January 2006 AgNews Links

January 31, 2006
American Forage and Grassland Council Conference Set March 11-12  
SAN ANTONIO -- The latest information on the grassland management in Texas will be presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Forage and Grassland Council. The conference will be held this year at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio on March 11-12.

January 31, 2006
Cooperative Efforts Benefit Students Headed into Research  
AMARILLO – Kim McCuistion may be a student at West Texas A&M University, but her education isn't confined by the walls of a classroom.

January 30, 2006
Hauser to Fill Moore County Extension Position  
DUMAS – Jesy Hauser plans to enter Texas Cooperative Extension's position as agriculture agent armed with more than just agriculture knowledge.

January 30, 2006
Winter Texans Scout for Diseased Citrus Trees  
WESLACO – A small army of Winter Texans has been deployed in the Lower Rio Grande Valley to watch for a possible invasion by a devastating citrus disease.

January 30, 2006
Home-Based Child Care a Growing Self-Employment Option  
LUBBOCK – If you've ever fantasized about being self-employed and working from home, an expert from Texas Cooperative Extension offered this suggestion: Consider becoming a home-based child care provider.

January 27, 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension Partnering in Plum Creek Watershed Pilot Program  
COLLEGE STATION – Texas Cooperative Extension and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board are partnering in a program to protect and improve water quality in the state's watersheds.

January 27, 2006
Current Cotton Environment Requires Producers to Step Up Marketing Plans  
AMARILLO – High Plains, South Plains and Rolling Plains cotton producers can learn strategies to build into their marketing plan for the upcoming year at a series of meetings.

January 27, 2006
Chinch Bugs Plague Texas' St. Augustine Lawns  
DALLAS – Chinch bugs have long been the bane of homeowners with St. Augustine grass lawns.

January 27, 2006
East Texas Fruit, Nut Conference Set Feb. 21 at Tyler  
TYLER – Many insects like pecans, but last season stinkbugs were the major offenders, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

January 26, 2006
Texas Farm-Ranch -Wildlife Expo Sets Feb. 21-22 Dates In Abilene  
ABILENE – The seventh annual Texas Farm, Ranch and Wildlife Expo is set for Feb. 21-22 on the Taylor County Expo Center grounds. Show hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21 and 9 a.m. -4 p.m. Feb. 22. The center is located at 1700 state Highway 36 here.

January 26, 2006
Wildlife Enterprise Program to Highlight Abilene Expo  
ABILENE -- Wildlife entrepreneurs can learn from some of the state's top educators during the Texas Wildlife Experience "Tools II" Expanding the Wildlife Enterprise program.

January 26, 2006
Wallrath Donation Tops $700,000 for 4-H Scholarship Endowment  
COLLEGE STATION – More Texas 4-H'ers than ever before will receive a big financial boost toward their college educations this year, thanks to Dick Wallrath, owner of Champion Ranches in Centerville.

January 26, 2006
Texas Drought Losses Reach $1.5 Billion  
COLLEGE STATION – Texas drought losses have reached an estimated $1.5 billion, fueled by high hay costs and extended supplemental feeding for livestock, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

January 26, 2006
Extension Faculty’s Service to Texans Honored by National Fraternity  
HOUSTON — Alpha Zeta, the state chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, a national fraternity, honored four Texas Cooperative Extension faculty in Harris County with service awards this month.

January 26, 2006
Forestry Research Challenges 'Fundamental' Law of Nature  
COLLEGE STATION – When it comes to trees' metabolic rates, size doesn't matter. Nitrogen does, said Dr. Mark Tjoelker, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station forestry researcher.

January 25, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
SAN ANGELO – Much-needed moisture fell late last week but did little to dampen the state's critical hay situation, Texas Cooperative Extension experts say.

January 25, 2006
Rising Fertilizer Prices Emphasize Need for Soil Test  
WACO – The high price of fertilizer will make many farmers pay closer attention to production costs this spring. Dr. Mark McFarland, Texas Cooperative Extension soil fertility specialist, advises producers to run a soil test before spending too much on unnecessary fertilizer.

January 25, 2006
Underground Cameras, Feedmills and Wine: State’s Permanent University Funds Aid Studies  
COLLEGE STATION – Almost $1 million from the state's Permanent University Fund has been designated for agricultural research projects -- most of which target ways to supply higher quality, healthier food, according to Texas Agricultural Experiment Station officials.

January 25, 2006
Finding a Good Dry Cleaner Can Be ‘Pressing’ Issue for Consumers  
LUBBOCK – If you want your dry-clean-only fabrics and garments to last longer, give some thought to which dry cleaner you are going to entrust with them, advised a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

January 25, 2006
Dry Clean Only Garments Don’t Have to be Frightening  
LUBBOCK – You've found ‘The Perfect Outfit' ... it fits perfectly, it's the right color and it's even on sale. What does the care tag say? Oops, it's dry clean only.

January 24, 2006
They're ba-ack: Bed Bugs Seek Humans to Snuggle  
SAN ANTONIO – Bed bugs have made a comeback in a big way, said Molly Keck, Texas Cooperative Extension entomologist.

January 24, 2006
Aflatoxin Awareness Helps Prevent Future Problems  
AMARILLO – The livestock feeding industry in the High Plains is on the lookout for high aflatoxin concentrations in imported grain, according to a local plant pathologist.

January 24, 2006
Hurricane Destruction, Military Maneuvers High on Natural Resources Research List  
COLLEGE STATION – While humans grapple with restarting their lives along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, scores of migratory birds, fish, reptiles and mammals scurry about seeking food and shelter as spring mating season approaches.

January 23, 2006
Birds, Rodents Can Cause Significant Damage to Animal Feeding Operations  
AMARILLO – Thousands of starlings perched on a high wire may be an impressive sight for some, but for livestock operation owners, they are a picture of money flying off the property.

January 23, 2006
Protect Pastures from Wildfire  
CORPUS CHRISTI – A Texas Cooperative Extension range expert said pastures need protection now from wildfire.

January 23, 2006
Rio Grande Valley Citrus Leader Wins Potts Award  
WESLACO – Longtime citrus educator Dr. Julian W. Sauls received the prestigious Arthur T. Potts Award at the recent 60th annual meeting of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Horticultural Society.

January 20, 2006
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Names Faculty Fellows  
COLLEGE STATION – Eight scientists have been named Faculty Fellows and Senior Faculty Fellows by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

January 19, 2006
March Senior Nutrition Workshop Will Help ‘Feed’ Professional Development  
SAN ANTONIO – A workshop on seniors' nutrition issues will take place March 1 at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E. Houston Street, here.

January 18, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION - Drought continues to prevail through much of Texas, forcing the state's ranchers to sift through herds and sell off cull cows, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

January 18, 2006
Dallas County Gets New Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent  
DALLAS – Dallas County residents who participate in Texas Cooperative Extension's "Wellness in the City" program have a new family and consumer sciences agent to assist them.

January 17, 2006
Beef Producers Culling Cattle In Response to Texas Drought  
WACO – While Texas ranchers continue to endure drought conditions, they are in a culling mode, scaling back herds by selling older cows, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

January 17, 2006
2005 Cotton Blue Book Now Available for Rio Grande Valley  
WESLACO – Considered by many in the industry as the area's cotton production bible, the 2005 Lower Rio Grande Valley Cotton, Grain Sorghum, and Corn Blue Book is now available. Free copies are available at local cotton gins or at any area Texas Cooperative Extension office.

January 17, 2006
Valley Meetings to Address Pressing Agriculture Issues  
WESLACO – The Lower Rio Grande Valley's new agricultural year kicks off with two traditional gatherings here. Both will focus on a variety of issues facing the industry.

January 13, 2006
HOUSTON: Extension Horticulture Program Offers Free Monthly Gardening Lectures  
HOUSTON — Texas Cooperative Extension's horticulture program in Harris County will offer a series of free lectures on home gardening each month this year. The series will be offered in conjunction with Extension's Master Gardener Association through the "Green Thumb Gardening Series."

January 13, 2006
Central Texas Beef Cattle Meeting Set Jan. 24 at Glen Rose  
GLEN ROSE – Two beef quality assurance credits will be offered to attendees of the upcoming Central Texas Beef Cattle conference.

January 12, 2006
‘Green Thumb or Brown Thumb,’ This Conference is for You  
TYLER – Whatever your level of gardening expertise, the upcoming East Texas Spring Landscape and Garden Conference has something for you, said a Texas Cooperative Extension agent.

January 12, 2006
Texas Brigades Youth Camps Seek New Recruits  
SAN ANGELO – Texas Cooperative Extension's Texas Brigades is sounding the call for cadets to participate in this year's summer camps.

January 12, 2006
New Program Coordinator Announced at V.G. Young Institute  
COLLEGE STATION – Kimberly Jozwiak has been named program coordinator at the V.G. Young Institute of County Government, according to an announcement from Richard Avery, institute director. The institute is part of Texas Cooperative Extension and the Texas A&M University System.

January 11, 2006
Funeral Planning: An Important Step in Getting Your Affairs in Order  
AMARILLO -- Discussing funeral arrangements in advance may not be the happiest of topics, but it certainly may alleviate some grief and stress, said one Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

January 10, 2006
Texas A&M Agriculture Vice Chancellor Names Award in Excellence Winners  
COLLEGE STATION – Award in Excellence honors were given to 21 people, two teams and one agency-industry partnership today by Dr. Elsa Murano, Texas A&M University System vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences.

January 10, 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension Bestows Partnership Awards on Five Groups  
(Editors: Information in this article includes information on entities from Amarillo, Austin, Houston, Lubbock and Temple. Anyone interested in complete details may contact Suzanne Deatherage)

January 10, 2006
Late Texas Rancher, Tobin Armstrong, Named Distinguished Texan in Agriculture  
COLLEGE STATION – The late Tobin Armstrong, a South Texas rancher whose leadership in organizations and politics for decades helped shape cattle production across the nation, has been named Texas A&M Distinguished Texan in Agriculture for 2005.

January 10, 2006
Early Detection of Fire Damage Can Minimize Cattle Losses Due to Fire  
COLLEGE STATION – Analyzing injuries to cattle following a wildfire is important to minimize losses, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

January 09, 2006
Developing This Year’s Marketing Plan for Feed Grains  
DIMMITT – Producers needing help to establish a marketing plan for their feed grains operation are invited to attend a two-day seminar.

January 09, 2006
Believe it or Not, Some Look Forward to Tax Season  
COLLEGE STATION – Believe it or not, Dr. Joyce Cavanagh of College Station looks forward to tax season every year.

January 06, 2006
Extension Helping Extinguish Wildfire Worries with Information, Assistance  
AUSTIN – Though wildfires have already had a serious impact on the state's urban and rural residents, the situation will remain critical for months to come, even if it rains, a Texas Cooperative Extension expert said.

January 06, 2006
Bone Dry Weather Poses Opportunity for Pond Owners  
OVERTON – "You know it's dry when your fish have ticks," quips a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

January 06, 2006
Texas Fire Watch Continues Statewide  
COLLEGE STATION – Much of Texas is a tinderbox right now. Texas Cooperative Extension range specialists are advising all Texans, especially landowners, to refrain from lighting any fires during work-related or other activities.

January 06, 2006
National Animal ID System/Premise Number Program Set Jan. 24 in Brown County  
BROWNWOOD – Texas Cooperative Extension will hold a National Animal ID System/Premise Number program at 6 p.m., Jan. 24 in the Brown County Fairgrounds Home Economics Building.

January 06, 2006
Bexar County ‘Transplant’ Becomes Extension Horticulture Agent  
SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio native David Rodriguez has been hired as horticulture agent at Texas Cooperative Extension in Bexar County. He began Jan. 2.

January 06, 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension Sets Two Predator Awareness Days  
CANYON --Texas Cooperative Extension has scheduled two Predator Awareness Workshops this month.

January 05, 2006
Irrigation Engineer Pumped Up About Afghanistan Assignment  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Guy Fipps, a Texas Cooperative Extension irrigation specialist, gets pumped up when he's asked about his new assignment.

January 05, 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension Names New Agent For Brown County  
BROWNWOOD – Angela Hughes has been named Texas Cooperative Extension's family and consumer sciences agent for Brown County. The joint announcement was made by Ray West, Brown County judge, and Scott Durham, District Extension administrator.

January 04, 2006
Amarillo: Federal Crop Insurance Overview to be Offered  
AMARILLO – Producers wanting to learn how to evaluate crop insurance alternatives are invited to attend a one-day short course.

January 03, 2006
Crop Protection Clinics To Be Offered This Month in Panhandle  
AMARILLO – Area producers and crop advisors have an opportunity to earn continuing education credits at four Crop Protection Clinics this month.

January 02, 2006
Harris County Master Urban Rancher Program to Begin Feb. 3  
HOUSTON – For many suburban families, work may be in the city, but home is on the range. Small-acreage operations are increasing in number, according to Wayne Thompson, Texas Cooperative Extension agriculture agent in Harris County. Helping these operations, known as "ranchettes," is the focus of the Master Urban Rancher program.