June 2004 AgNews Links

June 30, 2004
'Weed From Hell' Found In Texas  
JASPER – An infestation of tropical soda apple, a thorny plant on the federal noxious weed list, has been verified on a private ranch here.

June 30, 2004
Second Equine Seminar: West Nile Virus On Horses  
EL PASO – The second Equine Seminar presented by Texas Cooperative Extension in El Paso featured up-to-date information about vector-transmitted diseases such as West Nile virus and Vesicular stomatitis. Both diseases are affecting horses throughout the United States.

June 29, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION -- Texas winter wheat is bringing a good price, but yields are suffering, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

June 29, 2004
Texas 4-H’ers Shooting For Gold On Junior Olympic Team  
COLLEGE STATION – Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but 4-H'er Kara Hellard prefers gold.

June 28, 2004
'Trap' Crop Saves Cross Timbers Melon Production  
STEPHENVILLE -- Mark Allison, Comanche County farmer, first noticed a few yellow vines in his watermelon crop in the late 1990s but didn't think much of it.

June 25, 2004
Veneman Honors Texas Communicators For Innovative Achievements  
WASHINGTON – Two Texans were honored today by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman for "stellar achievements and contributions toward fulfilling USDA's mission."

June 25, 2004
College Mold Class Offered On The Internet  
WESLACO -- Biology and engineering students will meet on the Internet this fall to take a unique college-level course about mold and how it affects buildings and public health.

June 25, 2004
Extension Helps Panhandle Farmers Assess Storm Damage  
AMARILLO – How much damage can one storm deliver during a single night?

June 25, 2004
Evaporation Taking Its Toll On South Texas Reservoirs  
WESLACO -- After months of gradual increases from beneficial rainfall, lake levels at Falcon and Amistad Dams are beginning to drop, not from use by municipalities and farmers, but from evaporation.

June 24, 2004
Nearly 100 Gardening Professionals, 'Enthusiasts' Attend Horticulture Field Day  
OVERTON) --"Beautiful."

June 24, 2004
Exercise Can Be Life-Saver  
COLLEGE STATION – You've heard the experts' advice about how exercise, when combined with a healthful diet and other positive lifestyle choices, can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, firm up muscles, and improve heart and lung health, right?

June 23, 2004
Wood County Extension Agent Named  
OVERTON – Dan Reed has been named Texas Cooperative Extension 4-H and youth development agent for Wood County, effective July 1.

June 22, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Cantaloupe harvest in South Texas has come to a close with disappointing yields, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

June 22, 2004
Entomologist Details Panhandle Crop Pest Management Options  
AMARILLO – As certain as death and taxes, plants will have insect problems. Dr. Carl Patrick, entomologist with Texas Cooperative Extension based in Amarillo, has strategies for controlling crop pests in area corn, sorghum and cotton fields.

June 22, 2004
National Youth Wool Judging Contest Winners Named  
SONORA – Kendall County's senior 4-H wool judges were named the top 4-H wool judging team in the nation during the 44th annual National 4-H Wool Judging Contest here. The contest was held in conjunction with the 67th annual Sonora Wool and Mohair Show June 15-17.

June 21, 2004
Extension Leadership Program Announces Newest Class  
COLLEGE STATION – The Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program recently announced the 25 members of its newest two-year class.

June 18, 2004
Butterfly Workshop Offered At Texas A&M Gardens  
COLLEGE STATION – "Keys to Successful Butterfly Gardening" will be the topic for a seminar July 7 at the Texas A&M University Horticultural Gardens.

June 17, 2004
New Electronic Newsletter Helps Valley’s Produce Industry  
WESLACO – How strong are watermelon shipments from Mexico this year? What have recent heavy rains meant for the Lower Rio Grande Valley's cantaloupe crop? What do the new country of origin rules mean for Valley produce? What's the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture's acreage estimate for Georgia onions?

June 17, 2004
El Paso’s Farmers Market Opens In Historic Mission Trail  
EL PASO – After much anticipation, El Paso's Harvest Market officially opened at the head of the Mission Trail on Saturday, bringing the farm closer to city dwellers. Farmers, bakers, and arts and crafts vendors displayed goods for sale and promoted future items.

June 15, 2004
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION — Corn is expected to make a comeback after heavy rainfall and late planting dates, reports Texas Cooperative Extension.

June 15, 2004
Texas Cooperative Extension Sets Rainwater Capture Meeting  
SAN ANGELO -- Texas Cooperative Extension will hold a "Rainwater Capture Meeting" at 7 p.m., June 29 in the San Angelo Convention Center.

June 15, 2004
Experiment Station Researcher Looking For Missing Links In Corn  
COLLEGE STATION – A scientist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station said the development of corn with improved protein quality would reduce the need for soybean additives when feeding corn to swine and poultry.

June 14, 2004
Texas Country Cleanups Set For June 22-24  
AUSTIN – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will conduct a series of agricultural waste pesticide collections for rural areas this month. Texas Cooperative Extension and the Texas Department of Agriculture will co-sponsor these events.

June 14, 2004
Corn Research Aims At Eliminating Aflatoxin  
Weslaco -- Researchers at the Texas Cooperative Extension Weslaco Center have been working on the elimination of a toxin developed in corn. This toxin has hurt the corn production in the south Texas for several years. Norma Moreno has more details.

June 14, 2004
Behavioral Studies Help Control Insect Populations  
WESLACO – They sweep across the Lower Rio Grande Valley like bomber pilots, scanning the landscape for their targets. Every year, billions of diamondback moths, each about the size of a thin housefly, find and destroy their prey, usually cabbage, causing millions of dollars in crop losses.

June 14, 2004
Beef Cattle Short Course Set For Aug. 2-4  
COLLEGE STATION – The 50th annual Texas A&M University Beef Cattle Short Course will be held Aug. 2-4 at the Texas A&M University Center and Rudder Tower in College Station.

June 11, 2004
'EWE WE DONE IT?' SHEEP PRODUCERS FIND DNA TESTING NOT JUST FOR CRIME SOLVING  
SAN ANGELO -- DNA identification is not only for crime solving and settling paternity suits. It also has practical applications in animal agriculture as researchers at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center here are demonstrating.

June 11, 2004
Amador Announces Retirement From Texas A&M University System  
WESLACO -- After devoting more than four decades to agricultural research, Dr. Jose Amador has announced his retirement from the Texas A&M University System effective next summer.

June 11, 2004
Deer Workshop Scheduled July 8-10 In Sonora  
SONORA -- A workshop focusing on the tools, techniques and strategies used in deer habitat management is scheduled July 8-10 at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Sonora.

June 11, 2004
Texas 4-H’ers 'Nail Down' Community Service Project  
BRYAN – Jonathon Glueck of Canyon didn't expect to start the morning with a nail gun in his hand – but he did.

June 10, 2004
Weldon Named Extension Agent In Dallam, Hartley Counties  
DALHART – Robert Tim Weldon, Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural and natural resources agent in Kent County, will transfer to serve Dallam and Hartley counties.

June 10, 2004
International Symposium To Study Benefits Of Citrus  
WESLACO -- A scientist in the Lower Rio Grande Valley is calling on colleagues from throughout the world to gather this summer to help unlock the secrets of citrus and its benefits to human health.

June 09, 2004
Texas Cares Launches New Web Site To Help Seniors With Drug Info  
AMARILLO – The confusion over the new Medicare discount prescription drug cards just got a little bit clearer, thanks to a new Web site. And older adults with limited computer skills don't have to let that limitation stand in their way, said Andrew B. Crocker of Amarillo, Texas Cooperative Extension program specialist in gerontology health.

June 09, 2004
Extension Opens Ears To Texans’ Concerns  
COLLEGE STATION – Texas Cooperative Extension is listening to Texans' concerns, one Web hit and Internet response at a time.

June 08, 2004
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION — Although pickling cucumbers may be made to taste sour, there is nothing sour about this year's quality and price, reports Texas Cooperative Extension.

June 08, 2004
Global Competition Key Theme Of June 17 Ag Summit  
OVERTON -- An upcoming agricultural summit will address the future of forestry, beef and poultry -- key elements of the agricultural economy.

June 07, 2004
Menard County Burn Tour Set For June 12  
MENARD – Texas Cooperative Extension and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are sponsoring the "Menard County Burn Tour" June 12.

June 07, 2004
Hiler Makes Farewell Visit To Weslaco Center  
WESLACO -- Texas A&M University's top agriculture official, Dr. Ed Hiler, made what likely will be his last official visit to A&M's research and extension facilities in the Lower Rio Grande Valley this week.

June 07, 2004
Fresh Fruits: Enjoy The Flavor Of Summer  
COLLEGE STATION – Summer may sound like Fourth of July fireworks and baseball games, but it tastes like fresh produce.

June 04, 2004
Sonora Readies For Annual Contests  
SONORA – The 67th annual Wool and Mohair Show and the 44nd annual National 4-H Wool Judging Contest join the fourth annual FFA Wool Judging Contest here June 15-17. Activities for these events will take place at the Sonora Wool and Mohair Company Warehouse and the Sutton County 4-H Civic Center.

June 04, 2004
'Cadillac' Of Horticultural Field Days Set June 23  
DALLAS – Gardeners will have the chance to see how hundreds of ornamental varieties – from ageratum to impatiens to zinnias – perform under optimum conditions on June 23 at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

June 03, 2004
Despite High Water Levels, East Texas Ponds Oxygen Depleted  
OVERTON -- "My fish are dying! What do I do?"

June 03, 2004
For Great Summer, Keep Safety In Mind  
COLLEGE STATION – School's out and kids just want to have summer fun.

June 03, 2004
Pasture To Packer Lamb Feeding Program Set For June  
VANCOURT – Texas Cooperative Extension is readying for its 2004 "Pasture to Packer" lamb feeding program. The program begins with delivery of lambs to the Chico Denis Feedlot here from 8 a.m-5 p.m. on June 24. A $3 per head entry fee is payable upon delivery.

June 02, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION -- Texas producers are making hay while the sun still shines, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

June 02, 2004
Stiles Farm Field Day Set For June 15  
THRALL -- Tips on weed control and crop rotation, plus information on getting the most from fertilization will be spotlighted at the June 15 Stiles Farm Field Day.

June 01, 2004
Gurley Named County Extension Agent For Shelby County  
CENTER – Claudann M. Gurley has been named Texas Cooperative Extension family and consumer sciences agent for Shelby County.

June 01, 2004
Bishop Named Extension Agent In Donley County  
CLARENDON – Mary Ruth Bishop of Lubbock will become the family and consumer sciences agent with Texas Cooperative Extension in Donley County, effective June 2.