Southwest Farm Press News Archive

Pecos County to host pesticide continuing education unit workshop

Nov 1, 2007

The Texas Cooperative Extension office in Pecos County has scheduled a pesticide management continuing education unit workshop for Texas Department of Agriculture license holders from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Pecos County Civic Center in Fort Stockton. ...

Conference to focus on domestic and trade impacts of U.S. farm policy

Nov 1, 2007,

By Blair Fannin
Texas A&M University

Industry and government experts will discuss both domestic and trade impacts of proposed U.S. farm policy at a conference Nov. 15-16 in Washington. ...

Bush nominates North Dakotan to be secretary of agriculture

Nov 1, 2007,

By Forrest Laws and Cary Blake
Farm Press Editorial Staff

President Bush has nominated former North Dakota Gov. Edward T. Schafer to be secretary of agriculture, once again reaching outside mainstream agriculture to select a relative unknown to be the administration’s chief agricultural spokesman....

Bumper pumpkin crop on tap in Floyd County

Oct 31, 2007,

By Ron Smith
Farm Press Editorial Staff

Pumpkins are big business in Floyd County, Texas, putting as much as $2 million into the local economy....

Big Country Short Course for those who are nuts about raising pecans

Oct 31, 2007

The Texas Cooperative Extension office in Taylor County will conduct the "Big Country Pecan Short Course" from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Extension office in Abilene. ...

Feral Hog workshop set for Nov. 12 in Robert Lee

Oct 31, 2007

Texas Cooperative Extension offices in Coke and Sterling counties have teamed up to present a "Feral Hog Appreciation Day," beginning at 8 a.m. on Nov. 12 in the Robert Lee Recreational Hall. The hall is located at the County Park in Robert Lee at the corner of Austin and 15th streets. ...

USDA preparing to make CSP payments

Oct 31, 2007,

By Forrest Laws
Farm Press Editorial Staff

Farmers participating in the Conservation Security Program are being asked to contact their local Natural Resources Conservation Service offices to let NRCS personnel know if they wish to receive CSP payments in 2007 or 2008....

Market offering $6.26 for June 2008 wheat

Oct 30, 2007,

By Kim Anderson
Oklahoma State University

At this writing, the Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBT) July 2008 wheat contract price is $6.79. Only two weeks ago, the KCBT July 2008 contract price was $5.77. Short topsoil moisture in parts of the hard red winter wheat area, and drought in parts of the Mississippi Valley area (soft red winter wheat) is limiting planting. Stocks are too tight to lose the 2008 U.S. winter wheat crop....

7th Annual Texas Commodity Symposium set for November 28

Oct 30, 2007

The seventh annual Texas Commodity Symposium will be held in Amarillo, Texas, on November 28. This premier event, jointly organized by the Texas Wheat Producers Association, Corn Producers Association of Texas, Texas Peanut Producers Board, Texas Grain Sorghum Association and Plains Cotton Growers, Inc., will provide producers and businessmen alike with essential agricultural information pertaining to more than one commodity....

2007 USA Rice Outlook Conference set for Dec. 2-4 in Orlando, FL

Oct 30, 2007

The USA Rice Outlook Conference will be held Dec. 2-4, 2007, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel in Orlando, FL. The educational program will cover the U.S. rice situation and outlook, farm policy, domestic and international markets, research, and other topics. The conference also features a trade show for rice-related farm equipment, technology, products and services....

FRESH Act would be massive overhaul of farm bill

Oct 29, 2007,

By David Bennett
Farm Press Editorial Staff

The senator who helped give U.S. farmers Freedom to Farm is introducing legislation that would once again overturn most of the counter-cyclical payment and marketing loan provisions of the 2002 farm bill. ...

EQIP deadline quickly approaching

Oct 29, 2007

Texas agricultural landowners interested in participating in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) need to apply by Nov. 16, 2007, if they have not already done so, to be eligible for the next round of funding, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)....

National Watershed Coalition fall conference focuses on operation and maintenance topics

Oct 29, 2007,

By Randy Henry
USDA-NRCS, Arlington, Texas

By the end of this year, 208 watershed dams in Texas will have exceeded their evaluated life of 50 years. By 2011, that number will increase to 543. Proper operation and maintenance of those watersheds will be the key to managing risks associated with these aging dams, said speakers at a recent National Watershed Coalition (NWC) Operation and Maintenance Workshop in Decatur, Texas....

Senate Ag Committee passes 'reform' farm bill with ACR option

Oct 26, 2007,

By Forrest Laws
Farm Press Editorial Staff

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry voted unanimously to report a farm bill that includes a new average crop revenue or ACR option for row crop producers and greatly expanded conservation, energy and nutrition programs....