May 2004 AgNews Links

May 31, 2004
RANCH ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR SET FOR AUG. 4-5  
COLLEGE STATION – Ranchers can learn how to reduce their taxes and make effective estate planning decisions by attending an Aug. 4-5 ranch estate planning seminar at the College Station Conference Center.

May 31, 2004
Abcrocker  
AMARILLO – The good news is: The Medicare prescription discount drug plan will start helping recipients on June 1.

May 28, 2004
Grimes County Quarantined For Africanized Honey Bees  
CARLOS – Grimes County was added today to the state quarantine, restricting the movement of commercial bee operations following the detection of Africanized honey bees.

May 28, 2004
Fehlis To Retire As Texas Cooperative Extension Director  
COLLEGE STATION - Dr. Chester Fehlis, who has devoted his entire 35-year career to Texas Cooperative Extension, plans to retire as the state agency's director on Aug. 31.

May 28, 2004
Texas A&M University Signs East Texas Joint Enrollment Agreement  
COLLEGE STATION – An agreement intended to help educate traditionally underrepresented students was signed today by leaders of Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University-Commerce.

May 28, 2004
Reeves Named Head Of Texas 4-H Youth Development Foundation  
COLLEGE STATION -- Jim E. Reeves has been named executive director for a foundation that awards more than $1 million each June to college-bound Texas students.

May 28, 2004
West Nile Tracker: Project Helps Target Disease Hot Spots  
COLLEGE STATION - A graduate student's class project is helping cities in Brazos County target hot spots for the West Nile virus and the mosquito that carries it.

May 27, 2004
Kids And Ants Are Great Mix For Learning Science  
THE WOODLANDS – Normally, kids and fire ants don't mix, but for about 800 elementary students in the greater Houston area, fire ants have been a source of fun, games, activities and science education this spring.

May 27, 2004
April Showers Bring May Pond Weeds  
OVERTON – As late spring rains raised water levels, ponds and lakes are now full or brimming over and becoming choked with weeds.

May 26, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION- National gasoline prices set a record high this week and farmers are feeling the pinch at the pump, Texas Cooperative Extension reports. According to Stanley Bevers of Vernon, Extension economist, the producer who is planting is the one most affected by rising fuel costs.

May 26, 2004
Rangeland Ecology Senior Wins Multiple Awards  
COLLEGE STATION – Melissa Baumann, 21, a senior at Texas A&M University, would be the first to say she's just an ordinary girl.

May 25, 2004
Italian Sports Car Helps Raise Money For 4-H  
COLLEGE STATION – Charity may begin at home, but for Denise Fries of College Station, it also extends to her garage.

May 24, 2004
New Pink Knockout Rose Featured At Overton Hort Field Day  
OVERTON – On June 24, East Texas nursery growers, greenhouse managers, Master Gardeners and homeowners will have the chance to see field trials of hundreds of ornamental plant varieties, including more than 100 varieties of New Guinea impatiens.

May 24, 2004
Proper Care Keeps Roses Beautiful And Disease Free  
EL PASO – When you think of roses, you probably think of beautiful healthy flowers, not discolored petals, black spots, or leaves with whitish patches. However, home gardeners are sometimes faced with the latter image when growing roses.

May 21, 2004
Mite Transmits Viruses Damaging To Wheat  
AMARILLO – Looking closely at unhealthy, discolored plants in Texas Panhandle wheat fields is part of Dr. Charles Rush's job. He is a plant pathologist with Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. But the scientist knows the damage isn't drought-induced at all.

May 21, 2004
Wood, Rains County Youth Taught 'Chute-Side' Manners  
GOLDEN – Wood and Rains county 4-H youth, some as young as 9, recently got hands-on experience vaccinating, implanting and castrating cattle.

May 21, 2004
4-H And Education Benefactor, Business And Civic Leader, Bill Piehl Dies  
AMARILLO – Bill Piehl, a leader in business and philanthropy, who credited 4-H and education for the beginning of his success, died Wednesday, May 19, in Pittsburgh, Penn. He was 70. Services are scheduled for 10 a.m., Monday, May 24, at Saint Stephen's Methodist Church in Amarillo.

May 21, 2004
Saving Money At The Grocery Store Possible  
COLLEGE STATION – Saving money at the grocery store is important. But saving on the grocery bill won't do much good if the food isn't eaten.

May 20, 2004
Researchers Target Deficit Irrigation For Wine Grapes  
LUBBOCK – Research recently conducted on the Texas South Plains may help wine grape growers conserve irrigation water without reducing grape yield or quality.

May 19, 2004
Be There Without Being There Through Satellite Technology  
SAN ANGELO -- Participants at some Texas Cooperative Extension programs in West-Central Texas can now "be there" without really being there.

May 19, 2004
Food Manager Certification Training In Amarillo, June 16-17  
AMARILLO – Texas Cooperative Extension of Potter, Randall and Armstrong counties will offer a two-day food manager certification training course called "Food Safety: It's Our Business" on June 16 and 17. The event will be at the Extension Office and Kimble 4-H Center, 3301 E. 10th in Amarillo.

May 19, 2004
Waterlogged Soils Can Severely Damage Cotton  
COLLEGE STATION – Heavy rain and unseasonably cool temperatures have presented a unique situation for cotton farmers in the Central Texas and Gulf Coast regions. Many crops are now standing in water during a critical stage during the growing season.

May 19, 2004
Wildlife Management Conference Set For June 15 At Midkiff  
MIDKIFF – Wildlife management, far-West Texas style, will be the "soup de jour" June 15 as three Texas Cooperative Extension offices offer a program in the Midkiff Community Center. Focus of the program will be management issues unique to deer and upland game-bird managers in the Trans-Pecos region.

May 19, 2004
Texas Sawmills, Paper Mills Closings Cost Jobs  
OVERTON – While Texas' consumption of hardwood and softwood wood has increased in the last two decades, the number of sawmills and paper mills has decreased.

May 18, 2004
Texas Crop,weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Recent heavy rainfall in Central Texas is causing problems for some cotton producers, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

May 18, 2004
New Low-Coumarin Sweet Clover Only Few Years Away  
OVERTON – A new low-coumarin sweet clover could be in the hands of Texas beef producers in three or four years.

May 17, 2004
Livestock Rescued From Flooded Areas Need Special Care  
COLLEGE STATION - Livestock caught in flooded areas due to last week's heavy rains in the Brazos Valley need special care to survive the trauma, Texas Cooperative Extension officials said Monday.

May 17, 2004
4-H Brings Young Greeks To Visit Texas  
HOUSTON – Ever since he was little, Lefteris Konstantoulakis dreamed of seeing a rodeo.

May 14, 2004
Xit Trail Of Sales Promotes Rural Tourism, June 5  
DALHART – Bargain hunters will be able to drive a little to save a bundle, say organizers of the first "XIT Trail of Sales," slated for June 5.

May 14, 2004
Texas Cooperative Extension Camp Seeks Aspiring Young Veterinarians  
SONORA – High school students serious about a career in veterinary medicine should plan to attend the second annual "West Texas Youth Veterinary Science Workshop" July 11-15 at the Sutton County 4-H Center in Sonora.

May 14, 2004
Rolling Plains Wildlife Research Keys On Quail, Songbirds  
VERNON – In their ongoing "battle with brush," Texas landowners, ranchers and land managers employ a variety of tools to control mesquite, prickly pear, salt cedar and other plants that compete with native grasses for moisture and soil nutrients. But what effect does this have on native wildlife, such as bobwhite quail and songbirds?

May 13, 2004
Rain Causes Agricultural Problems In Central Texas  
COLLEGE STATION – Farmers and ranchers began moving cattle to higher ground and watched crops get soaked as thunderstorms moved across Central Texas Thursday morning.

May 13, 2004
Strong Beef Prices Expected To Continue  
COLLEGE STATION -- Fed cattle prices are predicted to decline slightly this summer as beef supplies become seasonally larger, but prices should rebound again this fall as feeder cattle supplies tighten, a Texas Cooperative Extension economist said.

May 12, 2004
Rigsby: Make Excellence A Habit  
COLLEGE STATION – Excellence needs to be a habit, Dr. Rick Rigsby told the graduates of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program

May 12, 2004
Texas Crop And Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION - How will the watermelon seed spitting contest survive? Texas watermelon growers are producing more seedless varieties on more acreage, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

May 12, 2004
Hispanic Students Increasingly Drawn To Modern Agricultural Degrees  
COLLEGE STATION ? It's a stereotype that their parents want no part of. To them, Hispanics in agriculture means back-breaking jobs and low pay, substandard living and unceasing poverty.

May 12, 2004
Adding Value To A Calf-Crop Pays Regardless Of The Market  
BROWNWOOD – Adding value to a calf crop involves a bit of basic "cowboyology," but is well worth the expense and effort, according to Dr. Ronald Gill, Dallas-based Texas Cooperative Extension livestock specialist.

May 11, 2004
State Rangeland Database Discussed  
COLLEGE STATION – Ranchers helping each other set fire to their land might sound a bit odd, but popularity of this concept is growing. Ranchers are organizing Prescribed Burning Associations to make prescribed fire a safe, ecologically-friendly tool for managing rangelands, said Dr. Mort Kothmann, rangeland scientist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

May 11, 2004
Texas 4-H Roundup Kids To Build For Habitat  
COLLEGE STATION – Each June on the campus of Texas A&M University, thousands of Texas 4-H'ers wait in nervous anticipation for their names to be called as winners at Roundup.

May 11, 2004
Earth, Sky Tapped In Unique Global Climate Change Study  
COLLEGE STATION – A wedge of earth and sky 14 feet high and 3 feet deep near here may help scientists worldwide better understand the ecological impact of global climate change.

May 11, 2004
Walk Across Texas ... And Never Leave The Neighborhood  
COLLEGE STATION – Feb. 28: What in the world am I doing here, out at 10 a.m. on a slightly blustery Saturday morning with a group of maybe 100 strangers?

May 10, 2004
Middle School Students Protect Duck’s Nesting Grounds  
HOUSTON – The Black Bellied Whistling Wood Duck has an unlikely ally this year with an inner-city 4-H Science Club at Spring Woods Middle School.

May 10, 2004
Wheat Field Day Showcases New Varieties  
ETTER – Some farmers squeeze wheat heads tightly to determine grain fill and maturity. Others judge crop health by color, looking for a lush, uniform green.

May 10, 2004
Custom Phytochemical, Pungency Analysis Available For Fruit, Vegetables  
COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M University's Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center offers custom analysis services for pungency and phytochemicals, according to Dr. Leonard Pike, director.

May 07, 2004
Volunteers Work To Rebuild 'Potholes'  
SHELDON – In Harris County, the idea of restoring a pothole to its original condition would not be popular with commuter traffic!

May 06, 2004
Food Safety: Right In Your Own Backyard  
COLLEGE STATION – Meat sizzling on an outdoor grill: Nothing ushers in summer quite like that aroma drifting through the neighborhood.

May 06, 2004
Researchers Helping Plants Meet Food Safety Criteria  
COLLEGE STATION – No one would argue that food safety isn't important. The importance of food security requires safety measures in meat processing plants.

May 06, 2004
Vegetable, Fruit Research Teams With Children'S Health Scientists  
HOUSTON -- "Foods for Health" will be the theme for Texas A&M University's Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center's meeting here June 6-8. The meeting will focus on research aimed at improving the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables through partnerships between plant breeders and medical researchers.

May 06, 2004
Center For Food Safety Collaborates On Book  
COLLEGE STATION – Researchers at Texas A&M University's Center for Food Safety have helped to write a book on food safety, "Preharvest and Postharvest Food Safety: Contemporary Issues and Future Directions."

May 05, 2004
Public Opinion Spells Change For Texas Forest Landowners  
OVERTON – Shifting tides in public opinion about forest land – concerns for endangered species, wildlife and wildfires – will change how private, non-industrial landowners manage their forests, according to a forestry expert.

May 05, 2004
Simple Act Of Drinking Water Can Save Lives  
COLLEGE STATION – It's free, it's plentiful, it's easy to find, it's satisfying, it tastes good ... and it can be a life saver.

May 05, 2004
Agricultural Communications Wins Iabc Awards  
COLLEGE STATION — Agricultural communications at Texas A&M University won several awards in the recent International Association of Business Communicators Brazos Bravo competition.

May 05, 2004
Employees Of Ag Communications Win Awards  
COLLEGE STATION – Employees of agricultural communications at Texas A&M University have been named winners of the Association for Communication Excellence awards.

May 04, 2004
Texas Crop, Weather Report  
COLLEGE STATION – Growers are expecting a good crop of Texas peaches, reports Texas Cooperative Extension.

May 04, 2004
Stiles Farm Field Day Set For June 15  
THRALL -- From crop production to beef cattle, the June 15 Stiles Farm Field Day will feature topics of interest to all segments of the farming and ranching industry.

May 04, 2004
Get 'Two Steps' Ahead Of Fire Ants With Organic Control  
DALLAS - Red imported fire ants love wet, rainy, cool days like the ones that ushered in spring. That's why so many of their mounds have been popping up all over Texas this year. But help is only two steps away.

May 04, 2004
Stockpiled Forage: Use It Or Lose It  
OVERTON – Though it's been used for decades, many beef producers may not recognize stockpiled forage as a viable option, says a forage scientist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

May 04, 2004
Hayenga Receives Lifetime Achievement Award  
COLLEGE STATION - Dr. Wayne Hayenga, Texas Cooperative Extension lawyer specializing in farm and ranch real estate planning, has received the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

May 04, 2004
Feed The Family Without Breaking The Bank  
COLLEGE STATION – For consumers, the news isn't good, and it's even going national. Recent news items on CNN reported at least one large corporation plans to increase prices on many of its food products, to take effect this summer.

May 03, 2004
Conferences In May To Help Beef Producers Manage Risk  
AMARILLO – May could usher in more than just spring flowers. Texas beef producers will have just four more opportunities to participate in Texas Cooperative Extension's Got Risk education program.

May 03, 2004
The Water You Save May Be Your Own  
COLLEGE STATION – Little kids ask for a last drink of water before going to bed. Food is boiled or simmered or stewed. Clothes and dishes are washed several times a day. Sprinkler systems come on automatically.

May 03, 2004
New Nature Tourism Guidebook Now Available  
COLLEGE STATION – Landowners who have considered getting into the nature tourism business but weren't quite sure how to get started now have a helpful tool.

May 03, 2004
Rangeland Water Conference Set May 26 In Sonora Civic Center  
SONORA – A need for current rangeland water news has prompted Texas Cooperative Extension in Sutton, Crockett and Schleicher counties to sponsor the Rangeland Water Conference. The event will be May 26 in the Sonora Civic Center.