Issue 37 of the Ag Mag

Michelle Martin

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

Psalm 139:14-16 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

A Letter from the Editor I am not everyone’s cup of tea. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, especially in the past year.

As I get older, the more comfortable I become in my own skin. I learn to accept my flaws and embrace my strengths. I learn something new about myself and life every day and I welcome it. To some people I am too loud, to some I am too outspoken. I often forget my filter. To some I may be your average mom, and to some I may be invisible.

I used to be a people pleaser or a “yes (wo)man.” Have you ever been one of those? Where you will say or do what you think people want? I used to be this way, until my mother died. Then my perspective on life changed. I realized I am not living my life for others, but for God, me, and my family. However, that’s not to say that in the blink of an eye I just changed. There are still days where I have to stop myself and say, “Is this for you or for the benefit of others?”

In the past year I became extremely active on a social media outlet, Instagram, and with my show.

By doing this I was literally putting myself out there. Showing what I do on a day-to-day basis and taking my followers around to show them the wonderful world of agriculture. What I didn’t know was I wasn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. One day I received one of the most hateful messages I had ever received in my life. It was heart-breaking when I saw the words as they laid there just tearing me down as I read each word. They were awful. These few sentences on my phone screen broke me into a million pieces. I know that you are probably thinking to yourself it’s just one person out of thousands, but my point is sometimes it only takes one hateful thing to tear people apart. After the day passed I brushed it off and kept doing my thing, but in that one moment I felt defeated.

I know when you go onto social media you are literally putting yourself out there but here is the thing I learned. Maybe I am good at making things look good, but people are going to say what they want to say and think what they want to think. It is not up to me to change their opinions. But, if I am being honest I am not as tough as I always seem. Sometimes I will have my moments where the words people say will get the better part of me, but the words I speak to and about myself are the ones that will hurt the most. I can be hard enough on myself and don’t need the world to do it for me. If people don’t like me, they can quietly exit my life -- because I am not living my life for them.

Have you ever had a time in your life when someone -- maybe your boss, or a loved one -- said one hurtful thing and it stung you to the core? Our words are the strongest weapon we possess and the tongue is a very powerful thing. In these crazy times we are living, people need words of encouragement more than anything. We may not all have the same opinion, we may not all see eye-to-eye, and we may not all get along. That’s life.

I have realized that to some I am not enough and to some I am too much. The one thing that remains is I am me. I am the way God made me. Don’t ever stop being true to yourself, your family, and, of course, God. We may not be able to control the thoughts and actions of others, but the one thing we can control is what comes out of our mouths.

Instead of tearing people apart, build one another up. One comment to a can either build or rip apart.

The choice is yours.

Owner/Creator of AG MAG

Al Benavides

Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407

In This Issue: 6. Ranching By Weather Websites 8. Chilli Thrips Outbreak In Cotton In The Lower Rio Grande Valley 10. New Stormwater Wetland Will Reduce Flooding, Pollution 12. Estimated Impact of Hurricane Hanna on RGV Agriculture 16. Rethink Citrus Irrigation If You Are Replanting 18. TSSWCB Requests Proposals For FY2021 20. The State of Texas Gulf Shrimp 22. Presidential Precedent - American Agriculture 26. Unforeseen Events Shape 2020 US Agriculture 28. South Texas Representation on the Global Stage 30. The 1944 Treaty: An Overview 32. AgriLife Extension Helps Before, After Hurricane Laura 37. A Letter From The Editor 38. The Fruits Of Our Labor 44. FEATURED FARMER: Hill Of A Good Time 46. Finding Agri-Marketing’s New Normal 50. You’re More Than A Grass Farmer, You May Not Know It 56. Greater South Texas Conference For Women In Agriculture Online Series 60. Beef Cattle Physiologist Joins AgriLife Research 70. Farm and Ranch Acres In Texas are Disappearing.

The Land Is Not Gone, But Its Use Is.

Cover Photo taken by Michelle Martin Year 7, Issue 37 September/October 2020. 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 ©2020.

To advertise in Ag Mag, call (956) 330-8870 or email michelle@theagmag.org

Ranching

by Weather Websites

B

BY DR. MEGAN CLAYTON, Extension Range Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Center in Corpus Christi, TX DR. JAY ANGERER, Associate Professor, Blackland AgriLife Research Center in Temple, TX

oth with the Department of

Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries

Management at Texas A&M Uni versity Ranching is rooted in culture.

The smell of cow hair, a dusty dashboard from a day of driving with the windows down, or the creek of an old, but still functioning windmill are timeless.

Although nobody gets into ranching to become a deskbound worker, most would admit that techniques used to manage a ranch have improved tremendously in the past decade thanks to internet-based technologies.

In addition to the livestock market, ranching is centered around rainfall. Pocket notebooks and spiral-bound binders on consoles are often filled with rainfall records from different locations on a single ranch. This information is not just useful for bragging or pity rights at the coffee shop, these records tell a story and teach valuable lessons about rainfall trends and how to properly stage livestock herds to manage the forage for long-term success. Today these tools are available without ever leaving your home air conditioning.

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The first site to explore is brought to you by the National Weather Service (https://water.weather.gov/precip/index.php). This site for “Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service” allows you to type an address into the search box at the top right to investigate rainfall for daily, monthly, or yearly time ranges for the past 15 years (or so) up to the current day. The use of both weather gauge and satellite corrections provides a picture of overall rainfall on a particular property. Choosing the product option “Departure from Normal” is very telling, as it will visually reveal if rainfall is higher or lower than normal, giving ranchers the opportunity to manage their livestock herd accordingly.

Keep in mind that this tool could overestimate summer rainfall because of very small rainfall events and convection storms. Fall and winter rainfall could be underestimated due to smaller droplet sizes and often more gentle rainfall events.

West Wide Drought Tracker (https://wrcc.dri.edu/wwdt/ time/) is another site that offers several different weather variables or indexes for viewing after selecting a site on the map. At the top, try using points (nearest 4x4-km

pixel), clicking on the map to select a point, then set the variable to be displayed with timespan on the righthand side of the screen. Selecting “SPI” (Standardized Precipitation Index) will provide an index tracking rainfall for the area. Selecting “SPEI” (standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index) combines the effects of rainfall and temperature so it may be more appropriate for hot and dry conditions often experienced in South Texas. The graph generated will demonstrate the historical index records and can easily be understood as years with above average rainfall as compared to years below normal. Changing the time periods in the “Time Series Box” on the right hand side will allow for a clear picture of how current conditions are trending as compared to past years and whether any action needs to be taken for livestock management.

Now that we can track our historical rainfall trends, how do we predict what is to come? We have all heard the joke about wanting to be a meteorologist on the television. They can be wrong most of the time and keep their job! It turns out that weather is a tough thing to predict, but there is no better source than the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (https://www.cpc. ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/30day/).

This website gives two maps – one for temperature probability and the other for precipitation. Clicking on the precipitation map on the right gives a broad look at the United States and what rainfall is expected. Like our pastures, the hope is to have some green coloration on South Texas to indicate above normal rainfall. The end of July map showed all of Texas in white, so we have equal

chances of above, normal, or below normal rainfall. On the bright side, at least it is an honest answer and we are not brown, indicating a high likelihood of below normal rainfall!

The Climate Prediction Center’s forecasts are also used for predicting drought trends for the next 30 days (https:// www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/mdo_summary.php). The Drought Outlook map shows where drought conditions are likely to emerge, persist or improve during the next 30 days. They also provide a 90-day outlook (https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa. gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary. php), which can be helpful in preparing for emerging or persisting drought.

After understanding how recent rainfall compares to historic averages, combined with predictions for the next month, what do you do with this information? Have you heard the saying “it’s not IF we will have another drought, but WHEN”? In addition to monitoring available forage for livestock, keeping a watch on rainfall trends can allow you to act early if warning signs point towards a potential dry period. You may decide to cull some cows, wean calves early, or change up your rotational grazing pattern.

With current, free tools available to anyone with internet access, there is no reason to be caught off guard by dry weather conditions. Proper monitoring and planning will minimize the impact of drought and allow you to confidently manage your forage for generations to come.

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Chilli Thrips Outbreak in Cotton in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

BY HOLLY DAVIS

I know that recent weather events have changed our focus and this may no longer be a top priority. However, it is important to note that this thrips species may be established in our area and is one we need to keep a close eye on as it is known to infest a number of different plants.

Recent reports of foliage bronzing and leaf drop in cotton has sparked interest in areas of the Rio Grande Valley. Upon closer investigation the cause of this damage was identified as a type of thrips, commonly called chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis.

Chilli thrips are not new to the Rio Grande Valley, but they have the potential to become a pest in multiple crops. These thrips are thought to originally be from Southeast Asia and were first detected in Florida in 1991 and in Southeast Texas in 2005. Dr. Mamoudou Sétamou, Professor of Entomology & IPM Specialist Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center, first discovered and confirmed chilli thrips in the Rio Grande Valley in citrus in 2018 and has detected them every year since in citrus groves located in Hidalgo and Cameron counties. They are known to infest an impressively wide range of host plants, more than 100 species from at least 40 different plant families, and the list may continue to grow as they expand their range. Among known plant hosts are bean, citrus, corn, cotton, eggplant, melon, peanut, pepper, rose, and tomato. So, this pest is one we are going to keep a close eye on.

tents from individual plant cells. This feeding causes characteristic bronzing and may also lead to cupping or other distortion of leaves.

Severe feeding causes leaves to become brittle and drop from the plant.

Detection of chilli thrips in the field is difficult, and identification is nearly impossible without magnification. The tiny (»2mm long) cigar-shaped adults are pale in color with black, feathery wings.

Immatures, called larvae, look similar to adults but are even smaller and lack wings. Females insert anywhere from 60 – 200 microscopic eggs into plant tissue. The length of time it takes to complete their life cycle varies depending on temperature and host plant but ranges from 14 – 20 days.

Damage Identification and Life Cycle In cotton, the first clue that a field is infested with chilli thrips is the bronzing appearance of leaves in the upper canopy. Like other thrips species, they have piercing-sucking mouthparts used extract conUnlike similar looking species such as the Western flower thrips, which may be found in flowers feeding on pollen, chilli thrips only feed on foliage and are typically found on the undersides of leaves near the mid-vein or borders of leaves. However, when population densities are high, some individuals may be found feeding on the upper surface of leaves. When scouting for this pest one must observe the underside of a leaf with a hand lens for several moments. Initially thrips may not be visible as they are near the mid-vein but will are fast moving and will begin to move around on the leaf surface, making them more visible.

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beneficial insects. Studies conducted by Seal et al. (2006, 2008, 2009) have indicated that pyrethroids are not effective in controlling chilli thrips while imidacloprid and spinetoram provide good control and allow for the continued growth of natural enemy populations.

Rotating between different classes of insecticides will be important in reducing the development of resistance. In addition, controlling weeds, which may serve as alternative hosts is important.

Damage Potential Chilli thrips have been present in citrus (and possibly other crops) in the Valley since at least 2018. However, this is the first time we have seen populations outside of citrus large enough to cause noticeable damage on cotton. It is difficult to determine why populations have “exploded” in cotton this season or to predict what will happen in other crops this year and in seasons to come. Because we know that this species is capable of feeding and reproducing on many crops grown year-around here in the Valley, we plan to monitor them closely by initiating Valley-wide surveys and management strategies.

Chilli thrips are known to vector at least seven viruses to various crops including chilli leaf curl virus, peanut necrosis virus, tobacco streak virus, melon yellow spot virus, watermelon silver mottle virus, and capsicum chlorosis virus, although there are no reports that they have been vectors of any of these viruses in Texas.

While this is a relatively new potential pest for South Texas, Florida has had a few years to learn about chilli thrips and have produced some very useful information that can be found at the following links:

Good general information: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/ thrips/chilli_thrips.htm Photos of damage on various host plants and more detailed control information: https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/thripslinks.htm

Addition resources cited: · Seal DR, Ciomperlik M, Richards ML, Klassen W. 2006. Comparative effectiveness of chemical insecticides against the chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on pepper and their compatibility with natural enemies. Crop Protection 25: 949-955.

Management In most cases, there is no longer a need to control chilli thrips in cotton this growing season. Looking down the road, management may be needed if they move into fall crops. Although chilli thrips are an invasive species, research in Florida has shown that natural enemies, including minute pirate bugs, lacewings, and lady beetles may aid in reducing chilli thrips populations. Thus, the use of broad-spectrum insecticides may promote thrips outbreaks by removing key

· Seal DR, Kumar V, Klassen W, Sabine K. 2008.

Response of chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis, and melon thrips, Thrips palmi, to some selected insecticides.

Proceedings of the Caribbean Food Crops Society 44: 578. · Seal DR, Kumar V. (2009, in review). Biological response of chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), to various regimes of chemical and biorational insecticides. Crop Protection.

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New stormwater wetland will reduce flooding, pollution

BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG

Volunteers planting wetlands at the Houston Botanic Garden.

(Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

D

AgriLife Extension staff, volunteers plant wetlands at Houston Botanic Garden

espite the heat and COVID-19

restrictions, volunteers and staff

from the Texas A&M AgriLife Exten sion Service recently began planting a newly constructed 5-acre stormwater wetland area at the Houston Botanic Garden.

“The wetland area was designed to collect rainwater that runs off of the parking area and other hard surfaces at the garden,” said Christie Taylor, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Houston. “Water is stored in the wetland for up to 72 hours, which helps reduce downstream flooding and also gives time for specialized wetland plants and soil to remove pollutants from the water.”

For example, Taylor said, hydrocarbons from car oil and heavy metals collect in parking lots and then wash into Houston’s bayous and ultimately Galveston Bay. “Stormwater wetlands like the one at Houston Botanic Garden can help remove these pollutants from the water before it reaches Sims Bayou,” she said.

Houston area have been at the forefront of the wetland planting.

“The wetland site was divided into three basins with connecting land bridges,” Taylor said. “We divided volunteers to work in each of the basic areas with no more than 10 working in one basin area at a time.”

Native plants that can handle the Houston cycle of wet and dry weather will fill the botanic garden’s stormwater wetland area.

These plants create habitat for wildlife, including herons, egrets, ducks, dragonflies and many species of frogs and small fish.

“A variety of wetland plants were selected to showcase the wetland at Houston Botanic Garden including Louisiana iris, yellow waterlilies, swamp lilies and several grasses and sedges,” said Charriss York, AgriLife Extension program specialist in recreation, park and tourism sciences, Houston. “This variety of plants creates a wetland that looks nice all year long and also provides the food and shelter needed for wildlife.” She said when completed the 5-acre wetland area will contain more than 25,000 plants.

Planning and planting

A natural way to reduce flooding

Planning for the wetlands at the botanic garden took two years.

The planting process will continue through the end of the year.

Master Naturalists, Boy Scouts and other volunteers from the community previously involved in AgriLife Extension programming in the

Monty Dozier, head of the AgriLife Extension Disaster Assessment and Recovery Unit, said wetland projects like this are an excellent example of using natural practices to mitigate flooding.

Another example, Dozier said, is the Exploration Green project in

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which AgriLife Extension has been involved in Clear Lake City, near Houston. The project, which received a 2018 Excellence in Green Infrastructure Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies, has transformed a former golf course into a 200-acre nature park and stormwater detention facility.

According to York, for more than a decade AgriLife Extension staff and volunteers planned and implemented features to repurpose the golf course and surrounding area into green space, water detention basins and recreational areas.

The wetlands of the Exploration Green project were designed to detain and slow floodwaters and clean the runoff from 95% of the storms that occur in the community. They help provide flood protection for several hundred homes in the Clear Lake area.

“We are pleased that Houston Botanic Garden is also showcasing this practice that can be used throughout Houston to relieve pressure from flooding,” Dozier said.

More about volunteering York said project delays due to construction and COVID-19 pushed back the start of wetland planting to August.

“However, not even triple-digit temperatures combined with mask and social-distancing requirements have dissuaded these volunteers from dedicating two mornings each week to planting the wetlands,” she said.

Individuals or groups interested in assisting with the project can contact Taylor at cctaylor@tamu.edu or 979-399-4009.

Houston Botanic Garden will open to the public in mid-September.

The stormwater wetland, funded in part by grants from the Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program, is one of the free amenities offered to the community. Tickets are required for additional garden collections.

Aerial view of the Exploration Green project in Clear Lake City.

(Photo by Joe Bibby)

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Estimated Impact of Hurricane Hanna on RGV Agriculture

BY ELISHA ENSIGN

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N

ames in RGV history‌

Beulah, Allen, Dolly, and now Hanna. All hurricanes that had great impact on RGV agriculture.

On July 25, 2020, Hurricane Hanna made its way through the RGV with 90 mph winds and dropped 10-20 inches of rain.

In its wake, it left flooded roads, flooded homes, roof damage, area-wide power outages, and devastating damage to crops.

For many farmers, this is the third consecutive year to experience devastating crop losses due to flooding and high winds.

Many RGV cotton farmers were in the middle of harvest and direct losses of cotton lint is valued at $76 million and for cottonseed at $14.2 million.

Cotton was defoliated for harvest prior to the hurricane making landfall, leading to bolls being open and exposed to the elements.

The Cotton and Grain Producers of the Lower Rio Grande Valley estimated about 95-98 percent of the cotton is a loss. With virtually no cotton to harvest or process in the LRGV, both producers and cotton gins are facing financial hardships.

According to the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, there were 168,680 acres of cotton certified in the area. However, 30,000 acres were lost due to drought earlier in the season, decreasing the total cotton acreage to 138,680.

Texas Citrus Mutual estimates that 30% of the citrus crop was lost from immature fruit falling due to sustained high winds. Thankfully the packing and processing facilities were undamaged, but this is a great hit to the industry this season.

Utilizing average production figures from the federal marketing order for the industry leads to a total loss of almost 89,000 tons. The average price for citrus is also reported by the marketing order at $750 per ton leading to a loss estimate of about $66.7 million for the citrus industry.

are still being determined by industry officials through field inspections. At this time, it is estimated that about 25 percent of the total sugar production was impacted by the hurricane.

Because cane, like citrus, is a multiyear crop, overall tonnage losses could occur over the next few years. The potential losses currently placed

by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension are $12.2 million, however the true extent to the damage will not be determined until the cane is harvested.

Losses are estimated at $3.2 million for sesame from wind damage and flooding.

Corn, soybeans, and sorghum had mostly been harvested by the time the hurricane hit. However, there were significant crop losses in the northern coastal area from flooding. These estimates were totaled at $2.1 million for corn, $1.8 million for soybeans, and $271,688 for sorghum.

Many producers were facing difficult economic times before the hurricane. The losses incurred from the hurricane will undoubtedly place further strain on the farm economy in the area and some may not be able to sustain these losses without assistance. RGV Agriculture came together to request help from state and federal officials.

Overall, according to TAMU AgriLife Extension Services, losses are estimated at $400 million in direct and indirect damages to agriculture in the RGV. These damages are wide and extensive and will affect the RGV for months if not years to come.

But as in the months and years following Beulah, Allen, and Dolly, RGV farmers will pull together and carry on to the next season and Hanna will become a name we will forever remember.

And to end on a positive note, the citrus crop remaining is good size and quality leading into the start of citrus season.

The full impact of sesame and sugarcane losses

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Rethink citrus irrigation if you are replanting

BY LUCAS GREGORY

W

hat a year! Early signs of drought,

lower than comfortable water

levels in Amistad and Falcon reser

voirs, a global pandemic and

Hurricane Hanna! Saying that agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley has had a rough year may not be strong enough.

Throughout it all, one thing has remained a constant; growers never seem to have the right amount of water when and where they need it.

“Over the last nine months, irrigation conditions have been on a bit of a roller coaster,” said Dr. Lucas Gregory, senior research scientist at the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), College Station.

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Citrus grove damage following Hurricane Hanna (photo provided by Dale Murden, Texas Citrus Mutual)

“In mid-January, only the western part of Hidalgo County was in moderate drought conditions; by March all of the Valley was. Now with Hurricane Hanna not too far behind in the rearview mirror, drought is technically gone from the Valley.”

Gregory said as of mid-February, Amistad and Falcon reservoirs sat at a combined storage capacity of about 54%, about 10% less than this time last year. In the middle of August, capacity in the two reservoirs sat just above 43%. One normal benefit of a hurricane is capturing runoff.

“That really didn’t happen with Hurricane Hanna though,”

Gregory said. “Pair that with the National Weather Service (NWS) outlook for drier-than-normal conditions forecasted through October for the Rio Grande basin and the water supply situation could look better.”

The Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center, TWRI and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) are cohosting the free program. Event log-in will begin at 8:45 a.m. and the program will begin at 9:00 a.m.

“If there is a silver lining to all of this, it might be that the current situation presents a good time to plan for the future,” Gregory said. “If Hurricane Hanna damaged your citrus groves to the point of needing to replant, now is a good time to consider some newer planting and irrigation techniques gaining traction in the industry that can improve the location and timing of irrigation water application.”

Presentations will include water conservation practices in mature orchards, novel field planting designs for new orchards and their impacts on water and pest management, sustainable water reuse options in agriculture and cities and the impacts of soils and management on citrus roots and productivity.

Dr. Shad Nelson, dean of the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, said a number of planting and irrigation practices have been developed over recent years that are being implemented across the citrus industry to conserve water and help mitigate some disease and pest vectors.

“In existing groves, converting traditional pan flood irrigation to narrow-border flood, drip or micro-spray applications have all shown to save water,” Nelson said. “In newly planted groves, raised beds paired with drip irrigation and plastic mulch not only save water but have also proven effective in managing certain pests.”

These practices and more will all be discussed during a virtual offering of the Novel Citrus Management Practices for Sustainable Water Use workshop. This event will be held online Thursday, Sept. 17 from 9–11:30 a.m. Advance online registration at: https://twri.tamu.edu/sign-up is required to participate in this event. Event log-in details will be emailed to registered participants the day before the virtual event.

TWDB and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel will also provide timely updates about available technical and financial assistance opportunities. This will include NRCS disaster recovery assistance available to growers following damage from Hurricane Hanna.

This program is being hosted as a part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Irrigation Education and Outreach project funded by TWDB through an Agricultural Water Conservation Grant to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Recent citrus grove planting at Lone Star Citrus using raised beds, drip, and plastic mulch (Lucas Gregory, Texas Water Resources Institute)

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TSSWCB Requests Proposals for FY2021 Nonpoint Source Grant Program TEMPLE – The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is requesting proposals for watershed assessment, planning, implementation, demonstration and education projects seeking funding under the FY2021 Nonpoint Source Grant Program. Proposed projects should focus on agricultural and/or silvicultural nonpoint source pollution prevention and abatement activities within the boundaries of impaired or threatened watersheds.

Up to $1 million of the TSSWCB’s FY2021 Clean Water Act §319(h) grant will be eligible for this request for proposals. A competitive proposal review process will be used so that the most appropriate and effective projects are selected for funding.

Specific activities that can be funded with §319(h) grants include the following: development of nine-element watershed protection plans including the formation and facilitation of stakeholder groups, surface water quality monitoring, data analysis and modeling, implementation of nine-element watershed protection plans and the nonpoint source portion of total maximum daily load implementation plans, demonstration of innovative best management practices, technical assistance to landowners for conservation planning, public outreach/education, and monitoring activities to determine the effectiveness of specific pollution prevention methods.

To obtain a complete copy of the TSSWCB’s request for proposals and proposal submission packet, please visit: https://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/programs/texasnonpoint-source-management-program or contact Jana Lloyd at (254) 231-2491.

Proposals must be received electronically by 5:00 p.m. CDT, Friday, September 25, 2020 to jlloyd@tsswcb.texas.gov.

You can find the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board at www.tsswcb.texas.gov, on Facebook, and on Twitter@TSSWCB. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, established in 1939, administers Texas’ soil and water conservation law and delivers coordinated natural resource conservation programs to agricultural producers through the State’s 216 Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board is the lead agency for planning, implementing, and managing programs for preventing and abating agricultural and silvicultural nonpoint sources of water pollution.

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956-207-9004

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The State of Texas Gulf Shrimp

BY ANDREA HANCE

F

or generations, the bountiful waters of

the Gulf of Mexico have provided a

distinctive lifestyle for Texas commer cial fishermen. This industry, fueled

by hard work and the sea, feeds a

nation hungry for tender, premium, wild-caught seafood, including delicious Gulf shrimp.

Within these hardworking men and women, pride runs deeper than our Lone Star waters. The history of Texas shrimp is a story of innovation and preservation that continues to this day.

But while this story is a good one, the industry is faced with a wealth of challenges that must be met head on.

Now more than ever is the time for consumers to support our fellow Texans by choosing, buying and serving Texas Gulf shrimp. Simply put, the industry is depending on it. Below are some interesting facts that should make you think twice the next time you eat Texas Gulf shrimp.

The Texas shrimp industry has diminished by 70% over the last 25 years due to the costly regulations and the flood of cheap, unregulated imported shrimp being dumped into the United States.

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The cost to own and operate a commercial fishing vessel (F/V) is 3 X higher today than 25 year ago (the cost to purchase a boat plus the 13,000 regulations bestowed upon our industry).

Shrimping is the 13th most regulated industry in the United States – a few regulations shy of the airline industry – costing the boat owner thousands of dollars each year.

We estimate that approximately 20% of those who continue to fish are operating at a deficit or a net income below poverty levels and can only adequately provide for their families with supplemental income derived from a 2nd or 3rd job/business.

Although our industry is considered one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world, we have paid dearly for this accomplishment. For example, a TED (turtle excluder device) costs each boat owner approximately $20 - $30,000 per boat, per year. This includes the cost to purchase the TED’s plus the loss of production (we are essentially pulling a net with a hole in it).

Millions of dollars have been spent each year for turtle conservation, curtsy of Texas shrimpers..

European countries reject dangerous, unregulated shrimp and when it comes in, it’s immediately destroyed. They would never allow their consumers to consume this potentially harmful seafood. Therefore, foreign countries simply send their shrimp to the U.S. as we welcome them with open arms.

Based on an informal survey conducted by TSA in 2017, 85% of (non chain) restaurants who inform their consumers the shrimp they serve is American wild caught Gulf shrimp is not.. The next time you are in a restaurant, ask where your shrimp came from, you may be surprised.

Buying Texas Gulf Shrimp: What to Look For: When buying from a service counter, check the price label. That’s where you’ll find the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), which indicates the source of the product. Make sure the label says, “Wild shrimp, harvested in the United States,” to ensure you get premium quality.

Remember, the Texas Shrimp Association (TSA) is a non-profit organization that continues to develop strategies to educate consumers, lawmakers, press, environmental groups, and the public at large about the importance of protecting and growing the Texas Gulf shrimping Industry while maintaining a sustainable, environmentally safe product. Follow TSA’s lead as we work to provide consumers with the best shrimp possible.

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Presidential Precedent

BY KATHRYN BRADY

American Agriculture

Y

ou step out onto the shore of a ‘new world’ that you’ve never seen before with nothing but seemingly untouched wilderness before you.

This is a new world, a land of new opportunity.

You came across the sea in pursuit of a new life: maybe you’re longing for religious freedom, maybe you’re a younger son with little to no inheritance in the ‘old world’, maybe you’re a spectator dreaming of fortune or maybe you’re a farmer looking for a vast estate that has not been exhausted over the generations. But all you know is how to make the land work for you, to make your dreams for security and a promising future come true.

In fact, in some cases that’s what your nation’s government expects of you- to produce produce for the mother country; in which there may have been little to no arable land left. In a day and age where much of the world was still agrarian; agriculture was a respectable and honored pursuit. As a matter of fact, much, if not all, of our United States history is based off agriculture.

From what we know of early American history and early settlers accounts; even many of the Native American nations were farming. Such as the large banded nations of the Iroquois, Powhatan or Algonquin, the Mississippian and the Pueblos. They were growing domesticated crops such as maize; otherwise known as Indian Corn. This was later adopted by the Pilgrims as we know from the story of Squanto. But the Pilgrims also brought some crops over from Europe such as Barley and Peas. In the southern colonies Indigo, Tobacco and Rice were grown. And then later cotton and sugarcane begun to be the staple crops in the southern United States. Between 1776 and 1860 the United States economy was primarily agricultural.

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Westward expansion continued to open up new areas to the pursuit of agriculture. Most were subsistence farmers; growing food for the family and a bit was sold at local markets. During this time a farmer could grow crops for much more than what he paid for the land, then sell the property and move on to the next plot. According to one account of early pioneers in the 1780’s “the farmer cleared the woods or found an opening and grew corn, wheat, flax, tobacco and other products including fruit. And in a few years the pioneer would add hogs, sheep cattle and perhaps a horse”.

Historian Louis M. Hacker explained that on the whole it [the United States] was an agricultural society. In fact, so noble and respected was the pursuit of agriculture that many of our first presidents were involved in the pursuit.

George Washington, himself, enumerated his thoughts stating that “agriculture is the most healthful, most useful and most noble employment of man.” On February 17, 2014 Charles McFarlane of Modern Farmer put together a list of presidents who were involved in agriculture. He opens the list by saying “Farming has always been a quintessential part of the American experience, from Abraham Lincoln splitting rails for fence building to Bill Clinton picking beans.”

To start at the beginning; our first president George Washington was a farmer. He was a meticulous record keeper and was very innovative, already learning methods of using fertilizer and composting for soil health. He eventually phased out the single crop of tobacco on his farm in favor of a diversified seven-crop rotation system which most likely included, corn, wheat and legume crops.

Next is Thomas Jefferson, who according Karen Perry Stillerman, senior analyst for Food and Environment, has become to be known as the ‘first foodie’ for his love of

food. He traveled to France and loved vegetables, thus introducing new vegetables to the U.S. At Monticello, his farm, he experimented with a vast variety of food crops, including 330 varieties of eighty-nine species of fruits and vegetables and herbs and 170 varieties of fruits.

Although, many of these experiments failed leading his neighbors to dub him ‘the worst farmer in Virginia’, in truth, he learned and promoted techniques of soil health through adding organic matter and by sharing seeds and techniques widely he also promoted commercial markets, gardening and the spread of new cops.

helped shape his view on the importance of conservation.

Thus, not only did he create five national parks, but he created the United States Forest Service. He set aside fifty-one federal bird reservations, eighteen national monuments and four national game preserves.

As the nation progressed and manifest destiny had been achieved, more and more towns popped up and then during WW2 with the need for manufacturing, more industrial jobs started leading to an influx of people moving to town. Slowly with the invention of the interstate highway system, cars and suburbs, grocery stores were available in almost every neighborhood for the general public, so the individual was no longer responsible for gowning their own food and enjoyed the convenience of ready-prepared meats and procure, this we became less connected with our agricultural roots and began to have less respect for those involved in the pursuit of agriculture- seeing them only as uneducated back water folks with little to no education.

George Washington loved his farm at Mount Vernon.

Image from mountvernon.org

Abraham Lincoln, who could probably be more relatable than Washington and Jefferson, to the middle-class farmer of today, was raised in a log cabin in Kentucky and as he himself put it, was “raised on farm work”. His father farmed frontier land in Indiana before moving family to Illinois. By the time he reached his political career, he was an advocate for modernizing agricultural technology such as the horse-drawn machines and steam plows to take the place of hand labor. While president, he signed legislation creating the Department of Agriculture which he later called “The People’s Department” since half of Americans at the time lived on farms. Lincoln also recognized the importance of educating farmers, so he signed the Morrill Land Grant College Act which supported agricultural and mechanical colleges. Thus, he began the agricultural system that we are familiar with today.

Theodore Roosevelt, who is known as one of the nation’s great conservationists, but also had some experience cattle ranching. Although he was born to an aristocratic family in the east; he went west in 1884 and bought a ranch and tried his hand at ranching and quickly learned the hardships of ranching in the Dakota badlands. But this

Roosevelt dressed in his buckskin; this studio portrait was most likely taken in New York.

Although most cowboys frowned at his buckskin shirt, Roosevelt felt it to be the epitome of western attire.

Dickinson State University

But as former President John F. Kennedy iterated, we, as a country, “all depend upon farmers as stewards of our soil, water and wildlife resources.” And an administration later, our own Texas Presidential rancher, Lyndon Baines Johnson added, that farmers are “the backbone of this country”.

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Unforeseen Events Shape 2020 US Agriculture

BY JOHN MILLER

While every year seems to bring unexpected economic, political, or adverse weather events that surprise the marketplace, 2020 seems to have found a level of frequency not seen in a while.

As if wasn’t enough, commodity markets began the year mostly focused on the ongoing US-China trade dispute and the prospects for solutions beyond the prior-year Phase One agreement that was negotiated largely with agriculture in mind. Since the beginning of the year, US agriculture has experienced a strong uptick in Chinese purchases of our agricultural products, mostly in the form of soybeans and corn with modest improvements in a considerable number of other products. It is true that China has barely approached half of the original goal for this year, but a recent surge in purchases of US soybeans and corn have been of critical importance to buoying commodity futures prices in recent months.

As we moved into mid-January of this year, it was well understood that US famers would attempt to plant more than enough corn and soybean acres to satisfy demand and then some. Commodity traders were already preparing for the prospects of lower prices in anticipation of formal planting surveys that start coming out in March.

Little did anyone know that those early reports of something called Covid19 would turn into a Black Swan event that would keep markets on the defensive for the balance of the year. One of the best illustrations of the impact of Covid19 on the economy must be Figure 1 which shows the rapid decline in weekly ethanol production starting in late January of this year (blue line). In just three months, this industry went from producing a record 1.1 million gallons per week to just under 500 million gallons per week, or just less than half of prior Covid19 levels.

Since virtually all ethanol is used as an additive to gasoline, this directly reflects the slowdown in economic activity as the American family and work life started to grind to a halt. Figure 2 shows the corn futures market over this same time, and how it did not take long for these prices to react since roughly forty percent of the US corn crop has been going towards ethanol production since 2013. The expectation of a large US corn and soybean crop coupled with unforeseen impacts of Covid19 on the economy suggested at the time that commodity prices could very well decline further to extremely unprofitable levels.

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As the Rio Grande Valley harvested corn and sorghum during June, the commodity markets remained on the defensive as the crops across the US Midwest continued to impress, and the economic effects of Covid19, while abating to some degree, still added uncertainty to the marketplace. After harvesting a modest, but somebut sometimes surprisingly good corn and sorghum crop given the dry spring, Valley farmers were eager to get out there and pick one of the best cotton crops seen in a while. Early expectations ranged anywhere from just under 2 bales per acre to over 3 bales per acre

to over 3 bales per acre on non-irrigated land. Another words, an outstanding crop. Keeping in line with the luck of 2020, Hurricane Hanna which had been meandering across the Gulf, starting drifting southward and ultimately made landfall on about the 25th of July.

This storm packed an amazing punch with winds accelerating last minute to make the storm hurricane force as it moved across the Valley. As Figure 3 shows, Hanna was not kind to a mostly mature cotton crop that had just begun to be harvested. It is estimated that up to 300,000 bales of cotton were lost to the storm. The fact that this is the earliest cotton to be harvested and available to the mills helped cotton futures rally several cents per pound in late July as illustrated in Figure 4. This unforeseen event could well have a ripple effect into year end as the Valley losses are fully understood and added to almost historic drought related losses of cotton being experienced across West Texas.

In early August, the drought situation that had been hurting West Texas crops began to creep into the Western Plains and points further east such as Central Iowa. The growing area of dry conditions began to get the attention of the marketplace as estimates for the Iowa corn crop began to marginally decline. Then starting on August 10th, a startling unforeseen and rare weather event hit Central Iowa in and around the Ames area. As the corn in Figure 5 illustrates, a strong straight-line wind of up to 100 miles per hour nicknamed ‘Derecho’ for the Spanish meaning literally flattened the crop across a 700-mile wide swath of Central Iowa.

Referring to Figure 2, the severity of this storm and the still unknown measure of corn loss helped rally corn futures almost 40 cents per bushel in the weeks following. And if that was not enough, we barely had time to digest what had happened in Iowa when we started following dueling tropical storms across the Gulf. As the two systems merged into what become Hurricane Laura, the marketplace began to contemplate possible damage to cotton and grain crops in the Delta contrasted with potential help from the rain Laura might bring to the Midwest. Hurricane Laura ended up being devastating to property right along the coast, but crop damage was ultimately minor as the photo of a twisted soybean crop in Figure 6 illustrates. But Laura swiftly moved east and failed to generate moisture in the dry areas of the Midwest.

Given the uncertainties farmers and all Americans have been dealt this year, one has to wonder what lies ahead this fall and winter. We are told that a vaccine for Covid19 is around the corner, but that it is still too early to know the effectiveness of these early efforts. Perhaps the most important unforeseen aspect of Covid19 will continue to be the medical and political recommendations and/or policies that might further limit economic recovery. Weather will continue, as always, to play a role in commodity price uncertainty. Hurricane season has some time left, but it is likely that the marketplace will be looking for chances of crop damaging flooding or freezes as farmers across the Midwest start to harvest their crops. We will also be following updates of the overall US crop balance sheet as more is understood about the full measure of effects of the Derecho storm across Iowa, drought losses across the Western Plains, and events like Hanna and Laura. It is only September and it seems like we have seen enough calamity for one year. The various droughts and storms have primed the pump for speculation on whether the US will end up with adequate supplies of the major commodities. The uncertainties related to Covid19 and US-Chinese trade relations makes one wonder if the ultimate demand for commodities will be strong enough to hint at shortages, or wane to the degree that prices fall back again. As you drive around the Valley and notice the plowed up cotton fields, and the absence of those bagged round bales of cotton setting at the fields edge or at the cotton gin, it will be a local reminder of the need to consider the potential influence of unforeseen events on our daily lives.

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South Texas Representation on the Global Stage: An Interview with New U.S. Grains Council Sorghum Sector Chair Jim Massey IV

BY PATRICK WADE Policy Director, Texas Grain Sorghum Producers

In his 1975 magnum opus The One-Straw Revolution, celebrated Japanese agriculturist and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka mused about the human element of farming, “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”

Although Fukuoka’s naturalist approach to farming proved difficult to replicate outside of his native Ehime Prefecture, there is an indelible, universal truth about agriculture in his philosophy.

Throughout his career, Fukuoka hosted countless international visitors on his farm and ventured to dozens of other countries to lecture and learn from the producers, consumers, manufacturers, researchers, processors, traders, truckers and many other roles that make up agriculture. At times, the size and scale of the global agriculture industry can conjure images of an ever-churning and impenetrable machine.

Yet Fukuoka’s words evert that machine, revealing that every segment of agriculture, perhaps more so than any other industry in the world, is made up of people. And, as our planet continues to grow more interconnected, the personal relationships between those people will guide the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of U.S. agriculture.

The U.S. sorghum industry is no stranger to leaders who understand the importance of personal relationships. One of the many responsibilities of the state and national board of directors is to represent the sorghum industry in leadership positions with 28

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our partner organizations, such as the U.S. Grains Council (USGC).

This summer, Jim Massey IV, a Director with Texas Grain Sorghum Producers (TGSP), Texas Grain Sorghum Association (TGSA) and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP), was elected to serve as the Sorghum Sector Chair at USGC. With offices in over 30 countries and staff around the world, USGC is the premier advocate for the marketing and export of U.S. sorghum.

The role of Sector Chair affords the Texas Coastal Bend sorghum and cotton farmer a seat on USGC’s Board of Directors alongside representatives from the corn and barley industries and elevates him to be the leading voice for the sorghum industry in USGC’s critical international marketing and development efforts.

Ever since China entered the market for U.S. sorghum in 2013, over half of the U.S. sorghum crop has been exported each year. Nearly all of the market destinations for those crops were made possible through the partnership between USGC, USCP and TGSP.

We sat down, virtually, with the Robstown farmer after his election to discuss his vision for his Sorghum Sector Chairmanship, the importance of exports to South Texas sorghum producers and how even in the multi-billion dollar, globe-spanning space of agricultural trade, personal relationships are still key.

Before you were nominated and elected to serve as Sorghum Sector Chair, what had been your past experiences with the U.S. Grains Council?

Jim: I have been on two international grain missions sponsored

by USGC. The first was to China in October [2017] just before the anti-dumping/countervailing duty cases came up. [We met with] many of the largest end-users of sorghum such as Haida as well as several major importers such as Jun Jie. We also were there exploring new market opportunities with baijiu by getting a study started with a university to test U.S. sorghum samples in the production process. The second mission was to Spain and Portugal [in fall 2019]. Our group met and spoke with end users and importers in several cities around Spain including Madrid, and A Coruna, as well as Lisbon, Portugal, where we attended the IACA Feed Compounder Association annual meeting.

What is special about the relationship between sorghum producers and the export market in South Texas? What are its strengths and what still needs to improve?

Jim: The sorghum in South Texas is almost always going to be exported minus a very small amount of local feed use. This does make us a bit special because we don’t really have an in-country consumer like large feedlots, poultry or swine production, or ethanol plants nearby. Therefore, our sorghum goes to feed those industries in other countries. We are uniquely positioned to do that in the coastal plains area of Texas. With the ports of Houston, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and crossing the Rio Grande into Mexico all close enough to get to with a truck or train—it’s just the most logical place for our grain to flow. As with any industry, lack of competition can sometimes be a negative even when it comes to exporters. Even though grain from the Corpus Christi area can be trucked to Houston and Brownsville, there is a freight cost that most times can’t be overcome. Since the loss of the Interstate grain facility on the Corpus Christi port, ADM has no direct local competitor. They just have to have a high enough bid to make it just a little too expensive to truck it north or south. I think we need to work hard to try and get the Interstate facility back up and going to give growers another local option to keep competition healthy.

As a producer, what do you see as successes of the partnership between Texas Grain Sorghum Producers, the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, and the U.S. Grains Council?

not be approachable. I believe that his son actually lived at Wayne’s house [in summer 2018 during a tour of the Sorghum Belt], and Mr. Xie is in daily communication with Florentino giving an inside look at what is going on in China as well as communicating back about crop conditions here. I don’t know how any stronger ties could be forged with someone on the opposite side of the globe.

What experience do you have building those personal relationships with international trading partners?

Jim: While we were at the meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, I realized that the Chairman of IACA Romao Braz had actually been with a group of Spanish and Portuguese end-users that visited my farm several years before on a joint TGSP/USCP/USGC trip. I think connections such as these are valuable in the grain trade in the long term. I have found through these trips, as well as trade groups visiting my farm over the years, that importers and end-users from other countries like China, Mexico, Columbia, Spain, etc. seem to be very interested in having a relationship—or at least a face they can associate—with [the country from where] they are buying product. I have gotten numerous follow up calls and emails from people I have met on visits to my farm, sometimes years later, just to find out what the crop looks like or if I think quality or supply might be an issue that year.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave as Sorghum Sector Chair at USGC?

Jim: I am so honored to have been chosen to represent sorghum as the Sector Chair on the USGC board. Following [outgoing Sector Chair and Celina, Texas, sorghum producer] Charles Ray Huddleston leaves large shoes to fill. That being said, I think I have a pretty simple way of looking at any board position I am filling on any board: When I am serving on the USCP or USGC boards, I don’t show up as Massey Farms, thinking what can I get out of this that will directly benefit me. I put on my American sorghum producer or my U.S. grain producer hat and try to see the world through the filter of what can be done to benefit every member of the organization. If U.S. grain gets consumed in any form as a result of USGC efforts to increase demand, it puts even the last kernel of U.S. grain that much closer to being sold at a higher price.

The mission of USGC is to develop markets, enable trade and improve lives. If I can in any way help achieve that, then I will count my time on the board as a success. With any board appointment, you are operating on borrowed time until you pass the torch to the next person. As far as a legacy goes, I think I’d like it to reflect the way I try to treat anything I borrow from someone else. Treat it better than I would treat something of my own, replace or repair worn and broken parts, and give it back cleaner and in overall better condition than when you got it.

Jim: I think… relationship building is one of the most successful things that has come from the partnership. Mr. Xie [President of Jun Jie, the largest importer of U.S. sorghum in China] is a prime example of this. [TGSP Executive Director] Wayne Cleveland and [USCP Executive Director] Florentino Lopez, in conjunction with USGC staff, have done a wonderful job of cultivating a relationship with him. Being one of the largest grain importers in China, you would think that he would S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 2 0

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The 1944 Treaty: An Overview

T

he Rio Grande serves as an international bound ary between the United States of America and

the United Mexican States. Both countries rely

on the water in this river for domestic, municipal,

agricultural, industrial, and hydro-electric gen eration purposes. As of August 8, 2020, the

Amistad-Falcon Conservation Capacity is at

43.1% for the United States and 8.4% for Mexico. This time last year, the United States was just below 60% and Mexico was hovering at around 15%. This article explores why and how water in the Rio Grande below El Paso is allocated between the two countries and offers some insight as to why such a disparity in the conservation capacity exists and how this disparity directly affects users in the United States, particularly those in the Rio Grande Valley.

The name of the watershed draining into the Rio Grande is called the Rio Grande Basin. The Rio Grande Basin includes approximately 335,500 square miles in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

Roughly 47% of this area contributes no surface runoff to the Rio Grande, leaving about 177,815 square miles of productive watershed. Only about 40,000 square miles of that productive watershed is located in Texas. An estimated 75% of the tributary inflow below El Paso comes from the watershed located on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande.

The water in the Rio Grande below El Paso, Texas is allocated by a treaty between the United States and Mexico. This treaty is formally called the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande. It is most often referred to as the “1944 Treaty” because the treaty was signed on February 3, 1944.

As the formal treaty title suggests, this treaty not only divides the waters of the Rio Grande, but also the waters of the Colorado River and the Tijuana River.

The need to delineate the boundary between the two countries arose at the conclusion of the Mexican-American War upon the signing of the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic (also known as the “Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo”) in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo drew the boundary between the United States and Mexico at the Rio Grande and the Gila Rivers.

The population and agricultural growth on both sides of this international boundary, as well as the inconsistent precipitation, raised the need to regulate these boundary rivers.

The express purpose of the 1944 Treaty was to “fix and delimit” the rights of the two countries with respect to the waters of the

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BY RICHARD WARD FRYER

Colorado and Tijuana Rivers (in the Southwestern United States), and of the Rio Grande (aka the Rio Bravo) from Fort Quitman, Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. The 1944 Treaty also provided for the construction of up to three storage dams in the main channel of the Rio Grande. Two of those dams were actually constructed and are still in operation today. These dams are known as Falcon Dam and Reservoir and Amistad Dam and Reservoir.

The 1944 Treaty allots the waters of the Rio Grande between Fort Quitman, Texas and the Gulf of Mexico between the two countries in the following manner: To Mexico:

• All of the waters from the San Juan and Alamo Rivers; • One-half of the flow in the Rio Grande below Falcon Dam and Reservoir; • Two-thirds of the flow from the Conchos, San Diego, San Rodrigo, Escondido and Salado Rivers and the Las Vacas Arroyo; and • One-half of all other flows from all the unmeasured tributaries between Fort Quitman, Texas and Falcon Dam and Reservoir.

To the United States: • All of the waters from the Pecos and Devils Rivers, Goodenough Spring, and Alamito, Terlingua, San Felipe and Pinto Creeks; • One-half of the flow below Falcon Dam and Reservoir; • One-third of the flow from the Conchos, San Diego, San Rodrigo, Escondido and Salado Rivers and the Las Vacas Arroyo, provided that the one-third shall not be less, as an average amount in cycles of five consecutive years, than 350,000 acre-feet annually; and • One-half of all other flows from all the unmeasured tributaries between Fort Quitman and Falcon Dam and Reservoir.

The waters of the Colorado River are allotted to Mexico as follows: • A guaranteed annual quantity of 1,500,000 acrefeet; and • Any other quantities arriving at the Mexico points of diversion.

The 1944 Treaty is administered by the International Boundary and Water Commission (“IBWC”). As predecessor to the IBWC, the International Boundary Commission was established in 1889 to administer the provisions of the Treaty of November 12, 1884, to avoid any international incidents caused by changes in the beds of the Rio Grande and the Colorado Rivers. The word “Water” was added to the name of the International Boundary Commission upon signing of the 1944 Treaty. The IBWC is an international body consisting of a United States Section and a Mexican Section. The respective sections are overseen by the Department of State of the United States and the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Mexico. The IBWC is tasked with accounting for water use, storage, conveyance, water losses, and monitoring the 5-year delivery cycle.

The current 5-year delivery cycle is scheduled to conclude on October 24, 2020. Once again, Mexico is about 420,000 acre-feet short of meeting its 1944 Treaty obligation in the current cycle.

Meanwhile, the United States continues to dutifully meet its annual 1,500,000 acre-feet obligation on the Colorado River. Mexico’s deficit on the Rio Grande is not due to a shortage of water. Mexico’s Amistad - Falcon 8.4% of Conservation Capacity is only a part of the picture. Mexico’s combined storage is actually at 38.94% of its conservation capacity.

Since execution of the 1944 Treaty and the construction of the Amistad and Falcon Dams and Reservoirs, Mexico has constructed several upstream dams and reservoirs to impound water that would otherwise flow into the Amistad-Falcon system. Mexico’s combined storage includes water stored in those upstream dams and reservoirs. By impounding water upstream of the Amistad Falcon system, Mexico is not only intentionally running a deficit in the 5-year delivery cycle, it is preventing its own water from entering the Amistad-Falcon system. This creates a problem because approximately 75% of tributary inflows into the Rio Grande below Fort Quitman, Texas come from Mexico and the Amistad-Falcon system was designed to operate with the full inflows of both Mexico and the United States. System losses such as evaporation and seepage were anticipated and factored into the projected overall operation of the Amistad-Falcon system. The total projected tributary inflows of both Mexico and the United States and the projected system losses were then used to determine the

water allotments detailed in the Treaty. As a result, even if Mexico satisfies its current 5-year delivery obligation to the United States, the United States’ water still bears the brunt of the Amistad Falcon system’s losses due to Mexico preventing its share of the water from entering the system.

Just recently, Mexico proposed using non-Treaty water to again satisfy its water debt. Non-Treaty water consists of water from rivers and streams not listed in the Treaty which are located below Falcon Dam and Reservoir. By allowing Mexico to use non-Treaty water to satisfy its debt, the IBWC would be perpetuating a bad precedent in exchange for yet another temporary fix that would provide little to no long-term relief to users in the United States because the Amistad-Falcon system is not designed to store non-Treaty water. Also, much of the water from non-Treaty sources is drainage water from agricultural fields in Mexico which has a higher salinity. This poor-quality water harms the very crops and livestock that are already suffering due to Mexico’s deficit.

Mexico’s regular and continuing violations of its 1944 Treaty obligations cost Texas residents millions of dollars in lost crops as well as increased costs for the transmission, treatment, and delivery of potable water. The IBWC must hold Mexico accountable by not allowing Mexico to substitute the water that should be allocated pursuant to the Treaty with non-Treaty water and to require Mexico to release more of its water into the Amistad-Falcon system, as contemplated in the 1944 Treaty. It is critically important that stakeholders in the United States continue to express their frustrations about Mexico’s continuing violations to their state and federal representatives to raise awareness about these pressing issues and demand that the 1944 Treaty be strictly enforced by the IBWC. Richard Ward Fryer is an attorney with Fryer & Hansen, PLLC. He represents many water supply corporations and water districts in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

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Cattle stranded after hurricane tidal surge.

(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG

AgriLife Extension helps before, after Hurricane Laura Texas A&M agency assists in hurricane preparation and recovery efforts In advance of Hurricane Laura reaching landfall and in its immediate aftermath, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has been providing information and assistance to Texans affected by the disaster.

Monty Dozier, Ph.D., head of the agency’s Disaster Assessment and Recovery, or DAR, unit, said agents in the affected counties have been helping residents prepare for the disaster, and additional people and resources are on their way.

Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) team efforts “We have an agent assisting at the Houston District Disaster and Emergency Operations Center, and others will be placed to help support other emergency operations centers as requested in the coming days,” he said. “Some agents have already been tasked to work in county emergency operations centers.”

He said agents have also been providing guidance to livestock owners and will be assisting with feed and recovery efforts from catastrophic flooding and other effects of the storm.

Additional support efforts, Dozier said, included DAR agents in the Houston area making personal protective equipment deliveries to 26 assisted living facilities that were evacuating residents. In addition,

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a truckload of personal protective equipment was delivered by DAR team members to the Ford Park staging area in Beaumont as supplies for responders and for the animal supply point being set up there.

“We will be deploying four DAR agents and two AgriLife Extension county agents to support the TAMU Veterinary Emergency Team and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) with animal sheltering and supply point operations at Ford Park in Jefferson County,” he said. “As of today, this is the only shelter and animal supply point that has been established, but we expect there may be others set up over the next few days, depending upon need.”

DAR team members are also on standby to assist Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, with the distribution of personal protective equipment and other supplies to first responders, government entities, assisted living facilities and communities.

Animal sheltering and recovery AgriLife Extension is monitoring the status of evacuation hubs for people and animals with the Texas Animal Health Commission. It also stands ready to support TDEM and local jurisdictions in Southeast Texas to provide assistance with sheltering and post-storm damage assessments.

Rachel Bauer, AgriLife Extension program specialist and agency liaison with TDEM, said at this time there are only a few active locations where animals can be evacuated for sheltering from Hurricane Laura.

“A large animal-only sheltering site has already been set up in Bryan at the Brazos County Expo Center,” she said. “In the affected area, the Montgomery County Fairgrounds will accept horses and 4-H/FFA livestock projects only.”

Dozier noted some of the materials related to flood recovery include those related to emergency food and water supplies, cleaning flood-damaged homes, dry-out before rebuilding, electrical power outages, post-flood safety, protecting and replacing personal documents, mold removal and repairing a flood-damaged home.

a Disaster: Information to Help You and Your Family Recover” contains informa-

He also noted the e-book “After

Additional shelter sites in Chambers and Jefferson counties also have been identified and are on standby until more information is available.

Bauer said the TAHC is in the process of compiling a list of locations where livestock and other animals may be sheltered.

tion on various recovery-related topics such as assessing structural damage, debris removal, basic first aid, removing odors and salvaging important documents. In addition to downloading the entire guide in the e-book format, users may also download the complete guide or specific sections in PDF format.

The information will also be uploaded and available on the Texas 211 website. More updates and information on managing animals during a disaster can also be found on the TAHC and Texas Extension Disaster Education Network, EDEN, websites.

Dozier said once the extent of damage caused by Hurricane Laura has been determined, additional AgriLife Extension agents and members of the DAR team will be sent to and remain in the affected area for as long as help is needed.

Helpful information on disaster preparation and recovery

“We’re here to help Texans affected by this disaster to recover,” Dozier said. “We’ve got a lot of experience in reacting to emergencies and disasters throughout the state, as well as a statewide network of agents, specialists and others to draw support from for our disaster recovery efforts. We’re glad to be here for those affected by Hurricane Laura.”

Dozier said while Hurricane Laura was still a tropical storm the agency made efforts through the news and social media to advise area residents of the variety of emergency disaster preparation materials available through the agency. It also advised them of the importance of having well water checked for contamination if flooded.

“Texas Extension Disaster Education Network and the Texas A&M AgriLife Bookstore have an array of materials not only related to disaster preparation, but also disaster recovery,” he said.

About 170 large animals, the vast majority being horses, are being sheltered at the Brazos County Expo Center.

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COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES FOOD ASSISTANCE IS NOW AVAILABLE TO TEXANS IN ORANGE COUNTy AUSTIN - Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) was approved by USDA for the Disaster Household Distribution program in Orange County Texas through September 21, 2020. Texans impacted by Hurricane Laura in Orange County are now eligible to pick up food boxes that contain nonperishable food.

“It’s no surprise that Texans are resilient in times of hardship,” Commissioner Miller said. “Thanks to USDA, this program helps our folks in Orange County tremendously and when they need it most. We’ve bounced back from hurricanes before and this time is no different. May God bless the families who have been affected by Hurricane Laura.”

Food boxes are being provided as part of the USDA Disaster Household Distributions program. This program allows targeted areas to provide food boxes to individuals when traditional channels of food are unavailable, such as during a natural disaster.

To pick up a food box or for more information, please contact the food distribution site nearest you using the provided website: https://squaremeals.org/FandNResources/HurricaneLaura/ MapofFoodBoxLocations.aspx 34

Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

COMMISSIONER MILLER ISSUES WARNING ON UNSOLICITED SEEDS FROM CHINA Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is urging Texans to take extreme precaution when receiving unsolicited seed packets from China. These packets have been mailed to multiple states, including Texas, falsely labeled as jewelry. Residents are advised not to plant the seeds as they could contain harmful invasive species or be otherwise unsafe.

“I am urging folks to take this matter seriously,” Commissioner Miller said. “An invasive plant species might not sound threatening, but these small invaders could destroy Texas agriculture. TDA has been working closely with USDA to analyze these unknown seeds so we can protect Texas residents.”

If you receive a foreign package containing seeds do not open it or plant the contents. Keep contents contained in their original sealed package. An invasive species is an organism that is not native to a particular region. The introduction of this “alien species” can cause economic or environmental harm. In agriculture, an invasive species can destroy native crops, introduce disease to native plants and may be dangerous for livestock.

Please report unsolicited seed packages to SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov More information can be found here: http://ow.ly/Dlcy50AJjlr S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 2 0

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A Letter from the Editor Matthew 7:24

“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.”

Do you remember the story/song of the wise man who built his house upon the rock, and the wise man built his house upon the sand and the rains came tumbling down?

Obviously, the man was not wise to build his house upon the sand.. because when the rain came down what do you think happened to his house? The house came down. Same goes with our life.

What kind of foundation have you set for your life?

I know when I was younger, my foundation was not the same as the foundation I am sitting on now. Ten years ago the foundation my life was sitting on was unstable, uncertain and had zero faith. Therefore, it did not have much support to remain standing.

I was in a place where God was not number one. The only person who was number one was myself, and that’s not a way to live. As I grew older, I realized that life was not a battle zone of survival, but it was about helping one another, learning lessons, and becoming the best possible version of myself. I learned I cannot do everything, and it is OK to ask for help. I also realized the most important part of having a solid foundation is putting God first and following His plan.

I learned that without a solid foundation, I would have trouble creating anything of value.

Do you feel like your foundation of life isn’t sturdy? I found that when my foundation was not rock solid it was because I was doing something not meant for me, and it was a time of growth. As we build “houses” on our foundations we lay them one brick at a time. I want to make sure those bricks I am placing in my life are strong.

I am using metaphors here: The people whom I surround myself with and allow into my life, are like bricks.

They teach me things, they lift me up, they bring happiness into my life and, most importantly, I know they are not going anywhere.

Even with my business, when I first started I wanted to make sure I had a solid foundation with no cracks.

I wanted to prove I knew what I was doing and it was a rock solid idea. The first part of laying that foundation was making sure it was what God wanted me to do. Putting my faith into Him and myself, because I knew along the way I was going to face storms that would either try to destroy my foundation or cause cracks, which, over time, would make my foundation crumble.

If you are going through a storm, just know the foundation you lay is up to you. Are you rock solid in knowing God has you grounded or will you be swayed by pride and the ways of the world?

Surround yourself with positive people, people you trust, have faith in yourself and God. The world isn’t living your life for you and neither is anyone else. You are living it for God and for yourself.

The foundation may shift as you grow older, but shift it for the better. You have the power to do that. No matter how much better you make that foundation, make it one on God and the rest will come.

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The Fruits of Our Labor

D

BY CALLIE BURNETT

o you ever have those

moments when you’re plug ging along, going about your

daily routine, and then, all of a

sudden, God stops you in your

tracks? I find that I have more of these

moments myself as I get older and the days, months, and years go by. And I’ll admit that in the last few years, I’ve noticed Him getting my attention more frequently the busier I am. I like to call them God-winks.

Most recently, I was walking to the barn one evening around the same time that I normally do, looking down at the ground after a long day’s work and thinking about all that was still left to do.

“Will it get done?”, “Will the weather cooperate?”, and “Is what I’m doing really worth it?” were a few of the questions running through my mind at the time. Human nature, right? A “doubting Thomas”, for sure.

I made my way to the barn, did what I needed to do there, and started my trek back up the hill to tackle my next farm chore before I ran out of daylight. But this time, I did so with my head up and my eyes looking forward, not down. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the pear trees lining the edge of the field I was walking past were loaded with fruit for the first time in several years. But what stopped me in my tracks and stuck out to me the most was the still-thriving pear tree that had completely split in half a few years ago as a result of heavy winds and rain from a hurricane. After the hurricane, we didn’t expect the tree to live, but we let it be just to see what it would do. We gave it another chance. It was now bearing even more fruit than I ever remembered it bearing when the tree was whole. I almost couldn’t believe what I was seeing with my own eyes, so I stood there, looked up at it for a while, and snapped a picture of it to make sure it was real.

Now, anyone who wasn’t familiar with the tree’s past surely wouldn’t understand why I was viewing its fruit-bearing as a spectacle. It would mean nothing more to them than a broken tree that just happened to be producing fruit. No big deal, right?

But for me, the tree was a tangible reminder from God in the midst of the busyness and hustle and bustle of trying to make a living the importance of growing through what we’re going through. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve been through and are 38

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Psalm 128:2

“You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed and it shall be well with you.” continuing to go through a lot as farmers and ranchers these days. We have to jump through more hoops, fill out more paperwork, dot more i’s, and cross more t’s just to be able to do our jobs. We’ve had hurricanes and weather events that have rendered some of our crops total losses. We’ve endured economic hardships, fluctuating market values, and lost sleep over the future of agriculture, making ends meet, and the uncertainty of being able to make a profit. The list goes on.

I’ve thought a good bit lately about how much we have in common with the broken pear tree. We, too, are broken people – every single one of us; even on our best days. We’re sinners saved by and in constant need of God’s grace. But just because we’re broken doesn’t mean we can’t bear good fruit. Just like the tree, our potential to bear good fruit in our lives and in our professions has much to do with our root system. If our roots are planted deeply and firmly in Christ, we can weather the storms in life and in the field, navigate the hardships, stomach the losses, and face a future that may be unknown to us, but is fully known by Him. He’s the God of second chances (and third, and fourth, and so on). And as farmers and ranchers, we can find so much comfort in that. We’d quickly and easily lose count of the number of times He has given another chance or another season to start over…both in life and in the field. Much like we did with the tree after the hurricane, He, too, gathers our broken pieces, erases our past, and provides us with everything we need to keep going. Isn’t that amazing? With Him, we will always be able to grow through what we go through, regardless of the situation or what it may look like. He’s a promise maker and a promise keeper. And He’s promised us that we will eat the fruits of our labor and be blessed.

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

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

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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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Ag Mag Featured Farmer

HILL of a Good Time

T

he story of Benjamin and Tonya Hill is

part romance, part fairy tail and with a

pre-written ending that reads “and they

lived happily ever after.” Benjamin is a

third-generation rancher and farmer

who grew up in the rice fields of South

east Texas. He is the Farm Manager for

Rio Fresh Farms in San Juan and owns a custom harvesting business that specializes in grain harvesting and hauling.

Tonya has worked multiple jobs, from the finance department of construction companies to many years in the fresh produce business. She owns TM Hill Produce, LLC, a company she started in March 2020. She specializes in tropical imports from Mexico and South America. Together they own Brolaco Cattle Company, which trades in the breeding stock of Simbrah, Percentage Simbrah, and Brahman genetics.

Brolaco is a combination of their three children’s names, Brody, Lorelai and Codie.

Brody is a Junior at Texas A&M University, majoring in engineering industrial distribution and supply. Lorelai is a junior at Sharyland Pioneer. Codie Marie is a fourth-grader at Brewster Elementary. “Ag is so important to our family because it is the literal backbone of our family unit,” Tonya said. “Our careers, our lifestyle, our work, our time, and our faith goes into making sure that we help feed the world with healthy, safe products.

“Ag creates special people. It makes you tough, but also compassionate.”

As the Hills have grown both in numbers and in experience over they years, they realize that depending on one another is critical to “make our life work,” Tonya said. “Every summer, Brody leaves College Station and works the combine for Benjamin in his custom harvesting operation. He started cutting his teeth in the fresh produce business, learning the supply chain aspect of importing fruit, packing, and the distribution network.

“Lorelai is our barn manager. Her passion lies within the show cattle barn and nursing pens. She has a great passion for public relations and fiercely defends the industry. She wants to pursue a law degree with a specialty in agriculture and markets.

“Codie Marie is passionate about her home garden and cooking the fresh veggies that Benjamin brings home. All of these passions, curiosities and future plans revolve around their participation in our Ag businesses. The glue that holds us together is our mutual love for Agriculture.

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Just like a fairy tale that came to life, Benjamin and Tonya were high school sweethearts since Tonya was a freshman (and Benjamin was a junior) at Hull Daisett High School, a small school between Houston and Beaumont. The live in Linn and have been Rio Grande Valley residents for the past 16 years.

They both attended Texas A&M University where Benjamin earned a degree in agricultural economics with an emphasis in farm and ranch management and Tonya studied finance.

It doesn’t take too long to realize that the Hills live and breathe what they do. Like the Clay Walker hit “If I Could Make A Living,” the Hills are clearly “doing what they love and loving what they do.” “(Ag) creates opportunities that require unending faith that the hard work will pay fair dividends. Agriculture is a very demanding industry that requires its participants to be entirely unselfish with their time,” Tonya said. “Early mornings and late nights are the norm. Vacations are spent at cattle shows or on the combine harvesting and hauling corn. Early mornings are filled with farm meetings and early evenings are filled with riding the cattle pens and mending fences.”

choosing or not able to continue the farms, so urban expansion becomes a more attractive route. Weather patterns are crazy ... cattle prices are being held hostage. ... young farmers have a hard time paying land prices,” Tonya said. “There are a lot of issues facing Ag today.

“But, the most positive changes that I have seen in the last five to 10 years is the united advocacy for our industry. Social media has given us a very loud voice. It has graced us with a platform to fight for our way of life. Ag Advocacy has given us the greatest sense of responsibility to continue to change our industry while also teaching the world that we are so much more than production.

“Increased advocacy has united the Ag WORLD in such a positive way that it has given me hope that the family farms will not disappear and that we will be able to develop fair trade practices and that the future generations will choose Ag.” Then everyone will be able to live happily ever after.

Not only have they taught – and continue to teach their children that work with their hands and hearts is the most honest work for anybody, they also want to instruct them on the importance of investing time and efforts into their products.

Phrases such as “know what you say you know,” “kindness always wins,” “God is preparing you for something, just have patience,” and “true faith in a tine seed will yield a good crop,” are not just random words strung together but a series of statements instilled into the entire family and used as a cornerstone and they continue to build their ever-growing foundation of family and business.

“My favorite quote is, ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.’” Tonya said.

Like all life-long farmers, the Hills have seen major changes throughout the years in their industry. Some bad, but not all.

Tonya sees good things as well.

“The family farms are disappearing faster than what we want to see. Specifically in South Texas, the next generations are not

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BY JEAN LONIE

Finding Agri-Marketing’s New Normal: The Silver Linings of a Global Pandemic

A

few months ago, I joined the Texas

Department of Agriculture to help guide

their international marketing efforts.

This was exciting to me for several

reasons. It meant a return working in the public service sector, finding ways to contribute to an industry I love and the opportunity to serve the amazing families in the Texas agriculture industry. I also hoped this new post would mean I wasn’t on the road 60% of the time ... and from a strictly academic perspective I got my wish (and then some)!

As I reflect on my professional life since March, it dawned on me that this unique and uniquely challenging time has brought with it some silver linings. Instead of filling my calendar with the meetings and travel and trade shows that would typically be happening, I have time to think about what we really want to accomplish in terms of putting Texas agriculture on a global stage. I can connect with people I’d never have gotten access to and can learn more about markets all over the world. I have the luxury of digging deeper into my ongoing Texas agriculture education, making me a better advocate and champion for you here at home and around the world. In short, I was forced to drop the busy-ness which is allowing me to really focus on the business.

I don’t think these silver linings are limited to me. Please know that this isn’t written lightly, because this year has had devastating impacts on many people for many reasons. Yet I also see some bright spots coming out of this that I think will help positively shape our industry (at home and abroad) for decades to come:

• Agriculture is essential. Over the past few months, consumers worldwide have been reminded that food doesn’t simply magically appear in the stores. There

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is a complex value chain that spans from producer to plate, and even when that system is taxed beyond measure our farmers and ranchers will step up to the challenges. There is a new appreciation for those who produce food. In some instances, the shift from eating at restaurants to eating at home has created the opportunity for producers to shorten the space between them and the consumer, meaning they keep a little more of the food dollar on the farm or ranch.

There is also an increased awareness of what having agricultural operations in local communities mean.

From an economic and workforce standpoint, our farms and ranches are critical businesses and we cannot overlook their importance. Jobs and dollars that are directly connected to production agriculture flow through small towns and big cities alike – which makes them very important lifelines for community members during times of challenge like this.

• We’re in the relationship business.

Friends who farm in New Zealand taught me a proverb that I will never forget. It comes from the Maori, who are the indigenous people of New Zealand. The translation to English is: “What is the most important thing in the world?

It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.” Yes, we worry about production and markets and weather every day – but the reality is much of what we do has a human

connection. The farmers and ranchers I know are active with local agriculture organizations. They quietly volunteer and serve as leaders in the community. They work daily with external partners and vendors. They try to manage landlord relationships and succession planning. And they try to understand and engage with the consumer. Yes, my friends, we are all in the people business.

Right now, we are in a moment where those relationships and the connections we have to people off the farm and ranch are more difficult to manage, but potentially more important than ever before. I gripe a bit about Zoom and video meetings, but I can also tell you I’ve gotten to meet more people I need to know and work with the past three months than I’d have ever been able to get to in person.

This moment in time is one that is allowing us to reconnect a little deeper with the people we rely on, and in some instances it is letting us develop new networks that can help us survive today and thrive in the future. It sounds cliché, but the people around us matter – and we matter to them.

• Consumers are loving local. Whether buying at a farmers market, purchasing products at a farm stand or store, or looking for the GO TEXAN Logo, consumers are rediscovering the joys of eating fresh and eating local.

Given the diversity and abundance of what is produced in Texas, along with the wide array of partners and products in the GO TEXAN program, we are making it easier for consumers to support local farmers, ranchers, and businesses – and they are supporting us with their engagement and their purchases. It’s a silver lining that I hope goes on and grows on.

be permanent. People are shopping differently (online and retail purchases are growing), which has the potential to open up new markets and new pathways to promote Texas commodities and products around the world. This is a time to evaluate (and re-evaluate) how and where we can be a global player – and find new ways to help consumers everywhere connect with Texas products and the people who produce them.

It may seem weird to say how optimistic I am about the global potential for Texas agriculture, but this belief is supported by the final silver lining I want to share. There is no more “how we’ve always done it”. Because there is no ‘normal’ right now, we have the time and space to be creative in how we develop partnerships around the world and promote Texas agriculture. We can be bold and ambitious and work to bring the industry together with a focus on how to grow globally. We can spend some valuable time getting to know each other in the industry and discovering what each sector of Texas agriculture wants to focus on from an international perspective.

I’ll be the first to admit that Zoom calls and webinars was not how I thought I’d spend my days. But because that is how the near term is playing out, there is a gift in this to truly partner with the industry to help develop an international marketing foundation that will help see us through not just this storm, but all the ones we may face – together – in the future.

No. It’s not quite what I thought it would be right now. But, as it turns out, I really DID pick one heck of a time to get a job focusing on international agricultural trade!

• Many markets, one pandemic. While I can’t travel to any countries right now, thanks to technology I am in many overseas markets each week to hear from agriculture and food experts there. What is amazing to me is how they are all pretty much saying the same thing: the market is changing and some of those changes are anticipated to

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Cattle in Brush Country: Photo by, Victor Gutierrez, Texas Water Resources Institute: Brahman cattle grazing south Texas rangeland

You’re More than a Grass Farmer, You May Not Know It

BY LUCAS GREGORY

W

hat does a rancher in

northern Willacy County

have in common with a

homeowner in Harlingen?

They are both grass farmers but might not realize it. The rancher raises grass to keep their livestock fed and in good condition for calving and market. The homeowner grows grass to keep the landscape around the house and the neighborhood looking nice. The scale and approach to managing these very different grass production scenarios are quite different though; and they don’t just focus on grass either.

Ranchers run large-scale, complex operations of managing cattle and maximizing forage production with the least inputs in an effort to maximize profit margins. Homeowners manage a much smaller landscape and don’t necessarily make decisions based on optimizing costs versus benefits.

Ease of implementing a management decision and ability to acquire materials for the job are usually the biggest decision-making factors.

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The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension, and the Texas Water Resources Institute are hosting two virtual education events that will focus on managing these diverse, grass dominated landscapes. Pre-registration is required for each event. Program updates, instructions for joining the online program, and program materials will all be sent to program participants via email prior to the respective events.

Homeowners and landscape managers alike will be interested in the Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program.

It will be held September 3 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. with a half hour break for lunch. To register for this event, please provide contact information using the form available at: https://twri.tamu.edu/arroyoHLHW “The Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program aims to improve and protect surface water quality by enhancing awareness and knowledge of best management practices for residential landscapes,” Dr. Becky Grubbs, AgriLife Extension urban water specialist, Dallas, said. This pro-

gram will focus on management practices such as using irrigation delivery equipment, interpreting soil test results and understanding nutrient applications to help reduce runoff and make efficient use of applied landscape irrigation water. Dr. Diane Boellstorff, AgriLife Extension water resource specialist in the soil and crop sciences department, College Station, said proper fertilizer application and efficient water irrigation can protect and improve water quality in area creeks and collecting rainwater for lawn and landscape needs reduces stormwater runoff. After the program, these resources can be accessed at https://hlhw. tamu.edu/. Jaime Flores, watershed coordinator for the Arroyo Colorado Watershed, will discuss updates on watershed protection plan activities to improve and protect water quality in this watershed.

For more information about the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan, go to: https://arroyocolorado.org/watershed-protection-plan/ Funding for the Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program is provided in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a Clean Water Act grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the Texas Water Resources Institute.

Ranchers and hay producers will want to sign up for the 4th Annual LRGV Forage Field Day. This virtual program will be held October 8th from 9 a.m. – noon. To register for this event, please provide contact information using the form

available at: https://twri.tamu.edu/LRGVforage.

Victor Gutierrez, Texas Water Resources Institute’s Extension Associate in Weslaco and one of the program organizers, said that this program will cover a variety of topics including grass planting, brush management, technical and financial assistance opportunities, and pasture, range, and forage (PRF) insurance.

“This the 4th year we’ve hosted this event and it has gotten better every year,” Gutierrez said. “Even though this year’s event will be virtual, it will still cover a lot of ground and will even include a virtual field tour of a pasture and land demonstration project.”

While this program will focus primarily on forage development, management, and risk reduction, the content of the program will also have positive environmental considerations when producers implement practices on their properties. Well managed and properly stocked grazing lands provide a host of benefits to both the producer and society in the form of higher livestock productivity, improved water storage and water quality, and decreased flood risk.

This program is a joint effort between Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Partial funding support is provided by a U.S EPA Clean Water Act grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to the Texas Water Resources Institute.

Lawn watering with pop-up sprinkler.

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Ever wonder where your food comes from? Frontera produce and Michelle Martin are bringing that info to you! Whenever you see a Farmer Who sticker on a piece of produce simply hold your phones camera to the QR code (no need to download an app) and bam! A video with Michelle and the farmer that grew that exact piece of produce will pop on your phone!

Be aware of where and how the food is getting to your kitchen table!Â

Remember to thank a farmer!

www.farmerwho.com

GREATER SOUTH TEXAS CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE ONLINE SERIES The Texas/Mexico Border Coalition in partnership with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will host the Greater South Texas Women in Agriculture free virtual series. This will take place on Sept. 16 and 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The two-day series provides a platform for women landowners to learn about the resources available to help them manage and sustain their agricultural business. The event is an opportunity to learn, network and share, and includes topics such as conservation, finance, animal health, marketing, personal health, stewardship, ranching and wildlife management.

Speakers and presentations from state and federal agencies include USDA-NRCS, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Farm Service Agency, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the United States Customs and Border Patrol.

For a complete list of presenters, demonstrations, sponsors and the opportunity to register for the online event, please visit Texas/Mexico Border Coalition website at www.tm-bc.org , email TMBC@tm-bc.org or call 956.481.3256.

There is no charge for this event, and everyone is welcome to attend.

People requiring accommodations, including sign language interpreters, should contact Susan Lopez at least one week before the date of the event at the number or email above.

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

We are excited to bring you the 2020 Texas Fruit Conference virtually on Zoom this year!

When: September 21st and 22nd

Registration: http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/fruit (Note that the Texas Fruit Conference is listed on AgriLife Register under Webinars tab) Registration Deadline: September 19th Fees: Day 1-Intro to Fruit Workshop $50; Day 2-Texas’ Fruit Future, Virtual Fruit Tree Nursery Field Trip, and Panel Discussion (3 sessions)-$35.

Combined Package Price(Both Days) -$70

Educational Program Schedule: Monday, Sept. 21

1:00 pm—Texas Commercial Fruit Production and Marketing Options, Monte Nesbitt 1:20 pm—Perennial Orchard Site Selection, Jim Kamas 1:45 pm—Orchard Irrigation Basics, Larry Stein 2:10 pm—Orchard Site Preparation, Stephen Janak 2:45 pm—Spacing & Planting, Monte Nesbitt 3:05 pm—Protected Culture Strategies, Jacy Lewis 3:30 pm—Orchard Establishment Practices, Larry Stein 4:15 pm—Training and Pruning, Jim Kamas 4:35 pm—Food Safety Laws, Juan Anciso

Tuesday, Sept. 22

Session 1: Texas’ Fruit Future-Exploring new growing practices, new crops and new marketing opportunities 9:00 am—Low Maintenance/High Value Fruit Crops, Jim Kamas 9:30 am—Sustaining & Expanding Strawberry Production Across Texas, Russ Wallace 10:00 am—Golden Kiwifruit Challenges & Opportunities, Tim Hartmann 10:30 am—Muscadine Grapes, Anyone? Justin Scheiner 11:00 am—Texas’ Peach Dreams, Monte Nesbitt

Session 2: A Virtual Field Trip to Fruit Tree Nurseries in Texas: Gain insight into how fruit trees are commercially propagated in Texas 1:30 pm, Womack Nursery, De Leon, Texas 2:15 pm, Texas Pecan Nursery, Chandler, Texas

Session 3: Hard Questions—Good Answers—Live panel discussion with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Fruit Team; Opportunities for participants to present questions and get our best expert opinions.

3:30 to 5:00 pm; Participants—Monte Nesbitt, Jim Kamas, Larry Stein, Justin Scheiner, Tim Hartmann, Jacy Lewis, Stephen Janak S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 2 0

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

García Grain Trading 956-464-6000

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

DONNA, TX PROGRESO, TX

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Beef cattle physiologist joins AgriLife Research

Research to focus on reproduction physiology

BY ADAM RUSSELL

George Perry, Ph.D., was recently hired as a Texas A&M AgriLife Research cattle physiologist and associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science. Perry said he was excited to join AgriLife Research at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton. He said he looks forward to producing research that will directly impact the beef cattle industry in Texas and the southern U.S. Decades of cattle physiology research data at the Overton center will speed his transition and help him begin work on his research objectives immediately, he said. “There’s tremendous opportunity here,” he said. “With the existing research herd and historic physiological data, it will give me a jump start on past performance, and I am looking forward to getting the ball rolling.”

Beef cattle reproduction research

P

erry’s research focuses on

reproduction efficiency in

beef cattle on both the male

and female side in areas like

male and female fertility,

sperm transport, early

breeding and early calf development. Studying reproductive physiology is important in beef cattle herds because weeks and months lost to ineffective natural or artificial breeding can cost producers a calf, and possibly more over several breeding seasons. Perry said his goal is to identify physiological traits in male and female cattle that increase the likelihood animals are bred as early and efficiently as possible.

For instance, producers want to know more about replacement heifers, and the focus is

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typically on early conceptions, Perry said. The research herd will allow him to track the physiological impact when heifers reach puberty and give insights into conception rates this season and beyond through multiple generations.

Regarding bulls, Perry said he will look at sperm transport and how males contribute to breeding efficiency.

“Whether it’s natural or AI, females’ reproductive systems are designed to sort sperm for the best quality to reach the fertilization spot,” he said. “But we know sperm do more than just bring male DNA into the equation. It can also have an impact on the early stages of embryonic development and survivability.”

Background and experience Perry was a faculty member and beef reproduction Extension specialist in the animal science department at South Dakota State University for 17 years. His research efforts there focused on factors that influenced reproductive efficiency, pregnancy success and embryo mortality.

related research ongoing at the center.

“At the end of the day, we think he is positioned to make positive research impacts on the beef cattle industry in Texas and the southeastern U.S.,” Long said. “We expect his work to influence how breeding programs for tropical breeds like Brahman, and other established breeds, are maintained in a way that maximizes productivity.”

Perry was raised on a small cattle operation in Giddings.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Texas A&M and his master’s and doctoral degrees in reproductive physiology from the University of Missouri.

A large portion of his doctoral research was conducted at the U.S. Department of Agriculture research station in Miles City, Montana.

Perry has been invited to speak at numerous national and international conferences on reproductive efficiency in beef cattle and has published numerous manuscripts on reproductive efficiency through his research program.

George Perry, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research physiologist, Overton. (Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo by Adam Russell)

Some of his current research has focused on understanding why variations occur between herds, the impact of vaccination on reproductive success, and factors impacting sperm longevity.

Charles Long, Ph.D., director of the AgriLife center in Overton, said Perry’s education and research background and experience made him the right choice for the position. He said Perry’s hire also adds an element of continuity with

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Bull Ranking Protocol RGVBIA Bull Gain Test 2020-2021

All bulls will be divided into four age groups based on the following birthdates.

Calf

01/01/20 - 04/30/20 Junior

09/01/19 - 12/31/19 Intermediate 05/01/19 - 08/31/19 Senior

01/01/19 - 04/31/19 Bull data will only be compared within the breed and the above age groups.

Awards

Awards will be presented based on the number of bulls of the same breed in each age group as follows:

RGVBIA Index

Within each age group and breed, bulls will be ranked using the ratio of the Rio Grande Valley Beef Improvement Association Index.

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USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Texas Farmers and Ranchers Impacted by Hurricane Hanna Edinburg, TX, Aug. 14, 2020 – Hurricane Hanna’s flooding and high winds impacted agricultural operations in South Texas, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and ranchers recover. As agricultural producers move into recovery mode and assess damages, they should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure and livestock losses and damages.

“FSA has a variety of disaster assistance programs to support farmers and ranchers through times of adversity,” said Gary Six, state executive director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Texas. “Once you are able to evaluate impacts on your operation, it is important to contact your local FSA office to timely report all damages and losses and determine how we can assist.”

USDA encourages farmers and ranchers to contact the FSA county office at the local USDA Service Center to learn which documents should

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be provided to help the local office expedite assistance, such as farm records, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.

Depending on the operation, FSA offers a number of disaster assistance programs to help offset eligible losses, including the Livestock Indemnity Program, Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program, Emergency Conservation Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and Tree Assistance Program.

Additionally, producers located in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low-interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) also offers programs to help in the recovery process. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can help producers plan and implement conservation practices on land impacted by natural disasters.

“NRCS can be a very valuable partner to help landowners with their recovery efforts,” said Clint Evans, acting state conservationist for the NRCS in Texas. “Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop approaches that focus on effective recovery of the land.”

Producers with Federal crop insurance coverage should contact their crop insurance agent for assistance. Producers should report crop damage to their agent within 72 hours of damage discovery and follow up in writing within 15 days.

“Crop insurance is there to help producers manage risk because we never know what nature has in store for the future,” said Jim Bellmon, director of RMA’s Regional Office that covers Texas. “The Approved Insurance Providers, loss adjusters and agents are experienced and welltrained in handling these types of events.”

Assistance for Communities Additional NRCS programs include the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program, which provides assistance to local government sponsors with the cost of addressing watershed impairments or hazards such as debris removal and streambank stabilization. Eligible sponsors include cities, counties, towns, conservation districts, or any federally recognized Native Amer-

ican tribe or tribal organization. When a watershed impairment occurs due to a natural disaster event, the district conservationist serves as the local facilitator for EWP activities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the lead federal agency for Presidentially declared natural disasters. All NRCS emergency work is coordinated with FEMA or its designee. Sponsors must submit a formal request (via mail or email) to the state conservationist for assistance within 60 days of the natural disaster occurrence or 60 days from the date when access to the sites become available.

For more information, please contact Michael Robison, EWP program manager, at michael. robison@usda.gov or (254) 742-9901.

More Information Producers and landowners can use the online Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, answering five questions that will identify USDA programs that will help meet disaster recovery needs.

For more information on all USDA disaster assistance programs, visit farmers.gov/recover or contact your local USDA Service Center, which can be found at farmers.gov/service-center-locator. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, please contact your crop insurance agent.

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BY GARY JOINER Publisher

Farm and ranch acres in Texas are disappearing.

The land is not gone, but its use is.

You’re probably not surprised. What may surprise you, however, is the rate at which the land is being converted. The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute says in the 20 years from 1997-2017, Texas lost about 2.2 million acres of working lands. The rate of conversion accelerated in the last five-year period, with over 1.2 million acres lost during that time. That’s over 650 acres per day. It’s a staggering loss for Texas farmers, ranchers and forestland owners. The process of working land conversion and loss is driven by economic and population growth.

Population growth increases land values and markets, creating incentives for landowners to subdivide and sell their land.

As ownership sizes decrease, the likelihood of maintaining a profit with traditional farming, ranching and forestry uses also decreases, facilitating the conversion of working lands to non-agricultural uses.

And the conversion promises to continue. By the year 2050, Texas is projected to support upwards of 40 million total residents, according to the Texas Demographic Center.

The demand for rural land will be especially strong in areas surrounding major urban centers and transportation corridors.

But we need to keep farmers, ranchers and forestry owners on the land to grow our food, conserve water and preserve wildlife habitat.

That’s good for you, for me and for Texas.

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