August 2007 AgNews Links

August 31, 2007
Despite Usually Wet July, Some Texas Trees Parched  
OVERTON - - Homeowners across Texas are concerned their landscape trees may be diseased, but "don't panic," said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 31, 2007
Extension Deserves Mention for Emergency, Disaster Preparedness Information  
COLLEGE STATION – September is National Preparedness Month, and Texas Cooperative Extension is an excellent source for emergency and disaster preparedness and recovery information and expertise, said an Extension expert.

August 31, 2007
Brown County to Host Pecan Tour  
BROWNWOOD – Brown County will host a Texas Cooperative Extension multi-county pecan tour on Sept. 26.

August 31, 2007
Sonora Ram Test Starts Sept. 10-11  
SONORA – The annual ram performance test conducted by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Sonora begins Sept.10 -11 with delivery of the rams to that location.

August 30, 2007
Harris Named Director for Texas A&M Center for Food Safety  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Kerri B. Harris has been named the director of the Center for Food Safety at Texas A&M University.

August 30, 2007
Dunlap Returns to Collingsworth County in Extension Role  
WELLINGTON – Dale Dunlap said he just couldn't stay away from Collingsworth County and Texas Cooperative Extension.

August 29, 2007
Texas Crop & Weather  
COLLEGE STATION– Tropical storm Erin brought more rainfall to the San Angelo region with some areas south of the city reporting 9 inches, according to Scott Durham, Texas Cooperative Extension district administrator at San Angelo.

August 29, 2007
Breeders Fortifying Wheat With Consumers in Mind  
AMARILLO – Wheat breeders are working to put a ‘little muscle' into bread, in addition to helping producers get better yields, said a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher.

August 29, 2007
Allergy Attack Prevention Begins at Home  
COLLEGE STATION – A runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing and coughing may signal a cold or the flu – or could mean allergies.

August 29, 2007
Extension to Offer Pasture, Meadow Pesticide Training in September  
HOUSTON–Texas Cooperative Extension in Harris County will offer pesticide applicator training on managing pastures and meadows from 3:30-9 p.m., Sept. 14 in the Extension auditorium, 3033 Bear Creek Drive.

August 28, 2007
Late-Summer Weed Control Helps Winter Lawns  
DALLAS – Winter weeds might be out of sight and out of mind, but now is the time to think about applying pre-emergent herbicides to lawns, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 27, 2007
New Forage Legume Could Ease Nitrogen Cost-Shock  
OVERTON – Rio Verde lablab, a recently released forage legume by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, could provide some relief to nitrogen fertilizer cost-shock.

August 27, 2007
Scott Named 4-H And Youth Specialist for South Plains, Panhandle  
LUBBOCK – Texas Cooperative Extension's 4-H and youth programs in the South Plains and Panhandle will soon have a new leader.

August 24, 2007
Field Day Looks at Bioenergy Impact on the Sheep and Goat Industry  
SAN ANGELO – Bioenergy and its impact on the sheep and goat industry is the theme for the 34th annual Sheep and Goat Field Day Sept. 6 at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center near San Angelo.

August 24, 2007
Stocker Cattle, Wheat Management Workshop Set For Aug. 30  
SNYDER – Cattle and wheat producers can update their knowledge of stocker cattle and wheat management at an Aug. 30 workshop sponsored by Texas Cooperative Extension.

August 24, 2007
Fall Gardening Conference to Feature 'Tough Plants' and Antique Daffodils  
TYLER – An upcoming gardening conference will do more than offer speakers about Texas tough plants and antique daffodils.

August 23, 2007
New Extension Publication Gives the ‘Poop’ on Manure  
COLLEGE STATION – Proper management systems are needed to handle, store, treat and utilize animal manure in a safe and environmentally sound manner, a Texas Cooperative Extension expert said.

August 23, 2007
2007 Golden Cup Competition Reflects Perk-Up of Rwandan Coffee Industry  
BUTARE, RWANDA – About 140 of Rwanda's highest quality specialty coffees were entered for the first-ever Rwandan Golden Cup coffee competition. The competition will take place Aug. 28-31 at a cupping laboratory about 10 miles from Butare, Rwanda..

August 23, 2007
Carbon Credit Conference Set Sept. 28 in East Texas  
OVERTON – An upcoming conference promises to walk landowners through four steps to making a profit from selling carbon credits, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 22, 2007
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Rainfall across the state has put range and pastures in great shape for beef cattle, and livestock markets have gotten a boost, according to Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

August 22, 2007
Perennial Pastures Require Care, Planning  
FLOYDADA – So you want some perennial grass on your place for grazing or maybe even hay? Before you get started on this project, get a leg up and do some planning, said a Texas Cooperative Extension beef specialist.

August 20, 2007
Families Reminded to Include Pets in Family Evacuation Plan  
HOUSTON – As Texans eye the Gulf of Mexico for what weather experts are forecasting as another busy hurricane season, a Texas Cooperative Extension expert said every family should have an evacuation plan that includes the family pet.

August 20, 2007
Disaster Recovery May Include Replacing Personal Documents  
COLLEGE STATION – When disaster strikes, chaos reigns. Taking care of the safety of loved ones takes first priority, but recovery may also include rebuilding financial and personal information.

August 20, 2007
Disaster Recovery May Include Replacing Personal Documents  
COLLEGE STATION – When disaster strikes, chaos reigns. Taking care of the safety of loved ones takes first priority, but recovery may also include rebuilding financial and personal information.

August 20, 2007
Obesity Center's Name Change Reflects New Relationships  
COLLEGE STATION -- Texas A&M Agriculture's Center for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation has been elevated to an institute, reflecting the entity's collaborative efforts to fight obesity, particularly in children.

August 20, 2007
Hurricane Preparedness for Livestock  
COLLEGE STATION – Livestock owners should "hurricane-ize" their livestock each year, Texas Cooperative Extension officials advise.

August 20, 2007
 
COLLEGE STATION – Disaster can strike at any place, any time, to anybody. One look at television news coverage of the recent upheaval in the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Dean proves that, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 20, 2007
 
COLLEGE STATION – Disaster can strike at any place, any time, to anybody. One look at television news coverage of the recent upheaval in the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Dean proves that, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 20, 2007
Experiment Station Scientist Named Fellow of Prestigious Science Society  
OVERTON – Dr. Ron Randel, an East Texas based researcher with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, has been named a fellow of the American Society of Animal Science.

August 17, 2007
Who Do You Call When the Wall Caves In? Hiring a Contractor Is Not as Easy as it Looks  
COLLEGE STATION – Suppose your house was damaged by weather.

August 17, 2007
Fort Stockton Field Day to Center on Rangeland Water Harvesting  
FORT STOCKTON – Texas Cooperative Extension's Pecos County office will be conducting a Rangeland Water Harvesting Field Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the Sherman Hammond Ranch.

August 17, 2007
Plenty of Good Watermelons Available Despite Heavy South Texas Rains  
UVALDE – Watermelon aficionados can rest easy. Despite heavy rains in South Texas, the juicy melons should be available at reasonable prices for the rest of the summer, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 17, 2007
Record Rainfall Causes $200 Million in Ag-Related Losses  
COLLEGE STATION – From watermelons left rotting in the field to flooded cotton and grain sorghum, record rains this spring and summer have resulted in $200 million in agriculture losses in South Texas, Texas Cooperative Extension and Texas Farm Service Agency officials reported Friday.

August 17, 2007
Private Pesticide Applicator Training Set for September 6  
SAN ANTONIO – Texas Cooperative Extension and the Texas Department of Agriculture will offer private pesticide applicator training from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 6.

August 17, 2007
Biggest Costs of Bloat May be in Undiagnosed Cattle  
VERNON – Cattle deaths due to bloat are an economic loss, but the greater cost may come during the early stages of bloat, said a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher at Vernon.

August 16, 2007
Extension Expert Issues 'Heat Advisory' for Farm Pond Fish  
OVERTON – Humans and their domestic pets aren't allow in being at risk from triple-digit summer heat, according a Texas Cooperative Extension wildlife and fisheries specialist.

August 16, 2007
Media Advisory: South Texas Crop Loss Estimates To Be Released Friday  
COLLEGE STATION – A media conference call announcing crop loss estimates due to above-normal rainfall over much of South Texas is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday.

August 16, 2007
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – In many cases, high temperatures across the state are just what producers ordered, reported area Texas Cooperative Extension officials.

August 16, 2007
Fire Ant Awareness Week to Promote Fall Treatment  
DALLAS – It's not too late, or too early, to set out fire-ant bait for the notorious pests, experts say. Fire Ant Awareness Week, beginning Sept. 10, is a reminder to apply insecticides for the second time this year.

August 15, 2007
High Quality, Heart-Healthy Beef Focus of International Symposium  
COLLEGE STATION – Producing beef with high levels of oleic acid and other heart-healthy traits for both domestic and Asian consumption will highlight an international symposium Oct. 15-16 at Texas A&M University.

August 15, 2007
Expert: Security Freeze Can Help Chill Identity Theft  
COLLEGE STATION – Beginning Sept. 1, Texans will have another layer of protection for their personal identities, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 14, 2007
Texas A&M Horticulture Students Sprout Honors at National Meeting  
COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M University horticulture student club has been "awarded in spades," according to the group's advisor, Dr. Dan Lineberger, horticulture professor.

August 14, 2007
Westphalia Hosts Water Conference  
WESTPHALIA – Brushy Creek, water issues and water legislation will be the topics of a conference at the Westphalia Community Center in Westphalia. The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Aug. 23.

August 13, 2007
Samuel Welch Endowed Scholarship Established at Texas A&M  
BRYAN -- Dr. Finis Welch has established a $150,000 Foundation Excellence Award through the Texas A&M Foundation to benefit Hispanic students who have graduated from Texas high schools, demonstrate economic need and are pursuing a degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences on the College Station campus.

August 13, 2007
Multinational Research: Protecting Ecology Means Understanding People Too  
COLLEGE STATION – Talking to a biologist about one's feelings could produce the same reaction as, say, telling a sociologist about molecules.

August 10, 2007
Agriculture Adds Fuel to Food, Feed and Fiber Supply  
BUSHLAND – Agriculture has a challenge in front of it: the opportunity to help meet the energy needs of the future, said the director of Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

August 10, 2007
Texas A&M Wins Second Consecutive National Academic Bowl  
COLLEGE STATION – The Academic Bowl Team from Texas A&M University's department of agricultural economics recently captured its second consecutive national title.

August 09, 2007
Jpaschal  
CORPUS CHRISTI – Recent rains and flooding have been hard on livestock, but producers can help them weather the unusually wet summer. The following tips from Dr. Joe Paschal, Texas Cooperative Extension livestock specialist, were written for cattle, but could apply to sheep and goats in most cases:

August 09, 2007
Excess Rainfall: Both Good and Bad for Texas Agriculture  
COLLEGE STATION – Agricultural producers are trying to make hay while the sun shines. The problem is it won't shine long enough.

August 08, 2007
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Drying in wait – that's what grasslands across Texas are doing as producers work to cut the abundant hay and make bales between rains, according to Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

August 07, 2007
Texas A&M Invitational to Tee Off on Sept. 10  
DALLAS -- Texas A&M University alumni are finalizing plans for the 10th annual Texas A&M Invitational golf tournament on Sept. 10.

August 07, 2007
Get the Most from Your Exercise Investment  
COLLEGE STATION – The longest journey may begin with a single step, but Texas Cooperative Extension experts suggest that the road to better health starts with these six:

August 06, 2007
Consumer Beef: Producing Safe, Quality Product Focus of 53rd Beef Cattle Short Course  
COLLEGE STATION – While beef demand continues at a brisk pace, consumers are paying close attention to its source and cattle producers are taking note, said one Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

August 06, 2007
Not Too Late to Beat High Nitrogen Costs This Fall  
OVERTON – There is a way to beat high nitrogen fertilizer costs for pastures when it comes to putting pounds on calves.

August 06, 2007
Exercise Saves Dollars as Well as Lives  
COLLEGE STATION – Regular physical activity is good for physical – and fiscal – health, said Dr. Carol Rice, Texas Cooperative Extension health specialist. That's because the lack of exercise can be expensive for both individuals and communities.

August 03, 2007
Media Advisory: Beef Story Ideas for Labor Day  
What's going on in the beef industry and how will it ultimately impact the dinner table? Try the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course Aug 6-8 in College Station, where 1,400 cattle producers statewide will be learning how to produce a better steak.

August 03, 2007
Free Wildlife Management Workshop Offered in September  
HELOTES – Texas Cooperative Extension will present a free "Wildlife Management Workshop" during the evenings of Sept. 18 and 19 at the Helotes 4-H Activity Center, 12132 Leslie Road.

August 03, 2007
International Symposium on Fruit, Vegetables Headed for Houston  
HOUSTON – Fruits and vegetables – tasty and a vital part of daily nutrition. But researchers worldwide continue to seek better ways to use the healthful properties of these foods. Many of these scientists will meet in Houston Oct. 9-13 to share the latest findings.

August 03, 2007
Wheat, Stocker Cattle Conference Is Aug. 14 In Wichita Falls  
WICHITA FALLS – Area producers can update their knowledge of wheat production and learn more about stocker cattle at an Aug. 14 conference. The event will be presented in Room 5 of the Multi-Purpose Event Center, 1000 Fifth St. in Wichita Falls.

August 03, 2007
Perennial Grass Workshop Is Aug. 10 In Floyd County  
LUBBOCK – Texas Cooperative Extension in Floyd and Hale counties will sponsor a perennial grass workshop for South Plains producers on Aug. 10.

August 02, 2007
'Making Small Acreage Profitable in East Texas' to Start Sept 6.  
NACOGDOCHES – Some people might call them "piecemeal" farms: small operations of 50 acres or less.

August 02, 2007
'Making Small Acreage Profitable in East Texas' to Start Sept 6.  
NACOGDOCHES – Some people might call them "piecemeal" farms: small operations of 50 acres or less.

August 02, 2007
Seed Quality Is Key To A Good Wheat Crop  
WICHITA FALLS – Somewhere between putting grain in the bin after harvest and putting seed in the drill for planting, Texas wheat producers should pay attention to seed quality, said a Texas Cooperative Extension agent.

August 01, 2007
Cardona Is New Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Burnet County  
BURNET – Norma Linda Cardona has been named the Texas Cooperative Extension agent for family and consumer sciences in Burnet County. The announcement was made by County Judge Donna Klaeger and Scott Durham, Extension administrator at San Angelo.

August 01, 2007
Jordan Receives High Honor in Dairy Field  
DALLAS – Dr. Ellen Jordan, Texas Cooperative Extension dairy specialist, has received the American Dairy Science Association's DeLaval Dairy Extension Award.