Irrigation Systems

Artificial application of water to soil; typically through a pivot, drip, seepage, sprinkler or surface system.

May 25, 2012

Article

Experts say spring rains have helped, but more is needed

Spring rains in extreme South Texas have helped keep reservoir levels behind Amistad and Falcon dams from dropping, but more is needed to help crops and end the drought, according to various experts in the field....More
May 25, 2012

blog

Get your photos in for the Southwest Farm Press visions of spring photo contest

Spring is a colorful time in the Southwest. Wildflowers add splashes of color to pastures, rangeland and roadsides. Newborn calves, foals and lambs offer delightful images....More
May 25, 2012

video

What’s happened to bipartisanship in Congress? Part 2

Congressional redistricting and political polarization have created a situation in which members find it more difficult than ever to compromise....More
May 25, 2012

video

What’s happened to bipartisanship in Congress?

The new realities of partisan politics are leading to more paralysis in Congress, a veteran Congressional observer says....More
May 24, 2012

Article

Europe watches GM crops trials dwindle

Scientists and commercial firms in Europe that use genetic engineering methods in plant research and plant breeding have for years had to witness the destruction of crop trials. In other quarters too they face fierce public opposition, which is why the political situation surrounding the authorization of GM plants is so fraught with difficulty....More
May 24, 2012

Article

Farmers, ranchers face skin cancer risk

To encourage sun safety awareness and remind everyone to protect their skin while outdoors, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared May 25 — the Friday before Memorial Day — as “Don’t Fry Day.”...More
May 24, 2012

Article

Tracking weeds easier with apps and databases

Online databases and new smartphone applications are making it easier to track and map infestations of invasive weeds, says the Weed Science Society of America....More
May 22, 2012

Article

Drought recedes, but conditions still dicey in some regions

The drought continued to recede in Texas with less than 14 percent of the state rated as being in an exceptional or extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service personnel....More
May 21, 2012

blog

GPS roulette: Oh, the (unintended) sights the Map Goddess provides

While portable GPS units can be reasonably accurate in a city, it’s an entirely different story out in rural areas....More
May 18, 2012

blog

Who knew, coffee is a health food?

Yesterday morning as I was enjoying my second cup of coffee—or was it my third (I lose count)—I noticed a headline in the newspaper announcing that drinking as many as six cups of coffee a day can increase my life expectancy....More