Texas Agriculture Today

*Beef is winning the battle for consumers’ money. *Texas citrus production fell this season. *The Texas sorghum harvest is right on schedule this year. *Hail storms in the Texas High Plains have been kept to a minimum this season. *Football season is here, and tailgate parties are back. *USDA has released a new farm income forecast for 2025. *Coastal Bend farmers are wrapping up the 2025 harvest season. *There are a lot of genetic tests for animals, but they may not be accurate.

*Cheap corn helps boost cattle prices. *A court has ruled against President Trump’s tariffs. *U.S. cotton crop ratings have dropped. *Corn harvest is underway in the Texas High Plains. *A long-time beef industry leader from Texas was honored recently in San Diego. *USDA is ending its farm labor survey. *Several reports have reinforced that farmers are facing economic challenges. *Choosing the best time to calve your beef herd depends on several factors.

*Independent feedlots are dealing with high cattle prices. *USDA says the farm trade deficit is expected to fall this fiscal year. *There’s a new head lawman for the Texas Special Rangers. *The weather in the Texas Panhandle has been kind to corn and sorghum this year. *Twenty years ago, hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast. *New technology can help in the fight against the New World screwworm. *Farm labor is needed year-round on America’s dairies. *Injectable HA is commonly used to treat joint disease in horses.

*Is the cost of beef really that expensive? *Mexico is reporting a big increase in screwworm cases. *The Texas Panhandle wheat crop was a good one this year. *Crops and pastures have benefitted from good moisture this year in the Texas High Plains. *USDA is encouraging more veterinarians to practice in rural areas. *September marks the peak of hurricane season. *South Texas is seeing triple digit temperatures and scattered showers, with an eye on the tropics. *When is the best time to wean calves?

*Sorghum in the Northeast Panhandle is looking great. *Export programs are a big reason farm groups continue to push for a new Farm Bill. *A new month is underway, and that brings a new weather forecast. *Texas lawmakers have introduced several bills in Washington that would benefit farmers and ranchers. *A forage analysis can help you focus on quality instead of quantity in your winter hay supply. *Neck pain is common in horses.

*Volatile cattle prices are tough on order buyers. *Drought conditions continue to improve in Texas. *Governor Abbott has signed a bill that will make it illegal for citizens of hostile countries to own land in Texas. *There are multiple reasons why some Texas High Plains farmers and ranchers are selling their land. *Texas cattle feeders are having to make some big adjustments with the Mexican border closed. *Time is running out to weigh in on a proposed dicamba label. *Oak wilt is a terrible disease. *Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza can infect dairy calves through the milk.

*The current cattle market cycle will look very different than the last one. *There’s good news for Texas dove hunters. *The Concho Valley is having a good crop year. *It’s been a great year to grow grass in the Texas Panhandle. *Peanut harvest is underway in South Texas. *U.S. lawmakers may act on the Farm Bill when they return to Washington after the August recess. *Midwest corn farmers are growing an all-time record crop. *Cortical steroids are commonly injected into horses’ joints.

*The Texas cotton crop is looking better this year, but it’s still the lowest rated crop in the nation. *Texas dairies have more cows and are producing more milk. *Texas feedlot inventories have taken a big drop. *Texas High Plains corn farmers are walking a tightrope. *Texas farmers and ranchers have been talking to their lawmakers. *The EPA has an update on upcoming deregulatory actions. *It is hot and dry in East Texas. *Detecting sickness in sheep and goats can be a difficult task.

*Feedlot inventories are lower for the ninth month in a row. *Most U.S. farms are still family farms. *Registration is open for the upcoming Texas Cattle Feeders Association’s annual meeting. *Texas farmers and ranchers are meeting with their congressional representatives during the August recess. *USDA is implementing recent improvements to crop insurance. *The unpredictable weather continues in Central Texas. *Sheep and goats seem to be less likely to survive an illness than cattle.

*Cattle producers should consider bringing unweaned calves to the sale barn early this year. *There’s new leadership at two USDA agencies in Texas. *The North Texas Panhandle is getting short on grain storage. *The Coastal Bend sorghum harvest has brought mixed results. *Feedlots in the Texas High Plains are seeing a dramatic decline in inventory. *U.S. lawmakers are visiting with farmers and ranchers in Texas. *Farmers in the Texas Southern Plains are running irrigation in the August heat. *It’s time to prepare for transporting animals to fall livestock shows.

*Screwworms can be devastating for local livestock markets. *The challenge to a new Texas law that prohibits the ownership of land by hostile countries has hit a setback. *A bill that would allow the sale of ivermectin over the counter will be included in the current special session of the legislature. *It was a unique wheat season for the Texas Southern Plains. *An East Texan is serving on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. *We now know more about which agricultural products are addressed in the new European Union trade framework. *Cotton farmers are winding down harvest in South Texas. *Foot rot could be a big issue in cattle this year.

*Texas cattle feeders are encouraged by USDA’s screwworm efforts. *New Texas hunting and fishing licenses are now available. *The Coastal Bend Whitetail Deer Symposium is next Friday in Robstown. *The Randall County Ag Day and crops tour is coming up next week. *The Texas House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock held a hearing on New World screwworms. *The U.S. Trade Representative has launched an investigation into Brazilian ethanol. *Coastal Bend farmers are nearly finished with the 2025 harvest. *There are a lot of horses trailering around Texas at this time of year.

*How long with the southern border be closed to imports of livestock? *USDA will no longer support wind or solar projects on U.S. farmland. *Cattle feeders are in the driver’s seat. *Coastal Bend cotton yields are average to better. *The Trump administration is taking additional actions to protect the U.S. from New World Screwworms. *Calf and yearling prices are at record highs. *The August heat is tough on both livestock and ranchers.

*Preparation for the New World screwworm continues. *The EPA is giving the public more time to weigh in on its proposal to register three dicamba products. *Texas corn harvest is moving north. *Texas panhandle corn is entering the final stretch. *The chairman of the Senate Ag Committee is pushing to get the Farm Bill done this fall. *The EPA issued new guidance regarding Diesel Exhaust Fluid systems in trucks and farm equipment. *Applying fertilizer to lawns and gardens during the hot month of August can be tricky. *Pinkeye is a common problem in cattle.

*There’s more money to fight screwworms. *USDA reduced the U.S. cotton production estimate by 1.4 million bales. *There’s still hope for a good cotton crop in the Texas High Plains. *The Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course was held recently in College Station. *Fertilizer can help plants look and perform better during the summer. *Antibiotic resistance can be an issue in both humans and horses.

*Choosing the right wheat variety can be a challenge. *Time is running out for Texas 4-H and FFA members to sign up for an opportunity to grow their agriculture advocacy skills. *It has been a quiet hurricane season. *Texas Congressman Jodey Arrington has introduced the No Discrimination in Farm Programs Act. *There’s more than just cotton in the Texas Southern Plains. *The EPA made an important announcement regarding DEF systems. *Consumer beef demand remains high. *Screw worms are a big topic of discussion at farm meetings. *Skin disease can occur in livestock during the summer.

*Texas cotton harvest is underway. *The Trump administration is giving China an additional 90 days to reach a trade agreement. *There are a lot of indication that cow herd rebuilding is underway. *Texas High Plains cotton needs heat units. *Time is running out on a proposal that would bring dicamba back. *The August heat is on in the Texas Southern Plains. *Planting winter pastures this fall can reduce the need to purchase protein and energy supplements. *Skin allergies are prevalent in horses at this time of the year.

*Late season rains were both good and bad for the Texas wheat crop. *Registration is underway for the statewide quail symposium. *The city of Amarillo issued a building permit for the new Producer Owned Beef packing plant. *Summer weather has been good for Texas High Plains corn. *USDA is planning a big announcement on New World screwworms. *It has been an active summer for rural Texas land sales. *Cotton defoliation is underway in South Texas. *Pneumonia is a frequent cause of death in calves.

*The northern Texas Panhandle had a good wheat crop. *More than half of Texas is now drought free. *A new partnership will bring GMO wheat to the U.S. *In the Texas High Plains, a new wheat season is almost here. *U.S. lawmakers are back in their home districts this month. *U.S. pork exports rebounded in June, but beef exports dropped. *It’s been a great summer for hay production in East Texas. *Two Texas A&M experts have recent experience in dealing with New World screwworms.

*The cattle market set new record highs in every segment of the industry. *Texas feedlots are looking for new sources of cattle. *When Congress returns to Washington next month, they will have a lot of work to do. *USDA released the latest report on U.S. farmland values and cash rents. *It’s a hot cotton-picking time in the Texas Coastal Bend. *There are a couple of new drugs being used for laminitis in horses.