AG MAG Issue 31 by THEAGMAG

Michelle Martin

Owner/Editor michelle@theagmag.org (956) 330-8870

Ephesians 4:26

26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry

A Letter from the Editor Do you remember when you were a kid and someone gave you a balloon? The first thing you couldn’t wait to do was let it go and watch it fly to an unknown place in the sky. You let go of that string with little to no hesitation at all. If only letting go of the hurtful things in life were that easy. Some of us have a harder time letting go of things that have happened to us, or things people have done to us. We may hold on to that resentment, that anger, that grudge; the horrible experience. There are so many things we hold on to and don’t let go. What good comes from holding on to painful things from our past? Not much…. I have had some pretty terrible experiences in my life, most which I am NOT proud of, but if I woke up every day and thought about those things I would be setting myself up for failure. I would be a miserable person. If I counted and held on to all the hurtful things people did to me I would be a very sad person. Life isn’t perfect ... neither are we. We have to understand that we cannot control others’ actions. We can’t control many of the bad events that happen in our life. What we can do is learn from them and let them go. For some of us, it is in our nature to try to force things to work, when it is probably best they don’t. Some things are better left untouched. If they’ve been touched, release them. Life is full of ups and downs, and some of those downs are very painful. It could be the end of a friendship, loss of a loved one, a financially hard time, the list can go on. Those experiences can hurt. But those hard mountains are meant to be climbed not to be carried. On our climb up the mountain, we learn about ourselves, about others, and lessons along the way. Yet, many never reach the top of the mountain to victory, because they begin to carry the mountain. They create a nice comfortable place for the hurt and anger to make its home. When those emotions get nice and settled in, they begin to affect actions in our daily lives, by reflecting their personal hurt onto others. I used to be very hurt when someone would do something rude to me. “How could they even do something like that,” I would say to myself. But you know what? I was a miserable and insecure person when I thought like that. One day, I woke up and changed my thought process. I said, “ I release all anger, and hurt I have.” I cannot set expectations for the way I think a person should act. Everyone reacts and acts differently in stages in their life. I learned that bad things are going to happen, I cannot prevent or control every event in my life. I learned that I don’t have to let go of the memory but I do have to let go of the pain associated with it. I promise you won’t get far in life by hating someone forever or what they did to you. Chances are that person doesn’t even care how they hurt you and they are living freely while you are miserable. So just let go. All the bad things that happened to me, (some which were self-inflicted, some of which were not,) were holding me back form my full potential. For a long time I was upset I had never met my father. I was filled with anger, and it began to affect my relationships, even with friends. I was scared of abandonment. Had I held on, I don’t know if I would be married and have a beautiful son. I am not saying you will be living in a fantasy land as soon as you let go, it’s a progressional transformation. You have to control your thoughts and learn to release all negativity. Do you really want to miss out on the opportunities you’ll make in the future because you were too busy holding on to the past? It might hurt to let go, but holding on will only hurt you and others more. God didn’t die on the cross for you to carry the burdens of life and to carry the pain caused by others, He gave you a life to learn and to enjoy. You let God take care of the judgement. God is good. He sees your pain. If you ask, He will help you overcome it. Because, let’s be honest, some things are just too big to get over or let go of by ourselves. Life is short, we all know that, but sometimes we tend to forget. Incredible change happens in life when you decide to take control of what you have power over instead of craving control over what you do not. Let go of negative emotions and just like the balloon flies freely in the sky, let your negative emotions do the same. Let them go. Owner/Creator of AG MAG

Al Benavides

Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407

In This Issue: 6. Detection of the Corn Leafhopper in South Texas Highlights the Needs for Research to Develop New Control Strategies in Preparation for Wider Distribution and Increased Prevalence 10. Irrigation Management, Technology Workshops slated for Sept. 25th and 26th in the Rio Grande Valley 13. Valley program to Focus on Challenges, Opportunities of Modernizing Irrigation Systems 16. Texas A&M AgriLife Research receives $1.7 Millionplus from USDA to combat citrus greening 20. Ag Labor & Guest Workers: Status Report 22. 4-H Hunting & Wildlife 26. The Impending Agricultural Robotics Revolution 28. For the Love of Farms & Food 30. Advancing Texas Events Continue to Reach Texans Statewide 38. Far Reaching Weather and Politics Deflating Cotton Prices 44. “Beef In The Heart of Texas” 48. Pecans At The Alamo? 50. FFA & 4-H Calendar of Events 52. 5X5 Brewing Brings Craft Beer and Community Involvement to Mission 56. Featured Farmer: In Memory of Ken Martin 60. Consumers Demand More Menu Transparency 62. U.S. Demand for Fresh Vegetables 67. 2019 Achievement Night Awards 72. More Than a Thank You 76. The Influences of Childhood Obesity 77. PAA is Post - Harvest Done Right Year 6, Issue 31 September/October 2019. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ag Mag reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequence arising from it. All correspondence to the publication become the property of Ag Mag. Ag Mag is published bi-monthly ©2019. To advertise in Ag Mag, call (956) 330-8870 or email michelle@theagmag.org

Detection of the Corn Leafhopper in South Texas Highlights the Needs for Research to Develop New Control Strategies in Preparation for Wider Distribution and Increased Prevalence BY TARA- KAY JONES, Ph.D. Student ISMAEL E. BADILLO-VARGAS, Assistant Professor Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Weslaco and Texas A&M University

The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is a destructive pest of corn. Its distribution range extends throughout the tropical and subtropical areas of North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean Basin, with Mexico as its reported center of origin. This insect species only completes its life cycle in corn (Zea mays) and teosintes (Zea spp. that are the wild progenitors of corn and not cultivated outside of specific regions within Mexico), thus, making corn the only plant host of economic importance. The corn leafhopper vigorously feeds on corn seedlings by piercing the phloem and sucking the sap juices, which often results in premature wilting and/or plants death during younger growth stages of the corn plants. The population density of the corn leafhopper can rapidly increase on susceptible corn cultivars due to their rapid reproduction rate (adult female insects oviposit hundreds of eggs within the midrib of corn leaf tissues throughout its lifetime). Not only is the corn leafhopper a threat to corn through direct feeding damages but in addition it causes yield losses by transmission of three corn pathogens, two bacteria namely, Maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP), Spiroplasma kunkelii (corn stunt spiroplasma [CSS]), in addition to the plant infecting-virus Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV). The corn leafhopper can acquire all three pathogens individually or simultaneously and they are transmitted in a persistent-propagative manner, meaning once an insect becomes infected it remains inoculative of such pathogen/ throughout its entire lifespan.

Corn leaf hopper was detected in South Texas in Summer of 2016

uring an insect collection conducted in Summer of 2016 in Weslaco, TX., within the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), the corn leafhopper was found on an experimental corn plot and within a commercial corn field. We confirmed the identity of this insect pest and vector using the traditional morphological taxonomy methods as well as with DNA barcoding methods in the laboratory. We did not observe the insect in the same fields the following year (2017), however later in 2018 a visiting in our laboratory did identify specimens of the corn leafhopper in the insect collection in the same general area. The presence and absence of the corn leafhopper in South Texas are regulated by several factors including weather (i.e., they might have

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Pictured: Corn Leafhopper

emerged during the warmer seasons while probably not surviving the colder winter seasons), their ability to overwinter in very low, undetectable numbers in the area, and the possibilities of migration events from endemic regions.

Any occurrence of corn stunting pathogens could result in detrimental changes in corn leafhopper pest status in South Texas Whilst we currently do not have a severe outbreak of the corn leafhopper, infection with any of the above-mentioned corn pathogens (CSS, MBSP, and MRFV) can result in a complete and detrimental change in the corn leafhopper pest status and impact on South Texas corn production. Thus, our concerns are especially with the corn leafhopper’s association with the corn stunting disease complex. Corn stunting is the most important disease of corn in many regions in the Americas where corn is cultivated. There is no current control strategy established for directly managing corn stunting disease. The use of resistant corn germplasm has been

unsatisfactory. Thus, if a corn stunting outbreak occurs in South Texas there could be immense monetary pressure on growers due to increasing requirements for insecticide usage in managing the insect’s population density, yet this may not guarantee a significant net return, specially if insect control doesn’t happen fast enough before pathogen transmission to hamper disease dissemination in large corn growing regions in our state as we are direct neighbors with areas where both insect vector and these disease agents are present all year round.

Research in the Insect Vector Biology Lab at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center - Weslaco In an effort to protect Texas corn, we at the Insect Vector Biology Lab at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center – Weslaco are currently conducting research to better understand the biological and molecular interactions between the corn leafhopper, the corn stunting pathogens, and corn. We are focusing our research efforst on the mechanisms (e.g., survival, reproduction, and genetics) that contribute to the pest and vector status of the corn leafhopper. In the long term, we aim to develop an effective control strategy that can disrupt the corn leafhopper’s ability to transmit corn stunting pathogens to corn that is economically important in Texas.

the AgriLife Research and Extension Center – Weslaco will be available to assist with the validation of the vector’s identity and disease status. 2 distinct dark spots between eyes 2 distinct dark spots between eyes.

How to identify the corn leafhopper in cornfields Once specimen resembling the one shown in Image A is seen on corn seedlings of any stage, take a close-up look using a glass magnifier. The adult corn leafhoppers are 3.7 - 4.3 mm long and are characterized by two distinctive dark spots between the eyes. If growers suspect the presence of the corn leafhopper, we at the Insect Vector Biology Lab at

Pictured: Corn Leafhopper on corn

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Irrigation management, technology workshops slated for Sept. 25th and 26th in the Rio Grande Valley

BY KATHY WYTHE

io Grande Valley producers will have an opportunity to attend one of two identical workshops focused on improving irrigation management techniques and technologies Sept. 25 and Sept. 26.

The Sept. 25 workshop will be 12:30-5 p.m. with registration beginning at 12:15 p.m. at the Cameron County San Benito Annex, 1390 W. Expressway 83 in San Benito. The Sept. 26 event will be from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with registration beginning at 7:45 a.m. at the Echo Hotel and Conference Center, 1903 S. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg. The workshops are free, but attendees are required to pre-register at http://twri.tamu.edu/irrigation by Sept. 20. The workshops are presented by the Texas Water Resources Institute

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(TWRI), the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Dr. Lucas Gregory, TWRI senior research scientist, College Station, said the workshops will highlight irrigation management techniques and technologies that have the potential to add efficiency to producers’ operations, improve profitability and conserve water resources. “Speakers will discuss irrigation scheduling, management techniques and new technologies available to the grower as well as salinity management and irrigation water valuation,” Gregory said. He said the workshops will have a discussion of chemigation and fertigation options, which will provide attendees with 1 hour of continuing education units for Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator license holders.

Gregory said presenters and topics will include:

• Dr. Dana Porter, AgriLife Extension, Biological and Agricultural Engineering; irrigation scheduling tools and approaches. • Danny Sosebee, Netafim USA; Jeffery Kleypas, Toro Irrigation; Ken Whitley, Trellis, Inc.; irrigation management and technologies panel. • Dr. Luis Ribera, AgriLife Extension, Agricultural Economics; economics and value of irrigation water. • Leyon Greene, TWDB; TWDB TexMesonet overview. • Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationist; NRCS technical and finan cial assistance opportunities. • Ronnie Ramirez, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) conservation planner; TSSWCB Technical and Financial Assistance Opportunities. • Dr. Girisha Ganjegunte, Texas A&M University Department of Soil and Crop Sciences; salinity management in irrigation water. • Dr. Juan Enciso, Texas A&M AgriLife Research; chemigation and fertigation irrigation options and considerations for growers. These events are part of TWRI’s Lower Rio Grande Valley Irrigation Education and Outreach project, funded by TWDB through an Agricultural Water Conservation Grant to AgriLife Extension.

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Technology. Relationships. Simplicity... It’s just one statement at the bottom of one of the web pages promoting Rob-See-Co. It’s something that many companies would scream from every corner of the planet, promoting themselves in a “look at us” sort of way, but not in this case. It’s just a statement – simple looking enough, something you just come across; but it’s deeper than that. Those three words, and the actions that follow it, bring a sigh of relief. Technology. Relationships. Simplicity says so much about the company that describes itself as a “new seed company with roots that go back more than 125 years and five generations of the Robinson family.” Rob Robinson, CEO of Rob-See-Co says that “Expanding to South Texas was a match made in heaven. Texas has a lot of great growers that the germplasm fits well with and a large portion of our products have Agrisure Viptera® in it, which is essential for the Texas market. Viptera has proven to be the most comprehensive ear feeding insect control trait in corn. We also have Chris Ceronsek who is new to our team, but seasoned when it comes to crops in South Texas. He checks all the boxes we feel our company needs to fit into the South Texas Market. “We’ve brought back everything that makes working with a regional seed company great…” as noted on robseeco.com. “That means combining today’s technology with producerfriendly relationships. “It also means simplifying the process, so it’s easier for growers to know which products are going to work best on their farms and what they are going to pay.” Robinson says that technology in the market has led to mergers and acquisitions. As companies grow larger, they become more distant from the producer relationships that got them there. Success is ultimately determined by the customer. “Mergers and acquisitions took away from the relationship-based seed business. Historically, trust between a seed seller and producers has been an essential ingredient. One bad recommendation from a seed seller can wipe out a producer’s profit for the year” says Robinson. “It has become all about the numbers and promoting individual company agendas… with the start of Rob-See-Co, we’re bringing the value of relationships back into the seed industry.” Farmers across the nation are regularly talking about technology

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growing at a rapid pace in the farming industry. They delight in the advances in many areas of what they are passionate about. Along with that, however, has come anything but simplicity. Rob-See-Co has taken a step back to look at the industry in the big picture. That’s when they noticed that technology and options were growing at such a rapid pace that the end result – the satisfaction of the grower– may have been overlooked. It became a mission to change that – thus, “Technology. Relationships. Simplicity.” became a staple for the company. “People still want to buy from people, and adding Chris Ceronsek into our company for South Texas is just what we need.” Currently the company offers growers, among other products, both the Rob-See-Co and Innotech corn and soybean seed brands. According to the site, “With these brands, we bring growers genetic diversity and industry leading traits that include multiple modes of action for both above and below ground insect control, as well as multiple herbicide tolerant options for corn and soybeans. Rob-See-Co also offers soybean products with the industry’s two newest platforms –the LibertyLink® GT27 and Enlist E3 systems, “providing high-yielding genetics and a choice in herbicide decision-making.” Using a three-tier business structure: Great products (Technology), Simplicity and Relationships, Robinson said the company will earn people’s trust. That relationship-building is core to their success and their customers’ happiness. “We are constantly learning and training,” he said. “We want sales and transactions to be simple and enjoyable for our customer and we must ensure their trust in us as their supplier.”

Technology. Relationships. Simplicity.

Valley program focused on challenges, opportunities of modernizing irrigation systems BY LUCAS GREGORY Texas Water Resources Institute

The Texas Water Resources Institute along with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Water Development Board co-hosted an education program July 15 for Rio Grande Valley irrigation district managers and board members. The free program was focused on the past and present of irrigation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and began at the Casa De Palmas Hotel in McAllen followed by a bus tour with stops at the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum, the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco and the Rio Grande Center for Ag Water Efficiency. The intent of this program was to provide a complete view of irrigation in the Valley and describe how the irrigation network was developed historically and how it affects irrigation district operations today. An overview of legislation that has shaped irrigation was provided along with a discussion on challenges that irrigation districts currently face.

Water level sensor and automated gates in the demonstration channel at the Rio Grande Center for Ag Water Efficiency. Photo by Lucas Gregory, Texas Water Resources Institute.

Shown here are diesel-powered twin centrifugal water pumps. Photo by Lucas Gregory, Texas Water Resources Institute.

The tour concluded with a visit to the Rio Grande Center for Ag Water Efficiency located in the Harlingen Irrigation District, Cameron County #1. This center highlights modern technologies used in irrigation districts across the valley and provides an opportunity for district personnel to receive hands-on training on multiple types of equipment commonly employed. Dr. Lucas Gregory, Texas Water Resources Institute senior research scientist, College Station, said this event was part of the instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lower Rio Grande Valley Irrigation Education and Outreach project, funded by the Texas Water Development Board through an Agricultural Water Conservation Grant to AgriLife Extension.

Tom McLemore, general manager, Harlingen Irrigation District, discusses the components and utility of the automated canal gate demonstration channel at the Rio Grande Center for Ag Water Efficiency Photo by Lucas Gregory, Texas Water Resources Institute.

The project promotes water conservation strategies among growers and irrigation district boards and managers. It also promotes the benefits and advantages of water conservation and water use efficiency of various on-farm irrigation and irrigation district water management practices, especially when compared to conventional practices.

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Citrus greening disease is caused by the CLas bacterium, which is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. It is the most serious threat to citrus production worldwide. (Texas A&M Agrilife Research photo)

Texas A&M AgriLife Research receives $1.7 million-plus from USDA to combat citrus greening BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG

exas A&M AgriLife Research has been awarded more than $1.7 in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for two projects in multi state, multi-institution grants in collaboration with the University of California System and others to combat citrus greening. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing disease or HLB, has devastated citrus fruit crops in Florida, causing billions of dollars in agricultural losses, and has now made its way to Texas and California. It is considered the most devastating disease to citrus, threatening worldwide production. Funding for the projects was provided through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Citrus Disease Research and Extension program. Dr. Kranthi Mandadi, an AgriLife Research assistant professor in the plant pathology and microbiology department at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco, and Dr. Sandun Fernando, an AgriLife Research professor and director of the graduate program in the biological and agricultural engineering department in College Station, will lead research activities for Texas A&M. The first study will be in collaboration with the University of California-Riverside, and the second will be in collaboration with the University of California-Davis.

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This cross-section of an orange shows how the interior structure has been affected by Huanglongbing disease or HLB, more commonly known as to as citrus greening. HLB also negatively affects fruit quality. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

“This collaborative research is addressing a problem that affects citrus growers in Florida, Texas, California and worldwide,” Mandadi said. “Economic losses from citrus greening are huge, including the potential loss of jobs and associated economic activity. There are also environmental impacts from the current unsustainable measures to manage citrus greening. We expect that these two projects will create both near- and long-term solutions in the ongoing battle against citrus greening.” Mandadi said both projects will involve the use of a new AgriLife Research technology — microbial hairy root system — that will allow faster screening of therapies to effectively control HLB. “Several plant pathogens are unculturable and are spread by insect vectors,” said Dr. David Ragsdale, chief scientific officer

and AgriLife Research associate director, College Station. “In the case of citrus greening, the pathogen is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid.” Current methodologies can take a year or more to screen therapies against such fastidious pathogens in citrus, Ragsdale said. “But the microbial hairy root system, developed by Dr. Mandadi through seed funding from the AgriLife Research Vector-Borne Diseases program, allows up to four times faster screening of therapies and speeds up the discovery process,” he explained. The first project, “Systems Biology to Elucidate the CLas-Citrus-Psyllid Interactions Needed to Culture, Inhibit, and Detect CLas for Successful HLB Management,” is to design, construct and test peptides that specifically target and kill CLas to create highly effective prophylactic and curative HLB treatments. CLas, or Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, is a phloem-limited bacterium that is the causal agent of citrus greening disease. “This project addresses the highest priority topic of the Citrus Disease Research and Extension program, which is to find therapies to prevent or suppress CLas bacteria within trees,” said Dr. James Borneman, professor in the microbiology and plant pathology department at UC-Riverside and lead investigator for the project. Borneman said to substantially increase the efficacy of this project, the researchers are borrowing a technique used in human infectious disease, which can increase the efficacy of antimicrobial peptides by orders of magnitude, with some being able to kill greater than 500 times more bacteria. The second project, “Exploiting Pattern-triggered Immunity to Combat HLB,” will combine pest and pathogen management therapies with plant breeding, genetics and biotechnology. “There is a pressing need to identify therapies and treatment to protect citrus trees against HLB in existing groves as well as develop new commercial varieties that are tolerant or resistant to HLB in all production areas,” said Dr. Gitta Coaker, professor in the plant pathology department at UC-Davis and lead investigator for the project. “Our approach in this project is to address this challenge by increasing the potential of citrus’ own innate pattern-triggered immunity.”

Dr. Mandadi examines leaves in a citrus grove for citrus greening. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo)

She said the overall goal of the project is to harness pattern-triggered immune responses in citrus to control HLB and develop resistant germplasm. “Such responses identified in cultivated citrus will be used to develop a therapy that will enhance HLB tolerance or resistance in existing groves by boosting immunity,” Coaker said. “And the identified immune responses can also be used as markers to accelerate traditional breeding efforts by guiding the selection of breeding parents and progeny.” She said molecular markers correlated with HLB resistance have not yet been identified, so the project will employ stateof-the-art biotechnological approaches to generate HLBresistant citrus varieties. This project also interfaces with an undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral student training

Close-up view of a citrus leaf affected by citrus greening. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo)

program targeting minority participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, at the University of California and Texas A&M University. Students will be trained in cutting-edge citrus research and have the opportunity to present their results to, and interact with, the stakeholders and at citrus industry and scientific meetings. Mandadi said all stakeholders – those in the citrus industry, growers, breeders, residential citrus owners, the scientific community and others – will be apprised of findings that result from the two projects. “As we pursue these projects, we will use multiple approaches to engage those stakeholders and educate end users on any relevant information arising from our research,” he said. “We will communicate through scientific presentations at research meetings, grower workshops in citrus-growing regions of the country, print and electronic media, peer-reviewed publications and any other appropriate means to educate and inform.” Citrus greening affects citrus production worldwide. Here it is seen in a pomelo, a grapefruit-like citrus fruit grown primarily in South and Southeast Asia. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

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Ag Labor & Guest Workers: S

T A T

PART 2

BY DANTE GALEAZZI

ast issue, the article Ag Labor & Guest Workers: The History outlined many of the events that have contributed to the shortage of agricultural workers throughout the United States – a shortage that recently has begun to impact South Texas. A brief recap of the previous article: U.S. government programs through the first three-quarters of the 20th century created conditions that led to a steady and stable workforce of either domestic or migrant workers for agriculture. The last 35-40 years however have been marked by failed immigration reform, political polarization, improving economic conditions both in the U.S. and Mexico, and an aging agricultural workforce with no replacements behind them. Since many Americans find field work too labor intensive or generally unattractive, U.S. growers have to look beyond national borders for the able-bodied and willing workforce needs of domestic production. The question becomes, “What is being done about improving the US immigration system so that growers can access sufficient agricultural laborers?” To begin answering that question, one must understand how

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conditions appear today, absent change. Guest workers, or the non-resident workforce, for U.S. agriculture are employed by means of the H2A program. In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act created the H2A Temporary Agriculture Visa Program – commonly abbreviated as H2A. In a nut shell, the program is a way to bring low-skilled, foreign nationals to work in the U.S. specifically in the production agriculture space for 10 or fewer months. Unfortunately, the H2A system is expensive, time-intensive, highly bureaucratic, incredibly complicated, and rife with issues and heavy fines for non-compliance. Many growers who use H2A find that using 3rd parties or hiring specialists to manage their H2A programs is the only way to navigate the system. Despite all those challenges, H2A use increased dramatically over the last 3 years. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued 134,000 H2A visas. For 2019, DOL estimated 280,000 H2A visas would be issued. So why is DOL reporting a 140% growth over the last few years if the H2A program is so difficult to use? Growth in the program has increased in-step with heightened border enforcement, state laws making non-resident

travel between job sites harder, an aging local workforce, and because H2A is literally the only option for US growers to legally access the number of non-domestic workers needed. To harvest the crops being grown in our country, the estimate is slightly over 1 million workers are needed alone for fresh fruits and vegetables. That figure does not include the workers needed for other types of agriculture (i.e. row crops, nuts, vegetables for processing), which brings estimates up to well over 3 million. Beyond H2A are the efforts for a larger and more thorough overhaul of the U.S. immigration system. This process is famously known as “Immigration Reform.” Tragically for the American growers, Republicans and Democrats have been bitterly divided on the topic of immigration and as such have been unable to pass any major overhauls to the system. In 2018, the Goodlatte Bill was an immigration reform bill that included a new Guest Worker program. Unfortunately, the bill failed to pass a Republican controlled House, Senate and Administration. Support was obviously lacking on the political side, but even among the ag industries there was a lack of consent. For example, the ‘touchback’ clause (requiring current undocumented workers to return to their home country) was a hotly contested topic, and the bill also failed to outline protections for both employers and nuclear family members. This division among the different agricultural associations on priorities for immigration reform lead to the realization that unity was going to be critical prior to any forward moment on meaningful changes. Thankfully, it appears these groups are coming together on priorities. Organizations such as United Fresh Produce, American Farm Bureau, and Agricultural Workforce Coalition have all outlined similar goals for supporting any new immigration reform. They all agree policies must address topics such as: moving the current 1 – 1.5 million undocumented ag workers into a legal status, provide protections for nuclear family, legal protection for employers whose workers come forward, and extending Visa time beyond 10 months. Earlier this year, Rep. Lofgren (D-CA) and Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Agriculture Worker Program Act of 2019, also known as the Blue Card Bill. The bill addresses many industry concerns, including a process by which current undocumented workers could transition themselves and their family into a legal status while remaining in agriculture for several years into the future. The bill still lacks in some areas, including addressing the

need for future workers, but the bigger challenge will be moving Democratic legislation beyond the House through a Republican-controlled Senate. Again, the polarization of politics in Washington DC will play a hand in addressing an issue both sides of the aisle recognizes exists. While immigration reform is unlikely to happen soon, especially as a Presidential election looms in the months to come, the good news for employers feeling the local labor-shortage is that DOL, USDA and others have finally begun the process of improving existing regulations. Recently, the Department of Labor presented the first major updates to H2A in the over 30 years of the program’s existence. While these changes are going to help, the program is still far from perfect and remains ripe with pitfalls for unwary users. USAID and the Department of Homeland Security also recently announced a partnership with the Guatemalan government to coordinate annually 15,000 to 20,000 guest workers under the H2A program. The pilot will begin this fall, and could lay the ground work for developing similar programs with other countries. The cost of transporting the potential workers before and after the season is a challenge that remains, but again the partnership and the opportunity to create a steady pool of guest workers is vital to addressing the labor shortages facing the industry today. In the meantime, as immigration reform and updates to H2A slowly move along, I would encourage anyone who has trouble finding enough seasonal workers to call on your Congressional representative and Senators to address this problem. Too often, elected officials avoid immigration issues. We must encourage them to act for their constituents. Speak up and voice your concerns. Tell them that for too long the industry has asked for help with the decreasing number of available laborers and solutions are too slowly being provided. Let them know the future of your livelihood depends on their actions. Immigration reform and continued improvements to H2A will not come easily or quickly, but make no mistake. As the number of domestic laborers for agriculture dwindles in the Rio Grande Valley, we must speak loudly and often before the region’s workforce ages out and no future workers are available, leaving growers without a means by which to move the fruits and vegetables from South Texas fields to the plates of American consumers.

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4-H Hunting & Wildlife BY BRIANNA BULLION

Since 1902, the 4-H Youth Development program has provided youth across the globe with resources to create a better future for themselves and for the world around them. 4-H offers several different projects geared toward helping youth discover their talents and passionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from agriculture, to clothing and textiles, to natural resources; 4-H has something for everyone! Of the various activities 4-H offers, Shooting Sports has become the fastest growing project in the program. In fact, 4-H Shooting Sports is one of the fastest growing programs for youth in the United States (Migrate Outdoor). This project is divided into

eight different disciplines: archery, shotgun sports, smallbore rifle, smallbore pistol, air rifle, air pistol, muzzleloading, and hunting and wildlife. Each discipline helps educate youth in different areas of shooting sports, but the hunting and wildlife project stands out among the rest for teaching the next generation about proper hunting skills, wildlife management and hunting laws while allowing members to practice their shooting skills with events in archery, smallbore rifle and shotgun. Hunting and Wildlife competitions include two parts: live fire and exams. The three live fire rounds include a 3-D Archery course which requires participants to shoot at foam animal targets; a smallbore rifle round which requires participants to shoot at paper animal targets from the standing position, kneeling position or prone position; and a shotgun course which requires participants to shoot at sporting clays after they are provided with a hunting scenario wherein the competitor must decide if he or she would be able to safely shoot at the given target. The exams include questions about hunting laws, hypothetical scenarios that the competitor must deem either ethical or unethical, and a wildlife identification exam which includes various wings, pelts, scat samples and antlers. Kimberly Stewart has worked with the hunting and wildlife project for 12 years and has served as the Texas 4-H Hunting and Wildlife team coach for three years. She believes that the project is beneficial for youth hoping to learn more about wildlife management and hunting skills. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This project teaches young people about the natural world around them, how to identify game species and habitats, safety while hunting and in handling various firearms, general safety/ survival/first aid skills, decision making skills for a variety of situations from land management to hunting skills to safety/care and a general appreciation for the outdoors and all it offers,â&#x20AC;? Stewart

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said. “I think this project has a huge impact on the general safety and well-being of all hunters.” Though the hunting and wildlife project allows youth to practice their hunting skills with a variety of firearms, it also teaches them about proper hunting practices through tests on wildlife management, hunting laws and wildlife identification. The 4-H Hunting and Wildlife manual discusses the importance of teaching youth about safe hunting practices. According to the manual, “Every hunter shares certain responsibilities. Among those is the responsibility to project a positive image of hunters and hunting. Like it or not, every hunter is a representative for all hunters and hunting. Policing our ranks and helping each other become better is a part of the hunter’s role.” This responsibility raises an important question: how do we help one another become better hunters? According to Sportsmen’s Alliance, “Educating our generation is the next big challenge. The importance of having organizations out there to help teach and encourage the youth to participate in hunting and shooting activities is critical. If our generation is not educated on the benefits that hunting offers to conservation and wildlife management, in future years our ecosystem could be out of balance.” Programs like the 4-H Hunting and Wildlife project encourage youth to learn more about proper hunting practices and wildlife management. The program has continued to grow over the years to include more resources for coaches and youth members. This growth is fostering youth interest in hunting and wildlife management. “When I started working with the Hunting and Wildlife project Dr. Ron Howard was at the helm of the state level of the project— creating and giving the test and training local leaders. Over time more people have become involved at the state level,” Stewart said. “A team has developed who work together on various aspects of the state contest. The contest has expanded to include a skills trail that allows for real-life-type scenarios. There have also been efforts made to make more specific study materials available to local leaders.” Overall, the 4-H Hunting and Wildlife project provides youth with unique opportunities to learn about proper hunting practices and wildlife management. These opportunities ultimately help create a better, safer hunting environment by forming more knowledgeable hunters. “In my opinion the Hunting and Wildlife project has the most to offer 4-Hers because they get to learn real-life skills that they will use as they hunt and explore the outdoors,” Stewart said. “They get to show off their expertise as they answer questions on three different tests—through hunting scenarios, safety, wildlife identification, hunting skills and management. Plus, they get to showcase their shooting skills in four different disciplines—archery, shotgun, rifle and muzzleloading. It’s a lot of hard work, but rewarding and fun!” To learn more about the 4-H Hunting and Wildlife project and how you can be a part of it, visit https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ projects/shooting-sports/.

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Figure 1 Phoenix Agricultural Robot form the University of Hohenheim, Germany. This robot has different tools for tasks such as seeding, precision spraying, inter-row weeding.

THE IMPENDING AGRICULTURAL ROBOTICS REVOLUTION BY GREGORY SCOTT KUNKLE II AeroAg Drone Services

griculture is mankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest and most important economic activity. The global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, and conse quentially, agricultural production needs to double to meet the demand. However, critical resources such as land, water, and labor are not expected to increase at such a rate. With this in mind, it is estimated that the efficiency of agricultural productivity must increase by at least 25% to meet that goal all the while simultaneously diminishing the pressure that agriculture creates on the surrounding environment. Agriculture is not the only industry to face such demands in production. Transportation, manufacturing, oil and gas are all subject to similar constraints and are actively searching for new ways to meet production metrics without breaking the bank. Automation and robotics are the foundation of a technological and manufacturing revolution going on across the world. The most valuable industries in the US and global markets are seeking ways to improve productivity, efficiency, and lower costs with the help of technology. Not too long ago, a fancy device that could almost fit in your

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pocket (depending on how tight your jeans were) could tell you exactly where you were standing in the middle of a field, the woods, or even the ocean.

ENTER THE AGRICULTURAL ROBOTIC REVOLUTION

Agriculture has recently undergone a genomic revolution known colloquially as, although subtly mentioned, GMOs. Luckily, automation and GMOs are not mutually exclusive endeavors. Robotics are poised to help in all facets of the agricultural market. We shall examine some of those next.

Figure 2 Sweeper Robot harvesting Yellow Bell Pepper

Figure 3 Sweeper Robot traversing between rows.

It is still aptly called the Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS was actually started as a covert DARPA program after the launch of Sputnik 1 when scientists determined that radio transmissions from Sputnik could be “observed” and used to locate earth bound receiving stations in Russia...but I digress. At the time of introduction to market, GPSs were bulky and expensive contraptions that had not quite found a niche for everyday use in America. Fast forward to today, almost every single cell phone in the United States contains this technology which serves a plethora of functions – most notably in agriculture, perfectly straight rows from a self-driving tractor!

From seeding to weeding to fertiliizing to manual harvesting, agricultural robotic research and development is prevelant across the world. Similar to that of manufacturing and other industries, automation always takes time to fix the bugs (pun intended) that will creep in along the way. Personally, I enjoy traveling around Texas seeing old tractors, implements, and technology that was once considered the best of its time. It brings a sense of nostalgia and perspective, reminding us where we have been and realizing where we are headed. Statistically, one or none of the above robotic solutions will ever make it to mass market, but what is important to realize is that the principles, technology, and approaches are all similar to the extent of what today’s agriculture industry demands.

Figure 4 CEO Rowbot Systems Kent Cavender Bares driving a Rowbot into a corn field.

Those include autonmous vehicles, GPS navigation, precision agriculture methods, increased sensor technology, and most importantly human inginuity.What is certain is that agriculture is pending a robotic revolution.

Figure 7 ecoRobotix Autonomous Weeding System

Figure 5 Rowbot driving into a row of corn

Figure 6 Queens Land University of Technology AG BOT II

Figure 8 ENERGID Single Picking Mechanism

Figure 9 ENERGID Simulated Multi Picking Mechanism

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For the Love of

Farms & Food: The ‘Farm-to-Table’ Movement

BY KATHRYN BRADY

When looking for a place to eat; you may have noticed a trend - restaurants calling themselves ‘farm-to-table’, but what exactly does that mean? What is the motive driving this trend? All these restaurants calling themselves ‘farmto-table’ prepare their food and publish their menu a bit differently, so what qualifies them as farm to table? Rutgers defines ‘farm-to-table’ as a food system in which food production, processing, distribution and consumption are integrated to enhance the environmental, economic, social and nutritional health of a particular place. So, this term can be applied more broadly than just restaurants, but also to grocery stores, farmers markets, schools etc. According to an article called “The History of the Farm to Table Movement,” ‘farm-to-table’ refers to food made from locally-sourced ingredients however there isn’t an exact definition that restaurants have to adhere to in order to call themselves a ‘farm-to-table’ establishment. It is easy to see that this phrase can mean different things to different people, but at its heart it is the idea that the food on the table came directly from a relatively local farm, without going through a store, market or distributer along the way. Then the most honest form of the definition would be a setting where the food is grown, harvested and prepared at the same location as the restaurant. An example of this is the farm and restaurant called Ronin in Bryan, Texas. According to Ronin’s website the farm is located just south of Lake Bryan and the restaurant is in historic downtown Bryan. On the farm Chef Brian and his wife Amanda grow the food that is served at their restaurant. Because of this the menu at the restaurant is updated daily based on the growing season. Brian and Amanda say that “as supermarkets have replaced family gardens, many of us have lost touch with what it means to grow, process and cook food. There is a sense of community in gathering food for the table and our farm keeps us closely connected with these traditions.” They admit that they can’t grow everything that is served at the restaurant, but what they can’t grow they do try to source locally. The Ronin website features a quotation from Masanobu Fukuoka author of The One Straw Revolution: “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” In cases where farmers are selling their goods and produce

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to consumers or restaurants; farmers like knowing how their food is treated and cooked and restaurants like knowing where the food is coming from and that it is local; the same goes for the customers. A good relationship is then formed between all involved. Restaurants are usually motivated by these relationships and by the quality and freshness of the food that they are getting from the farms, items will often be delivered directly to the restaurants within hours of being harvested. Another motivation is the ability to get local, specialty items. A lot of times these restaurants and farms have deep commitments to one another. An added benefit is that there are many of these new small farms near cities that would otherwise not have access to such fresh produce. The principles behind the ‘farm-to-table’ movement have to do with a renewed or new interest in the ethics of food production and the fall of the processed food empire. Beginning in the 1950’s packaged foods began to thrive after innovations in food processing and storage peaked with the prevalence of canned food this really continued to trend upwards through the 1960’s and 1970’s and really continued on into the 1990’s. But there was a downward trend emerging in the 70’s because of the ‘hippie movement’ who were fans of local and organic food. But really in the 2000’s things really began to change. The ethics that led to the rise of ‘farm-to-table’ was diets and knowledge about the health detriments of preservatives and processed foods, but also these pillars:

Food security: The farm to table movement decreases the risk of mass outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, because they are grown on a smaller-scale, picked almost the day that they are sold and are handled less. Proximity: Developing a relationship locally between the

consumer, restaurant and the producer as well as less environmental impact due to the decreased transportation across states and countries. Some local Rio Grande Valley ‘Farm-to-Table’ restaurants are SALT, Bodega Tavern & Kitchen, and House Wine & Bistro in McAllen. In Brownsville you can visit The Vermillion and Madeira. Another aspect of the ‘farm-to-food’ movement is the community supported agriculture or CSA’s

and farmers market. CSA’s are a system that connects the farmer and the consumer within the food system more closely by allowing the consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a certain farm or group of farmers. It is an alternative socioeconomic model of agriculture and food distribution, strengthening a sense of community through local markets. The consumer utilizing CSA’s is not only paying for local fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat, but is also paying for intangible aspects such as transparency, environmental stewardship and producer/ consumer relationships. CSA’s are generally focused on high quality foods for a local community, they also cultivate relationships with consumers by inviting them to harvest, having a ‘community meal’ or field day where you can meet the farmer at the farm. Another type of Community Supported Agriculture is one in which a small community such as a neighborhood or apartment complex gets together to grow their own produce. In the same way a community organization like a food bank or

school can allow the participants or students to grow food to take home, but in turn they are learning about health and nutrition. Food Banks using this method for feeding their participants is a great opportunity because it is a way for the participants to have fresh food rather than canned food and is especially beneficial to those living in food deserts. A great example of this is the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. There is also a big push for school districts to partner with local farmers, so that the schools can provide more local, fresh and nutritious meals to students. Approximately 1,200 school districts around the country are linked with local farms to serve fresh fruits and vegetables to children. One Texas Congressman, Eddie Rodriguez, who represents

Texas District 51 which is east Austin and southeast Travis County, but is originally from McAllen, has championed many efforts that relate to the promotion of local, all-natural foods that can be sold to the consumer. These include his role as the Chair of the Farm-to-Table Caucus, the National School Breakfast Program and legislation such as the Cottage Foods Bill, which promotes local farm-based economies and access to health foods for all Texans. Congressman’s Rodriguez’s agenda continues to address economic development and job creation, nutrition education, combating hunger, human health and services and environmental issues. Benefits of locally produced and sold produce is that it encourages small business promotion as well as job growth, it combats unemployment, there is a relationship that develops between the producer, consumer and/or restaurant and the movement can teach, promote and educate about agriculture and health and nutrition. For me personally, I look forward to picking up my vege-

tables from the Central Texas Farmers Coop because it is a way to visit with the farmers, some of whom I work with through NRCS, I get to see them in the community and promote their farms to others. I enjoy supporting my farmers businesses and visiting with them about their production. In researching this topic and talking with some of the local farmers that I know as well as some local restaurateurs including Amada from Ronin I do believe that the idea from this quotation “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings” by Masanobu Fukuoka author of The One Straw Revolution really grasps the goal and motivation behind the ‘farm-to-table’ movement. It a way of not only cultivating crops, but of cultivating human relationships and pride in your community.

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ADVANCING TEXAS EVENTS CONTINUE TO REACH TEXANS STATEWIDE RECENT EVENTS IN CORPUS CHRISTI, MCALLEN FOCUSED ON LAND STEWARDSHIP, HEALTH

MCALLEN – The Texas A&M AgriLife Ad-

vancing Texas statewide roadshow promoting the vision of Texas A&M AgriLife recently held two events — one in Corpus Christi and one in McAllen. The Advancing Texas initiative is led by Patrick Stover, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University and director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The events are presented in collaboration with Texas Farm Credit. “Agriculture is and has always been the foundation of Texas A&M University, and these Advancing Texas events are a platform for us to hear from our stakeholders across the state,” Stover said. “They also give us the opportunity to showcase the advancements within the college and agencies and engage new supporters for Texas A&M AgriLife.”

Attendees at the recent Advancing Texas event in Corpus Christi. (Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo by Paul Schattenberg)

An initial Advancing Texas event was presented this spring in Bryan, with additional events scheduled for this year and next. These events include a meet-and-greet mixer, panel discussion with question-and-answer period, and information booths touting Texas A&M AgriLife agencies and programs, such as Healthy South Texas, Dinner Tonight and Path to the Plate.

Private Land Stewardship The first of the two most recent events, “The Rural Texas Landscape: Private Land Stewardship and the Role of Texas A&M AgriLife,” held Aug. 20 at the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi, was attended by more than 100 area farmers, ranchers and other landowners. The panel discussion for this event addressed topics of importance to landowners in the Coastal Bend area and throughout the state. Among the topics discussed were land fragmentation, wildlife conservation, eminent domain, border security, natural resources, oil and gas leases and land fragmentation. Panelists included Stover; Neal Wilkins, president and CEO, East Foundation, San Antonio; Bob McCan, fifth-generation McFaddin Enterprises rancher and past president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; and T. Michael O’Connor, Victoria County sheriff. Also participating in the discussion were Roel Lopez, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, San Antonio, who served as moderator, and Susan Ballabina, Ph.D., deputy vice chan-

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cellor, Texas A&M AgriLife, College Station. “Rural lands intertwine with Texas history, economy, environment and everyday life, but there are many challenges associated with land stewardship,” Stover said in his remarks. “The age of the average farmer or rancher, the ability to make an agricultural operation profitable, along with the fragmentation of working lands are all major challenges.” Wilkins said, “Partnering with other organizations and agencies will be needed to help ensure farming and ranching families stay together and keep their lands intact.” He also noted due to the variety of challenges agriculturists face, individuals who support agriculture now require a broader understanding of science, policy and land management. McCann emphasized the need for more sustainable agricultural systems that would also make agricultural operations more profitable. “We also have to find ways to address the ability to secure water for agriculture and balance the competition for this and other natural resources from residents, businesses and other stakeholders,” he said. All panelists concurred that the best way for area landowners to improve their operations was to get involved in groups, organizations and programs dedicated to finding solutions to the challenges they face. Some of the suggestions for getting involved included partici-

pation in commodity groups, agriculture industry organizations and farmer and rancher community-based organizations in addition to collaborating with Texas A&M AgriLife personnel, the Texas Department of Agriculture and local Farm Bureau offices. Panelists at the Advancing Texas event in Corpus Christi. (Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo by Paul Schattenberg)

contended that by utilizing science, agriculture can bring the agricultural producer and consumer closer together – and work to eliminate chronic diseases. As he explained, it is not just about reducing hunger, but about providing consumers with accessibility to both better quantity and quality of food. “Agriculture can be the answer to lower health care costs,” Stover said. “We want Texas to be a model for the world on how to bring together producers and consumers.” The event explored the connections between agriculture and health, with a particular focus on developing solutions for South Texas. South Texas has been a focus for Texas A&M in terms of improving health and agriculture. Rising obesity, emerging infectious diseases, high uninsured rates and limited access to health care all contribute to a less-than-desirable quality of life for an overwhelming proportion of South Texans. Those reasons contributed to Texas A&M selecting the region for the pilot program of Healthy Texas.

For information on how the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service helps sustain agriculture through educational programming, go to:

https://tinyurl.com/TAMUAgriLifeSustainableAg.

Health, Agriculture and the Role of Texas A&M AgriLife The second event, “Health, Agriculture and the Role of Texas A&M AgriLife,” held Aug. 22 at the Texas A&M Higher Education Center in McAllen, had more than 100 attendees from Hidalgo and surrounding counties. The panel discussion included Stover, Texas Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. The discussion centered on how Texas could become a model for the world on how to lower diet-related health care costs through nutrition and responsive agriculture. The trio discussed how agriculture is at the center of solving a number of local, national and global challenges going forward. Stover

Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, left, with Extension in the City Award recipient Sen. “Chuy” Hinojosa (Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo by Katherine Hancock)

The Healthy South Texas program began in 2015, and in its first three years made more than 1 million direct contacts with residents of South Texas as a collaboration between Texas A&M University Health Science Center and AgriLife Extension. AgriLife Extension also celebrated Hinojosa’s leadership in South Texas by presenting him with the Extension in the City Award. The Extension in the City Award was given in recognition of Hinojosa’s leadership in and support of Texas A&M’s Urban Programs, particularly the Healthy South Texas program.

Advancing Texas events also include information booths on Texas A&M AgriLife agencies and programs. (Texas A&M AgriLife Communicaitons photo by Paul Schattenberg)

Learn more about Advancing Texas events at agrilife.org/advancingtexas

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South Texas

Heritage Sale 125 head of functional, top Santa Gertrudis and Star 5 Santa Gertrudis females N O V E M B E R 2 3 , 2 019

Borchard Fairgrounds Robstown, TX. Starts at Noon

Cattle arrive on Friday, November 22nd by noon and available for viewing. Leo Casas: Auctioneer

For information, please call Visit us on Facebook at

South Texas Heritage Sale

Larry Garza at 956-206-1244 or email to: stxheritagesale@gmail.com southtexasheritagesale.com

MORE THAN JUST INSURANCE! H We award $8,500 scholarships a year

to graduating seniors that are Cameron County Farm Bureau members.

We spent over $11,000 at the Livestock Show on animal bids

H We donated $7,500 to the Cameron

H Texas Farm Bureau has a mobile learning barn.

H We donate to Sunny Glen Children’s Home in San Benito.

H Your Farm Bureau membership provides a

County Fair & Livestock Show to build a new barn.

Anyone can become a member and take advantage of all these services for only

$49.00 a year

lot of services to youth and community

Why you should join your Cameron County Farm Bureau Membership Discounts:

Farm Bureau promotes today’s farmers and ranchers!

Support us today!

Cameron Co. Farm Bureau

335 N. Oscar Williams Rd. San Benito, TX 78586 (956) 399-8183

ADT Home Monitoring System Hotel Discounts Grainger Industrial Supply Discounts CAT and John Deere Amusement Park Tickets Insurance Services Defensive Driving Course Discounts on Polaris, ATV and UTV $500 Discount on new 2016,2017,2018 Ford Vehicles Case IH Discounts

National voice of agriculture, working through our grassroots organizations to enhance and strengthen the lives of rural Americans and to build strong, prosperous agricultural communities.

Meeting your needs as they grow

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TPSLab.com 956-383-0739

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956-688-8485 Thanks for 11 Years!

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MADE YOU

Far Reaching Weather and Politics Deflating Cotton Prices

t is always the case that prices farmers receive are largely driven by weather here and abroad. We have all seen the sharp price rallies that often occur in June and July when all eyes are on crop development. Weather driven price increases tried to take hold in late May and June for most US farm commodities as the Midwest and Delta struggled to get corn, soybeans, spring wheat and rice planted, and the lower Texas Panhandle had yet to receive much needed moisture on a late planted cotton crop. The upper Texas panhandle, however, picked up some of the wet weather patterns seen in the Midwest and was forced to switch a considerable number of irrigated cotton acres to corn. During this same time, the monsoon rains that farmers in India are so dependent upon had been well under the normal rainfall which suggested that Indian cotton exports could for the third straight year be limited by government decree. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production shortfall in recent years has given US cotton the opportunity to become a major supplier to spinning mills across Asia including Vietnam where so many high-end clothes are now made. Since mid-June, growing conditions in Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cotton growing regions have improved. And parts of the Texas Panhandle

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BY JOHN MILLER

cotton area have received enough rain to leave that crop open for improvement. The uncertainty about the ultimate potential for the West Teas crop still weighs on the minds of farmers needing to sell cotton, users of cotton, and the speculators that try to profit from extreme moves in commodity prices. As the price chart shows, December cotton futures have declined from approximately 70 cents per pound in early June to just under 60 cents per pound currently. With considerable uncertainty remaining about the final yield potential in both West Texas and in India, we need to consider other factors that have helped to push prices so low in such a short period of time. It has been 14 months since the US and China ratcheted up a trade dispute that cuts across numerous financial, legal and political boundaries that has grown to impact a large swath of US industry. While the dollar value of US farm commodities sent to China may not rank high against other industrial goods caught up in this dispute, the percentage impact on the farming community is huge. At its height, the soybean trade with China accounted for over 60 percent of all soybeans grown in the US. For sorghum, a crop of vital importance to Valley farmers, this percentage was closer to 75 percent just three years ago. Currently, US soybeans sales to China are barely one third of the peak, and sorghum exports to China have become rare. This fact is not lost on the commodity market since prices for soybeans and sorghum have fallen off

significantly. For cotton, US sales to China had dropped to a trickle well before the trade dispute due to swelling cotton inventory there. The hope for a resolution to the US-China dispute had helped keep cotton prices over 70 cents per pound this past spring since it was anticipated that an agreement would see China coming to the US market as both a measure of good faith and a need to restock high quality

time-proven relationship between the expected cotton that will remain unsold at the end of the marketing year (carryout) and the price response. If as the USDA expects and US farmers harvest up to 850 pounds on average across 12.5 million acres of the 13.72 million planted acres estimate, the carryout could become a burdensome 6.7 million bales. As with the current US corn situation, there is a lot of doubt that this many cotton acres are out there. This will be debated right up to the USDA annual final report in December. For now, we must figure that a 22 million bale crop is possible as indicated in the chart labeled ‘Cotton Production vs Yield’. Private estimates favor a US crop closer to 19.5 million which would leave a carryout closer to last season’s 5 million bale excess. The key number to watch will be the ultimate acres harvested in West Texas, and the non-irrigated yield there. The very late non-irrigated West Texas crop will be the difference since even an additional 200 pounds per acre could translate to approximately 2 million bales. We understand that the past few weeks of 100+ degree temperatures have not been kind to the West Texas crop. Time will tell. For now, we must concentrate on getting the Valley crop harvested and ginned and fed to the marketing chain. The cotton yield across the Valley has ranged from exceptional to some below average, but we have seen a lot of

cotton. When it became apparent in June that the chance for a resolution in 2019 was slipping away, commodity traders combined this notion with improving weather on US and Indian cotton to justify reducing ownership. While one can’t put a percentage effect on what caused the 10-cent drop in the cotton price since early June, many think that the trade dispute has been a bigger factor than improved chances for a larger world crop. The additional charts below provide a snapshot of the US cotton situation and may help to explain why commodity traders are reluctant to trade higher prices. The chart labeled ‘Carryout to Use Ration vs Price” shows the

reports of good quality. As you watch the cotton gins work off all those yellow or pink wrapped round bales setting on their yards, Valley farmers will already be contemplating what to plant for the 2020 crop. Weather uncertainty will always be with us. We just have to hope that the US and China trade dispute finds a solution, and that the current strain in this relationship has opened other doors for US Cotton.

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BY BONNIE RAMIREZ

Junior Beefmaster Breeders Compete

“BEEF IN THE HEART OF TEXAS” Boerne, Texas – Approximately 215 Junior Beefmaster Breeders

Association (JBBA) members and approximately 460 head of cattle from all over Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi gathered the week of July 21-26, 2019 at the Bell County Exposition Center in Belton, Texas for a funfilled week at the 2019 “Beef in the Heart of Texas” JBBA National Show and Convention. In addition to the cattle shows, the event also included contests and new competitions; Beef Skillathon and “Tell Your Beefmaster Story” video contest. The inaugural year of the video contest had an impressive 41 entries. A leadership conference, silent and live auctions, family fun night, awards banquet, and dance were also part of this annual event. “I would like to express my sincere thanks to all sponsors, junior leaders, BBU staff, JBBA Adult committee, BBU members and other volunteers for all of their support and contributions,” said JBBA Director of Youth Programs Bonnie Ramirez. “It takes a village to make a high caliber event of this magnitude happen and because of the like-minded team we have, that believe in our youth program, it was a great event.” During the convention JBBA members elected the following individuals to represent them as the 2019-2020 JBBA Board of Directors and Officers. • • • • • • • • • •

President: Braylee Mackie of Lott, Texas President Elect: Troy Glaser of Rogers, Texas Secretary: Nikki Brady of Carrizo Springs, Texas Treasurer: Faith Martin of New Ulm, Texas Reporter: Camrin Byers of Henrietta, Texas District 1 Directors: Bryanna Hardin of Sweeny, Texas, and Hudson Ham of Bellville, Texas District 2 Directors: April Solis of Mission, Texas and Lukas Mazac of Columbus, Texas District 3 Directors: Isaiah Madison of New Ulm, Texas and Caeden Scherer of Brenham, Texas District 4 Directors: Victoria Vera of Edinburg, Texas, and Bennett Janssen of Victoria, Texas District 5 Directors: Travis Glaser of Rogers, Texas and Braylee Cowan of Dodd City, Texas

The annual event consisted of several competitions including public speaking, photography, video, livestock judging and Beef Skillathon. The winners of the public speaking contest are as follows: • Junior 1st place: Lane Hendricks of Flynn, Texas • Intermediate 1st place: Kayl Tassin of Bush, La. • Senior 1st place: Abi Hooper of Joaquin, Texas The winners of the photography contest are as follows: • Junior 1st place: Makenzie Low of Alto, Texas • Intermediate 1st place: Sarah Wells of Grapevine, Texas • Senior 1st place: Braylee Mackie of Lott, Texas The winners of the video contest are as follows: • Junior 1st place: Lane Hendricks of Flynn, Texas • Intermediate 1st place: Kolton Brady of Carrizo Springs, Texas • Senior 1st place: Melvin (Raleigh) Scherer IV of Brenham, Texas

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The winners of the livestock judging contest are as follows: • Junior 1st place: Wylie Butler of Cameron, Texas • Intermediate 1st place: Kennedy Hobbs of Thorndale, Texas • Senior 1st place: Travis Glaser of Rogers, Texas The winners of the Beef Skillathon contest are as follows: • Junior 1st place: Haidan Lee of Azle, Texas • Intermediate 1st place: Mackenzie M. Lee of Sealy, Texas • Senior 1st place: Garrett Melnar of Bellville, Texas JBBA members exhibited their cattle in six different shows over the week, including; an ultrasound carcass contest, showmanship competition, a bred and owned heifer show, a bred and owned bull show, a Beefmaster E6/Advancer heifer show and the JBBA National Heifer Show. The winners of the ultrasound carcass contest are as follows: • • • • •

Class 1 Heifers: Braylee Mackie of Lott, Texas Class 2 Heifers: Mark Ovalle of Edinburg, Texas Class 3 Heifers: Rheagan Karisch of Ellinger, Texas Class 4 Heifers: Gracey Leopold of West Columbia, Texas Class 1 Bulls: Reese Tassin of Bush, La.

The winners of the showmanship competition are as follows: • • • •

Junior Champion Showman: Eli Middleton of Alto, TX Junior Reserve Champion Showman: Lane Hendricks of Flynn, TX Intermediate Champion Showman: Raymie Emmons of Streetman, TX Intermediate Reserve Champion Showman: Sarah Wells of Grapevine, TX • Senior and Pevine Hicks Memorial Champion Showman: Saige Tassin of Bush, La. • Senior Reserve Champion Showman: Shawn Skaggs of DeLeon, TX

The winners of the Bred and Owned Heifer Show are as follows: • Grand Champion Bred and Owned Heifer: BR Selena owned by Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss. • Reserve Grand Champion Bred and Owned Heifer: J3 Gemma owned by Cade Judd of Gilmer, Texas The winners of the Bred and Owned Bull Show are as follows: • Grand Champion Bred and Owned Bull: Jack owned by Caitlin Vargas of Edinburg, Texas • Reserve Grand Champion Bred and Owned Bull: EMS Prince Harry owned by Raegan Emmons of Streetman, Texas The winners of the Beefmaster E6/Advancer heifer show are as follows: • Grand Champion E6/Advancer Heifer: B Bar Honey owned by Braylee Mackie of Lott, Texas • Reserve Grand Champion E6/Advancer Heifer: BR Tigress owned by Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss. The winners of the JBBA National Heifer Show are as follows: • Grand Champion Heifer: Ellis’ Phyllis owned by Braylee Cowan of Dodd City, Texas

2019 JBBA National Show Winners: • Reserve Grand Champion Heifer: J3 Gemma owned by Cade Judd of Gilmer, Texas

To wrap up the event, JBBA members and their families attended the annual awards banquet and dance. Contest and event winners from throughout the week were announced and received awards. All-Around Champions were awarded in each age division, determined from points earned throughout the week. The All-Around Champions are awarded based on accumulated points in the National Junior Heifer Show, Bred and Owned Show, Judging Contest, Public Speaking Contest, Beef Skillathon, Photography Contest, Video Contest, Leadership Conference (Intermediate & Seniors only), and Showmanship Contest. The top ten in each age division were recognized.

Grand Champion Heifer: Ellis’ Phyllis owned by Braylee Cowan of Dodd City, TX

Reserve Grand Champion Heifer: J3 Gemma owned by Cade Judd of Gilmer, TX

Grand Champion Bred and owned Heifer: BR Selena owned by Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss

The All-Around Champion Awards were presented to the following JBBA members: • All-Around Junior: Ruby Redden of Midway, Texas • All-Around Intermediate: Kolton Brady of Carrizo Springs, Texas All-Around Senior: Melvin (Raleigh) Scherer IV of Brenham, Texas In addition to contest awards, several scholarships were awarded to the following senior JBBA members: • Brian L. Murphy Memorial Scholarship: Braylee Mackie of Lott,TX • JBBA Scholarships: Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss., Kodi Stapp of Shawnee, Okla., Braylee Mackie of Lott, TX and Caitlin Vargas of Edinburg, TX • Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation (B.E.E.F.) Scholar ship: Melvin (Raleigh) Scherer IV of Brenham, TX, Camrin Byers of Henrietta, TX, Saige Tassin of Bush, La., and Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss. • Beefmaster Breeders Cattlewoman Scholarship: Cade Judd of Gilmer, TX, Camrin Byers of Henrietta, TX, Braylee Mackie of Lott, TX, Haley Guerrero of Fayetteville, TX, Paige Zeringue of Saint Amant, La., Kallie Wallace of Leaksville, Miss., and Isaiah Madison of New Ulm, TX. • Kenneth Lewis and Robert Miles Memorial JBBA Scholarship: Camrin Byers of Henrietta, TX, Isaiah Madison of New Ulm, TX, Braylee Mackie of Lott, TX and Kallie Wallace of Leaksville, Miss. • East Texas/Louisiana Marketing Group Scholarship: Camrin Byers of Henrietta, TX, Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss., Haley Guerrero of Fayetteville, TX, Isaiah Madison of New Ulm, TX and Kodi Stapp of Shawnee, Okla. This year the WorkHorse Award was presented to Isaiah Madison of New Ulm, Texas. The WorkHorse Award honors an individual that demonstrates a great work ethic, who willingly goes above and beyond what their responsibilities call for during the JBBA National Show and Convention. Finally, the JBBA Top Hand Award was presented to Nikki Brady of Carrizo Springs, Texas. This award is like the BBU Breeder-of-the-Year Award, as it recognizes the JBBA member that participates in JBBA and BBU programs and is involved in building their herd and marketing their cattle. In recognition of outstanding JBBA volunteers’ service, dedication, time, and support to the JBBA program, the JBBA Helping Hand Award were presented to Bob and Pam Welborn and family. The BBU Staff and JBBA Board of Directors would like to thank all those that made this year’s event possible and congratulate all the participants. They look forward to next year’s 36th Annual JBBA National Convention and Show to be held in same location in Belton, Texas, but different dates of July 19-24, 2020.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United and its Junior Program please contact the BBU office at 210-7323132 or visit www.beefmasters.org.

Grand Champion Bred and Owned Bull: Jack owned by Caitlin Vargas of Edinburg, TX

Reserve Grand Champion Bred and Owned Bull: EMS Prince Harry owned by Raegan Emmons of Streetman, TX

Grand Champion E6/Advancer Heifer: B Bar Honey owned by Braylee Mackie of Lott, TX

Reserve Grand Champion E6/Advancer Heifer: BR Tigress owned by Amelia Buckley of Collins, Miss

Junior Champion Showman: Eli Middelton of Alto, TX

Junior Reserve Champion Showman: Lane Hendricks of Flynn, TX

Intermediate Champion Showman: Raymie Emmons of Streetman, TX

Intermediate Reserve Champion Showman: Sarah Wells of Grapevine, TX

Senior and Pevine Hicks Memorial Champion Showman: Saige Tassin of Bush, LA

Senior Reserve Champion Showman: Shawn Skaggs of DeLeon, TX

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Your business is our priority! Locally grown

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A Letter from the Editor James 4:14

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. As most of you who have read my magazine from the start know that after my son was born we had a rough go for almost two years with my son being constantly sick. I am not lying when I say we went to the doctor’s office more than 60 times in just one year. (Probably double that) Once he hit about two, the illnesses stopped becoming so frequent, but as a result of the constant tests, shots, pricks, etc, my son became very afraid of stainless steel. He associated stainless steel objects with the doctors and therefore anxiety would start irritating him. When he would have a haircut, the first thing I was instructed (from my son) to tell them was NO scissors, and he would not sit alone. He found himself most comfortable on mommy’s lap. So naturally I had to wear a cape, and ended up with about a thousand little pieces of my son’s hair on my lap, and itched all day. The things we do for our kids. The other day, little did I know my son’s comfort spot on my lap was of comfort no more. He proudly looked up at me and said, “Mommy I don’t need you today, I am going to be a big boy. Oh, and tell them they can use the scissors.” My heart for a moment felt like it had stopped beating, but then I was graciously reminded that his fear was no more, and he was as healthy as could be. Proud mom I was — but I couldn’t help but be a little sad. I didn’t know the previous time he sat on my lap for a haircut would be his last. There is always a last time for everything. I am sure there was a song sung about that somewhere in the music world, but it rings true. A lot of times in life we never know when will be our last. Our last breath, our last time to change a diaper, say I love you, last day of a job, last night in a house, last conversation with a friend, there are a million last times, we just don’t know it’s the last until it happens, many times until after it happened. For example: A newborn is a lot of work for both moms and dads. We endure the sleepless nights, the couple of days we don’t get to shower, the list goes on. All of the sudden, your little one sleeps throughout the night and the night before was his last night to stay up all night wanting milk and a diaper change. All of the sudden, you don’t need to carry your sweet baby anymore because they are running around like an Olympic athlete. I use a newborn as an example because I feel our last times naturally start out in the beginning stages of life. We never know when will be our last for several things, so why do we invest so much energy and time on wanting it to be over, and then we look back and want it back, (most of the time.) Enjoy each minute of your life. You may have a terrible, no-good day, but it might be your last. Think about Adam and Eve. When they took the bite of the apple, do you think they knew it was going to be their last day in the garden? Do you think the people knew it would be their last day of life before the flood came to destroy the world? Life is full of little lasts, so enjoy each day. I cannot stress it enough. I have lost almost everyone on my side of the family, and each time I never knew it would be my last earthly goodbye to them. Life is short. Do not let the little stresses in life take away the joy in every day. I don’t know about you guy’s but I have a little app on my phone called “time-hop,” and it reminds me of all the past events and pictures I have posted. Every time I look at it, I say wow remember when… it’s amazing how fast life goes. God gave you life, and life to enjoy. Roll down those windows, turn up the music, play with your little one when they ask. One day, they won’t ask anymore. Enjoy that day at work because it may be your last day there. Tell that person how much you love them, you might not get a chance to tomorrow. We cannot turn back time though we may wish to relive a happy moment, or just say goodbye one more time. We never can because time keeps moving forward. Enjoy today. Enjoy now. S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9

P ecans at the Alamo BY PATRICK DUDLEY

ven before Texas was Tejas, pecans have been a part of our stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land scape and history. The Native Ameri can tribes calling Texas home made this versatile nut a mainstay in their diet. Often found winding in the river bottoms and creek beds, Texas is actually one of the few states where the

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pecan tree originates and is native to over 150 of the 254 counties in Texas. During the early 16th century Cabeza de Vaca was introduced to the pecans by the Native Americans and observed their diet to consist of predominantly pecans for two months out of the year. (Krieger 2002) One might

say the pecan is as synonymous with Texas as the Alamo; and Texans are just as proud of their native nut as any of their state symbols. Ever hear a person from out of state say “pea-can” near a Texan? Within seconds, any good Texan in ear shot will say, “Mmm… excuse me, but its ‘pecan’ not ‘pea-can’.” With its rich buttery flavor, the pecan has been capturing the hearts and stomachs of Texans for generations. Whether used in pies, salads, cooking oil, as a crust for meats and seafood, granola, or for just plain snacking, the pecan can be had at every meal! The pecan doesn’t just taste great, but is also very nutritious. This nut is packed with protein and filled with many health-promoting nutrients, including “good” monounsaturated fats (like those found in avocado), fiber, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamin, and flavonoids. Containing zero sodium or cholesterol, the pecan is a heart healthy nut. In fact, the pecan is so packed with nutrients the 77th Legislature, in 2001, adopted the pecan as the Official State Health Nut of Texas. Apart from being the official State Health Nut, the pecan is also represented as other state symbols. The 83rd Legislature made the pecan pie the Official State Pie of Texas, but perhaps more notably 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the 36th Legislature naming the pecan tree the Official State Tree of Texas (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). The pecan is also a large part of Texas Agriculture and has been for decades. Texas pecan production in 1910 was at 5,832,267 pounds. By 1932, the pecan

crop jumped to 19,500,000 pounds and was valued at $975,000. Through the 1936–46 period, the average weigh in was 26,815,000 pounds. (https://tshaonline. org/handbook/online/articles/dip02). Today, Texas is third in the nation in pecan production and boasts a healthy 33 – 60 million pounds a year depending on growing conditions – using 112,000 acres to get the job done. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the pecan tree as the Official State Tree of Texas, I would encourage you to enjoy our native snack – whether for the added health benefits or just because they are tasty. Try it in some new or different recipes (besides a pie!) and you may be surprised how much you enjoy them. Two good links to find a host of pecan recipes are at the American Pecan Council’s website at https://americanpecan. com/ and the Texas Pecan Growers Association’s website at https://tpga.org/pecan-recipes/. A helpful tip: buy pecans fresh and refrigerate to properly store them. Want your pecans to last a long time? Put them in the freezer and they will last up to two years! Were pecans at the Alamo? Only those defenders could say for sure, but with the fantastic history Texas has with pecans I’m sure it is safe to say, it definitely was a possibility! Enjoy!

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FFA&4-H C 2 019

RGV

D I S T R I C T

C A L E N

2019 FFA EVENTS CALENDAR

September 10, 2019 Palm Valley Officer Training/AST Meeting

October 7, 2019 Area 10 Greenhand Camp - South Zone

September 19, 2019 Citrus Hand Camp Mission HS

October 8, 2019 Citrus Valley District Meeting

September 20, 2019 Citrus Valley Plant/Land ID CDE, RGVLS

October 12, 2019 Rattler & Diamondback Showdown

October 5, 2019 La Muñeca Field Day

October 15, 2019 Palm Valley AST Meeting

Sharyland Pioneer

Hog Tags due to David Vela

9am - 12pm

All Day La Muñeca Ranch

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RGVLS Fairgrounds

La Joya

RGVLS

Linn

Calendar DA R

O F

AC T I V I T I E S

2019 HIDALGO COUNTY 4-H EVENTS CALENDAR

September 6, 2019 Heifer & Swine Tag Order Deadline

September 28, 2019 Hidalgo County 4-H Foundation Hoedown

September 7, 2019 Recordbook Workshop

October 5, 2019 La Muñeca Field Day

September 7, 2019 Horticulture Workshop

October 12, 2019 One Day 4-H Project

TBD S.T.A.R. Steer Validation

October 22, 2019 County Council Meeting/ Adult Leaders Meeting

5pm Extension Office

9:15–10:15 AM D12 Extension Office

10:30 AM–12:00 PM D12 Extension Office

5pm Extension Office 9am Weslaco Ag. Farm

September 24, 2019 County Council Meeting/ Adult Leaders Meeting 7pm Extension Office

Sponsored by:

6pm Las Palmas Race Park

All Day La Muñeca Ranch

8am Yaqui Animal Rescue

7pm Extension Office

October 24, 2019 Registered Heifer Validation

4:30-7:30 PM Edinburg Ag. Farm

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9

5X5 Brewing brings craft beer and community involvement to Mission BY DEBRA ATLAS

Photos by 5X5 Brewery

Rio Grande Valley, we’re fortunate to have five brewpubs. Three – the Blue Onion in Weslaco, Brewsome in McAllen and South Padre Brewing – produce craft beer only for their customers. Big River Brewing in Pharr – the Valley’s oldest craft brewery – was the first to can beer in the RGV. But there’s another Valley brewery and its owners bring something unique to the mix. 5x5 Brewing Co. (as in five by five) is tucked into the north side of Mission’s Center for Education and Development (CEED) building – a 55,000 square foot co-working facility serving as a business incubator for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Incorporated in 2016, the company’s founder / owners include brothers George Rice and Matt Mazur and Mazur’s college friend Matt Bowling. After launching its brand in 2017, 5x5 had its grand opening in July 2018.

icro - or craft beer brewing is relatively new to the Valley. The micro-brewing movement, which began in the 1970’s in the United Kingdom, was revived in this country in 1965 when Fritz Maytag acquired Anchor Brewing in San Francisco. After President Jimmy Carter deregulated the beer market in 1979, the movement steadily grew with home brewers and small commercial breweries often attached to bars known as “brewpubs”. Brewpubs manufacture small amounts of craft beer – less than 16,000 barrels – that are sold strictly on their premises. Breweries produce more than 16,000 barrels for retail sale. According to the Brewers Association, there are more than 4,500 microbreweries and approximately 2,600 brewpubs in the US. Here in the

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Sean Downey, 5x5’s General Manager and partner, came onboard as a volunteer shortly after the company launched, creating the business’s logo, website and managing administrative details. A few months later he was asked to become an owner “since he’d been doing it all anyway!” 5x5 is the first manufacturing business in the CEED building, formerly home to K-Mart. The City and Mission’s EDC have been incredibly supportive, Downey said, and even have bragging rights when they talk with other EDCs. While the EDC is a corporation, it’s related to the City, so 5x5 may be the only manufactured alcohol business in a city-owned building in the US. “The EDC is a great partner in what they do there for small businesses,” Downey said. “(They help) get entrepreneurs on their feet with low overhead and make them successful.” 5x5 Brewing currently offers five craft beers in the marketplace plus occasional seasonal ones. Their products are actually ales, made from Bowling’s original recipes. The company’s focus and ethics center around veterans. Hiring and assisting veterans is company practice. The name 5x5 is a military term used by radio operators to describe when signal and clarity was at its best. 5x5 recently added veteran partners Alex Gelman (US. Navy), and Robert Rodriguez (US. Army),

making five of the six partners vets. They all advocate for veterans. Downy is the Marine for Life Network liaison for South Texas. This program was put together by the Department of Defense to help transitioning Marines find employment.

A freelance journalist, blogger and author, Debra Atlas is reachable through www.Envirothink.wordpress.com or debraatlas@ gmail.com.

Downey doesn’t play to being veteran owned too much, noting that a lot of companies do and many are sub-standard. “Our focus is quality products and community involvement,” he said. “Veteran owned is just who we are.” The company gives back to the community as much as possible. Early on, they hosted a barbecue fundraiser for Trooper Moises Sanchez, then later held a benefit concert for him. And with an eye on helping education, when the Chamber holds a benefit, they’ll donate beer to help raise money for school sports. “What we bring from the military is selfless service,” said Downey. “It’s ingrained in our company. It’s taking care of the whole, still protecting our communities.” It makes sense then that 5x5 is a relatively “green” brewing company. 5x5’s brewing process doesn’t produce much waste. When they mash, all their grain gets put in bins. That 300 to 600 pounds of grain is given to local farmers to use for livestock feed. And although 98% of their product is water, overall they only lose around 1% of the water they use, mainly through clean-out. What does go down the drain contains living organisms that help clean the pipes. Looking ahead, Downey said the company has plans to expand. They see their next markets as Laredo and, later, Corpus Christi. First, however, production capabilities must expand. And while there’s talk of branching out and expanding into either bottling or cans, there’s no word on this yet. 5x5 beers are available in around 100 bars across the Valley – from S. Padre Island to Rio Grande City. You can find them in all South Texas Chili’s Restaurants and places like McAllen’s Casa Petrides and The Yardhouse. This September 17th, 5x5 celebrates Oktoberfest. Since their beers officially went on the market last September, this is their real one year celebration. Visitors will enjoy their seasonal Oktoberfest brew as well as limited runs of specialty beers that aren’t yet on the market such as a black lager and their Bock. 5x5 Brewing Co. is located at 801 Bryan Road, on the northwest side of the CEED building in Mission. For more information about Oktoberfest, check out their website at https://5x5brewing.com.

Photo by Debra Atlas

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

GarcÃa Grain Trading 956-464-6000

SERVING THE VALLEY FOR OVER 20 YEARS ALAMO, TX MCCOOK, TX

DONNA, TX PROGRESO, TX

EDCOUCH, TX SANTA ROSA, TX

Ag Mag Featured Farmer

in memory of

en Martin, a citrus farmer and business man originally from Southwest Missouri, who spent most of his life in McAllen, TX, passed away on August 7, 2019, at the age of 77 while in Napa, California.

Ken Martin

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Ken is survived by his wife, Sue; his children, Mike and Jeanie; his grandchildren, Taylor, Mary Kathryn, Wilson, Mikenley, Maisen, Harden, Gairsen and Natalie; and a great granddaughter, Aubrey. Ken Martin was born in Southwest Missouri and grew up on his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dairy farm. Ken went to Southwest Baptist College, then later to Dallas Mortuary College. He became a funeral director and mortician in Fulton, Missouri, where he met his future wife, Sue Ware. Ken & Sue were asked by her father to move to South Texas to care for citrus orchards he had purchased.

This was the beginnings of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s venture into the citrus business. They moved to the Rio Grande Valley with their two young children in April of 1970. In Texas, Ken managed the groves, drove the tractors, irrigated the soil, and the small company yielded 17 loads of citrus in its first year. Fast forward 40 years and Ken Martin ran one of the largest and most successful citrus and onion farming and packaging companies in Texas, shipping produce around the world. Ken was an early proponent of the famous Rio Star Grapefruit that many Texans have come to know and love. The family business also grew into a leader in the onion industry with much of its production coming from their farms in Texas. He served on countless industry committees and boards throughout his career. The Martin family sold their citrus company in 2012 and purchased a vineyard in Napa, CA for what would be known as Italics Winegrowers in 2014. Italics is a project that truly highlighted Kenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for agriculture and keen eye for cutting edge farming and production. Although Ken spent most of his life farming in Texas, he truly loved nothing more than enjoying wine with family in beautiful Napa Valley. Ken spent his last days tasting wine, enjoying his time with his grandchildren, and preparing for another harvest season -- the things he loved most. Ken was a beloved husband, a kind father, a loving grandfather and great grandfather who knew how to live his life to the absolute fullest. Ken will be deeply missed by his family, his friends, and all who had the opportunity to know him.

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9

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S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9

CONSUMERS DEMAND MORE MENU TRANSPARENCY

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he Texas Shrimp Association is pushing to pass some form of legislation that is similar to a bill recently passed in Louisiana that moves to protect Louisiana consumers from “the health risks associated with the chemicals and residues found in a high percentage of imported shrimp. This law requires restaurants serving foreign shrimp or crawfish to post notices about the food’s country of origin on menus or on a sign posted at the front door. The Louisiana fishermen and seafood processors have for years sought such a measure to differentiate their product. This time, advocates framed the proposal as a health and consumer protection issue, zeroing in on concerns over the production methods. Many people in the local seafood industry feel the bill will give the shrimp industry a much-needed boost in sales, as it will hopefully encourage more Louisiana restaurants to purchase locally caught shrimp. The U.S. government is aware that shrimp facilities in foreign countries use antibiotics and an array of banned chemicals but only has the capacity to inspect 1% of the 1.5 billion pounds of shrimp that enter our country each year. Approximately 25% of the shrimp test positive for harmful chemicals and antibiotics and are simply denied access to that particular port – ultimately making its way into the country by simply entering at a different port. This is in sharp contrast to other countries who destroy the product on site.

Texas has the largest number of “gulf” shrimp boats in the U.S. and closely follows Louisiana in the amount of shrimp landed each year. Unfortunately our industry continues to struggle primarily due to the flood of cheap – unregulated seafood, the cost of environmental and government regulations, and the lack of an adequate workforce creating some to estimate the demise of this industry within the next 20 years. To exacerbate our problems, the Texas seafood industry is not well supported by our state and we are continually bypassed on any statewide incentives such as the “B.P oil spill seafood marketing funds” (all gulf states received millions to promote and market their seafood but Texas allocated these funds elsewhere). The Hurricane Harvey “seafood” disaster relief funds also bypassed our industry leaving Texas at a severe marketing disadvantage. We hope our state representatives will finally support a bill that could really have a positive impact on our industry says Andrea Hance, Executive Director of the Texas Shrimp Association. We are determined to lobby a bill that will not only protect the livelihood of our shrimpers and processors but also protect the economic contributions we provide to the state and coastal communities.

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BY ADRIAN SILVA

U.S. Demand for Fresh Vegetables

From a traditional Cobb salad to the natural and vibrant colors inspiring infinity social media food posts. Vegetables are a key component of the American diet. In 2017, over 4.37 million acres of vegetables were harvested across the country to satisfy the growing demand for vegetables of our society. Besides nourishing our bodies, vegetables are also good for the economy. In fact, the 2017 vegetable crop was estimated to have a market value of about $20.33 billion. Freshness is a valuable attribute in the eye and palate of consumers. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. About 60 percent of the harvested vegetable acres were sold for the fresh market and the remaining 40 percent was used for processing. California is the major producing state with over 870,000 acres dedicated to growing vegetables for fresh consumption, followed by Florida, Idaho and Arizona (Figure 1). In terms of crop value, the main fresh vegetables produced in the country are lettuce, potatoes, melons, tomatoes and broccoli. These five crops account for over $6.61 billion in sales (Figure 2).

Despite significant improvements in productivity achieved in recent years, national production has not been able to keep pace with the growing domestic demand for fresh vegetables (Figure 4). In 2017, a total of 65.89 billion pounds of fresh vegetables were demanded in the U.S. compared to the 50.77 billion pounds produced locally. The shortage of U.S.-produced fresh vegetables increased from 620 million pounds in 1970 to over 15,500 million pounds in 2017.

Last year, a total of 17.31 billion pounds of fresh vegetables with a value of over $8,502 million were imported from foreign countries. Top suppliers of fresh vegetables to the U.S. are Mexico, Canada, China, Peru, Central American countries, and the Netherlands (Figure 5). Particularly, $7,391 million dollars (or 87 percent) were imported from our neighbors, Mexico and Canada.

As showed in Figure 3, the overall consumption of vegetables has increased over time with a clear substitution of processed vegetables by fresh vegetables. On average, it is estimated that every American consumes 413 pounds of vegetables a year, of which 225 pounds (or 55 percent) are fresh vegetables. But that was not always the case. In 1980, the per capita availably of fresh vegetables was 347 pounds with almost 52 percent represented by processed vegetables.

The proportion of imported products varies by vegetable. For example, almost 99 percent of all fresh asparagus available in the market are imported. Other vegetables with a high share of imports include cucumbers (80%), artichokes (78%), bell peppers (68%), tomatoes (61%) and eggplant (60%). On the other hand, domestic products dominate the market for fresh vegetables such as celery, sweet corn, head lettuce, spinach and sweet potatoes, where imports represent less than 10 percent of the market share. Figure 6 shows the proportion of imported fresh products for selected vegetables in 2018.

Night

2019 ACHIEVEMENT

A W A R D S

NRCS Announces $1.9 Million Investment in Collaborative Research UT-Rio Grande Valley Project Selected to Advance NRCS’ Soil Science Capacity TEMPLE, Texas – August 16, 2019 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced $1.9 million in funding for 15 Soil Science Collaborative Research projects focused on soil science and soil survey research. The information gained from the collaborative research will advance NRCS’ ability to provide scientifically based soil and ecosystem information to help address important natural resources issues facing our nation. “NRCS is investing in universities across the country to leverage their scientific knowledge and expertise to support our conservation mission.,” said NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr. “By engaging a diverse group of scholars through research, we can identify innovative solutions and technological advancements that will increase our contributions to both science and society.” Now in its 12th year, the current Soil Science Collaborative Research projects were selected from among 32 applications. Projects were selected based on nationally identified needs in communities and landscapes. Through this research program, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), a Hispanic Serving Institution, is looking to expand its soil science research and educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, a key area for agriculture production with a 90 percent Hispanic population. Through participatory research, the Kika de la Garza Science Fellowship program, technical assistance, training and outreach events, the UTRGV is providing students and producers experiences that pre-

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pare them to meet the challenges and opportunities related to agricultural, food, and natural resources. NRCS will also fund research projects at Alcorn State University, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Colorado State University, Kansas State University, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, Purdue University, University of Arizona, University of California, University of Massachusetts, University of Tennessee, University of Wyoming (two projects), and Virginia Institute of Marine Science. A detailed description of the projects is available online. The information accumulated from these annual projects has helped NRCS develop integrated technical tools and information to assist planners and land managers in predicting and assessing soil health, ecosystem and landscape sustainability and the implementation of sustainable management systems. “NRCS is a world leader in soil research,” said Dave Hoover, director of the NRCS National Soil Survey Center. “This prioritized investment in science-based tools will develop innovative data sharing and information delivery tools and products to reach multiple stakeholders around the world from underserved audiences to the most technically advanced.” NRCS accepts proposals once a year. Interested researchers can learn more on the Soils Research Page.

Eurasian Collared Dove Research Project Adds Chances of Winning a New Truck BY BOBBY THORNTON

Photo by Jay Schwisow

Texas Dove Hunters Association has banded and released another 800 Eurasian Collared doves across the state this past month in preparation for this year’s Texas Banded Bird (BB) Challenge. With more than 460 birds banded and not harvested last year this leaves hunters with over 1,260 opportunities to bag a banded bird. The hope is that they have already entered the Texas BB Challenge so they will be eligible to win prizes. 2018 was the beginning of an ongoing annual research project that will provide valuable information on Eurasian Collared Dove and also marked the beginning of an annual event in which hunters from all over the state began to search for the elusive collared dove with a prize band on its leg. The BB Challenge was developed as a means of tracking Eurasian Collared doves to learn more about their migration patterns, habitat preferences and life span. Over time bands are expected to be turned in from all over the country as well as locally. In order to better the chances of the bands being reported, TDHA has placed the word “winner” on each one to encourage hunters to report the band. With each passing year as bands are reported, more data about the Eurasian Collared Dove will be collected, this will aid in a research study providing critical information such as aging, habitat preferences and migrating patterns. In the first year, the results confirmed an assumption that the doves would not travel much during the fall and winter if food availability and accessibility were within a short distance. We anticipate the bulk of their travel to be during the spring and summer. Most birds traveled between 2-10 miles in a two-week period of time, over the course of 4 weeks they ranged from 10-60 miles. One bird, in particular, traveled 70 miles before being harvested 26 days after its release. This bird was released in a very high concentrated area of brush and not a typical grain producing area. We hope to be able to establish a better science of aging as the years’ progress, and more bands are reported. In conjunction with the data that is collected, TDHA has built a promotional program around the research to improve the odds of the bands being reported. The Texas BB Challenge begins on September 1, 2019 and ends on January 23, 2020. Bands do not expire form one year to the next, increasing the odds of winning. Hunters must enter annually to be eligible to win. Last year 460 birds were trapped, banded and released in various areas all over Texas. Of those birds, 16 were harvested and reported to TDHA. Unfortunately, only four of those 16 hunters had entered the BB Challenge to qualify for the prizes. This year the chance to win a new truck has been added to the other prizes opportunities, which include a Polaris Ranger, shotguns, an exotic game hunt, coolers, an Ultimate Dove Hunting package and more. Each qualified entry will also receive an Ultimate Gun Rest for your guns in the field. Outfitters have an extra opportunity to win; if a paid hunter harvests a TDHA banded bird on their property, they will be entered into a drawing for a Trophy Trout Fishing trip by Baffin Bay Rod and Gun. Be a part of a research program to study Eurasian Collared Dove and have a chance to win some amazing prizes. This year’s challenge already has more entrants than the entire 2018 Texas BB Challenge. This year’s sponsors include Hoffpauir Polaris, RecordBuck Ranch, CZ-USA, Frio Ice Chests, Chippewa Boots, Chama Chair, Baffin Bay Rod and Gun Club, Cowboys Game Washer, Bird Down Brand, and Blake Jones Designs. Entry fee is $20 and free to youth ages 10-13. Entries can be purchased online at bandedbirdchallenge.org or by calling the office at 210-764-1189. Don’t go to the field without your entry in the BB Challenge; you may be one of our next winners!

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on Wheels

God has blessed us with you! Because of you, AG MAG is now expanding to TV! Do not worry, the magazine is still continuing, but we want to make AG MAG available for everyone to see!

Check us out on Channel 5 as we go and explore Agriculture in the RGV! Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at 5:30 am on Channel 5 KRGV (DVR it if you are a late sleeper) you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss it! S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9

More than a Thank You BY ANN FOGERTY

VETERAN TURNED C ATTLE RANCHER HELPED BY AGRICULTURAL MENTOR ORGANIZATION

T his service.

here are certain things Army veteran and cattle rancher Josh Eilers is grateful for these days: the new calves kicking and jumping in his pastures, the growth of his operation and the help he got from an organization that did a lot more than thank him for

“I tell other veterans that people will thank them, but most won’t go out of their way to help in your next phase of life,” said the Purple Heart recipient, whose cattle ranching operation is located in Austin, Texas. “Farmer Veteran Coalition was different. They helped so much, and they never thought of what they could get out of it.” Eilers started his company, Ranger Cattle, almost overnight. While in a bar, he overheard a flirtatious man trying to impress his date. “He told her he had eaten a $100 steak. She wasn’t interested, but I was. I asked him why it was so expensive, and he told me about Wagyu beef. I put the information on my phone. That was

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on a Saturday. By Tuesday, I went out and bought a small herd. I didn’t have a trailer to haul them or a place to put them, but I decided if I could make so much money, I would figure it out.” Eilers learned that Wagyu breed was prized initially in Japan where connoisseurs enjoy its unique flavor and marbled, melt-inyour-mouth texture. With its popularity on the rise throughout the world, the then 21-year old purple heart recipient was confident that, in the future, customers would go wild for his Wagyu. “I had a lot to learn, but I wasn’t afraid to ask questions,” said the man who served three tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. One of the first to help was Michael O’Gorman, founder of Farmer Veteran Coalition, a nonprofit organization that mentors veterans who want a career in agriculture. FVC explained to Eilers that he would be eligible to receive assistance. But he had to assure the novice cattleman that it wasn’t a handout. “I explained to him that our services are all about honoring the

men and women who served our country and who want to spend the rest of their lives in agriculture,” O’Gorman said. “From there, we helped him build a squeeze shoot that will be easier on his cattle and safer for his crew. He was a natural, and is one of our biggest success stories.” FVC has helped thousands of veterans with everything from grants to equipment to one-on-one mentoring. “Some of our veterans come back from places like Afghanistan missing limbs or having other disabilities,” said O’Gorman. “They need everything from business plans to specialized equipment. Our job is to fill those needs and help them realize their dreams in places where they want to live and work. We’re happy to say that, right now, we have more than 15,000 members.” Today Eilers has one thousand head of cattle and owns a beef company that sells all that he harvests. High-end chefs and mom and pop restaurants proudly display his company name on their menus. Pretty good for a man who knew nothing about the cattle business before he heard the story of a steak.

When you find people like Michael O’Gorman, you hold them close and treat them well. He thanked me for my service in a way I will never forget.”

Farmer Veteran Coalition is hosting a Stakeholders Conference, Lone Star, and Stripes, in Austin, Texas at the DoubleTree by Hilton Austin on November 17-20. Josh Eilers will be hosting a Wagyu beef dinner at his ranch on the 17th. For more information, visit farmvetco.org.

“It was important to me not just to have cattle ranching mentors. You need other kinds of teachers who are good business people—and good people.

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The Influences of Childhood Obesity Over the past four decades, the rise in childhood obesity has significantly impacted many children, adolescents, and adults. The Centers for Disease Control states that 1 in every 5 children in the United States has obesity. Children with obesity are at a higher risk for developing chronic health conditions, such as asthma, joint and bone complications, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes. They are also at a higher risk for developing heart disease, due to potential high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Children with obesity are more likely to be obese as adults which increases the risk Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease, as well and many types of cancers.

to inexpensive, high calorie foods and empty calorie beverages. How can we help support the healthy growth and development that children need to become healthy adults? It is most important to be a healthy role model for your family, says Montemayor-Gonzalez. “Making health a priority and caring about the quality of the food that your family eats, and how much activity they get is really the first step” says Montemayor-Gonzalez. She continues, “Seek out help and resources so that you feel supported when making changes for yourself and your family”. Try making some of the following changes and look at these helpful resources from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Physical Activity – School-aged youth are rec-

ommended to achieve a minimum of 60 minutes or more of physical activity throughout the day. Make a family activity calendar at home and motivate each other to be active together. Enjoy the outdoors and take a walk, ride bikes, build a garden, practice stretching, or play a basketball game in your driveway. Engage in a friendly competition with other families and see who can “Walk Across Texas” first. For more information on a free 8-week physical activity program, visit http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu/

Healthy Nutrition – Always plan out your meals before grocery shopping to limit the temptations of unhealthy foods. Choose more fruit and vegetables as snacks throughout the day and make them half of your plate for meals. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and limit sugary beverages. Invite your children to help you prepare and cook a meal, not only is this fun for them, but they are learning about healthy foods. To try some quick and healthy recipes, visit https://dinnertonight.tamu.edu Screen Time – Boundaries for screen time and There are many factors that have a major influence on obesity in children. Eating behaviors, lack of physical activity, metabolism and family genetics are the most individualized factors; however, home environment and social factors play a huge role. “One of the most influential risk factors of them all is screen time”, says Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez, a Health Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. “Too much time spent being inactive while watching television, scrolling social media or playing video games may also lead to lack of sleep for some children, which is also a risk factor for obesity”, says Montemayor-Gonzalez. There is a cycle of events that all lead to the development of obesity. Over the years there has been a trend of inactivity and easy accessibility

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social media should always be followed daily. A good balance will help limit inactivity. It is recommended that children 6 years and older should limit their screen time from 1- 2 hours a day. Set automatic limits on phones and tablets, and motivate your child to engage in youth development programs such at 4-H. To learn more about the hands-on activities in science, health, and agriculture, visit: https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ As parents, grandparents, and guardians we must make positive changes for our children. We are the most important influencers in their lives. The positive change for a healthy lifestyle must come from us.

PAA is Post-Harvest Done Right As the cooler months start to replace the long days of heat and sunshine local growers feel the excitement as the harvest crews start picking our beautiful world-renowned Texas red grapefruits and sweet oranges and new leafy green, onion and pepper crops make their way back to the fields. Each grower has methodically cared for and nurtured their crop to insure a profitable year. Throughout the season growers input nutrients, water and other necessities to ensure the best crop reaches your plate. This is the time to reap the benefits of well-maintained crops. Within the last few years, an increase of post-harvest degradation has become a major concern. Wetter weather and longer intervals of inability to get into fields in a timely manner has caused molds, yeast and fungus to remain on fruit and vegetables for longer periods of time. Once at the packing sheds, fruit and vegetables are washed to remove dirt, debris and human health pathogens. Even with the precautions taken at the shed level, some of these issues may remain. These molds, fungi and yeasts are not harmful to humans, but it causes the fruit to spoil at a faster rate than normal. This year, BioSafe Systems has released a new PAA (peroxyacetic acid) product called OxiDate Tree and Vine. Its chemistry is effective at killing spoilage causing microorganisms on contact. This product allows for lower application concentration of the product for perennials and vines, while maintaining the same oxidizing power of OxiDate 2.0. So, what exactly is PAA and why should you be using it? When used in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide, PAA provides a contact kill of a majority of fungi, molds and spores before they enter the packing sheds. PAA acts as a “bullet” to break the cell membrane while the hydrogen peroxide eats away at the core of the cell causing it to disintegrate. This action reduces the chance of reproduction and eliminates the possibility of resistance. PAA is tank-mix friendly and can be fully integrated into a management program. When used with other chemistries, PAA promotes a “residual effect” that allows other chemistries to last longer due to better adhesion to the surface. After countless studies and field applications of PAA-products products like OxiDate Tree and Vine, producers have seen a significant decrease in food spoilage. OxiDate Tree and Vine is a tremendously effective pre-harvest spray with a proven biochemical that is safe on late season fruit, yet powerful enough to provide between 2-4 log reduction on spoilage organisms in the field. Its ability to be applied right up to harvest fulfills the critical need of ensuring even the long-distance fruit hauls maintain their shelf life and quality. Think of it as insurance against the dreaded and costly phone calls rejecting your harvest. For over 20 years, BioSafe Systems continues to utilize PAA-based chemistries with proven stability and proper buffering which ensures excellent results. As a leader in sustainable chemistries, BioSafe Systems “have engaged with customers, researchers and regulatory agencies to remain at the forefront of innovation and service while continuing our mission to provide simple, sustainable and effective solutions”. For more information about the benefits of our products please visit our website at www.biosafesystems.com or contact your local Technical Sales Representative at 830-480-9178.

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