Texas Ag Today

*For the first time in history, the percentage of prime beef carcasses has surpassed select graded carcasses.*House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson is looking forward to a new smaller farm bill this fall.*Cotton Incorporated is celebrating plastic free.*Urban sprawl continues to impact communities across Texas.*The Texas Animal Health Commission continues to monitor for New World screwworm.*It's harvest time in the Coastal Bend.*Horse owners should be mindful when choosing an equine calming supplement.

*Corn exports are increasing.  *Undocumented farm workers will not be exempt from deportation.  *Eight republican house members are asking for expedited approvals of screwworm drugs.  *USDA will no longer recognize race or gender based criteria to qualify for farm programs.  *Randall County is losing farmland.*President Trump has announced updated reciprocal tariffs on U.S. trading partners.*The Farm Service Agency is accepting nominations for county committees.*Deep South Texas is getting needed rainfall.*There are several supplements that claim to calm horses.

*The Mexican border is closed once again to livestock imports.  *Farmers who suffered crop losses in 2023 and 2024 due to natural disasters may now apply for disaster assistance.  *The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is supporting a new USDA plan to keep farms and food secure.  *The condition of the Texas cotton crop is much better than it has been over the past three years. *Labor issues remain a big frustration for Texas farmers and ranchers.  *USDA has unveiled a national farm security action plan.  *Texas roadways can get busy with farm equipment during the summer.  *This has not been a normal weather year in the Central Texas Blacklands.  *Healthy horses can still spread diseases.  

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has passed the House. Weather continues to impact wheat harvest.NCBA weighs in on upcoming nutrition guidelines report. Some artificial intelligence tools may be a good starting point for gardeners.The U.S. is closing in on a scrapie free designation.

*USDA is shutting down Mexican livestock imports once again.  *There are big agricultural losses from the flooding, but that's not a priority right now.  *The Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association has moved their annual convention to Fredericksburg.  *The cattle industry summer meeting is underway in San Diego. *Making a profit on cotton is not likely for Texas farmers this year.  *American farmers are expected to produce a massive corn crop this year.  *This has been a very different summer for much of Texas. *Liver flukes are a common problem in some areas of Texas.  

*The flooding in Kerr County is the worst in modern history.   *President Trump continues to pressure other nations into better trade deals.  *The Texas wheat harvest is running behind schedule this year.   *Cotton growing in the Texas High Plains has a lot of potential this year.*USDA has begun its phased reopening of southern ports to livestock from Mexico.  *There are a lot of choices when it comes to building fences in rural Texas. *Heavy rainfall has been the top story in Texas this week.  *High pathogenic avian influenza has affected many livestock, especially dairy cattle.

*The One Big Beautiful Bill contained several benefits for cattle producers.  *A new study reveals farmer sentiment weakened in June.  *Record cattle prices are to be expected this year.  *There are some good looking cotton fields in the Texas High Plains.*The temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs will expire this week.  *Fencing is not needed to enforce trespassing laws in Texas.  *Farm chores are slowing down in the Texas Rolling Plains.  *Bovine leukemia virus is common in American cattle.  

*Cotton will not be a profitable crop in Texas this year.  *Feral hogs cause more than $800 million in annual losses in Texas.  *Crop conditions are looking good in South Texas.   *The continuing decline of the water supply in the Texas High Plains could lead to farmers planting more wheat.  *Agricultural trade negotiations continue with Canada.  *USDA recently provided an update on its efforts to fight avian influenza.  *The weather has been hot and dry in Deep South Texas, but that is changing.  *HERDA is a serious skin disease in horses.  

The corn leaf hopper is back in parts of Texas, including the Texas High Plains. New duties on some imports of 2,4-D are now in effect. Demand for U.S. beef remains high, in part due to the nutritional benefits of the protein. Hay harvest is underway in East Texas.There is an easy method to help prevent shipping fever in your horses.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has passed the Senate.The fight against New World screwworms continues in Mexico.Texas panhandle crops are off to a good start. New Dietary Guidelines for Americans are expected by the end of the year. Tracking your beef cattle herds health with a scorecard can be beneficial.May and June rains have been good for crops in the Coastal Bend. 

USDA announces phased reopening of southern ports to livestock from Mexico.  The first cotton bale in the United States has been harvested in Texas. The shrinking cow herd has caused the supply of feeder cattle to drop over the past couple of years. Texans can expect hot and dry conditions in July.  Some farmers on the South Plains of West Texas are having to replant their crops. There's no silver bullet to stop liver abscesses in cattle. A large number of equine infectious anemia cases were found to have originated from a Texas equine veterinary clinic.

Former U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady of Texas says provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are beneficial for Texas agriculture. Parts of the Grain Standards Act will expire this year unless Congress takes action.  A lot of mystery remains for cattle liver abscess researchers. There are more hogs in Texas this year.  Texas A&M's annual Beef Cattle Short Course is just around the corner. Silage chopping has begun in Central Texas.

*Much of the Texas cotton crop is behind schedule.   *Registration is underway for the Bennett Trust Women's Land Stewardship Conference.  *A federal court has ordered Texas based AgriDime LLC to pay $1.6 million in restitution in a cattle Ponzi scheme.  *Managing cattle in a time of high prices can be challenging.  *We could soon see changes to the H2A guest worker program.  *An Amarillo company specializes in transporting agricultural products across the U.S.  *Times are changing for Texas gardening.*The ability to synchronize heat cycles in cows has gotten less complicated.  

*The Texas wheat harvest is winding down.   *The Texas Department of Agriculture has issued a statewide warning about a crop fungus.  *Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed the formation of a New World screwworm response team.   *Rains in the Texas High Plains have allowed some ranchers to get more use out of winter wheat.  *U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently took a ride along the border on horseback.  *The corn crop in the Upper Gulf Coast looks good so far.  *The Texas Rolling Plains has full lakes and a full soil moisture profile.  *Orphaned foals need proper management for them to grow and be healthy.  

*There are not enough sterile flies being dropped in Mexico to keep New World screwworms from moving north.   *Texas lawmakers will head back to Austin in a few weeks.  *Wheat harvest is back up and running after rain delays.  *More rain is falling on the Texas High Plains this week. *A group of men and women patrol the border every day to protect Texas livestock.  *The cotton crop in the Upper Gulf Coast is looking good right now.  *Farmers are busy with harvest in Deep South Texas.*Providing shade can help cattle perform better.  

*Wheat harvest continues to move north.  *Recent rains have helped reduce drought conditions across Texas.   *USDA's monthly Cattle on Feed report contained no surprises. *Farmers in Southeast Texas heard a Farm Bill update at a recent field day.  *A month ago Mexico promised to make water deliveries to South Texas.  *Researchers at West Texas A&M are making new discoveries about liver abscesses in cattle.*The state's largest farm organization welcomes the news of a sterile screwworm fly facility in the Rio Grande Valley.  *Injecting botulinum neurotoxin in the hock joints of horses can help decrease arthritis pain.  

*The state legislative session was good for agriculture.   *Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have come together to support efforts to combat New World screwworms.  *Summer livestock grazing conditions are good for those areas of Texas that have received spring rainfall.  *West Texas A&M is playing a leading role in liver abscess research.  *Having full lakes and a full soil moisture profile is making for an optimistic year in the Texas Rolling Plains.  *Pinkeye in cattle is a concern this time of year.  

*USDA has a multi-point plan to combat screwworms.  *Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller supports the USDA plan.*USDA'a plan is getting a positive reaction from the Texas livestock industry.*Farmers in Victoria County have had a good year so far, but that may have changed.*Wheat harvest is underway in Kansas.*Consumers love beef.  *Scattered rainfall continues in Central Texas.  *West Nile virus is still infecting horses.  

*USDA is planning a sterile screwworm distribution facility in the Rio Grande Valley.  *Rain has put a big damper on the Texas wheat harvest.*Rain is also slowing cotton planting.*Texas A&M broke ground on a new veterinary hospital.*Nominations are being accepted for local Farm Service Agency committees.    *Rains in the Texas High Plains are impacting ranchers' decision making.  *Extreme South Texas is hot and dry.  *Flies cause 6 billion dollars each year in damage to the U.S. cattle industry.  

*The Texas Wheat harvest is at a stand-still.  *The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a webinar on federal guidelines for agricultural workers.  *Growing cotton will be a losing endeavor for most Texas farmers this year. *Texas farmers learned about two new sorghum varieties available this year.  *Margins are getting tight for Texas cattle feeders. *Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins addressed concerns over reductions in staff at USDA offices.  *Farmers in the Texas Southern Plains are dealing with the aftermath of severe weather. *There have been some positive changes made at the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.  

*The Texas Panhandle is getting historical rains.  *Cow herd rebuilding may be getting underway.   *Heavier carcass weights are creating some unique challenges for the beef industry.  *Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared what it will take to let Mexican feeder cattle back into the United States.  *Corn prices are low right now, and the outlook isn't positive.  *Grass is growing in East Texas thanks to great spring rains.  *The Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners has made some positive changes.  

*Cattle herd rebuilding may be getting underway.    *Registration is underway for Texas A&M's Prescribed Burning School.  *Winter wheat harvest has come to a halt due to rain. *West Texas A&M is helping the beef industry deal with increasing feedlot cattle weights.*U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins gave the House Agriculture Committee and update on her efforts to improve ag trade.*Cowherd expansion is slow, while cattle prices continue to hit new records.  *The lower Coastal Bend of Texas has been in a prolonged drought.  *There are aggressive bees in Texas that will attack livestock.  

*Texas cotton acreage is expected to fall this year.*Interest in the Livestock Risk Protection program is increasing.*U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is pushing for a sterile fly facility in West Texas.*Texas farmers attend a field day on the Upper Gulf Coast.*Study examines the response of the equine herpes vaccine given in the nose and muscle.*Range management for livestock grazing can be challenging, but proper management for better production from cattle, sheep and goats can be achieved.

*The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol continues to grow.  *The United States and China have reported reached a tentative trade agreement.  *Corn planting is wrapping up in Texas. *In the Texas High Plains, crop insurance claims are coming in after last week's severe weather.*New news on the fight against New World Screwworms is expected soon.  *A field day in Southeast Texas gave farmers an opportunity to learn more about the crop varieties they are growing on their own farms.  *East Texas hay and pasture growers need to watch for a specific insect pest this year.  *A corkscrew claw in cows can be a difficult problem to treat. 

*The Texas wheat harvest continues.   *Texas Tech is home to a state-of-the-art machine that will enhance the study of crop traits.   *Texas cotton acreage may be higher than the current USDA estimate of 5.5 million acres. *Some of the world's top beef industry minds are in Amarillo this week.  *A U.S. lawmaker from Texas has introduced a bill to prevent foreign ownership of American farmland.  *We are officially in hurricane season.  *Now is the time to prepare plants and landscapes for the Texas summer heat.  *Head shaking is a difficult problem to treat in horses.  

*Texas cotton planting is half done.   *Winter wheat harvest results are coming in.   *Times are pretty good for Texas feedlots right now.   *The future of crop protection products is a concern for Texas farmers.  *Lawmakers are pushing for resources to help Texas fend off New World Screwworms.  *The Texas Beef Council received an update on beef exports.  *The Texas Rolling Plains is getting a lot of rain this spring.  *Orphaned wildlife may not be orphaned at all.  

*Feedlots have been making money, but that may not last.  *Times are tough for Texas High Plains farmers. *USDA is making payments to livestock producers under the Emergency Livestock Relief Program.  *International trade adds a lot of value to U.S. cattle.  *Extreme South Texas is hot and dry. *Orphan wildlife are commonly found by humans.  

*Will Brazil continue to take cotton customers away from the US? *TFB President Russell Boening testified in front of a House Ag subcommittee Thursday on farm bill conservation programs. *The economic situation has influenced how farmers are dividing their acres this year. *Texas legislative session good for Texas agriculture.  *Grain is filling out in Coastal Bend. *The disease anaplasmosis is an ongoing battle in the cattle industry. 

*The Texas Cattle Feeders Association is working with other sectors of the livestock industry in Texas to prepare for New World Screwworms. *A bill that would expand students' milk options at school has cleared a key hurdle.  *What does sustainability really look like in the cattle business? *Grazing conditions in Central Texas have been good for sheep.  *CBD is being used on many different animals and people.  *The South Plains cotton crop is emerging, and grain sorghum is looking good.

*The Texas Supreme Court recently issued an important ruling that clarifies who owns the pore space beneath land.*Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar expresses concern with reductions-in-staff at USDA and proposed SNAP cuts.*Despite tariff uncertainty, red meat exports are on-par with last year.*It was a rainy spring in the Texas Panhandle. What's the forecast for this summer?*Summer is the time to watch out for blue-green algae. *The Central Texas Sheep and Goat Conference was recently held in McGregor.

*Cattle markets have been setting new records over the past couple of weeks. *The farm bill's conservation title was the focus of a recent Senate Ag hearing. *It was a marvelously wet spring for the Texas Panhandle. *US meat exporters are taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to tariffs.  *Hand walking, icing, stretches and stall rest are all important parts of the rehabilitation and recovery from a soft tissue injury for horses. *The lack of an appropriate fertility program may be the number one cause of bermudagrass decline.

*Cotton futures continue to trade at unprofitable levels in the mid to high sixties. What's keeping them in that range? *Changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Orders went into effect Sunday.  *Texas is expected to see above-average temperatures and barely average rainfall in June.  *The Beef Improvement Federation research symposium and convention is coming up in Amarillo.  *Recovery and rehabilitation from a soft tissue injury can be lengthy for horses.  *It's been wet in East Texas recently, and that's prevented hay harvest.  

*Texas sorghum is looking very good this year.*There's a possibility the U.S. could lift restrictions on livestock imports from Mexico later this year. *Texas farmers' input helped shape a bill addressing the MAHA movement. *Grain sorghum farmers should consider the benefits and cost of leaving residue in the field after harvest. *New duties on 2,4-D imports have been set. *Veterinarians are seeing more cases of Johne's disease in beef cattle.  

*Texas pasture and range conditions are better than last year.  *New tariffs on products from the European Union have been delayed.  *USDA is investing $21 million to retrofit a facility in Mexico to produce sterile screwworm flies.*Analysis of last year's Texas Panhandle wildfires is continuing.  *An active hurricane season is ahead of us.  *USDA issued a series of proposals intended to support small farms. *There are multiple options to identify cattle.  

*A bill to protect farmers from city government overreach is on the governor's desk.   *The state's largest farm organization is accepting applications for the first-ever Ag Influencer of the Year contest.  *There's a big variation in crop development in the Coastal Bend.   *The devastating wildfires that scorched over a million acres of land in the Texas Panhandle last year continue to receive attention from researchers.  *USDA has rolled out policies to support small family farms.  *The sheep and goat market has fallen from the seasonal spring holiday highs.  *The Make America Healthy Again Commission released its first report this week. *Managing pain in performance horses requires a diagnosis to know the source of the pain.  

*There were no surprises in the latest Cattle on Feed report.   *Texas farmers impacted by a lack of irrigation water in the Rio Grande Valley have more time to apply for financial help.  *The CME Group has reset daily price limits for live and feeder cattle futures contracts. *Wheat streak mosaic virus showed up in the Texas Panhandle late in the season. *The “Make America Healthy Again” report is out.  *A strong locking gate is important for rural landowners.  *There's an annual cattle drive river crossing that has been going on for over 100 years. *Umbilical hernias are not uncommon in calves.  

*There's a big variation in crop conditions in the Coastal Bend.  *Registration is underway for the largest beef cattle educational event in the world.  *Is cow herd rebuilding underway? *Wheat streak mosaic virus has struck a number of wheat fields in the northern Panhandle.  *The “One Big Beautiful Bill” has cleared a key hurdle in Washington.  *Rural landowner should take advantage of modern security technology.  *Bermudagrass decline is characterized by gradual thinning of stands over time.  *Some newborn foals can have difficulty swallowing.  

*Wheat disease pressure was light this year.  *The Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications for general and continuous CRP.  *Texas cotton gins saw a lot more business last year compared to the previous two years. *The Texas legislature is once again strengthening the right to farm and ranch.  *Texas Panhandle wheat suffered from a lack of moisture early in the spring.  *The Natural Resources Conservation Service wants employees out in the field.  *The hot summer is near and that can affect turfgrass production.  *Avian Influenza has been found in many mammal species in the Texas Panhandle.  

*The U.S. Meat Export Federation is meeting in Ft. Worth.  *Efforts to bring high speed internet to farmers and ranchers continue.   *May is mental health awareness month.   *Texas Panhandle crops are showing the benefit of early spring rains.  *A report from the Make American Healthy Again commission could target pesticides.  *The latest Texas Crop Progress report shows varied amounts of rainfall across the state.  *There is a lot of farm machinery running across Texas right now.  *It's important to be able tell the approximate age of a goat by looking at their teeth.  

*Cotton planting is running behind both here in Texas and nationwide. *A new facility in Texas will help livestock researchers better understand livestock reproduction issues.  *A potential screwworm infestation could have big effect on the Texas deer population. *Cattle feeders are getting the best prices they've ever received.  *EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says farmer input was taken into consideration when crafting a final insecticide strategy. *Beef loving Texans will be firing up the grill for the Memorial Day weekend.  *The U.S. is clamping down on the import of livestock from Mexico.  *Should we be delaying vaccination in high risk calves?  

*The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee defended farm safety net spending.  *Drought conditions are improving across parts of Texas.  *Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz is asking the U.S. Trade Representative to include the 1944 water treaty in the USMCA. *Memorial Day will kick off the summer grilling season.  *Cattle feeders in Texas are enjoying a period of economic strength.  *EPA has released a draft insecticide strategy.  *Temperatures are heating up on the Texas Southern Plains.  *A mare must produce good quality colostrum for the newborn foal to be healthy.  

*We set record highs in the cattle market last week.  *U.S. lawmakers from Texas have reintroduced a bill to help ranchers recover from natural disasters like the panhandle wildfires.  *The results of the Hard Red Winter Wheat Tour are in. *A dream has become reality for the Texas Tech Vet School.  *A Texan went to Washington D.C. to discuss the importance of Farm Bill conservation programs.*Cotton growers will be evaluating new varieties for 2026. *Central Texas has had great rainfall recently.  *Equine Herpes Virus is a serious neurological disease in horses.  

*The condition of the Texas winter wheat crop is improving.  *A new bill to help fight screwworms has been introduced in Congress.   *There is a very high likelihood of screwworms reentering Texas in the coming months. *Texas state legislators are addressing foreign ownership of agricultural land.  *The House Agriculture Committee has passed its part of the budget reconciliation package.  *Insects are a big issue that farmers have to deal with all the time.  *It looks like summer is coming early for extreme South Texas.  *A recent study measures pain in foals using facial expression.  

*Texas ranchers should prepare for screw worms.  *The comment period for a proposal to list the Monarch butterfly as threatened is closing soon.  *Corn planting is ahead of schedule. *Texas High Plains cotton farmers may need some additional strategies to deal with wire worms.  *Managing 13 million acres of state land is challenging.  *U.S. lawmakers from Texas have introduced legislation to combat screw worms.  *Weather conditions have improved in the Coastal Bend.*Copper toxicity can be a concern in dairy cows.  

*New World Screwworms are on their way to Texas.  *The U.S. and China have both agreed to temporarily lower tariffs.  *The Texas Senate Agriculture Committee has approved a bill that would ban lab grown meat. *Wire worms are a big concern for Texas High Plains cotton growers.  *We now know more about planned cuts to Farm Bill programs through the budget reconciliation process.*The cotton industry is watching the Farm Bill process closely.  *The southern pasture forage crop improvement conference was held recently in Corpus Christi.  *Feeding young horses incorrectly can lead to bone and joint diseases.  

*Texas corn planting is ahead of schedule.  *The application process for the disaster assistance portion of USDA's Emergency Commodity Assistance Program is coming soon.  *There will be no closures of local Farm Service Agency offices.   *The Texas Southern Plains has received a lot of rain recently.  *USDA has shut down imports of Mexican livestock due to screw worm concerns. *Should the U.S. be working with competitors to improve cotton demand?  *Turfgrass is an important part of landscapes in Texas.  *USDA has initiated mandatory testing for Avian Influenza. 

*The southern border is once again closed to Mexican livestock imports. *Higher conception rates can make more money for cattle producers. *Agricultural groups are weighing in on a new trade deal between the U.S. and the U.K.*The outlook for the U.S. cotton industry is challenging.  *Spring rains are a welcome sight on the Texas Rolling Plains.  *Equine herpes viruses are common pathogens.  

*Tight cattle supplies have given feedlots a lot of leverage over packers. *Legislation relating to the right-to-farm and ranch heads to the governor. *President Donald Trump announced a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom Thursday.*New harvesting equipment could make sorghum silage more useful to dairies.*The sheep and goat industries in the United States are close to eradicating scrapie, but now must face the threat of New World Screwworms.

*Retaining heifers to rebuild a cow herd is a hard thing to do.  *National Sorghum Producers is accepting applications for the 2025 National Sorghum Yield contest.  *Fifty-six cotton growers qualified for the BASF FiberMax One Ton Club.*A new technology is coming out that could reduce prussic acid poisoning in sorghum. *The rewrite of the Waters of the U.S. rule is moving forward.  *Exceptional and extreme drought continues in Far West and South Texas.  *Central Texas has had some drought busting rains this spring.  *Working with livestock can be extremely dangerous.  

*Cotton planting is falling behind in the northern Texas Panhandle.  *The economic assistance package passed by Congress in December is getting into the hands of farmers.  *The condition of the Texas wheat crop is holding steady.*Recent rains on the Texas High Plains are good for sorghum producers.  *The budget reconciliation process could impact the Farm Bill.  *Bayer Crop Science has a new leader. *Spring planting has wrapped up in South Texas.*Biphosphates are drugs used in horses to treat bone disease.  

*Spring rain is falling in Texas, but most of the state is still struggling with drought.  *Recent rain is improving the overall drought picture in Texas.  *More than 15,000 USDA employees have voluntarily left the agency.*Two Trump administration cabinet members visited a farm in Central Texas last week.  *Texas senators gave farmers an update on the status of the 1944 water treaty with Mexico.  *Today's high cattle prices don't necessarily translate in a windfall of profits.  *Weather in Deep South Texas is hot and dry. *Estrous synchronization can help improve your cow herd.