree of protection for people in waiting rooms and other areas where there may be a risk of infection. “This will allow medical professionals to have access to more of the N-95 masks, which are so badly needed and in such short supply these days,” McCorkle said. She said those making the masks are complying with local guidelines for sheltering in place, so this has been more of
Kendall County 4-H members Lexie (with glasses) and Savana Womble show the face masks they made for nurses at a hospital in Floresville. The girls also made masks with their grandmother, Shirley Womble, which they gave to school nurses in the Boerne ISD. (Photo courtesy Sarah Womble)
shortages. “One of the challenges has been that elastic is hard to find just now, and one of the mask patterns volunteers are following uses elastic, while another uses cloth ties,” she said. “And some of the healthcare facilities we’re trying to provide masks for prefer the ones made with elastic.” Mask distribution is being coordinated through the county agent, a statewide cancer care network, state and local healthcare facilities and JoAnn fabric stores.
Kay Pressley, a member of the Crafty Ladies Club of the Texas Extension Education Association in Rains County, shows some of the cloth face masks she made as part of Operation Face Mask. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)
an individual project among AgriLife Extension organization volunteers. “We have a system of collecting finished items that maintains recommended social distancing and disinfection protocols,” she said. “We suggested volunteers in high-risk categories get other volunteers to deliver materials for sewing and pick up finished items. We also suggest mask pick-up and delivery could be jobs for volunteers who do not sew and are not in
“In addition to a number of local requests, we were contacted by a statewide cancer care network that was willing to accept all the masks these volunteers could produce and either deliver to one of their many centers across the state or send to a specific center for statewide distribution.” Cavanagh said volunteers will continue to make the face masks for as long as the need continues. “This project has given AgriLife Extension and many of our AgriLife Extension volunteer groups an opportunity to participate in a project to meet the needs of communities as well as support a statewide effort,” Cavanagh said. “It proves that even when people can’t physically be in the same location, they can still work together to achieve a common purpose during a critical time.” M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
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Foraging Ahead:
Farmers and ranchers not stopping in the time of Cornonavirus
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BY KATHRYN BRADY
hink back just five months ago to January when we thought one of the biggest things to happen this year would be the wildfires in Australia. And we were see ing news reports of the Chinese wearing masks and staying home and thinking it would not happen here. So much has changed this year, in a way we could have never imagined. Already, even though we are still fighting our way through Covid-19; we are different people. We have begun to realize and acknowledge the people who silently do their jobs taking care of the nation because they care about others and not because of the pay. We’ve finally realized the importance of teachers and how hard they work, the always vigilant nurses, the grocery store worker behind the counter, the tucker delivering products and last, but not least the farmer and rancher. Quickly consumers realized that food doesn’t come from a grocery store and it may not always be available, quickly we realized that agriculture provides for our nation in more ways than just food, it provides the fiber for the illusive toilet paper and some of the ingredients in cleaning products. Quickly we realized that there is not an unlimited supply of these products and that they take time to produce and that before the time of Corona we in the United States were
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fortunate for the low prices we pay for these products when farmers get paid next to nothing for producing them. About one or two weeks into the pandemic Hays County began its restrictions on restaurants, not allowing more than 10 people (including employees) in the restaurant at any one time; virtually shutting down eateries to sit-down, in-house customers. And then just a few short days later Hays County was under a stay-at-home, work-from-home order. This was when one of my farmers, Shawn Fagan of Fagan Family Farms called me to ask if there was any USDA assistance available yet. Already he had lost all or most of his restaurant clientele, since they were no longer buying his produce. But he was resilient and determined and wasn’t going to let the restaurant industry slow him. He said that he had asked the local H-E-B’s if he could sell his produce to them and was going to start a neighborhood farmers market. Thus, is the way of farmers, being of a stubborn and determined lot, who have been through hard times before and are determined to make it through no matter what life throws at them. For that we are grateful. “Farmers have to make sure we can get food at the grocery store,” Laramie Adams, Texas Farm Bureau’s National Legislative Director said. But despite high demand for food products, Adams says farmers and ranchers are still feeling the financial effects
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A report in Ag Week reminds us that “the impact of COVID-19 on agriculture is something we’ve been reporting about for a few months, ever since it reared its head in China. We’ll continue to report about the pandemic and how it affects agriculture and our rural areas.” During this difficult time, we salute the farmers and ranchers who will keep doing what they always do caring for animals, the land and keeping our country and world fed. We applaud the food system workers processing and packaging, the truck drivers who keep driving roads across the country to get the shelves stocked and the food, and the pharmacy workers keeping essentials available to make sure commerce doesn’t completely stop. We cheer the medical professionals who put their own lives at risk to care for others. But as those of us in agriculture know, even when the world is a mess, the cows still need to be fed. In some areas, the corn still needs to be combined. Planting decisions still need to be made. And, of course, people still need to eat.
Isaiah 55:10
come down … in a r e th s A o not return d d n a n e v a e from H the earth g in r te a w t u to it witho nd flourish, a d u b it g in k and ma the sower r fo d e e s s ld so that it yie the eater. r fo d a e r b d an
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from COVID-19.
And remember, to thank a farmer or rancher, a grocery store worker, a teacher, a trucker. we’ll get through this. As agriculturalists, as communities, as a country — we’ll get through this. Be confident of that.
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USDA NRCS Offers Final Year of Funding for Monarch Initiative The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer a final year of funding for conservation efforts that help farmers and ranchers in Texas provide food and habitat for Monarch butterflies. This targeted effort will invest $183,825 through the Conservation Stewardship Program in 2020 to help combat the species’ decline. The deadline to apply for this round of funding is June 5, 2020. “Texas plays a critical role in conservation efforts aimed at increasing Monarch populations given the state’s strategic location along the species migratory pathway,” said Claude Ross, acting NRCS state conservationist for Texas. “Our agency has been working with private landowners and our conservation partners to establish and enhance desired and beneficial habitat for the winter and spring migrations of the Monarch butterfly.” The focus of this project to implement enhancements/practices in order to improve/enhance habitat that will benefit the Monarch Butterfly, pollinators, and other wildlife as well as assisting to reduce erosion, control invasive species, enhance soil health, provide quality livestock forage, and make agricultural operations more resilient and productive.
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Some of the key enhancements/practices are:
• E327B: Establish Monarch Butterfly habitat • E528B: Grazing Management that improves Monarch Butterfly habitat • E512I: Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect and/or monarch habitat • 512: Forage and Biomass Planting • 327: Conservation Cover This conservation initiative is part of a 10-state national effort targeting the heart of the monarch’s migratory route, with Texas being a key state in that migration pattern. To learn more about this Monarch conservation effort, contact your local NRCS Service Center at www.farmers.gov/connect and visit the NRCS website at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.
NRCS Accepting Applications for Urban, Rural Garden Grants The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting grant applications until May 29, 2020, to establish gardens, rainwater harvesting systems and high tunnels through Project G.R.E.E.N. (Growing Roots for Education, Environment and Nutrition) and through the Texas NRCS Urban and Rural Conservation Project. Grant funding will help establish gardens to grow healthy produce in areas of need and to educate urban and rural youth, organizations, and communities about the importance of conservation, agriculture and growing healthy fresh vegetables. The Texas Urban and Rural Conservation Project will provide technical and financial assistance to eligible entities to establish or improve gardens for food production and pollinator habitat, including habitat for monarch butterflies, to install rainwater harvesting systems, and to establish high tunnels to extend the growing season for fruits and vegetables. These grants are available to entities other than schools.
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Project G.R.E.E.N. (Growing Roots for Education, Environment and Nutrition) grants are available only to independent, private, public and state controlled school districts, and private, public and state controlled institutions of higher education. The grants have four components–community gardens, pollinator habitat, high tunnels and rainwater harvesting systems. Applicants can apply for one, two, three or all four components of the grant in one application. “Even in today’s modern world, there are areas of the U.S. that don’t have easy access to affordable, fresh foods that make up a healthy diet,” said NRCS Acting State Conservationist for Texas Drenda Williams. “These areas are considered food deserts; this grant opportunity helps address those.” These grant opportunities are efforts to challenge community organizations, educational institutions and Native American tribes to establish community
and school gardens across Texas. Pollinator habitat planted with gardens can provide an increase in harvest potential while providing food and habitat for declining insect communities in Texas. Grants are available for up to $4,000 for a vegetable garden, $3,000 for a pollinator garden, $5,000 for a rainwater harvesting system and $6,500 for a seasonal high tunnel. The notice of funding opportunity for both grants is available at https://www.grants. gov. Applications for Project G.R.E.E.N. (opportunity number USDA-NRCS-TXPG-20-GEN0010731) and applications for the Texas Urban and Rural Conservation Project (opportunity number USDANRCS-TX-URCP-20-GEN0010730) are due May 29, 2020. Additional information can be found at
www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.
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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
A Letter from the Editor Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Being the people pleaser I used to be one --I would do anything to feel “accepted.” I used to be the girl who would say what people wanted to hear. I used to be the girl who would always say “yes” in fear that saying “no” would upset someone. One’s perspective of me was my main concern. It was almost as if I was living my life for others and neglecting my own needs. When my mom died, the people-pleaser stage quickly came to end. It was as if God used this traumatic experience to show me that my life was to be lived for me and Him, not for others. I realized that the people who said they cared actually didn’t. I had spent all this time trying to please them that I became unhappy. The people I was trying to impress didn’t wait for me at home every night, they didn’t see me behind closed doors, they didn’t pay my bills. The people who said they cared really didn’t. I promise they didn’t go home every night and think about my well-being, yet I was going home trying to figure out how to impress them. My first job out of college was at a news station and I remember the news director telling me I would never make it as a news director because I didn’t have the voice or the looks. If I wanted to make it I needed to change this and that about my appearance. So guess what I did? You’re right, I changed my entire look… and for what? Absolutely nothing. I never became a news anchor and I certainly don’t want to be one now. I stressed for nothing. It was not in God’s plan for me to pursue that occupation. In today’s society, it’s almost as if we are expected to be a certain way, and if we are not we are looked down upon. I have been through a lot, as many of us have, and it’s opened my eyes to the fact that life is short and I will not waste it on being someone I am not. I used to hold back my jokes, I used to lie in order to make myself look better, the list goes on. In my mid-30s, I have learned how to be myself and do what makes me happy. It is easier said than done, but after many years I am slowly becoming the person God wants me to be and I am learning how to be comfortable in my own skin. I love myself. I love all my faults. I love all my strengths and, most importantly, when I started to be the real me “the real friends” came. I’ve learned that it’s OK to say “no.” I learned that when I was constantly saying “yes” to everyone, I was telling myself “no.” It is OK to be funny, It is OK to be unique. If we hold ourselves back from being who God wants us to be because we are trying to please people, we will never be happy. We will never accomplish the great things that God has in store for us. Remember, when we care about what other people think of us, we will always be a prisoner to people. I cannot tell you the key to the happiest of lives, but I can tell you that trying to please everyone will lead to failure. The only person we should be trying to please is God. He is the one whom all things flow from. Don’t be afraid of losing people. Be afraid of losing yourself by trying to please those around you. Be yourself. It’s OK!
Chinese Sorghum Market: A Return to Form
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BY PATRICK WADE, Texas Grain Sorghum Producers | Policy Director
n recent months, many key sectors of the United States economy have slowed to a standstill. Airlines are grounded, restaurants are restricted, and many service workers have been furloughed or relegated to home offices. However, agricultural production has not missed a beat. Farmers in Texas and across the sorghum belt are continuing to plant a new crop. The good news is, for the first time in over two years, one of the most critical sorghum markets is returning to full operation as well. To review, from 2013-2018, China was the single-largest purchaser of U.S. sorghum in the world. Following outreach efforts by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, the U.S. Grains Council, and Texas Grain Sorghum Producers, Chinese duck and swine operations began to incorporate as much sorghum as they could into their feed rations. During that period of six years, China imported a total of 1.15 billion bushels of U.S. sorghum (29.2 million metric tons) for a total value of $6.1 billion. Then, in February of 2018, the bustling U.S.-China sorghum trade was fastened into the tip of the spear in what would become a prolonged and bitter trade war. In response to the Section 201 tariffs levied on Chinese washing machines and
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Section 201 tariffs levied on Chinese washing machines and solar panels by the U.S. government, the Chinese government instigated a baseless countervailing duties/antidumping investigation that resulted in a 179% tariff on U.S. sorghum. Accordingly, exports of sorghum - and eventually all agricultural products - to China soon dried up. However, although sales had ceased, the U.S. sorghum industry maintained the robust relationships with Chinese end-users that it had established earlier. And even more importantly, U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators continued to work towards a trade policy agreement that would reopen access to each country’s market. This work culminated in the Phase One agreement, which was signed in January and took effect on February 14, 2020. Phase One includes important regulatory concessions that endeavor to guarantee long-term market access for U.S. goods into China. However, the provision pertaining to increased agricultural purchases is more immediately important to Texas sorghum producers. The purchases provision is relatively vague; there is no set schedule for these purchases, and no publicly-known breakdown on a commodity-by-commodity basis. Instead, Phase One obligates China to make $80 billion
worth of agricultural purchases from February 2020 to December 2021. That sum takes the baseline of $24 billion in total agricultural sales to China in 2017 ($48 billion over two years) and adds $32 billion. There is an option to flex an additional $5 billion to the total, as well. The purchases are slightly backloaded to 2021, with $36.5 billion of the $80 billion allocated to 2020, $12.5 billion more than the 2017 baseline. Within that 2017 baseline, sorghum exports to China comprised $838,200,000 of the $24 billion, down from a high of over $2.1 billion in 2015.
soaring across the sorghum belt. However, recent reports have showed that, in total, China only purchased $5.5 billion in U.S. agricultural goods in the first quarter of 2020. In order to meet their $36.5 billion obligation for 2020, China would essentially need to double its Q1 purchases in each of the remaining quarters. Whether or not China will be able to meet its precise commitments in Phase One is still to be seen, but all signs are pointing towards U.S. sorghum maintaining its place as a key commodity in Chinese operations.
For the first few weeks after Phase One took effect on February 14, China was sluggish in its purchases. The country’s economy was still paralyzed by COVID-19, unable to dedicate the necessary resources to begin mass imports. However, as China recovered and its dockworkers and end-users began returning to work, sales and shipments finally began to return to their former paces. Because the U.S. sorghum industry’s relationships with Chinese buyers remained intact throughout the trade war, there was a clear path to resume purchases.
Earlier, it was noted that China’s purchases since Phase One took effect would comprise over half of the entire Texas crop from 2019. Texas produced one-quarter of the national sorghum crop in 2019, second only to Kansas. However, although the U.S. sorghum that China purchases originates from many states across the sorghum belt, Texas is a cornerstone of the sorghum export business. Unlike soybeans, whose sizable exports to China either travel down the Mississippi River and leave through ports in Louisiana or move west out of Pacific coastal ports, sorghum exports flow through Texas and load onto ships in Texas ports.
From February 14-April 16, China purchased 45,500,000 bushels (1.2 million metric tons) of grain sorghum. In just two months, China effectively bought a volume of sorghum equal to half of the entire sorghum crop in Texas in 2019 (85,400,000 bushels). On average, over those nine reporting weeks, China has purchased 5 million bushels per week and has yet to have a week below 2.7 million bushels. During the week ending in March 12, China had one of its largest purchases on record: 7.9 million bushels. In fact, if you take the five reporting weeks in March and add up the purchases, the month ranks as the 10th strongest five-week period of sorghum sales to China in history (this ranking excludes five-week periods that overlap - for instance, China bought 18.6 million bushels in the reporting week ending on November 30, 2017, so every five-week period that includes that week would disproportionately high). In response to China’s renewed purchases, sorghum basis is
In fact, from 2013-2018, three out of every four boats of sorghum that went to China left from a Texas port. In 2017, the baseline year for Phase One and the last full calendar year of tariff-free agricultural sales to China, 82% of all sorghum shipments to China left from Texas ports. That year, Texas ports were responsible for over $700 million in export sales to China, and they reached a peak of $1.47 billion in facilitated sorghum trade to China in 2015. As China returns to the U.S. sorghum market, it’s important that Texas has the logistics and infrastructure needed to continue to play a key role. By no account has 2020 been a normal year. This country and the world have seen unprecedented economic and social upheaval. For sorghum producers and the China market, though, for the first time in two years there is reason to believe that things may finally be returning to normal.
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THANK
Thank you to everyone during this time. Instea farmer this edition, I wan involved in the a So thank you from the God bless you, your fami 44
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K YOU!
e involved in agriculture ad of highlighting one nt to highlight everyone agricultural field. e bottom of my heart. ilies, and your hard work. M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
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Ag Mag Questions & answers
How did Farm Focused get started ? Farm Focused was started in 2015 as a brand for folks who live and enjoy a rural way of life. Our merchanise items and branding designs are built on Pride, Family, Hard Work, and Quality. These are all part of our way of life. Beyond our branded gear, we do design, production, inventory, order taking, shipping, and customer service for some of the most well known personalities in Ag related social media. We help them bring their merchandise to market for a fair price and at a level of qual-
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ity that folks can be proud of. Beyond merchandise we are also the kind of people who NEED to get our hands dirty so we spend a fair amount of time in the Spring and Fall working with farmers on a couple field efficiencies involving Soil Health and Ag Diesel Power and Efficiency.
Who are the owners and a little about them...(History) Ben and Morgan Evers own Farm Focused. Along with our 3 kids, we run the day to day
operations of the business. I grew up outside a small town in Eastern Nebraska. My family raised horses. Living in the country, being around the animals every day, and putting in the hours and effort to keep the farm operating certainly made me who I am today. Now a days we spend as much time with our kids at the farm as we can and when I’m not running Farm Focused activities, in the Spring and Fall I work with a few local guys helping with planting and harvest. Morgan grew up a couple towns over from me.
and work to build the bioligical activity underground. This results in efficiencies that not only save inputs but also produce better crop results. Our diesel tuning service gives operators the additional power and efficiency they need to get the job done and potentially save money on fuel. This service is either done on site or remotely. We can literally add power to a machine halfway across the world if someone needed it.
We went to high school in the same town and started dating as Juniors. We’ve been together ever since! Morgan is highly involved in the day to day of Farm Focused and also runs our social media presence. We have 3 children; one playing D1 soccer at Colorado State, one a Freshman in high school who loves cheerleading, and one a 3rd grader who will play any sport you get in front of him. They certainly keep us busy running around to all of their activities.
Where are you located? We are located in Eastern Nebraska, South of Omaha a few counties.
What is the main goal of Farm Focused? Our main goal is to build a brand that folks are proud to be a part of. We know what it means to live in rural areas and we understand the lifestyle being a Farmer and/or Rancher. It is the lifestyle we love and we really enjoy bringing folks products and services that remind them how much they love it too.
How are you helping Farmers/ Agriculture? Directly we work with farmers on Soil Health solutions and Ag Diesel engine power. Our soil health products go down around planting
How did you come down with the name Farm Focused? The name was born out of the idea that everything we do and will be doing in the future with the brand is focused on the farm. Every move me make and every product or service we consider offering doesn’t make it past the desk if it’s not something that is going to either help the farm family be more productive and/or enable the farm family to enjoy a bit of rural life. Plus, I thought those two words kinda sounded cool together. Once we came up with the name, we designed what I call the “badge”. It’s our logo with the two F’s back to back. It is eye catching and memorable. It is an image my family and I are very proud to represtent.
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Reprint from NRCS
Small business loans
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for the farm
here’s a lot of information to take in about the economic relief programs for small businesses recently established in the CARES Act.
Our farming colleagues with Kansas Corn recently hosted a webinar regarding the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL). In the webinar, experts from KCoe Isom and the Kansas Bankers’ Association provided excellent information and answered participants’ questions about these program. Kansas Corn graciously offered to share the information with fellow corn organizations. Access the
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recording of the webinar here. The presentation deck is available online here.
COVID-19 Resources
Texas Corn Producers continues to gather pertinent information for Texas corn farmers as the COVID-19 situation progresses. Information and resources are available on the TCP website HERE. TCPA is still seeking farmers’ input on farm implications of COVID-19’s spread. Please take a few minutes to let us know how you see the coronavirus impacting your farm.
Growing Together It has taken a state of emergency to realize that at the bottom line, farmers and consumers want the same thing: a safe, affordable and abundant food supply that’s the quality Americans appreciate. With more Americans realizing the value of American agriculture and our farmers, there’s an oppor-
tunity to open the conversation with those removed from the farm about how farmers produce the food we enjoy every day. Six feet apart might just be the closest we have felt to farmers in a long time.
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Your business is our priority! Locally grown
HANKA SOD 32054 Weaver Road, San Benito, Texas
956-207-9004
Harvesting year ‘round Delivery Available TIFT 419, Bermuda, Floratam & St. Augustine
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Want to Advertise Contact Michelle Martin at the Ag Mag
(956) 330-8870 michelle@theagmag.org
Texas farmers, ranchers answer the call during
COVID-19 outbreak
BY RUSSELL BOENING Texas Farm Bureau President
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exas farmers and ranchers are in a unique position in regard to the COVID-19 outbreak and our nation’s response. Each of us is battling the impacts of the pandemic on our own farm or ranch, while at the same time, committing ourselves to feeding our country at a time when food security matters most. The hardships created by the virus add to an already difficult year for Texas agriculture. But one thing is certain. Americans do not have to fear a decrease in the safety and security of the U.S. food supply. Agriculture was named a critical industry by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security amid the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement allows those in the food and agriculture supply chain to continue operating to meet the demand across the nation. The declaration covers farmers, food processors and producers, distributors and retailers. Farm Bureau has been actively engaged on issues associated with COVID-19 in an effort to minimize its impacts to agriculture. We’re concerned about the number of companies adopting social distancing policies, per health directives, that could significantly impact processing plants and supply chains.
Sonny Perdue and other top USDA officials about this concern, and they are fully aware of the issue. TFB recently joined 25 other state Farm Bureaus asking Secretary Perdue to explore all options within his authority to provide relief to cattle ranchers impacted by pandemic. Growers of fresh produce are worried about possible dumping of products from other countries. USDA and other federal agencies should assist farmers and ranchers by taking measures to maintain stable and fair markets during this time. Price forecasts for most agricultural products are bleak. Dairy prices have dropped 26-36 percent, corn futures have dropped by 14 percent and cotton futures have plummeted 31 percent. Despite a rise in retail beef prices in some areas, the prices paid to cattle ranchers have fallen 25 percent. Texas Farm Bureau members are concerned about labor, especially since the U.S.-Mexico border was impacted. We are working with members of Congress and the U.S. State Department to address labor issues that are critical to farm and ranch families. We’re pleased the U.S. State Department has announced a commitment to processing H-2A program applications to ensure an agricultural workforce.
Meat packing plants, dairy processors, ethanol plants and other processing facilities all play roles in delivering the food and fuel consumers depend on, especially now during this pandemic.
Add impacts from the virus to trade, farmer and rancher health and federal inspections to the list, and the scale and scope of the problem become evident. The impacts are real and serious for those of us producing food, fiber and fuel.
Disruptions in supply chains could also mean less access to seed, fertilizer and crop protection tools that we, as farmers and ranchers, rely on to grow crops and feed livestock.
Times like this remind all of us of the importance of ensuring our nation’s food security. We must protect it. And I know our Texas farmers and ranchers are committed to doing so.
Farm Bureau asked for livestock haulers and other trucks carrying food to receive emergency waivers for hours of service, so those folks can get food and supplies where it’s needed, as quickly as possible. We are concerned about possible livestock market manipulation and are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to monitor the situation. I have visited with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!
GarcÃa 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 M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
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Texas A&M Forest Service helping with COVID-19 relief
Agency organizing, preparing shipments of personal protective equipment, more for statewide distribution
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BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG
team from the Texas A&M Forest Service has been working every day since March 16, including weekends, to help organize and prepare shipments of personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 outbreak response items at a Texas warehouse. The 10-member TFS crew has been working in conjunction with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, to process donations, track items and prepare shipments to fulfill orders statewide. TFS and Regional All-Hazard Incident Management Team members from throughout the state were called upon to provide planning and incident management support for Texas Division of Emergency Management Disaster District Chairs and the State Operations Center. Texas A&M Forest Service received a State of Texas Assistance Request, or STAR request from TDEM to help with logistical support at the warehouse, said John Wall, TFS incident response logistics coordinator and the team lead.
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“The majority of the items have been purchased through state procurement up to this point, with some donations coming in. We just recently got involved with the strategic national stockpile, which has those same items, and those are purchased through the federal system.” Wall, who said he was grateful he could do his part to help, was joined on the response team by TFS staffers Donnie Norvell, Brad Henry, Aaron Phillips, Sam Martinez, Arturo Lombrana, Chris Wood, Justin Koetter, Leonard Johnston and Mike Pedersen. Wall said initial tasking for the team at the newly established TDEM warehouse was to assist with organizing the resources that were currently on site. “This was accomplished with TFS forklift operators grouping like products and making a site plan to assist with organization,” Wall said. “During this time, team members utilized TDEM’s inventory software and processed all items in a database for accountability, using the scannable tracking tags to account for the items.
The STAR allows local municipalities to request resources, information and mission assignments and submit them for local mutual aid assistance or directly to the Disaster District Chair.
“The operation and inventory are for personal protective equipment and response items in the warehouse for the COVID-19 event. We receive our shipment locations and quantities and direction from the State Operations Center.”
“We are handling surgical gloves, surgical masks, N95 masks, medical booties, protective suits and face shields,” Wall said.
He said TFS crew members were mobilized with Regional AllHazard IMT responders from other agencies and local jurisdictions
Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG
Since March 16, a Texas A&M Forest Service team has been working with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to organize and prepare shipments of personal protective equipment and other items needed statewide to address the COVID-19 outbreak. (Texas A&M Forest Service photo)
to help document COVID-19 incident activity and maintain the status of resources and equipment used at districts across Texas. Crews are now working 24-hour shifts to be available for needed items for the COVID-19 response. They continue to receive personal protective equipment to put into inventory, and the operation is now prepared to ship this equipment to fulfill orders across the state as requested. Wall said the request for TFS assistance was a good fit as the agency employs the same Incident Management System as it uses in wildland fire suppression operations to manage other all-hazards incidents, such as hurricanes, floods and now the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every incident has its own unique quirks and this one is no different,” Wall said. “You just have to fall back on your training and those relationships that you have built with the fellow responders you have previously worked with on an incident or in the classroom.” Fortunately, he said, there haven’t been too many challenges in processing and preparing shipments.
“Getting items to our door has been the largest hurdle due to the high demand for the personal protective equipment around the world,” he said. Wall said the team is currently working on a plan for continuity of operation beyond their last shift. “This plan will extend the use of existing team members or secure new crew members to fulfill the need,” he said. Todd Nightingale, Texas A&M Forest Service assistant chief, fire coordinator, is the IMT member who leads the team once Wall’s assignment ends. “From an agency standpoint, I’m happy we’re able to provide this service-oriented assistance during this time,” he said. “We have had experience in responding to wildfires, hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters and emergencies, and we’re glad to be able to apply that experience and expertise toward helping during the COVID-19 situation.”
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Ever wonder where your food comes from? Frontera produce and Michelle Martin are bringing that info to you! Whenever you see a Farmer Who sticker on a piece of produce simply hold your phones camera to the QR code (no need to download an app) and bam! A video with Michelle and the farmer that grew that exact piece of produce will pop on your phone! Be aware of where and how the food is getting to your kitchen table!Â
Remember to thank a farmer!
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New humic product boosting onion yields in the Southwest through a novel, dual-action formula Dirt M.D. – a new humic product – is gathering interest within the onion grower community through the use of a highly-efficient, foliar application strategy. Much like other quality humic products, Dirt M.D. increases micronutrient uptake and plant vigor. However, the key to Dirt M.D.’s success is its ability to act systemically in both foliage and root systems, as this formulated product contains a combination of small and large humic compounds. The low molecular weight humic material penetrates leaf tissue to act on internal plant chemistry. The remaining compounds then flow off the leaf onto the root systems – increasing soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), binding nutrients, and facilitating uptake. Last season (2012-2013) a grower in Buckeye, AZ evaluated Dirt M.D.’s addition to his short-day onion production system. He reported a nearly 10% increase in yield through the application of 1 gallon of Dirt M.D. over 4 sprays [link to report]. This ultimately resulted in an increase that was valued by the grower at $800 per acre. “We are extremely excited about our product’s ability to generating value,” said Robert Rankin, the Marketing Manager for Dirt MD. “With the foliar rates we are recommending, growers can realize nearly a 50 to 1 benefit to cost ratio. I look forward to introducing farmers to Dirt M.D. prior to the upcoming onion season.”
Background: Dirt M.D. is marketed and distributed by Ocean Agro LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ocean Agro (India) Limited (OAIL). After 30 years of serving markets in Southeast Asia, OAIL has expanded to the United States to introduce their time-tested humic product(s) to the US farming community. Kaushal Parikh, the son of the parent company’s CEO and an integral part of the US operation, contextualized this international expansion by saying “While getting my college education in the US, I realized the scale of the potential benefit OAIL products could provide for US farmers. I joined the family business so I can expand on my father’s life work here in the US and cherish the opportunity of learning and working with him even though we are several time zones apart.” Ocean Agro LLC maintains an office in Daly City, CA, with warehouse centers located in Yuma and Fresno to directly serve growers across the southwest. For more information on Dirt MD, this release, or to request material, see below: Office #: (888)203-8468 Email: info@oceanagro.com Web: www.oceanagrollc.com 64
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975 head of Cattle
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e had 975 hd of cattle this week, with 140 sellers and 45 buyers. Overall tone of the market was lower with pockets of cattle still bringing good money. You get the right calf, and the right two guys to tie up on him, and the market will chase, you get a plain sob in there and the market drags. We put on the rodeo, you supply the stock... To put things in perspective, packer bulls are worth more than finished steers on the rail as of Friday. Many contributing factors, different eating patterns, plant closures and delays, or as one of my producers put it, “just shows how bad packers want to screw the producer/feeder! People are frustrated in the worst way, changes are coming.. Have you ever watched “Wicked Tuna” on the Discover Channel? They fish all day, catch a big tuna, come back to the dock and sell it not to the highest bidder but to the only bidder. Feels like that’s where the fat cattle industry is right now. Most of the guys who bought your calves six to eight months ago are losing money if they weren’t hedged. As long as there is grass to graze, and a belief this thing will turn back around, buyers will be there to lay their money down. Vegas came to us, you want to gamble? Buy or raise some cattle! Right now it’s hard to place a bet on the Futures roulette. Fundamentals is always a safe play, but it also needs to be a fair play, something needs to change in the fake futures game. The biggest threat to the market is the availability of the market. While packers are looked upon as the grim reapers, they are also the gate keepers. Reduced slaughter capacity and efficiency due to the pandemic is detrimental to the cattle markets. Fat cattle stay fat, feeder cattle stay put, and the whole thing backs up. I know most producers have read the barn disclaimers during this pandemic, and may have questions. “Essential buyers only” translates to “order buyers” the same 10 to 15 dinosaurs who buy cattle with us every week. General public with intent to buy cattle are being admitted. The integrity of the markets is in place. GCLA respects of the fortitude and stamina of today’s producer. The time and effort you put into each calf is worth a lifetime. The challenges can be disheartening, but you have a ton of heart! Things will get better, changes will happen, and beef will be as popular as ever... Most Kindly, GCLA Eddie Garcia
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