April 2004 AgNews Links

April 30, 2004
Texas A&M Museum A Gold Mine Of Information  
COLLEGE STATION – To most folks, dried insects are something to be swept out of corners. To John Oswald and Ed Riley, they're a gold mine.

April 30, 2004
Mickey Named New Extension Director In Harris County  
HOUSTON -- Bouche Mickey, a 29-year veteran with Texas Cooperative Extension, has been named director of the agency's office in Harris County.

April 29, 2004
First Of Four-Part Equine Seminar Series Held In El Paso  
EL PASO --The first of a four-part equine seminar series in El Paso County covered various equine-health topics such as dentistry, colic prevention and hay selection. Equine specialists from Texas and New Mexico presented innovative techniques in equine management.

April 29, 2004
Amarillo Area Consortium To Honor A&M Ag Program Head May 4  
AMARILLO – Dr. Edward A. Hiler, vice chancellor of agriculture for The Texas A&M University System, will be honored here with an appreciation day on May 4.

April 29, 2004
Extension Program To Help Busy Adults "Fit In" Exercise  
TYLER – Low-carb versus low fat; the Palm Beach diet versus The Zone. There's a lot diet plans out there preaching different philosophies of losing weight, but there's one weight-loss method everyone agrees on -- exercise – says a regional program director with Texas Cooperative Extension.

April 28, 2004
Laverne Addison Endowed Scholarship Donated  
COLLEGE STATION -- A scholarship honoring Laverne Addison, longtime academic adviser at Texas A&M University's forest sciences department, has been donated by Mr. and Mrs. John P. Easley and their son, Patrick J. Easley, all of San Antonio.

April 28, 2004
International Association Elects Acuff To Executive Board  
COLLEGE STATION – The International Association for Food Protection elected Gary Acuff of Texas A&M University to its executive board as secretary.

April 28, 2004
Plant Disease Under The Homeland Security Microscope  
AMARILLO -- Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, questions on plant diseases have added significance, said Dr. Charles Rush, plant pathologist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station at Amarillo.

April 28, 2004
Tiny Beetle Wreaks Havoc On Texas Ornamental Tree Nurseries  
OVERTON – Long a threat, the Asian ambrosia beetle is now appearing in devastating numbers. This insect is wreaking havoc among the Southern U.S. ornamental tree growing industry this year, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension integrated pest management specialist.

April 27, 2004
N-Clarke  
COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M University has been selected as the lead institution for the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense, officials with the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday.

April 27, 2004
Texas Expecting Only Annual Cicadas  
COLLEGE STATION – News outlets in some parts of the country are abuzz with excitement over the long-anticipated emergence of the periodical year cicada. One of the longest-lived insects, periodical cicadas emerge every 17 years. They are known by what some call their "incessant" buzzing.

April 27, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION - If producers want to see the greening of their fields, they're going to have to provide more "green" at the cash register, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

April 27, 2004
Eat Wiser, More Healthful When Dining Out  
COLLEGE STATION – Too many meals eaten away from home – in particular, those super-sized ones at fast food places – have been linked to the country's growing waistline, said Dr. Jenna Anding, Texas Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist.

April 26, 2004
Cuba Ag Export Conference Scheduled May 12 In Houston  
COLLEGE STATION – "Doing Business with Cuba," a one-day conference that will provide information on exporting agricultural products to Cuba, including market potential for Texas products, is scheduled May 12 at the Sheraton North Houston Hotel.

April 23, 2004
‘brush Appreciation Day’ Series Set During May  
SAN ANGELO -- Texas Cooperative Extension and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have scheduled three "Brush Appreciation Days" during May.

April 23, 2004
Deer Afficionados’ Deer Study Group Set In Kerrville May 20-21  
KERRVILLE – The "West Texas Deer Study Group," a gathering of people interested in fostering proper deer management, will hold its seventh annual meeting May 20-21 in Kerrville's YO Ranch Resort and Conference Center.

April 23, 2004
Master Sewing Volunteers: 'Sewing Is Therapeutic,something You Can Pass On To Children'  
SAN ANTONIO - A group of volunteers are out to see that sewing doesn't become a lost art.

April 22, 2004
Animal Id Good Idea Even If Not Mandatory Yet  
OVERTON – Even though federally mandated animal ID systems may a year or more away, it is in farmers and ranchers' self-interest to start voluntarily tagging their cattle electronically now, said one of the featured speakers at a recent East Texas forage and beef field day.

April 21, 2004
Termite Swarming Season In High Gear  
DALLAS – It's spring, and that means termites are back. But Texans can take steps to keep from being eaten out of house and home.

April 21, 2004
Smotek Aims For Gold At 2004 Olympic Summer Games  
COLLEGE STATION -- When people watch Olympic skeet shooter Connie Smotek, they might think shooting comes easy.

April 21, 2004
East Texas County Ranks Fourth In State'S Agriculture Income  
NACOGDOCHES – If asked to name the Texas counties richest in agricultural income, most would guess Panhandle or West Texas counties where cash crops such as cotton and cattle reign.

April 21, 2004
First San Angelo A&M Center Spring Field Day Offers Ceus  
SAN ANGELO – The Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at San Angelo will offer a number of continuing education units during its first natural resources field day April 29.

April 20, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION — Texas wildflowers aren't the only plants "springing up" this season. Warm season grasses are also beginning to flourish, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

April 19, 2004
Tropical Legume Could Be Alternative Hay/forage Crop For Texas  
OVERTON – Lablab, a drought-tolerant, summer annual legume native to the tropics, could be a valuable addition to the Texas forage repertoire, according to a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station scientist.

April 16, 2004
Heart Of Texas Cow/calf Clinic Set For May 6 In Brownwood  
BROWNWOOD – Texas Cooperative Extension's 26th annual "Heart of Texas Cow/Calf Clinic" is set for May 6 in the Brown County Youth Fair Home Economics Building. The facility is located on Hwy 377 South.

April 16, 2004
National Roundtable Yields Buffet Of Diversity Solutions  
COLLEGE STATION – If given a $100,000 budget and an open call for addressing diversity in the nation's universities, Lili Sanchez-Saqib knows what she'd do.

April 16, 2004
Role Of Fruit, Vegetables In Cancer Prevention Studied  
COLLEGE STATION – Mama always said: Eat your vegetables; they're good for you.

April 16, 2004
‘golden Fleece’ Wool Bale Proves Some Wool Worth Much Money  
SAN ANGELO –A recent story on CNN covered the Australian wool bale that was so valuable it was locked in a bank.

April 15, 2004
Do Your Homework To Select The Best Cotton Varieties In 2004  
LUBBOCK – Selecting productive cotton varieties is not an easy task -- particularly on the Texas High Plains, where weather can literally "make or break" a crop. A Texas Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist advises producers to do their homework by comparing several characteristics among many different varieties and then keying these characteristics to typical growing conditions.

April 15, 2004
Summer Skin Care Can Be Literal Lifesaver  
COLLEGE STATION – Break out the shorts and sandals – spring has officially arrived and summer can't be far behind.

April 14, 2004
Manrrs Chapter Wins Second National Title  
DES MOINES – The Texas A&M University chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences won the National Chapter of the Year award at the 19th annual MANRRS Career Fair and Training Conference here recently.

April 14, 2004
Ronnie Edwards Receives Osu Award From Oklahoma State  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Ronnie Edwards, associate department head of animal science at Texas A&M University, received the Oklahoma State University Advanced Degree Graduate of Distinction Award.

April 13, 2004
Great Plains Future Of Agriculture Symposium Set April 22  
BORGER - Whether you eat steak or raise cattle, you are sure to find discussions slated during the "Great Plains Future of Agriculture Symposium" on April 22 to be of interest. Sponsors include Texas Cooperative Extension offices in Hutchinson, Hansford, Hemphill, Lipscomb and Ochiltree counties, as well as Frank Phillips College, Borger Chamber of Commerce and Borger Economic Development Corporation.

April 13, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION - Despite recent rainy weather, rice planting is on schedule and progressing smoothly, Texas Cooperative Extension reports. According to Rick Jahn of Wharton, Extension agent in Wharton County, both the rice crop and market price look promising.

April 13, 2004
April 19 Beef And Forage Field Day To Help East Texas Producers Better Utilize Legumes  
POYNOR – A beef and forage field day set April 19 at the Chamness Land and Cattle Co. here will focus on clovers and other legumes that can help lessen the farmer's dependence on expensive nitrogen fertilizers.

April 13, 2004
Advanced Feed Grains Marketing Steps Up Producer Skills  
AMARILLO –– Texas Cooperative Extension's Advanced Topics Series on feed grains marketing builds on the basics of that agency's Master Marketer education system.

April 13, 2004
Grubs Usher In The Spring Gardening Season  
DALLAS -- In North Texas, the song of the mockingbirds welcomes the return of the gardening season. But many Texas gardeners turn that first shovelful of garden soil only to find large white grubs. What does this mean for this year's gardens?

April 12, 2004
Real World Brush Control: What Works And What Doesn’t  
SAN ANGELO – What makes a successful brush control project?

April 12, 2004
May 5 Economic Workshop Designed For Cow-Calf Producers  
VERNON – Drought, record cattle prices and a national "Mad Cow" scare made 2003 an interesting year to say the least for cow-calf producers. To survive in this environment, cow-calf producers need to know how their operations are performing, from a production standpoint and from a financial standpoint, said a Texas Cooperative Extension economist.

April 09, 2004
Workshop Designed To Help Rural Entrepreneurs Realize Their Dreams  
JASPER – When it comes to making money in rural areas, you've got to think creatively, said an economist with Texas Cooperative Extension.

April 09, 2004
Feeding Cottonseed Meal To Female Fallow Deer Safe At Low Rates  
OVERTON – A recently completed study by Texas Agricultural Experiment Station researchers has shown feeding female fallow deer one pound or less of cottonseed meal per head per day to be safe.

April 09, 2004
Valley Rains Cause Problems For Some, Business For Others  
WESLACO -- Recent heavy rains in the Lower Rio Grande Valley have been good news for some, bad for others.

April 09, 2004
Sonora Experiment Station Sets "Juniper, Water And You" Field Day April 21  
SONORA -- Ever wonder how much rainfall a juniper or "cedar" tree uses? Or how much water brush control on the Edwards Plateau can potentially save?

April 09, 2004
Extension In Mcculloch County Sets Deer 101 Seminar On April 23  
BRADY – Big deer with big antlers and how to produce them will be the topic of discussion during "Deer Nutrition 101," a seminar set for 8 a.m. April 23 in Brady's Ed Davenport Civic Center.

April 09, 2004
Edwards Named 4-H Agent In Potter County  
AMARILLO -- What career does a 10-year veteran of a county 4-H program choose for her life's work? Becoming a county agent or specialist, said Cory Edwards, who assumes her new job as the 4-H and youth agent with Texas Cooperative Extension in Potter County on April 12.

April 08, 2004
Eating Healthy With Diabetes Is Easier,tastier Than You Think  
EL PASO -- In addition to medical treatment and a new style of living, diabetes, comes with widespread myths and misunderstandings, especially when it comes to foods. The good news is eating well with diabetes is not only easy, it's tasty too.

April 08, 2004
East Texas Blt Reaches 14,000 During First Quarter  
OVERTON – In the first three months of this year, Better Living for Texans reached more than 9,000 East Texas residents through group meetings and nearly 5,000 through individual contacts, according to Andrali Jewett, program manager.

April 08, 2004
Bui Named Harris County’s New Blt Assistant  
HOUSTON -- Kim Bui has joined Texas Cooperative Extension's Harris County faculty as the new Better Living for Texans assistant.

April 07, 2004
Extension Touches Lives Of Many Texans, Thanks To Volunteers  
DALLAS -- Last year, 150,000 Texas Cooperative Extension volunteers touched the lives of nearly 5.5 million people.

April 07, 2004
Precision Ag Meeting Set For April 15 In Lubbock  
LUBBOCK – Farmers and agribusiness representatives can update their knowledge of precision agriculture and global positioning systems technology at an April 15 meeting at The Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension center.

April 07, 2004
Plant Identification Workshops Slated May 13-15 In Sonora  
SONORA - The Academy for Ranch Management will host a plant identification workshop May 13-15 at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station near Sonora.

April 07, 2004
Feral Hog Appreciation Days Set For April, May In West Texas  
SAN ANGELO -- Texas Cooperative Extension has set five "Feral Hog Appreciation Days" for April and May in West Texas.

April 07, 2004
Alfalfa Returns Top All Other Production Ag Ventures In East Texas  
OVERTON – Alfalfa has the potential to net more dollars per acre than any other traditional agricultural venture in East Texas.

April 06, 2004
Marketing Workshop Focuses On Futures, Options  
LUBBOCK – Farmers and ranchers can gain a better understanding of futures and options, and how to effectively use them as marketing tools at an April 12 workshop, said a Texas Cooperative Extension economist.

April 06, 2004
Texas Cooperative Extension Sets Two Predator Awareness Days  
SAN ANGELO --Texas Cooperative Extension has set two Predator Awareness Workshops in April.

April 06, 2004
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION— As wheat begins to "spring up" in Texas, producers are looking forward to higher yields and prices, reports Texas Cooperative Extension.

April 06, 2004
Extension Forestry Specialist: Consulting Foresters Increase Landowner Revenues 25 Percent  
OVERTON – Studies show forest landowners increase their revenues 25 percent more per acre and have a healthier, more productive timber stands when they employ a consulting forester, according to Dr. Eric Taylor, Texas Cooperative Extension forestry specialist.

April 06, 2004
Cattle Business A Tough Row To Hoe, Economist Tells Ranching Novices  
OVERTON – In Texas, operators of most beef cattle and forage operations realize a very low rate of return on investment.

April 06, 2004
"Knock Out" Rose Receives Texas Superstar And Earthkind Designation  
DALLAS -- It has been called the perfect landscape shrub. Virtually disease-free, Knock Out rose has received the Texas Superstar and EarthKind designations by horticultural experts at Texas A&M University.

April 05, 2004
Experiment Station Sonora Ram Test Announces Results  
SONORA – The Sawyer Ranch Partnership of Sonora showed their faith in the future of Texas' sheep industry by buying the high-selling ram at this years annual Sonora Ram Performance Test and Sale conducted by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

April 05, 2004
Roundup Ready Alfalfa Promises Weed-Free Hay  
OVERTON -- Texas Agricultural Experiment Station scientists here recently evaluated several lines of new, transgenic alfalfa that are tolerant to the widely used, broad spectrum herbicide glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.

April 05, 2004
Wilkerson Given Arp Award From Texas Nursery, Landscape Group  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Don Wilkerson, Texas Cooperative Extension horticulturist, was given the Arp Award recently by the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association.

April 05, 2004
Temperamental Cattle Make Tough Steaks, First U.s. Study Shows  
OVERTON – Steers with a bad attitude – those that are difficult to handle in pens and race out of handling chutes – will likely be tough eating, according to a cooperative study between Texas A&M University System and Mississippi State University researchers.

April 05, 2004
Texas Quail Index Sets April Training  
SAN ANGELO – Texas Cooperative Extension's Texas Quail Index is marking its third year with a training April 26-27 at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at San Angelo. The center is located north of town on U.S. Hwy 87 North.

April 05, 2004
Three New South American Fish Identified  
COLLEGE STATION – It all started with an aquarium his father bought for the family home in Venezuela. The fish swam and ate and created an environment that captivated the watchful eye of then-10-year-old Hernan Lopez-Fernandez.

April 02, 2004
Economist: Consider All Stakeholders In Water Transactions  
SAN ANTONIO – Thirsty Texas cities are looking for more sources of water to meet the needs of growing urban populations. And exporting groundwater from rural areas to the city is one way to meet that need.

April 02, 2004
Health Fair: Have Fun While Learning Healthy Habits  
CORPUS CHRISTI – By the time the doors opened at 9 a.m., lines were forming at the doors and most available parking spaces outside were filled. Under the watchful eyes of parents and teachers, children were swirling around in excited groups and clumps, getting ready to have some Saturday morning fun.

April 02, 2004
Sansone Named To State Post  
SAN ANGELO – Dr. Chris Sansone became the Texas A&M University department of entomology's associate head for Extension programs effective March 1.

April 02, 2004
Three Grain Sorghum Workshops Slated In April  
LUBBOCK – Three half-day "What You Need To Know" grain sorghum workshops will be held in April at three locations across the South Plains.

April 01, 2004
Trinity County Extension Agent Named  
OVERTON - Crispin M. Skinner has been named Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural and natural resources agent for Trinity County, effective April 1.

April 01, 2004
Noted Author To Speak On Texas’ Natural History In Dallas April 28  
DALLAS – Dr. David Schmidly, author of "Texas' Natural History – A Century of Change" and "The Mammals of Texas," will give a free lecture here at 7 p.m. April 28.