Texas Agriculture Today

*The National Cotton Council’s acreage estimate is out.   *Drought conditions continue to expand across Texas.  *The SAFE Cattle Act will help the fight against screwworms. *Profits on cotton may be hard to find this year.  *Stock show season is a great time to educate the public about agriculture.  *The EPA is planning additional action on Diesel Exhaust Fluid systems.  *It’s been a fairly mild winter on the Texas Rolling Plains, with the exception of Winter Storm Fern. *It’s time to get your calving kit ready.   

*The cattle industry is preparing for an unpredictable year in Washington.  *Time is running out for Texas college students to apply for a Texas Farm Bureau scholarship.  *Congress is considering a permanent fix for the U.S.-Mexico water treaty problem. *November beef exports to most major markets were lower.  *Corn silage is an important crop in the Texas Panhandle.*Texas corn growers are asking the Justice Department for an update on their investigation into fertilizer prices.  *The recent winter storm had an impact on the wheat crop in Central Texas.  *Pastern dermatitis is common in horses.  

*Beef demand continues to drive prices higher.  *China has locked U.S. beef out of their market.  *Unionized workers at the JBS meat packing plant in Greeley, Colorado have voted to authorize a strike.   *Now is the time to focus on summer fly control. *What’s the outlook for corn in the Texas High Plains this year?  *EPA has confirmed farmers’ right to repair.  *Winter Storm Fern left its impact on the Texas Southern Plains.  *Anthrax has been confirmed in Briscoe County.  

*The new sterile screwworm fly distribution facility is officially open in the Rio Grande Valley.*Farm groups have a very positive reaction to the opening of the fly distribution facility.*The focus on quality beef has paid off.  *Texas farmers may once again use dicamba to manage weeds.  *The FDA has authorized injectable Ivomec for the prevention of screwworms.  *The Fort Worth Stock Show set a new record steer price.*The Texas High Plains cotton crop last year was the best in several seasons.  *The Cattle Industry Convention was last week in Nashville.  *Shockwave therapy can help some horses.  

Sheep and lamb inventories are down nationwide, but higher in Texas.  Screwworms have been found on a horse in a quarantine facility in Florida.  Registration is now open for the Texas Young Farmer and Rancher conference. CattleFax gave the annual cattle market outlook at last week’s Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville.  Irrigated agriculture in the Texas High Plains uses a lot of water, but it’s also a big driver of the economy.USDA has released the first farm income forecast for the year.  Some areas of South Texas hit record lows during the recent freeze.  Shockwave therapy may be helpful to some horses.  

*Showing sheep at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo*Texas High Plains farmers should consider the region’s dry climate when considering converting cropland to grassland.*Beef demand remains strong in America.*The House Agriculture Committee is expected to consider the Farm Bill 2.0 later this month.*A vegan could become the next ranking member on Senate Ag. *It’s spring calving season. 

*How important are dairy-on-beef calves to the Texas feedlot industry?*Farmer sentiment fell in January.*We could be in the early stages of cow herd rebuilding in Texas.*The cattle industry has come together in Nashville this week for CattleCon26. *What are the fundamentals for converting cropland to grassland in the Texas High Plains?*Use of the H2A guestworker program is growing in Texas and the U.S.*Transporting cattle is a necessity, but can be stressful. Texas veterinarian Dr. Bob Judd offers tips to make it a little easier.

*Mexico will deliver more water to the Rio Grande Valley.  *Texans are raising more sheep and lambs.  *Texas Farm Bureau is offering big scholarships to veterinary students. *Some crop acreage may be converted to grass in the Texas High Plains.*U.S. beef is promoted in Dubai.  *The EPA is taking action on diesel exhaust fluid.  *Farmers play a big role in the Super Bowl.*An unusual case of poisoning caused the death of six beef calves. 

*The screwworm fight has moved to Texas.   *La Nina continues to play a role in Texas weather.  *Corn farmers in the Texas High Plains are deciding on planting dates.  *Three horses in Wichita County have tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia.   *The nation’s cow herd continues to shrink.*East Texas has dealt with some cold weather.  *There are a lot of factors that affect pregnancy in mares.  

*The Fort Worth Stock Show is a great place to educate children about the importance of agriculture.  *Soil sampling can help farmers and ranchers save money.  *Winter storm Fern brought a lot of ice and freezing temperatures to a big portion of Texas. *The Trump administration has reached a trade deal with El Salvador that could benefit U.S. rice farmers.  *The Coastal Bend of Texas is dealing with a high level of drought.  *There are several things that affect pregnancy rates in mares.  

*Ranchers are assessing the after effects of the winter storm.  *USDA is purchasing U.S. grown commodities to help those in need around the world.  *Texans are also helping feed the hungry in our state. *Texas cattle producers are headed to Nashville.  *It’s important for irrigation systems to run as efficiently as possible in the Texas High Plains.  *The Federal Communications Commission has issued a ban on many foreign made drones.  *The big freeze affected plants of all types in Texas.  *Prebiotics are becoming more popular in the beef industry. 

*Calving can be tough in the middle of a freeze.  *We'll look at how the freeze affected the Panhandle.*A new report shows that dairy is poised to help meet protein demand.  *The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is disappointed after a federal judge dismisses a lawsuit challenging Texas’ ban on lab grown protein.*Texas High Plains farmers are waiting for information on the corn leaf hopper.  *President Trump is weighing in on year-round E15 sales.  *Pastures and hay fields can benefit from burning.  *There’s a new treatment for arthritis in horses.  

*Feedlot inventories continue to shrink.   *There’s an investigation of Mexican tomato imports.  *The number of screwworm cases in northern Mexico continues to rise. *A Texas High Plains rancher is seeing red, but he's actually happy about it.*The show goes on in Cowtown.  *The Trump administration could soon release details on a biofuels rule that encourages fuel producers to buy more feedstocks like corn and soybeans.  *Winter storm Fern packed a big punch in the Texas Rolling Plains.*Cattle have a well developed sense of smell.  

*The first Cattle on Feed report of the year was mostly neutral.  *U.S. dairy farmers can now sign up for 2026 through the Dairy Margin Coverage program.  *Cow herd rebuilding should be underway. *Some Southern Plains farmers are looking at making significant changes for the future.*Continued innovation in seed research holds big potential for farmers.  *USDA has launched a new tool for reporting foreign agricultural land purchases.*The colder weather should benefit Central Texas wheat.*Cribbing is a centuries-old problem in horses.

*Cattle prices may top out this year.  *Applications are now open for Texas Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Rancher contests.  *The new dietary guidelines for American’s contain good news for livestock producers.*Farmers in the Texas High Plains are looking for answers to economic challenges. *Innovations in crop research are benefitting U.S. farmers.  *The current spending bill moving through Congress does not include year-round E15.  *This winter storm highlights the challenges of caring for livestock in the winter.  *There is new research on cribbing in horses.  

*Mexico confirmed more cases of New World screwworms in northern Mexico.  *USDA is launching the New World Screwworm Grand Challenge.  *The outlook for cattle prices is positive in 2026. *Tough economic times call for changes in farm management.  *Variation in a cow’s weight could affect reproduction.*East Texas has had a dry winter, until now.  *Crop insurance is a very important risk protection tool. *Head shaking in horses can be caused by many things. 

*A federal judge has denied the State of Texas’ motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on cell cultured protein.  *The latest livestock production and price forecasts are a bright spot in agriculture this year.  *The American Sheep Industry Association is asking for the inclusion of wool in the Farmer Bridge Assistance program. *There are all kinds of ways that ranchers are marketing their animals.  *The Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo puts an emphasis on agriculture.  *The Farm Bill may address California’s Proposition 12.  *January is an exciting time for thousands of youth in the Texas Coastal Bend.  *Respiratory disease in livestock is commonly related to stress.  

*Screwworm cases in northern Mexico are on the rise.  *The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from Bayer, the maker of Roundup herbicide.  *Nominations are open for the 2026 National Golden Spur and Ranching Heritage Association Working Cowboy awards. *We still don’t have a new Farm Bill.  *Feedyard cattle in the Texas High Plains have been putting on the pounds quickly.  *Why do people buy rural Texas land?  *South Texas has been warm this winter, but that’s about to change.*Lots of performance get maintenance joint injections, but is it necessary? 

*Rio Grande Valley farmers may be planting more this year.   *Cotton harvest ran a bit late in the northeast Texas Panhandle.  *Governor Greg Abbott made six appointments to the Texas Agriculture Finance Authority. *Winter meeting season is underway across Texas.  *It’s time for spring livestock shows and rodeos.  *Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins unveiled plans to tackle farm labor costs. *Planning and organizing an agricultural conference takes a lot of work.  *Researchers have found new issues with equine asthma. 

*Screwworms continue to affect the cattle market.*Fed cattle prices have been mostly steady over the past month.  *The Cattle Industry Convention is just a couple of weeks away.  *Additional farm aid may be needed this year.  *This weekend's snow and ice could damage warm season forages.*With calf prices so high, it’s important that every cow in your herd has a calf.