Are You Creating Your Own Drought?

BY SHELBY PARKER, NRCS GONZALES

Land management can have a significant effect on how the land responds to rain, or the lack thereof. The trip a raindrop takes from the cloud to the soil can be highly impacted by grazing management. Raindrops that fall on unprotected soil cause tiny explosions, dislodging microscopic soil particles in every direction. This dislodging of soil matter is the beginning step to erosion.

Rain that falls on hard, bare ground will likely run off before it infiltrates. In this case, the land is no better off after a rain than it was before; because no water has infiltrated into the soil profile where it can be used to grow grass and other forage species. With no roots to hold it together, fertile topsoil will be washed away, further degrading the potential for that land to be productive. Raindrops can be intercepted by vegetative matter, in the rancher’s case, primarily grass.

The more forage matter, or grass, that is present on the ground, the more likely the raindrop will be intercepted and slow its’ impact with the soil. This will protect the soil below from disruption. The slower the raindrop, the higher the likelihood it will be absorbed into the ground, where it can be used for greater forage production.

High stocking rates, or number of cattle on a given area of land for a given period, can lead to a decrease in forage productivity and increase in bare ground without providing adequate rest and recovery. This bare ground will be subject to erosion and will not aid in capturing rain that falls on your land. Grasses slow rainfall impact above ground and their roots create channels for rain to infiltrate into the soil.

Dead plant material will become part of the soil profile, known as organic material. The higher the proportion of organic material in the soil, the more water it can hold. While it may seem like a waste to leave plant material un-grazed, it is helping your grass production in the long run.

Good rangeland management cannot be bought in a 50-pound bag or a lick tub. If your property is experiencing bare ground and low drought resiliency, strongly consider reducing cattle numbers and look at a good rotational grazing program to help your property become more productive. Healthier rangelands produce healthier cows, which wean heavier calves.

While lower cattle numbers will reduce gross income from a reduced calf crop, your feed bill will also likely be reduced. If you feel like your property is constantly undergoing repeated small droughts, it could be a result of degraded soil. Help your soil help you by reducing cattle numbers. Your soil will thank you, your cattle will thank you, and your wallet will thank you.

WW ill Steele chose the law enforcement life and became a police officer with aspirations of serving with the FBI.

The produce industry, however, chose Will Steele, who had grown up around Rio Grande Valley agriculture. Less than a year after his dad, Jim Steele, created Frontera Produce in 1993, he jumped on board – after some persistent convincing from his father, of course.

Will, currently the Chief Executive Office at Frontera Produce in Edinburg, said in an article on wellnowyouknow.com, “I feel there is something to be said to still be working with our original growers, and continuing to add to our grower-partner base year after year. This is a testament to the outstanding commitment of the employees at Frontera Produce.”

Just like the city of Edinburg has grown, so has Frontera Produce. Will’s reputation of being a fair-minded business partner has attracted many new growers and opportunities to Frontera, creating a blend of roots and extending branches as the company’s grower base continues to expand year after year.”

A major reason for that growth is Will. His father worked in the produce packaging business before founding Frontera and his grandfather worked in the citrus and vegetable industry.

“Will Steele works as hard as anyone at Frontera Produce and follows

a classic American management style of leadership by example and from the front,” says a statement on the company website.

“For Will, the coolest this is that he is mainly involved with the Agricultural end of the business and spends his time meeting new farmers and producers in the US and abroad to expand Frontera’s established net-work and supply chain to potential new business partners.”

The company started out as a small mom and pop produce shed in Edinburg and has grown into a national produce distributor. Frontera now grows and partners with more than 20 farmers to distribute more than 70 different commodities. ment to their growth based on their quality of product and quality of customer service.

Frontera’s headquarters on Frontera Road in Edinburg consist of 83,534 square feet of partially refrigerated office-warehouse building and a 20,000-square-foot covered packing shed, located on 13.76 acres and leased from a related party.

They also have facilities for their business named Crescent where, in 2012, Jim and Will purchased 450 acres of land and a 100,000 square foot building to run the onion and watermelon operation.

Will’s dad, Jim, developed a relationship with Walmart, Inc., one of the Company’s first retail contracts and has diversified its customer base to more than 10 other retail chains, yet another testa-