March 2005 AgNews Links

March 31, 2005
Austin Summit Gives Texas Entrepreneurs Some ‘Capitol’ Ideas  
AUSTIN – Texas Rep. Jim Keffer of Eastland and Texas Sen. Todd Staples of Palestine were among the speakers at the first "Texas Entrepreneurship Summit" here on March 29.

March 31, 2005
Rabid Skunks Pose Threat to Hunters, Others  
AMARILLO – Skunks aren't usually sighted during hunting, but this turkey season, hunters might see a few.

March 30, 2005
High Fuel, Fertilizer Costs Take Toll on Cotton, Rice Profits  
COLLEGE STATION – Most of the 18 cotton and 16 rice farms included in a recent study are projected to lose significant net worth over the next four years resulting from high fuel and fertilizer expenses.

March 29, 2005
Leaf-Cutting Ants on a Rampage in South Texas  
WESLACO -- For some reason, leaf-cutting ants in South Texas are much more prevalent this year than most. Homeowners, citrus growers and now even cotton farmers are complaining that the ants are mercilessly stripping their plants of leaves.

March 29, 2005
Texas Crop and Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Now is the time for homeowners to start testing their soil, according to Texas Cooperative Extension experts.

March 29, 2005
Homeowners Left Vulnerable to Leafcutter Ant Excavations  
DALLAS – And you thought fire ants were bad. Fireants are cruel pests, but at least they can be controlled and don't pose a risk to your home.

March 28, 2005
Carrots of Color: Pallette of Phytochemicals Provided Through Texas Research  
COLLEGE STATION – In the late 1980s, Dr. Leonard Pike stood at a roadside vegetable market in Russia and watched a produce man chop, chop, chop much like a butcher slicing deli meat. When he was finished, the thin, yellow medallions under his knife were gathered up like poker chips, weighed in a bag, and handed to the customer.

March 28, 2005
Financial Workshop to Help Money Management Add Up for Travis County Youths  
AUSTIN – April is Financial Literacy for Youth Month. To help educate young people about managing money, the Financial Literacy Coalition of Central Texas will present a "Welcome to the Real World!" financial workshop to 22 low-income students at American Youthworks Charter School here.

March 28, 2005
Turf Management and Irrigation Monitoring Seminar Planned for April 12  
AMARILLO -- A turfgrass management workshop will be held for sports field and turf maintenance personnel on April 12.

March 28, 2005
Texas Quail Index Set for April 25-26 at San Angelo  
SAN ANGELO – The Texas Quail Index will mark its fourth year with a cooperators' training April 25-26 at San Angelo.

March 25, 2005
Rain Brings Flowers and Toxic Plants to West Texas Ranges  
FORT STOCKTON – Unprecedented wet weather in far West Texas the past two years should have pastures in full bloom with flowers this spring. But with every silver lining comes a cloud, according to two Texas Cooperative Extension specialists here.

March 25, 2005
Second Annual San Angelo A&M Center Spring Field Day Set for April 28  
SAN ANGELO – The second annual natural resources field day of The Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at San Angelo is set for April 28.

March 25, 2005
New Zealand Tall Fescue Might Replace Traditional Winter Forages  
OVERTON – An agricultural researcher here is looking at using perennial tall fescues in East Texas as possible replacement annual winter forages.

March 24, 2005
Ed Smith Named Finalist for Texas Cooperative Extension Director  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Ed Smith was named sole finalist for Texas Cooperative Extension director today by the Texas A&M University System board of regents. Smith has been interim director since July 2004. As finalist, Smith may be named director by the regents in 21 days.

March 24, 2005
Texas A&M Animal Science Complex Naming Ceremony to Honor Dr. O.D. Butler  
COLLEGE STATION – The naming ceremony for the O.D. Butler Jr. Animal Science Complex at Texas A&M University will be on April 8.

March 24, 2005
Pre-planning and Communication Concerning Life-and-Death Issues Can Ease Heartaches  
AMARILLO – The public attention to Terri Schiavo's case underscores the necessity of making personal life-or-death decisions before the unexpected happens.

March 24, 2005
Marketing Strategies Critical for Cotton in Times of Uncertainty  
AMARILLO – Uncertainty beyond the normal planting questions makes management strategies for cotton farmers more important this year.

March 24, 2005
Texas Brigades Youth Camps Signing Deadline Fast Approaching  
SAN ANGELO – Texas Brigades sign-up deadline for this year's summer camps is April 15.

March 24, 2005
WTO Impacts on U.S. Farm Policy Focus of June Conference  
COLLEGE STATION -- A conference on how the World Trade Organization could impact U.S. farm policy is scheduled for June 1-3 at the World Trade Center in New Orleans.

March 23, 2005
Confused by Insurance Offers by Mail? Read the Fine Print  
COLLEGE STATION – Here's a little quiz:

March 22, 2005
Texas Crop and Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION -- The usual enemy of wheat in the state is drought, but this year, it has a new nemesis -- excess moisture, Texas Cooperative Extension specialists report.

March 22, 2005
Rangeland Stewardship Program Set April 6-7 at Historic Four Sixes Ranch  
GUTHRIE – Aficionados of historic Texas ranches and range management should attend "Good Stewardship...Is Good Business - A Showcase of Rangeland Management." The program is set for April 6 and 7 at the Guthrie Community Center and on the Four Sixes Ranch here.

March 22, 2005
Expert Tells How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft  
COLLEGE STATION – The news is full of horror stories about identify theft, but few give specific steps on how to protect yourself.

March 21, 2005
Boleman Named to Special Project Post for Texas A&M University System Agriculture Program  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Larry Boleman, a nationally-recognized beef cattle educator, has been selected assistant deputy vice chancellor for special projects for The Texas A&M University System's Agriculture Program.

March 21, 2005
April 12 San Antonio Turfgrass Seminar Will Give Lowdown on Lawn Care  
SAN ANTONIO – Now that spring has sprung, can the smell of freshly mowed lawns be far behind? Maybe not. Each year, disease, lawn stress and other problems keep many Bexar County residents from having the plush, green lawns they desire.

March 18, 2005
Texas Country Recycling Events Planned for April  
AUSTIN – Five Texas Country Cleanups – rural recycling events – are scheduled for April. Each cleanup will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

March 18, 2005
How Long Do Mesquite Seeds Last in the Pasture?  
UVALDE – A group of Texas A&M experts have answered an age-old question: How long do mesquite seeds last in the pasture? Their answer? Not long, but there's a bit more to it than that.

March 17, 2005
East Texas Gardening Extravaganza Set April 2  
LUFKIN – There are as many varieties of gardeners as there are petunias: perfectionists, casual, retired and, yes, even lazy ones, said Cary Sims, Texas Cooperative Extension agent in Angelina County.

March 17, 2005
April 9 Family Extravaganza Will Have Something for Everyone  
SAN ANTONIO – Texas Cooperative Extension offices in Bexar County and the East Central Independent School District will sponsor a free "Families Are Forever Extravaganza" from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on April 9 here. The extravaganza, a family education fair and conference, will be at Highland Forest Elementary, 3736 S.E. Military Dr.

March 17, 2005
Plant Identification Workshop May 12-14 near Sonora  
SONORA – The Academy for Ranch Management will host a plant identification workshop May 12-14 at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station near Sonora.

March 17, 2005
How Much Water Do Xeriscape Plants Really Need?  
UVALDE – Most Texans have heard of the water-saving benefits of xeriscape landscaping, the practice of using plants adapted to a specific area.

March 16, 2005
‘Bloat Team’ Works to Deflate Winter Wheat Deaths  
VERNON – Pasture bloat death loss in cattle costs more than $20 million per year to the industry in North Texas.

March 16, 2005
Volunteers Use Plants and Flowers That Are Just What the Doctor Ordered  
HOUSTON – "Pick two daisies and call me in the morning!"

March 16, 2005
Partnership Sets Out to Restore Creek, Wetlands  
TEMPLE – "This is my Walden," said Raye Virginia Allen, sweeping her arm around to the Central Texas creek lined with oak and pecan trees and cedar.

March 15, 2005
Texas Crop and Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION - Corn producers still have time to plant before the optimal window closes, a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist reports.

March 15, 2005
Travis County Summer Camps Mix Science and Fun  
AUSTIN – Two upcoming summer camps will give young residents of Travis County the opportunity to learn about science – and have fun while doing it. The camps, offered through Texas Cooperative Extension in Travis County, are open to kids 9-13 years old.

March 15, 2005
Rice Named Program Leader for Family Development and Resource Management  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Carol Rice, Texas Cooperative Extension health specialist, has been named the new program leader for Family Development and Resource Management. She began her new duties on March 1.

March 15, 2005
Young Adults Need to Consider Insurance Needs ... Really  
COLLEGE STATION – The bags and boxes are packed and in the car, and the first month's rent is paid on a brand-new apartment. Parents stand misty-eyed on the curb waving good-bye.

March 15, 2005
Nolan County Animal I.D. Informational Meeting Set for April 12  
ROSCOE – Individual animal identification is a term beef producers hear often, but few know much about.

March 14, 2005
Doss Wildlife Management Workshop Set for April 12  
DOSS – Texas Cooperative Extension will present the "Doss Wildlife Management Workshop" beginning at 8:30 a.m. April 12 in the Doss Community Building.

March 14, 2005
Do Your Homework to Select the Best Cotton Varieties in 2005  
LUBBOCK – Selecting productive cotton varieties is not an easy task, particularly on the Texas High Plains – where weather can "make or break" a crop.

March 14, 2005
'Tree-Power' Could be Future Energy Source  
OVERTON – A wood-fueled electricity generating plant may be in your future.

March 11, 2005
Economists: WTO Ruling Will Lead to Changes In U.S. Cotton Program  
COLLEGE STATION – Changes to the U.S. cotton program could come as soon as July 1 after the World Trade Organization appeals panel upheld its ruling that subsidies create unfair trade.

March 11, 2005
V.G. Young Institute Offers New Leadership Program  
COLLEGE STATION – Fifteen elected officials from 13 Texas counties are charter members of the Commissioners Court Leadership Academy, a new program organized by Texas Cooperative Extension.

March 11, 2005
New PBS Series to Feature Valley Agriculture  
WESLACO – Agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley will be featured in the first installment of a new television series that producers say will eventually cover agriculture in all 50 states. The Public Broadcasting System show, "America's Heartland," will begin airing nationwide this summer.

March 11, 2005
Workshop, ‘Turning Blue Quail to Green,' Set for March 31 in Big Spring  
BIG SPRING – Texas Cooperative Extension and Howard College at Big Spring are teaming up to present a blue quail workshop on March 31. The meeting, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., will be in the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum, 11th and Birdwell streets here.

March 11, 2005
Sip Not Gulp: Landscaping Workshop Presents Techniques that Survive Texas Gulf Coast Droughts, Floods and Bugs  
PASADENA – The tisk-tisk-tisk sound of sprinklers during warm summer months is also the sound of landscapes gulping as much as 60 percent of urban water usage.

March 11, 2005
Diagnosis is First Step in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease  
AMARILLO – More than 4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, but few people can tell you much about the devastating illness.

March 10, 2005
Central Texas Pecan Short Course Slated for March 29  
GOLDTHWAITE – Texas Cooperative Extension's annual Central Texas Pecan Short Course is set for March 29 in Goldthwaite's Mills County Civic Center.

March 10, 2005
Crop Concerns Continue To Sprout From Recent Rains  
UVALDE – Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing – just ask Texas farmers. For the past six months, excessive rain in many areas of the state has caused a number of problems in their fields.

March 10, 2005
Integrated Pest Management a Must for Public Schools  
SAN ANGELO – Did you know that all Texas public school districts must have an integrated pest management policy and plan? And that each district must have a trained integrated pest management coordinator to oversee all pesticide and pest control operations?

March 10, 2005
Experiment Station Soybean Grant to Aid Guatemala Agriculture  
COLLEGE STATION – The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station has been awarded 15,000 tons of soybean meal to further agricultural development among indigenous populations in Guatemala.

March 09, 2005
Gourmet Quail Business Taking Wing  
BANDERA – The soft "churtle" of quail can be heard when you pull into the driveway of the Diamond H Ranch in this Hill Country town. That's the sound of money to Tom and Polly Herrington. Advice from Texas Cooperative Extension has helped their business soar.

March 09, 2005
Texas A&M Names Forester to Valley  
WESLACO – The Lower Rio Grande Valley could hardly be considered a forest. So why would the Texas Forest Service, an agency of the Texas A&M University System, place a full-time forester here?

March 08, 2005
Texas Crop and Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – The phrase "Texas heat" may have a new connotation as prescribed burns start to blaze across the state, Texas Cooperative Extension reports. According to Dr. Charles Hart of Fort Stockton, Extension range specialist, landowners may be burning more than normal this year.

March 08, 2005
Avoid Getting Stung: Summertime Mosquito Season Around the Corner  
COLLEGE STATION – Ahhh – summertime in Texas. Long days. Warm, balmy breezes. Plenty of outdoor activities. But also plenty of mosquitoes.

March 07, 2005
Gilstrap Named Resident Director of Dallas Agricultural Research and Extension Center  
DALLAS – Dr. Frank E. Gilstrap has been named resident director of the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Dallas, effective March 15.

March 07, 2005
t-mcalavy  
What: One-half day field day focusing on forages and cattle.

March 07, 2005
Texas Cooperative Extension Names New Lampasas County Agent  
LAMPASAS – Jason H. Byrd becomes Texas Cooperative Extension's new agricultural agent for Lampasas County effective March 14, according to a joint announcement made by Lampasas County Judge Virgil E. "Ed" Lilley and Scott Durham, district Extension administrator at San Angelo.

March 07, 2005
Communities Can Work Together to Prevent Underage Alcohol Abuse  
COLLEGE STATION – The good news is, when it comes to rates of underage alcohol use, young Texans are a little bit below the national average.

March 04, 2005
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Leader Heads to Oklahoma  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Robert E. Whitson, deputy director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, has accepted position as vice president, dean and director of agricultural sciences and natural resources at Oklahoma State University, effective June 1.

March 04, 2005
‘My Things’ Bags Give Kids Comfort During Difficult Times  
AUSTIN – Unsure. Upset. Frightened. Sandra Aguilar, crisis counselor with the Austin Police Department's victim services unit, uses these words to describe children displaced by domestic violence, abuse or neglect.

March 04, 2005
Annual Ram Performance Field Day and Sale Set for March 18  
SONORA – The Annual Ram Performance Test Field Day and Sale conducted by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station is set for March 18.

March 04, 2005
Bynum Named Extension Integrated Pest Management Agent  
SWEETWATER – Texas Cooperative Extension has named a new integrated pest management agent for Nolan, Mitchell, Scurry and Jones counties.

March 03, 2005
Cotton Marketing Seminar Offered on March 15  
AMARILLO – Growing cotton is only half the battle. In order to be successful in their operations, producers also need to learn how to market the crop.

March 03, 2005
Success with Stocker Cattle Depends on 'Grocery Management'  
LUBBOCK – Success with stocker cattle grazing winter wheat pasture hinges on "grocery management," according to a Texas Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist.

March 03, 2005
Mutabilis Rose Named ‘EarthKind Rose of the Year’  
DALLAS – The Mutabilis Rose – first introduced in 1894 – has been named "EarthKind Rose of the Year" by Texas Cooperative Extension's EarthKind team.

March 02, 2005
New Clover Could Spell Good Luck for Livestock Producers  
OVERTON – It's common knowledge that the high price of crude oil has driven up fertilizer prices. But studies here have shown cattle can gain 3 pounds per day grazing spring pastures of a new disease-tolerant clover.

March 01, 2005
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Rainy days have given some Texas cattle raisers another worry: foot diseases, according to Texas Cooperative Extension experts.

March 01, 2005
Protect Your Home From Termites  
COLLEGE STATION – Warmer days will soon have flowers blooming, birds singing and termites swarming.