March 2006 AgNews Links

March 31, 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension Sets Beef Cattle Conference April 7  
BIG SPRING – Texas Cooperative Extension has scheduled a beef cattle conference for 10 a.m. April 7 at the Big Spring Livestock Auction, located at 500 N. Birdwell Lane.

March 31, 2006
Pond Owners with Muddy Waters Don't Have to Sing the Blues  
OVERTON – For many fish species, muddy waters are just fine, thank you.

March 31, 2006
4-H Receives Commendation from Department of Defense  
COLLEGE STATION – The National 4-H Youth Development Program has received a Department of Defense Certificate of Commendation, announced Dr. Martha Couch, Texas Cooperative Extension 4-H and youth development associate director.

March 31, 2006
Extension Leadership Lab set for May 31-June 2  
BIG SPRING – Texas Cooperative Extension's West Region "Super Hero Challenge" 4-H Junior High Leadership Lab is set for May 31-June 2 at Howard College in Big Spring.

March 31, 2006
Personnel Management Issues Addressed in April Workshop  
AMARILLO – Managers dealing with issues from hiring and retaining employees to conflict resolution can get some advice from the experts during a Personnel Management Conference scheduled April 25-26.

March 30, 2006
Two New Texas Superstars Named for 2006  
DALLAS - Duranta and a variety of salvia named Henry Duelberg have been awarded Texas Superstar designations by Texas Cooperative Extension.

March 30, 2006
Public Invited to Join Plum Creek Watershed Project  
COLLEGE STATION - People interested in planning and protecting the Plum Creek Watershed are invited to attend any of three upcoming meetings, said the state water quality coordinator for Texas Cooperative Extension.

March 29, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Almost all of Texas played host to rain – and some snow – and the state's producers are keeping their welcome mats out for more moisture, according to Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

March 29, 2006
Looking for the Perfect Goat  
SAN ANGELO – A Texas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher said most goat producers picture the "perfect goat" as being one that would produce more kids that grow faster, and remain healthy while doing so. This goat also would have lower production inputs because of better health.

March 29, 2006
BioEconomics Offer Promise for Rural Development  
AMARILLO – Enormous advances and opportunities are occurring in agricultural and industrial biotechnology, offering a chance to revitalize rural economies in Texas, a West Texas A&M University official said.

March 28, 2006
Financial Literacy Is Necessary Life Skill  
COLLEGE STATION – Remember those three ‘Rs'?

March 28, 2006
Cow-Calf Workshop Will Help Producers Generate Cost-Return Analysis  
VERNON – Cow-calf producers saw another round of high calf prices in 2005, and industry analysts are predicting good prices for the next couple of years. Even so, a Texas Cooperative Extension economist says now is the time to review the cost side of beef production.

March 27, 2006
Deer Habitat, Rangeland Workshops Scheduled  
COLLEGE STATION – The Academy for Ranch Management has scheduled three workshops addressing deer habitat and grazing management strategies, and rangeland restoration.

March 27, 2006
McCutchen to Lead Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Technology Commercialization  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Bill F. McCutchen has been named interim deputy associate director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, according to Dr. Elsa A. Murano, vice chancellor for Texas A&M Agriculture and Experiment Station director.

March 27, 2006
Rio Grande Valley’s Horticulture Journal Now Online  
WESLACO – Want to know the type of damage silverleaf whiteflies inflict on South Texas cantaloupes? How about the effects of citrus triztesa virus on Mexican limes? They may not be the hottest topics of discussion at the local Starbucks, but for those interested in such horticultural matters, getting that type information just got easier.

March 24, 2006
The Acid Test: Is Your Pond pH Too Low?  
OVERTON – If your pond needs lime to correct its pH, then "anytime is a good time to lime," said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, Texas Cooperative Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.

March 24, 2006
Two New EarthKind Roses Named along with 2006 EarthKind Rose of the Year  
DALLAS – Two well-known rose cultivars have earned the EarthKind Rose designation and a third has been named "EarthKind Rose of the Year for 2006." Horticulturists describe all three as easy to grow, great for creating focal points in the landscape and excellent choices for new rose gardeners. They also bloom throughout the spring, summer and fall.

March 23, 2006
Texas 4-H Chosen to Offer Summer Camps for Military Youth  
BROWNWOOD – Texas 4-H has been chosen by the National Military Family Association to host two Operation Purple summer camps.

March 23, 2006
Ranchers Get Help Making Decisions to Feed or Depopulate Cattle  
BORGER — Patsy Duncan could see the fire racing toward her land so she opened the gate where her cows were pastured. This probably saved the ranch, she said.

March 23, 2006
Texans in Water Districts Should Learn to Keep Their MUD Clean  
HOUSTON – Go to the sink; turn on the faucet and water comes out. What else is there to it?

March 22, 2006
Experiment Station’s Sonora Ram Test Sale Announces Results  
SONORA – J.P. Moore of Our Father's Place at Fort Stockton bought the high-selling ram at this year's annual Sonora Ram Performance Test and Sale. The event was conducted by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension.

March 22, 2006
Hill Country Wildlife Management Workshop Set for April 12  
MASON – Texas Cooperative Extension has scheduled the Hill Country Wildlife Management Workshop for April 12 at the Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

March 22, 2006
Saldaña Named District Extension Administrator in South Texas  
WESLACO -- Dr. Ruben J. Saldaña has been named district administrator for Texas Cooperative Extension at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Weslaco. He replaces Bertha Garza, who retired in January after a 36-year career with Extension.

March 21, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Rain, as little as half an inch, was hailed by producers across the state this week as soothing – even saving – the day, Texas Cooperative Extension experts noted.

March 21, 2006
Post-Fire Management Tips Offered By Extension Officials  
AMARILLO – All may appear lost, but with time and rain, pastures burned by recent fires will come back stronger than ever, Texas Cooperative Extension specialists say.

March 21, 2006
Third Annual San Angelo A&M Center Spring Field Day Set for April 27  
SAN ANGELO – The third annual natural resources field day at The Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at San Angelo is set for April 27.

March 20, 2006
Long-term Care Facility Selection Requires Careful Consideration  
AMARILLO – The face of long-term care has changed significantly in recent years and continues to evolve to meet the needs of today's older adults, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

March 20, 2006
Third Annual EarthKind Rose and Texas Superstar Plant Sale Slated for April 29  
DALLAS -- EarthKind roses, Texas Superstar plants and North Texas Winner's Circle Plants, along with other native and well-adapted plants for North Texas, such as crape myrtles, will go on sale April 29 at the Texas A&M University System Research and Extension Center at Dallas.

March 17, 2006
Locust Research Suggests that Physical State Has Much to Do with Learning  
COLLEGE STATION – If the near-starving grasshopper from the childhood fable, the Ant and the Grasshopper, had been given a piece of corn by one of the well-prepared ants, the grasshopper probably would have developed a preference for corn that would have persisted even when he was well-fed.

March 17, 2006
When Dietary Changes Are Just What the Doctor Ordered ...  
COLLEGE STATION – Not all medicine comes in pill form. Sometimes doctor's orders involve a trip to the grocery store and not the pharmacy, said a Texas Cooperative Extension nutrition expert.

March 16, 2006
Documentation, Burial Top List of Rancher Things-to-Do Post Fire  
AMARILLO – Documenting the number of cattle being buried may be the biggest issue facing ranchers and government agencies trying to get financial assistance for those hit hardest by the recent wildfires, a Texas Cooperative Extension official said.

March 16, 2006
Nation’s Floriculture Industry Subject of Inaugural Lecture at Texas A&M  
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Charles Hall, professor of agricultural economics at the University of Tennessee, will present the inaugural speech for the International Floriculture Distinguished Lecture Series here.

March 15, 2006
Help Needed for Ranchers in Wake of Damaging Fires  
AMARILLO – Generous donations of hay, materials and cash are coming into the region to help ranchers hit hard by Texas' largest-ever grass fires, a Texas Cooperative Extension leader said.

March 15, 2006
WANTED: Nursery, Landscape Grads to Grow Business  
COLLEGE STATION – Jack Weatherford remembers when, as a college student, he applied for a summer job at a plant nursery. The company's president interrupted the interview when a shipment arrived because it needed to be unloaded quickly.

March 14, 2006
Meetings Scheduled to Help Range Management Decisions in Wake of Fires  
AMARILLO – Ranchers needing information to help make important management decisions due to losses from recent fires have a several educational opportunities, according to Texas Cooperative Extension officials.

March 14, 2006
Proper Disposal of Dead Animals Needed After Wildfires  
AMARILLO – Ranchers across the Texas Panhandle must take care in disposing of animals killed by wildfires that ravaged almost 700,000 acres, Texas Cooperative Extension experts urged.

March 14, 2006
Wildfires Leave Producers to Make Some Tough Decisions  
AMARILLO – The grass is gone, destroyed by fire. Hay is short. Soil moisture is almost non-existent.

March 14, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – A broken record is playing for Texas crops and weather, and the forecast doesn't call for a change in the tunes, Texas Cooperative Extension officials said.

March 14, 2006
Wildlife Fare Better than Livestock through Wildfires  
CANYON – Instinct kicks in for wildlife when fires threaten their existence and they flee, said Ken Cearley, Texas Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist.

March 13, 2006
Wildfires Can Cause More than Visible Damage to Livestock  
AMARILLO – Livestock caught in the path of Sunday's 50-mile-an-hour wind swept fires in the Panhandle could suffer death and severe damage from burns as well as smoke inhalation.

March 13, 2006
Conference Aims to Lessen Livestock/Wildlife Enterprise Conflicts  
SAN ANGELO – Maximizing profits by minimizing conflicts between ranching and wildlife enterprises is the theme of a two-day program beginning at 12:30 p.m. May 10 at San Angelo's Texas A&M University Research and Extension Center.

March 13, 2006
Students Plant Seed of Encouragement for Horticulture Professor  
COLLEGE STATIONS – Challenges from his students through the years provided Dr. Mike Arnold a golden lesson.

March 10, 2006
Texas A&M Scientists Host Multi-National Rice Meeting  
BEAUMONT – More than 350 scientists representing 10 countries gathered in Houston early this month to attend the 31st Rice Technical Working Group biennial meeting.

March 10, 2006
Helicopter May Solve ‘In-Between’ Ant Problem  
COLLEGE STATION – Urban residents have bags of ant bait and hand-held spreaders. Landowners with large tracts of land have crop dusters. But what about the people with moderate-sized properties who want to enjoy their land without the bother or health hazards of red imported fire ants?

March 10, 2006
Wildfire-Damaged Range Needs Proper Grazing Management  
UVALDE – A Texas Cooperative Extension range expert in Uvalde said landowners should exercise caution when grazing livestock on recently burned pastures.

March 10, 2006
Congressman Henry Bonilla to Keynote 2006 Texas Ag Forum  
SAN ANTONIO – With Texas farmers and ranchers already facing stiff economic challenges from drought and high-energy prices, they're also keeping a watchful eye on the future of U.S. agricultural policy, an economist said.

March 10, 2006
Extension Presents Farm Pond Management Program March 30  
SAN ANTONIO – Texas Cooperative Extension for Bexar County will present a program on farm pond management on March 30.

March 09, 2006
Valley Cotton, Grain Farmers Asking Congress for No-Plant Drought Relief  
WESLACO – The clock is ticking for drought-stricken Lower Rio Grande Valley growers who plant cotton and grain sorghum on non-irrigated farmland. With no rain relief in sight, they are turning to Congress for help in a Catch-22 crop insurance situation.

March 09, 2006
Researcher: Fewer Restrictions Will Lead To New Advancements in Transgenic Crops  
COLLEGE STATION – Less regulation will allow public entities, including universities, to pursue more transgenic crop research, which will help reduce the number of diseases found in plants, a researcher said Wednesday.

March 09, 2006
South Plains Master Naturalist Chapter is Enrolling Volunteers  
LUBBOCK – If you've ever placed a baby bird back in its nest, walked the shores of a playa lake counting critter tracks or enjoyed the beauty of a sunset up on the Caprock, you may be a naturalist.

March 08, 2006
When Reading Labels, Don’t Stop at Food Items  
COLLEGE STATION – Careful consumers read food labels, but they shouldn't stop there, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

March 07, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Rain, or lack thereof, continues to write this year's agricultural history, Texas Cooperative Extension officials report.

March 07, 2006
Successful Agricultural Management Workshop April 19-21  
COLLEGE STATION – A ranch management workshop for first-time landowners is scheduled April 19-21 in Huntsville.

March 07, 2006
Despite Green-up, Producers Cautioned Not to 'Jump Into' Pastures Yet  
STEPHENVILLE – Grazing too early this year could perform the 'coup de grace,' further damaging already stressed bermudagrass pastures, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

March 07, 2006
Crop Rotation Adds Value to Irrigation  
HALFWAY – It has been awhile since agricultural researchers discovered and then proved the benefits of crop rotation. Since then, most farmers have embraced the practice of switching a piece of ground from one crop to another to improve yields, reduce erosion potential, and break insect and disease cycles.

March 06, 2006
EarthKind Roses Featured at Dallas Home and Garden Show  
DALLAS -- EarthKind roses were a star attraction at the 27th annual Dallas Home and Garden show. The rose's benefits were touted by Master Gardeners and city officials who have incorporated them into public outdoor areas.

March 06, 2006
Protecting Agriculture Requires Planning  
AMARILLO – Close examination is taking place to determine what is needed to protect the region's approximate $5.7 billion agriculture industry and prepare for a disaster, whether caused by terrorism or from Mother Nature.

March 06, 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension Entomologist Honored  
BALLINGER -- Richard Minzenmayer, Texas Cooperative Extension integrated pest management agent for Runnels and Tom Green counties, was recently named "Outstanding IPM Agent for 2005" by the Texas Pest Management Association.

March 06, 2006
Internet Makes Stay-At-Home Shopping Easier ... Or Not  
COLLEGE STATION – Shopping from home is nothing new. For example, the Sears catalogue can trace its roots back to 1888.

March 03, 2006
Native Bees Could Fill Pollinator Hole Left by Honeybees  
STEPHENVILLE – If you build it, they will come. Native bees that is.

March 03, 2006
Take ‘Mulch’ Care When Spring Gardening  
COLLEGE STATION – If wood mulch is being shipped into Texas from hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana – as a recent flurry of e-mails alleges – it is being done so illegally, said a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

March 03, 2006
Annual Ram Performance Field Day and Sale Set for March 17  
SONORA – The annual Ram Performance Test Field Day and Sale is set for March 17.

March 03, 2006
Researchers to Discuss 'Next Generation' of Crop Biotechnology  
COLLEGE STATION – Researchers from around the nation will convene here next week to speculate on how the next generation of biotechnology may help improve crops for food, feed and clothing.

March 03, 2006
Career Extension Employee Receives Texas Tech Distinguished Alumni Award  
LUBBOCK – Texas Tech University has presented a Distinguished Alumni award to Dr. Bob Robinson, regional program director of Texas Cooperative Extension's 66-county North Region.

March 02, 2006
Technological Advances in Agriculture Will Reduce Conflict, Terror  
COLLEGE STATION - A noted scholar and World Food Prize winner said technological advances in agriculture are key to solving problems in poverty-stricken countries and reducing future conflict.

March 02, 2006
Report: High Fuel, Fertilizer Prices Result in Negative Net Worth for Farms  
COLLEGE STATION – High fuel and fertilizer prices continue to decrease the economic viability of farms represented in a baseline study released Thursday by the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University.

March 02, 2006
Drought Bringing Texas-size Thirst to Trees, Plants, Turf Statewide  
SAN ANTONIO – While much of the focus on the statewide drought has been about its effect on crops and livestock, its impact on trees, plants and turf grass should not be overlooked, said a Texas Cooperative Extension horticulture expert.

March 02, 2006
Ballinger Hosts Agri-Plex Ag Day March 15  
BALLINGER – The 2006 Agri-Plex Ag Day is set for March 15 at Ballinger High School.

March 02, 2006
Dairy Nutrition Conference Slated for April 19-20 in Arlington  
DALLAS -- Dairy industry consultants and producers from Texas and adjoining states will gather for the 2006 Mid-South Ruminant Nutrition Conference on April 19-20 at the Arlington Hilton at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

March 01, 2006
Going, Going, Almost Gone: Wheat Crop Suffering Under Drought Conditions  
AMARILLO – Don't expect a bumper yield on this year's wheat crop, even if it rains. But some wheat will pull through the drought.

March 01, 2006
Rice Researchers Focus on Water Conservation  
BEAUMONT – With predictions of severe water shortages in Texas over the next 50 years, legislators, farmers, government agencies and consumers are working overtime to find solutions.

March 01, 2006
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Some was only "fog and drizzle," and none was sufficient to end prolonged drought, but any moisture that fell in the state last week was welcomed by farmers and ranchers, Texas Cooperative Extension officials report.