issue 43 of the Ag Mag

This letter from the Editor is dedicated to all my readers, sponsors, supporters, family (Clayton and Knox Martin) and my team Aaron Trevino and Alfonso Benavides.

Michelle Martin

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

Al Benavides

In This Issue:

A Letter from the Editor Ever have those days where you wonder if what you’re doing is worth it?

You work your tail off and do not really see anything come from it except maybe a feeling of emptiness and maybe even an empty wallet? I have had that feeling more than once. I like to be open and honest with my readers and always feel that God just lets my fingers do the typing and that’s exactly what I am doing in this letter from the editor.

Two years ago when I started my TV show, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I had the mentality that it was going to take as much work as my magazine, but I was wrong. It has taken far more. I think editorial and media are two different beasts in their own ways. Don’t get me wrong, the magazine is a lot of work. Yet, with the start of my show came a lot of debt, defeat, and social media pressures. I wouldn’t change it for the world, but I feel it’s important to share the fact that although it may look like all is glorious and fun, there have been times where I wanted to throw my hands in the air and say, “I’m done!”

I am so glad I did not stop because, to me, sharing God’s beautiful world and all the people in it is important and I feel we need more voices in Agriculture.

When I first started the show, I got myself and family into $60,000 worth of debt.

I worked endless hours on getting my show off the ground, yet when it came down to it, I had nothing to show for it. I wasn’t making money. Instead, I spending it. I felt like no one cared, no one wanted to support it, and I honestly felt (Continued on page 37)

Owner/Creator of AG MAG

Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407

6. Cotton Market Experiences Rare Harvest Price Spike 8. A New Way to Map with Conservation Data 10. Looking Back On A Memorable Marketing Year for the U.S. Grain Sorghum Trade To China 12. Texas Dept of Agriculture Livestock Export Facilities 18. 2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences Offering Insight on Latest Innovative Technology, Research 22. Managing Diamondback Moths and Cabbage Loopers in Cabbage 26. Watermelon’s Health 32. Built On A Dream 37. A Letter From The Editor 38. If You Have Grass, Read This!

The Legacy of Joe Townsend 40. Cotton & Grain Golf Tourney 2021 44. Farming with Social Media 48. FEATURED FARMER: Hlavinka Equipment Co. was Created as a Family Business 50. Be On The Lookout for ARMYWORMS 55. High Fertilizer Prices Add to Growing Input Costs 58. La Muñeca Jr. Round Up Photos 60. The 2021 Heritage Sale Q&A 62. Taking That Leap of Faith 64. Planting Roots Far From Home 70. TSSWCB Announces 2021 Conservation Award Winners Cover photo by: Aaron Treviño and Westerfeld Family Year 8, Issue 43 November/December 2021. 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 ©2021.

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

Cotton Market Experiences Rare Harvest Price Spike

BY JOHN MILLER

V

alley cotton farmers have experienced a lot of change during the growing season. Early on, dry conditions led to a loss of cotton acreage, some of which were switched to grain after crop failures in attempt to keep the land productive.

A significant share of the cotton that completed the growing season made an impressive mid-season improvement that saw per acre yields up to and even exceeding 2 bales per acre on non-irrigated land. In addition to the late season improvement in the cotton crop, prices have experienced an unexpected post-harvest spike to levels not seen very often at any time of year. As you can see from the December Cotton Futures Chart (CTZ21), cotton futures prices exceeded 1 dollar per pound for the first time since the fall of 2011.

While there does seem to be a lot of trading resistance at about the $1.05 level, it is too uncertain to say that this market is out of steam. But as you can imagine, futures traders remain extremely cautious since speculators could easily liquidate long positions for taking profit, especially given the longevity of the two weeks long rally.

In addition, the total Open Interest in the cotton futures markets is topping 290,000 contracts, which is the largest figure for this time of year in the last 5 years. So, the uncertainty centers around whether there is enough bullish information to keep the selling off of an overbought market at bay. You can also see from the CTZ21 chart, that in recent weeks the cotton market has continued to rally in the face of an increasing US Dollar which is typically not the case.

It is difficult to put percentages on contributing factors in the most recent run-up in cotton futures prices.

There seems to be confidence about future demand, especially from China. Speculators may also be tying cotton in with rising energy prices. But there are also numerous short-term concerns primarily related to weather.

Heavy rainfall in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas this past week has raised concerns about the cotton crop in those states, especially on the significant about of ‘open’ cotton primed for harvest. While the overall US crop is an unusually high rated 64 percent good-to-excellent, a considerable amount of this cotton is at a vulnerable stage.

It seems that the added reports of both China and India

experiencing weather issues

that have caused some

flooding has added anxiety

to the marketplace as well.

There are reports that heavy

rains from Cyclone Gulab

having damaged summer

crops in India, including

cotton, just as harvest is set

to begin there.

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As with any market run-up, it us typically a culmination of numerous price-positive

factors that turn a market ‘bullish’. And this one has been bullish since late summer. In addition to the concerns about weather, improved export reports have likely been the factors that have most helped push the market over 1 dollar per pound. The recently improved export numbers over the last few weeks is led by China’s reserve buying. You can see from the Top 10 Market Year to Date Cotton Sales chart that China has been the number one destination during the current marketing year.

Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico and Vietnam round out the top five, but all at levels much below China. As with so many commodities, China is such a big part of the US export program. It has only been over the past couple of years that China has rebounded from an almost non-existent purchase program for US cotton. The speculative market has a strong appetite for information related to US sales to China, but of course the big question is whether or not it will continue at these demand-killing prices, and the probable loss of market share to synthetic fibers?

What you immediately see is that the 2022 cotton market futures are trading at approximately 86 cents per pound which is roughly 16 cents per pound below the 2021 level.

What you immediately see is that the 2022 cotton market futures are trading at approximately 86 cents per pound which is roughly 16 cents per pound below the 2021 level.

This suggests that speculators are much more interested in the short-term issues discussed above rather than potential problems far in the future. The marketplace is in effect saying that they want cotton for use now rather than stored for later time periods. For the farmer however, 86 cents per pound can be profitable and will have some producers looking to lock in profits for next year.

What we have to hope most for is a type of winter that provides the moisture needed to pull off a successful planting season in the spring so that Valley farmers can capitalize on some of the best prices seen in some time.

From the US Cotton Export Sales Progress Chart you can see that the cumulative sales for 2021/22 have now reached 7.224 million bales which is down slightly from the 7.956 million seen at this time last year. The US has reached approximately half of the USDA’s forecast for exports for the entire marketing year.

One thing to keep in mind with December cotton trading over one dollar is that if we do not continue to see increasing weekly export sales we have to wonder where the music stops on behalf of the increasing speculative long position crowd.

As with all businesses right now, rising input costs create even more uncertainty. A continuation of these types of prices until more is known about 2022 growing conditions is a tall order. Outcomes like the current year are few and far between but so needed from time-to-time to keep Valley farming sustainable contributing to the local economy.

Given the early nature of the Valley cotton harvest relative to the rest of the US cotton belt, farmers here are already thinking about next year.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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A new way to map with conservation data Solving Texas’ natural resources challenges with TxMAP

The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife, is seeking to engage land managers, citizens and policymakers in visualizing natural resource conflicts and solutions through a new mapping application called TxMAP

A TxMAP view of land trends and demography datasets highlighting energy production and resources in West Texas. (Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute map) Like a trusty map from the glovebox with a pocket compass folded in the crease, geospatial data reveals the best routes to take and the dead ends to avoid when navigating natural resources, but ultimately requires inquisition by the user.

The Natural Resources Institute built this new tool utilizing changes and trends that have been explored and developed with Texas data on privately owned farms, ranches and forests in the last few decades.

The public accessibility of the data is a cornerstone of the Natural Resources Institute’s land trends research program, especially where collaboration with conservation-minded groups leads to better advocacy and resources for land stewards. As the adage goes, we shape our tools, and our tools shape us.

In this case, they shape the users to be more inquisitive conservationists.

New mapping tool Over the last year, the institute’s geospatial analysis team ideated and developed TxMAP to allow users to see how the institute’s water, wildlife, military and demography data relates to the land around it.

“For example, through TxMAP, we can compare threatened and endangered species data in one region with what’s currently being managed in another,” said Brittany Wegner, Natural Resources Institute project 8

Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

specialist. “Or we can overlap energy production information with military training activity to ensure development will not hinder military preparedness or conservation practices. We can even use mapping to see how human populations relate to variables like river basin management.”

The nexus of wildlife conservation, protected management areas and military lands in Bastrop County.

(Natural Resource Institute map) Readers can explore the data layers to answer questions and better visualize natural resources across Texas through boundaries and markups, and then publish and print a summary of their findings. Individualized map reports created in TxMAP can be used for policymakers, conservation organizations, state and federal agencies as well as private landowners and managers to review desired geospatial information comprehensively.

TxMAP, along with a user guide, is designed to help be the solution for: — Conservation organizations and land trusts to identify critical habitats, target areas for conservation easements in relation to development and leverage land valuation estimates.

— Legislative staff to direct constituents looking for ways to learn how and where wildlife conservation and threatened and endangered species and water-related projects occur.

— City planners and developers to discover where military training routes occur in relation to areas of interest as a part of standard practice.

— Natural resource professionals, state and federal agencies and educators to understand how resources are set up for those who own land.

— Private landowners and managers, to serve as the mapping component of How to Find Natural Resource Professionals in Texas. With resources visualized, landowners become oriented with their property and can learn how each entity works with the adjacent areas, answering questions that will catalyze their management plans and ability to identify programs that ultimately support the property.

Regardless of how the tool is used, TxMAP was created to continue to increase the public knowledge of trends occurring across the landscape, aiming to better inform and shape the future of our state’s most valuable resource — land.

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LOOKING BACK ON A MEMORABLE MARKETING YEAR FOR THE U.S. GRAIN SORGHUM TRADE TO CHINA

A

ugust 31, 2021 marked the end of the

2020/21 marketing year, and with it

came an opportunity to look back on

how the past twelve months com pared to recent marketing years, particularly in terms of trade with China. Over the last eighteen months, lots of energy – some political, some purely economic – has been dedicated to grading the Phase One agreement with China as a success or failure.

Many of these assessments were premature, coming less than halfway into the two-year agreement. As we near the end of the second calendar year – and with one full marketing year represented as well – though, we can now make more comprehensive judgments on the agreement’s impact on U.S. agricultural trade with China.

For many commodities, particularly sorghum, it’s difficult to render anything but a positive grade for the Phase One agreement. As we’ll break down below, the 2020/21 marketing year saw sales and exports of U.S. sorghum into China move at a pace that rivaled some of our strongest marketing years on record. While we can give the Phase One agreement credit for thawing once-tense diplomatic relations and allowing trade to return, for a commodity like sorghum the robust trade over the last twelve months can be attributed more to high demand than any structural changes or purchase requirements contained in the Phase One agreement.

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

BY PATRICK WADE

As China continues to rebuild its decimated swine population following the African Swine Fever, the country has been relentless in securing massive amounts of feed grains. At its peak in 2014, China slaughtered 735,100,000 heads of hog. In 2020, it was all the way down to 460,000,000 and has been estimated to rise to just 520,000,000 in 2021, still well below peak years.

Furthermore, this rebuild is doubling down on feed grains due to recent changes to swine industry practices about feeding leftover food scraps to hogs. That practice was identified as a vector for the spread of African Swine Fever, so even more feed grains will be needed in order for the industry to truly recover. This strong demand, coupled with dwindling state reserves driving domestic corn prices to premiums well above U.S. imports, led China to prioritize imports to meet demand challenges.

Multiple U.S. commodities have seen substantial increases in imports to China as part of this trend, but sorghum is one of the few that already had unimpeded access to the Chinese market – no tariff rate quotas or other structural barriers limiting its access.

So taking those factors into account, how did the U.S. sorghum exports to China in the 2020/21 marketing year stack up to past marketing years? In nearly all metrics, it’s clear this was one of the strongest marketing years on record.

Only the 2014/15 and 2015/16 marketing years saw a greater volume of U.S. sorghum sold and exported to China than we had over the last twelve months. According to USDA FAS Global Agriculture Trade System (GATS), there were 6,990,000 MT (275 million bushels) of U.S. sorghum sold to China and 6,739,000 MT (265 million bushels) of U.S. sorghum exported in the 2020/21 marketing year.

When accounting for the overall value of the exports, only the 2014/15 marketing year was worth more than the 2020/21 marketing year, also per GATS. It’s likely not a coincidence that 2014 was also the peak of China’s hog slaughter operations in the last decade.

While there are still three months left in the final calendar year of the Phase One agreement, it does not seem premature to judge China’s return to the U.S. sorghum market as successful. And although there is no current consideration for a “Phase Two” agreement, so long as sorghum remains free of tariff-rate quotas and the Chinese swine industry continues to rebuild, pure market forces ought to drive continued demand. In fact, looking ahead, the 1.6 million metric tons (63 million bushels) committed for the new 2021/22 marketing year prior to its start is a record amount going into a new marketing year, and China has already added just over 7 million bushels to that commitment total in just the first two weeks of September.

As we enter this new marketing year, we remain optimistic that this trading relationship is back to normal.

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Texas Department of Agriculture Livestock Export Facilities Facilities Livestock Export of Agriculture Texas Department AG MAG EDITORIAL

BY RICHARD DE LOS SANTOS

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

Howdy Neighbors, Here at the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), one of our most important missions is to protect and promote production agriculture at home. Since taking office, I’ve made it a top priority to ensure livestock being exported from Texas meets all state and federal guidelines. TDA’s export facilities serve as passageways for exporting livestock. From cattle and horses to pigs and poultry, these facilities are tools to help transport Texas livestock worldwide.

Texas is a vital gateway to trade expansion. I want everyone around the world to know that livestock raised in our great state remain top notch and so are the farmers and ranchers who produce them. That’s why TDA has five export facilities located across the state and is committed to not only protecting the transported livestock but also the owners, buyers, and brokers.

Four of our facilities are located along the Texas border with Mexico and provide the perfect location for animals to be held until inspection and export requirements are met. These facilities provide buyers and sellers the opportunity to transport livestock by ground and sea. Our fifth facility is in Houston, near Bush Intercontinental Airport, and is the only location that provides shipment by air. We’ve recently completed a new facility at the airport, and it is one of the most modern in the world, making it an ideal place to get Texas livestock anywhere around the globe.

Some of these export facilities were built in the 70’s and were in desperate need of renovation.

I made it a priority for my folks at TDA to make the Del Rio Export Facility a modern export site and today it’s an up and running state-of-the-art facility. Completed in September of 2020, this location is approved to export cattle, horses, and sheep. Del Rio is also the only certified facility to ship exotic livestock. It features six livestock pens, 14 horse stalls with shade and water available for animals and offers a large parking area providing accessible truck and trailer movement.

Use of the livestock export facilities are available to producers, brokers, and exporters. It’s important to use the appropriate livestock exporting facility, as not all facilities export the same animals. TDA facility staff can help you successfully navigate this process.

TDA is committed to exporting excellence and adheres to all biosecurity protocols and works closely with the Mexico Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) with their on-site office.

So, next time you pass through Brownsville, El Paso, Del Rio, Houston, or Laredo, remember the impact these livestock export facilities have on Texas agriculture and the economy.

Remember friends, Texas agriculture matters!

For more information on transporting livestock to Mexico, or any other location, buyers responsibilities, animal removal, export fees, and genetics exports, please visit our website

www.TexasAgriculture.gov/LivestockExportPens.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences Offering Insight on Latest Innovative Technology, Research

BY COTTON NELSON

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Ag Mag THEAGMAG.ORG

T

he 2022 Beltwide Cotton Confer

ences, set for January 4-6 at the

Marriott Rivercenter Hotel in San

Antonio, Texas, will offer attendees

timely updates on the latest research, technology and issues affecting U.S. cotton production and processing.

The 2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC), set for January 4-6 at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, will offer attendees timely updates on the latest research, technology and issues affecting U.S. cotton production and processing.

The BWCC, coordinated by the National Cotton Council, annually brings together university and USDA researchers, regulatory agencies, extension personnel/ agents, consultants, and industry sales/support personnel to exchange information about new products and production/processing systems that can be tailored to individual farming operations for maximum efficiency.

and carbon sequestration at the field level.

BWCC’s 12 cotton technical conferences, which now includes the Cotton Sustainability Conference, will provide findings from current research and updates on emerging technology that are aimed at elevating U.S. cotton production and processing efficiency. Those sessions will meet concurrently beginning on the morning of January 5 and conclude by noon on January 6.

The Cotton Sustainability Conference will plan to focus on the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®, including multiple panel discussions with many name brands and industry leaders, as well as sustainability experts. Field-to-Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture along with carbon and organic markets also will be included as topics of interest.

The Cotton Engineering-Systems Conference is planning presentations on data analytics, robotics, remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles, among others.

Those planning to attend are encouraged to register via the BWCC home page at www.cotton.org/beltwide/ and clicking on the registration tab. The BWCC home page also includes links to more information about the forum, including housing reservations and an updated program.

Registration costs for the 2022 BWCC before December 16 are: $200 for NCC/Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, extension personnel, associations and consultants; $500 for non-U.S. research, extension, associations, and consultants; $400 for non-NCC/Foundation members; and $80 for students.

On-site conference self-registration kiosks will be available 24 hours a day beginning on the evening of January 3. Beginning on the morning of January 4, NCC staff will be available for attendees needing assistance with registration and name badge printing.

Among topics being considered for inclusion in the BWCC’s Consultants Conference on the morning of January 4 are: updates on ThryvOn™ cotton and its effectiveness on providing season-long protection against tarnished plant bugs and thrips species; herbicide resistance; the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®; changes in weather patterns and the impact on crops; the Biden Administration’s impact on agriculture; the Endangered Species Act; developments in Bt cotton;

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Your business is our priority! Locally grown

HANKA SOD 32054 Weaver Road, San Benito, Texas

956-207-9004

Harvesting year ‘round Delivery Available TIFT 419, Bermuda, Floratam & St. Augustine

ANNOUNCEMENTS USDA expands local, electronic communication options for Texas producers Did you know you can subscribe to receive free email and text message updates from your local USDA Service Center?

Whether you’re in the field, on a tractor or even on horseback, this service enables producers and stakeholders to receive notifications while on the go. Subscribers will receive text messages or emails about important program information, eligibility requirements and deadlines from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Risk Management Agency (RMA).

You can sign up for email and text alerts by visiting farmers. gov/subscribe. From there you can choose from a wide number of topics including disaster assistance, conservation programs, crop insurance, farm loans, and more. Participants may unsubscribe at any time.

For more information visit farmers.gov/working-with-us/ stay-connected or for subscription assistance, contact your local USDA Service Center.

USDA Announces Recipients of Urban Agriculture Grants and Cooperative Agreements 3 Projects Awarded in Texas U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the selection of recipients for more than $6.6 million in grants and cooperative agreements through the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. These grants and cooperative agreements build on $4.1 million in projects funded in 2020.

Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Competitive Grants The Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program supports a wide range of activities through two grant types, which are Planning Projects and Implementation Projects. Activities include operating community gardens and nonprofit farms, increasing food production and access in economically distressed communities, providing job training and education and developing business plans and zoning. USDA is awarding $4.75 million for 10 Planning Projects and 11 Implementation Projects. Recipients include H.O.P.E. for Small Farm Sustainability in Harlingen for the Community Garden Initiative for At-Risk Youth of Texas.

Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Project Through Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) Projects, USDA is investing approximately $1.92 million in 24 pilot projects to develop and implement strategies for municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. USDA prioritized projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits, incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners, integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts and collaborate with multiple partners.

Recipients include City of Dallas for the Dallas Commercial Compost & Special Events Pilot Project and the City of Fort Worth for the Expansion of the City of Fort Worth Residential Food Scraps Composting Pilot Program. For a complete list of grant and cooperative agreement recipients and project summaries, visit farmers.gov/urban.

NRCS Announces 2022 Deadlines for Conservation Assistance Funding

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas has announced the first funding application deadline of October 29, 2021, for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). A second funding application deadline will be February 11, 2022.

Applications are taken year round for NRCS programs, but deadlines are announced to rank and fund eligible conservation projects. Producers interested in signing up for EQIP should submit applications to their local USDA service center. If already a USDA client, a producer can submit applications online via Farmers.gov.

EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers. Technical assistance is provided without a fee from NRCS specialists to help landowners and land managers plan and implement conservation practices to help them meet their land management goals, address natural resource concerns and improve soil, water, plant, animal, air, and related resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.

For additional information visit the NRCS Texas website at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov. Applications for EQIP are accepted on a continuous basis. Producers interested in EQIP can contact their local USDA service center or visit the NRCS EQIP web page.

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Managing Diamondback Moths a Parasitoid of Diamondback moth larvae

Diamondback moth larvae

T

he diamondback moth (DBM) became

a severe problem for Valley growers in the

fall of 1986 with control failures due to in secticide resistance occurring through most

of the late 1980’s. During the 1990’s, DBM populations experienced a few control failures in the spring with levels reaching 38 larvae per plant while in the fall these levels only reached two larvae per plant. The implementation of a cabbage IPM program in the early 1990’s was successful at reducing the number of sprays as well as controlling the worm complex, including DBM, and producing an acceptable yield of high-quality cabbage.

Populations of DBM remained at manageable levels throughout the following decades.

However, last year was a tough one for controlling this pest. There was significant pressure and some reports of insecticides not providing adequate control. The diamondback moth is renowned for its ability to develop resistance to insecticides, sometimes within just a few years. Prophylactic or “calendar spraying” using conventional/synthetic insecticides has led to frequent, repeated exposure to many effective insecticides, resulting in decreased efficacy.

In South Texas we can have multiple generations of this pest throughout the growing season, which favors the development of resistance. Insecticides select individual DMB that can tolerate exposure to a toxin and survive to pass this trait on to future generations.

Generally, tolerance to one insecticide results

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in tolerance to all insecticides with the same mode of action (MOA), categorized by IRAC group numbers. Each MOA has a designated IRAC number and all insecticides with the same MOA will have the same IRAC number. To restore the efficacy of current insecticides and extend the usefulness of new, novel insecticides, it is incredibly important to use them judiciously, rotate between IRAC groups, and include non-chemical methods whenever practical. In other words, employ an integrated pest management plan.

Biological/natural control for DBM already present in the Valley include two larval parasitoids. Diadegma insulare and Microplitis plutellae, which have been found to reach between 20 and

and Cabbage Loopers in Cabbage

BY JUAN ANCISO AND HOLLY DAVIS

Parasitoid cocoon and Diamondback moth pupae

Diamondback moth adult

60% parasitization of DBM larvae if populations are not disrupted by spraying non-selective insecticides. Other regions in the U.S. have reported as high as 80% parasitization of DBM by native parasitoids. Many investigators have reported that populations in the U.S. and Canada are held in check by a multiplicity of environmental factors, chiefly biotic such as parasitoids, but serious outbreaks do occur. While the cabbage looper is typically the major pest to Valley growers, it has been kept under control with synthetic chemical insecticides. Biological/natural control for the cabbage looper present in the Valley include Voria ruralis and Cotesia marginiventris although they are generally responsible for less than 5% parasitization in unsprayed fields.

used. Bt’s have been found to be most effective for control of DBM when applied before head formation as good coverage may become a problem after head formation.

The success of the cabbage IPM program of the early 1990’s was accomplished by monitoring fields regularly, using an action threshold rather than a scheduled treatment, and by selecting the most appropriate insecticide for the pests present and the growth stage of the crop (Fig. 1). The use of commercially available pheromone lures can be a relatively easy way to monitor for DBM activity, alerting consultants and growers when adult activity begins. While these traps will not provide significant control, they indicate that scouting for larval activity should begin in 7-10 days. Note that there can be a lot of variation in activity from one field to another so each field will need to be monitored individually.

The fact that Bt’s do provide moderate control of cabbage looper (60-70% control) and good control of DBM should further strengthen the use of Bt’s early season (until cupping or small head formation). This will preserve the biological/natural control that exists for these two pests.

Past results indicate that good control (70-85% control) of DBM larvae was achieved with Bt’s at the higher rates. These Bt’s did provide better control than the synthetic insecticide chemical standard (permethrin) under the tested population and infestation level. It’s worth noting that, even though limited synthetic pyrethroids had been used in this field, larval samples exposed to pyrethroids using the vial technique demonstrated that the population was quite resistant to this group of insecticides.

Fig. 1 Action Threshold for diamondback moth larvae throughout the season.

Early season, Bt products should be used alone for DBM and cabbage looper, provided good coverage is achieved and infestation levels are not heavy. It is recommended to alternate between the kurstaki and aizawa strains to prevent DBM resistance to Bt. Growers can then change to synthetic insecticides mid-to late season for DBM and cabbage looper while keeping the number of these applications down to a minimum. To help delay resistance development, rotate between insecticides with different modes of action for each DBM generation.

A successful cabbage IPM program will involve selecting Bacillus thuriengiensis (Bt) products for DBM early in the season as it is least disruptive to parasitoid populations because it is only effective on caterpillars where it must be consumed as a stomach poison. Later in the season, synthetic insecticides that are more effective for cabbage looper, or beet armyworm can be

If control fails using one mode of action, rather than treating again with the same insecticide, switch to a product with a different IRAC number. This resistance management strategy will insure the judicious use of Bt’s and synthetic chemical insecticides and proper control of these two serious pests in cabbage for the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

25

WATERMELON’S HEALTH

BY MARTY WIGLESWORTH USGR

A

s Manager for the East Coast

Agronomy team with Syngenta,

I often travel the watermelon

growing areas of the eastern US giving disease control advice as both an employee of Syngenta and as a Plant Pathologist. Frequently I am asked by either a watermelon grower, consultant, or retailer to give them a “fungicide program” to cover their disease concerns for the season.

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When they ask this question, I usually push back and say that I can’t do that. After I see the puzzled look on their face, I give them more clarity on my response.

I start by saying I would rather give you guidance on what you first need to think about.

I do this by asking them several probing questions:

• What are your “typical” in-season diseases?

To give you a blanket recommendation to cover every possible disease scenario would not be prudent, advisable, or economical.

One needs to think about what diseases that have been confronted and plan for them one at a time (but usually you find out that many have the same solution). By looking at these, it gives one the ability to plan out a strategy to confront and anticipate the possible solutions.

• When do you typically see these problems?

Are they early season disease problem, mid, or late… or do they occur throughout the season? That can greatly affect what products you need to choose and when. Since most of the existing fungicide products are best preventative, timing is important. Fighting a curative battle with a disease problem is possible (in certain situations), but it can lead to unnecessary yield loss…and importantly for the future, possible selection for more resistant biotypes of that disease.

tells me that they have a significant Phytophthora problem. Well, my question back to them is: “Is this mostly a crown rot problem or a fruit rot problem?”

By asking that, I can understand a lot about how to implement a strategy. Dealing with a crown rot Phytophthora problem is a different strategy than dealing with a fruit rot issue caused by the same pathogen.

Although it may be a similar fungicide that deals with this problem, the timing to control each are dramatically different. Unless I ask the probing questions, I may give them an incorrect solution.

My general advice to a grower is to make sure your consultant/retailer is asking the right questions… and vice versa. By asking the probing questions up front, having a strategy that is flexible based on history (with the surety that the weather will throw you curves), and understanding the particulars of the fungicides selected; a successful disease program is possible, even under the most difficult situations.

• Are you on drip or overhead irrigation?

Such a simple question tells me what direction for placing certain products by taking advantage of systemic products versus others that are less so.

Now there are a whole host of others that I eventually ask, but I generally start with those. Once I get the preliminary information, I next start to help them think about what is needed when, why it is needed, and how to strategically time each solution. I prefer to teach them “how” to think about the strategy (teach them to fish philosophy) versus giving them a sheet of paper with a full season spray program that doesn’t have a lot of flexibility…particularly when environmental and disease conditions change.

Let me give you an example. A grower

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A reprint from Texas Farm Bureau

Texas Farm Bureau statement on ‘Remain in Mexico’ decision

The following statement may be attributed to Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening on Tuesday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that reinstates a policy that requires asylum applicants to wait in Mexico while their claims are evaluated by U.S. authorities.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s order for the federal government to restore the previous administration’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy hopefully provides much-needed relief to communities and landowners on the border who have been overwhelmed with the unprecedented number of migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. The decision is welcome news for Texas farmers and ranchers in the border region who are experiencing direct negative impacts from the border crisis.

Elected leaders and law enforcement officials along the Texas border said a pause in the immigration surge was desperately needed during a recent Farm Bureau informational trip to the region. It is hoped the return of the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy will provide cities and counties a chance to recover from the unsustainable drain on local resources and services being used to respond to the crisis.

“The border must be secured now to resolve these impacts. We need a stronger deterrent, stronger protections and an end to the crisis.”

Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening

Hear personal stories from farmers and ranchers living on the border at texasfarmbureau.

org/border-crisis-impacts.

MORE THAN JUST INSURANCE! NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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Built On ADRE

I

t’s 5,100 miles from Amsterdam, Netherlands to New Mexico.

That translates into 10 hours and 47 minutes flight time. However, there were no straight-line flights that took Tara Vander Dussen’s grandparents on a non-stop flight such as that when they immigrated to the United States.

“They were in their late 20s, and the made a couple of stops along the way,” Tara said. “But they ultimately ended up in New Mexico. I have grown up my whole life on a dairy farm in New Mexico – first in Southern New Mexico then Eastern New Mexico.”

Tara and her husband Daniel Vander Dussen are both fifth-generation dairy farmers, running a cow calf operation in Eastern New Mexico.

They have known one another since Tara was 3 and Daniel was 5. Tara didn’t have plans to return to the farm after college. Plans, however are not often set in stone or follow a simple and straight path. They now have two children Gwenevere and Anneliese Vander Dussen.

“When I went away to college ,I didn’t see myself coming back to the dairy.” Tara said. “But life had other plans for me. My now-husband and I started dating my junior year in college “It was then that I decided to use my degree in 32

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and after graduating and getting married I moved onto his dairy farm. It was then that I decided to use my degree in environmental science to consult for dairies on environmental regulations and permitting.”

Since then, days have been filled as a full-time mom and a full-time environmental consultant and agriculture advocate, as if any one of those “full-time” responsibilities were limited to “just” full-time. Still, they are all something Tara has an intense passion for a love of so time becomes nearly irrelevant. Her business New Mexico Milk Maid keeps her very busy.

“There’s not enough time in the day,” she joked.

“A lot of moms would probably say that, but balancing motherhood and being all in on a business can be so hard. You never really ‘balance it.’ You give your all for motherhood and do the best you can for your business with the other time you have left. Honestly, I wouldn’t change that. I am so blessed to have the ability to spend the time I want and need with my girls.”

While every day is different, Tara has a routine, one with plenty of variety. She spends the majority of the day on her computer, reviewing sampling results, sending emails and putting together reports. That’s just a sampling in itself of what her day can include.

“I also get out in the field to sample wells,

EAM lagoons and complete compliance inspections,” she said. “For advocating, I spent time sharing and posting to social media, speaking at conferences and just generally saying yes to whatever opportunities come my way to share about dairy farming.

Tara is quick to point out that the term dairy farming may bring about cliche-like images where people may thing that every dairy farm is the same. She said that it’s actually the opposite.

“In dairy faring, one of the coolest things is how unique every dairy farm is,” she said. “Sure, there are a lot of similarities but there are a lot of differences. For example, our dairy farm isn’t going to look like a dairy farm in Upstate New York. Also, our dairy farm isn’t the same as the dairy farm down the road.

It’s the most rewarding part of my jobs. She said that a lot of the misconceptions wouldn’t exist if people “simply knew their farmers and the people producing their food a little better.”

“When it comes to sharing online about agriculture, my biggest piece of advice is to be you,” she said. “I shared about how every day is different and everyone’s story is different. Sharing that story can have such a powerful impact. We can all reach unique and different people.” “ So be authentic to you and however it is that you want to share.”

“Every herd is different, every barn is different.

We all have our own unique way of doing things that work for our farms.

Tara is also busy on her various social platforms, advocating for dairy farming.

She said she enjoys communicating with people , whether that’s working with her dairy producers through environmental consulting or connecting with consumers about dairy farming.

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(Continued from page 4)

A Letter from the Editor

defeated. I was seconds away from giving up.

It was at that moment God gently reminded me I had been through far worse in my life and never gave up. Like the death of my mother while pregnant, my son being extremely ill as a child, amongst other less than desirable circumstances. Even with the start of my magazine I had trials, so why was I going to just give up on this... what was so different? The simple answer is NOTHING. Nothing was different — other than my mentality. I had told myself my show would take off just as quick as my magazine did. That was my problem.

All it took was that gentle reminder God gave me that I had to keep going. I decided to shorten my episodes and really start to promote my business, both the magazine and the show, on social media — Instagram mostly. All it took was a simple day of re-strategizing, and then the business of the show started to do better. All it took was one simple change.

I still remember on one of the awful days, receiving a farming devotional in the mail, that I had not ordered. It was someone who follows me on Instagram and decided to surprise me. The first devotional I read was about God’s plans and not believing the lies of the enemy and the world. Sometimes, instead of seeking validation of humanity and myself, I should be seeking God’s validation. Life is short and I want to fulfill the plan He has set out before me. That simple act of kindness from a stranger was yet, another gentle reminder to keep going Now, I still have trials that are taking a lot longer than I expected, but it doesn’t mean I am failing. That is one thing I have learned is my timing is not always the right time, and I cannot let one failed expectation make me want to give up. I will not always succeed immediately.

I cannot allow Satan to creep into my mind and make me feel like a failure, because we all succeed in our ways. I need to celebrate the small victories too. Sometimes it’s the smallest victories that impact us the most.

Another important thing I learned is that I would never ever Be able to do what I do without people believing in me. All my readers, sponsors and family have always cheered me on in their own ways. My family deserves the saint award for all the emotions and crazy things that have happened in the past couple of years.

I am also so grateful for the people who make what I do possible. Such as my graphic designer Alfonso, who makes this whole magazine possible. He patiently waits for me, and he always cheers me on even when I am late in giving him all the content he needs. He has stuck by my side when I came to him eight years ago with the idea. Also, my producer, Aaron Trevino is a saint for traveling with me, and his willingness to change plans at the drop of a pin. Having a team and a great support system in life is crucial.

If I had given up, I would have let the people that mean the most to me down, all because I wasn’t believing in myself.

I always say you can’t jump from mountain to mountain in one single leap. You have to take several leaps I think often whatever it is we may doing, we set up false pretenses/expectations for ourselves, and when we don’t meet them in our set timelines, we feel defeated. Don’t let your defeat get in the way of the success you can have. You were made for something great and sometimes you just have to tweak your plan in order to get back on the saddle.

Whatever you are going through, just know even Jesus had moments of feeling defeated. Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not trying is the true failure. Now, we might fail at some things, but we tried. Some things are meant for us to do, and some are not, but we will never know until we try, and God will eventually show us what is meant to be. Remember, there is a vast difference between defeat and temporary defeat. Surround yourself with good people, always believe in yourself and trust Jesus. No matter how much I wanted to quit, there was a voice telling me to keep going.

Trust me, I still have awful days, days where I still want to quit, and feel like I am wasting my time. But when these feelings arise, ask yourself, are you seeking human validation? Are you sure it is something to quit, or are you just having a bad day? You may feel defeated one day and victorious another. Just keep going, and believe in Jesus. When you have those days, ask God to show you if it’s something meant for you.

I am thankful for all of you, and it is my readers, sponsors, team, family and Jesus who keep me going even when I feel like giving up.

You all are the biggest cheerleaders to me. Don’t let the pressures of the world get you down. Just let Jesus take the wheel.

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If You Have Grass, Read This!

BY TAYLOR DUKE — TPDDL Student Worker; EDITED BY HANNAH AYALA — Extension Assistant

Grass affected by Take-All Patch

If you’ve been noticing brown patches in your lawn lately, it’s most likely infected by the pathogen commonly known as Take All Patch. Take All Patch is caused by the soil-borne fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis, or as we like to call it here in the lab, “Ggg”. The season of Ggg is upon us and we have been receiving lots of grass samples in the lab that are positive for this pesky fungus.

Ggg could be considered the arch-nemesis of homeowners and golf course managers alike. It attacks the root systems of St. Augustine grass and bermuda grass, and causes dead patches in the turf that may continue to grow if uncontrolled.

Ggg thrives in moist climates with moderate temperatures, and is most active during the fall, winter, and spring (Duble).

All of the rain we’ve been getting lately has created the perfect breeding grounds for the fungus.

The first visible symptoms of Ggg are yellowing and wilting of leaf blades in circular or irregular patterns and darkening of the roots (“Take all Patch”). As the disease progresses, the grass thins and the patches become bare as the plants die. These patches can be anywhere from one to twenty feet in diameter.

Due to thinning of the roots, the stolons of seriously infected turf can easily be pulled up from the ground. Ggg is often mistaken for another disease known as brown patch, but the leaves of Ggg infected grass cannot be easily separated from the plant (Duble). Under a dissecting microscope, you can see the dark strands of Ggg’s runner hyphae along the roots and stolons. Using a compound microscope, Ggg is easily identified by its dark, flower-like infection structures known as hyphopodia (Vann).

Ggg hyphae seen under the dissecting microscope 38

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Ggg overwinters as mycelium on both living and dead infected plant material (“Take all Patch”). When climate conditions are cool and moist, during the fall, the fungus will grow along the surface of the plant then penetrate and infect the root system.

Symptoms become more evident around summertime as the hot, dry weather stresses the host plants. Ggg is transported mechanically on lawn mowers and other equipment that pick up pieces of infected plant tissue.

Ggg hyphae and hyphopodia as seen under the compound microscope How can you help prevent your lawn from developing unsightly dead patches?

Unfortunately, there are no varieties of St. Augustine or Bermuda that can resist Ggg infection. So, control of this pathogen focuses on cultural and chemical practices.

For starters, avoid thatch buildup as it can easily spread the disease across an entire lawn. Make sure you are properly fertilizing to keep your turf healthy and strong.

Fungicides, if you choose to use them, should be applied in the early fall as a preventative measure (Vann). Finally, the most important thing you can do to avoid a breakout of Take All Patch is PROPERLY IRRIGATE! Make sure that your soil has good drainage and don’t over water your lawn. Too much water creates the perfect environment for Ggg to grow.

Grass symptomatic of Take-All Patch

The best practice is to water infrequently and deeply only when the grass needs it (“Take all Patch”).

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Cotton & Grain Golf Tourney 2021

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Article provided by Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening

The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership, administered by the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife, in cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), is an innovative gathering of federal, state, and private organizations who meet to improve watershed health, integrate watershed management, and make better use of watershed project funding. The partnership focuses on the interrelated issues of water quantity (supply), water excess (flooding and drainage), habitat, and water quality, particularly runoff pollution concerns.

In 2012, the Partnership and TWRI won the Texas Environmental Excellence Awards—a TCEQ program.

Watch the video.

Mission Adopted by ACW Partnership “Reduce the additions of pollutants to the Arroyo Colorado to the maximum extent possible in order to meet state water quality standards and improve the natural terrestrial, riparian, and aquatic habitat associated with the Arroyo Colorado Watershed.”

Vision Adopted by ACW Partnership “An ecologically sound Arroyo Colorado and Lower Laguna Madre that is understood and valued by all residents of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV).”

Goals Adopted by the ACW Partnership • Reduce the additions of the known primary pollutants (nitrogen, phosphorous, ammonia, sediment, bacteria, and biochemical oxygen demanding substances) by 10 - 20% over the next fifteen years.

• Improve the awareness and understanding of the water quality issues associated with the Arroyo Colorado, its connection to the Lower Laguna Madre, and the value both these natural resources bring to the communities of the Lower RGV. • Improve water quality to minimize fish kills and maintain aquatic diversity in the Arroyo Colorado.

• Encourage the voluntary adoption of best management practices (BMPs) to reduce suspended solids from cropland erosion, BOD from crop residue, and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer runoff from irrigated and non-irrigated cropland.

• Improve the quality of treated effluent from wastewater treatment facilities within the watershed of the Arroyo Colorado.

• Increase wastewater and storm water infrastructure development for rural and unincorporated low income communities in the Arroyo Colorado watershed, collectively known as colonias.

• Implement enhanced biological treatment projects to increase nutrient removal from wastewater.

• Focus Phase II Storm Water Management Programs on the pollutants of concern in the Arroyo Colorado.

• Protect and restore valuable terrestrial habitat areas throughout the watershed.

• Protect and restore riparian areas, resacas, and freshwater and coastal wetlands.

• Reduce erosion and runoff pollution through enhanced structural support measures along the stream banks of the Arroyo Colorado and throughout the watershed.

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2315 W. Expressway 83 #102, San Benito, Texas 78586 www.cropguardinsurance.com

956-688-8485 Thanks for 11 Years!

LOOK!

MADE YOU

Farming with Social Media

BY HECTOR GARZA AND DANTE GALEAZZI

Social Media is like having your own TV channel. Those who share a similar interest in what you do will follow you. These “followers” are your audience. They will help you spread your message to their friends and family.

For a Farmer, social media is an important marketing resource to help connect to the customer. For farmer Shay Myers, in Oregon, social media was used to inform the public of what 350,000 pounds of wasted food looks like. Myers’ 35 acres of asparagus went unpicked because of labor shortages. With one video posted on social media, Shay Myers received 2.4 million views and was able to communicate the issues farmers like him face. You can follow Shay Myers by searching his handle @shayfarmkid on any of the following websites or apps mentioned below. Whether it be for marketing or informing the public on farm issues, you can bring your farm to the public eye to provide educational stories of your daily life as a farmer and use social media to attract more customers to your farm.

Signing up for a social media account is as simple as entering your email address and a password, but maybe you are wondering which social media platform to use. Some of the most popular are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Depending on your goals and the message you wish to communicate we can help narrow down which platform to start off with, because ain’t nobody got time to start all of them at once!

All of these applications can be downloaded on your smartphone, using either the Google Play or Apple Store. If you wish to use these on your computer, links will be provided in each section to help guide you.

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Facebook is the largest platform, with over 2.8

billion monthly active users, and probably a great

starting point for many farmers. Build an online

home for your farm using Facebook Pages with simple actions such as posting a daily picture of what is happening at your farm. Post a video of your farm’s operations. Share an education video on how the harvesting is done and explain your best practices. Don’t be afraid to share your personal experiences. People will love you for that and your followers and business will increase. To begin using Facebook, go to www. facebook.com. Click on the Create New Account button to begin creating your account. Wiggins Watermelons uses Facebook to announce their fruit stand with the latest fruits and veggies available to purchase. Follow them @wigginswatermelonsllc.

Twitter is the equivalent of sending a text

message back in the early 2000’s. If you like

to keep it short and sweet and to the point,

then Twitter is where you want to start.

A “Tweet” may contain photos, GIFs, videos, links and text, but the message you write is limited to 280 characters (use to be 140 characters). Keep in mind the links will take up space of these 280 characters, so you have to be creative in your wordsmithing. Use Twitter to post daily updates on your farm. People go to find answers from Twitter by searching specific topics.

Tweet special recipes using vegetables straight from your farm.

Use the power of saying less with Twitter to increase your farm’s exposure. To begin using Twitter, go to www.twitter.com. Click on Sign Up to begin creating your account. Checkout Gerald Stratford’s tweet, a farmer from England, which reads “Sweet peppers and chillies are very colourful cheers” and he uploaded a short video of him with the vegetables. Gerald always ends his tweets with “cheers.” Follow Gerald @geraldstratfor3.

Instagram is a very popular platform to post photos

and short videos about your farm or brand. Atten tion spans have decreased and Instagram is here

to save the day. With the average user spending 8 seconds on an image or video, Instagram is the platform to

YouTube helps your fans find you. Similar to searching for solutions on Google, YouTube will help customers find your products. People search YouTube to learn, be entertained and find solutions. Though many go to find instructional solutions, many viewers would be wildly entertained watching your tractor turn over the dirt for the new crop. Think this is strange? Just search for “mowing lawn” and see how many views these videos of people mowing overgrown lawns have. Videos are now appearing in Google search results due to Google’s universal search tools which are blending all the types of available content. After uploading a video in YouTube, you can then share it on Facebook or any other social media platform. And don’t worry about having to buy a fancy camera, since many cell phones have the high quality to record and upload from your phone. A 5th generation family farmer from Minnesota, Zach Johnson, uses YouTube to connect with audiences across the country in his channel named Millennial Farmer. Zack visited our very own Ag Mag founder, Michelle Martin, in South Texas to view some dill, parsley, watermelon transplanting, and much more. Watch this episode at www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7mQbPcK9NQ, and follow www.mnmillennialfarmer.com.

There are people around the world searching for your farm through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Increase the success of your farm by making that connection with the people who appreciate the work you do in agriculture. A simple post of a picture or short video will get you started. Here are some helpful links to help you continue learning about social media, and our recommendation is get started.

• www.scottmonty.com/search/label/social%20media • www.digitalmarketing.org/blog/how-to-use-social-media-for-business • blog.hubspot.com/marketing Reach out to the Texas International Produce Association at hector.garza@ texipa.org if you would like any help or guidance with social media.

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

to graduating seniors that are Cameron County Farm Bureau members.

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

H We donated $7,500 to the Cameron

H Texas Farm Bureau has a mobile learning barn.

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

H Your Farm Bureau membership provides a lot of services to youth and community

County Fair & Livestock Show to build a new barn.

Why you should join your Cameron County Farm Bureau

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

$49.00 a year

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

Farm Bureau promotes today’s farmers and ranchers!

Support us today!

Cameron Co. Farm Bureau

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

w ww.te x as f ar m bur ea u .c o m J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9

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Ag Mag Featured Farmer

HLAVINKA EQUIPMENT COMPANY WAS CREATED AS A

Family Business Today it’s a family business.

In the future, it will be a family business.

What keeps the business family oriented is that they “see the value potential and the increasing value of business as a family.”

Hlavinka Equipment Company was created as a family business. ​Today it’s a family business. In the future, it will be a family business. What keeps the business family oriented is that they “see the value potential and the increasing value of business as a family.”

It all started when the early Hlavinka’s immigrated to America in December, 1905, and it wasn’t long before that, when they were working to create what has been a family business for more than eight decades.

Joe Hlavinka, purchased property to begin the company with a sealed bid for $18,500 “lock, stock, and barrel.” “It was a mercantile store with an IH dealership,” said Terry Hlavinka, Joe’s son who is general manager of the company. Joe Hlavinka’s story is one that would take years to write, with all his accomplishments, and his family’s as well.

Joe enlisted in the Air Force where he became a commanding officer of Squadron 9 . He was commissioned in 1956 and earned his wings as a navigator before he received an honorable discharge from the USAF with the rank of Captain.

Making a impact and being part of the community has always been a driving force for Joe. He has been the president of the Chamber of Commerce, served on several clubs, and community organizations,

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He has also received numerous accolades for his dedication and passion to the things he loved – family, community and his business.

The Hlavinka’s dabble in several businesses including water parks, commercial and residential developments, farming operations, and even lumber! Lumber was and still is a booming business, and the family decided they wanted to be part of this too. If there is an opportunity for a business to succeed the Hlavinka’s were and are taking it.

Throughout the years, the business, has gone through several transitions. The Hlavinka’s split the lumber and building businesses from the equipment business in 1982. Yet, both businesses remained under the same ownership and leadership. The Gulf Coast Farmer Rancher reported in 2002 during one of the family expansions in the 1940s, “mechanical farm equipment had not yet become a necessity so the success of the lumberyard was considerably larger than the farm equipment business.”

The family plans to make yet another smooth transition in the next five to 10 years for the next generation, which includes Terry and Kenneth’s children. Terry has four children – Tara, Lauren, Blake and Patrick.

Joe’s other son, Kenneth, also has four children – Kyle, Travis, Jillian

business models. For example, they liquidated two location in advance of adding AGCO because “these locations were traditionally HHP AG , but had transformed into consumer (Kubota) locations, which did not fit our business model.”

Original office building and shop facility in 1920’s

And while the business model focuses as an equipment company, it’s diversification/portfolio combines what it excels at and uses that to expand, from developmental work including residential and commercial to also having water parks in Houston and Austin.

Being in the business of farm machinery for 83 years clearly details the passion the family has for what it does. “One of the biggest challenges is finding people who are as enthusiastic about farm machinery as they are, especially since the amount of acreage is winding down worldwide when it comes to farming,” said Joe, whose family also runs a 22,000acre farming operation.

New Facility in El Campo, Tx 2013

“Through all these businesses the one constant ever changing challenge is the advancements in technology, which has touched them in every area of their long-standing and successful business. You have to be willing to adapt change and grow with the advancements or you will plateau.”

“High-tech equipment and the technology of sales,” Joe said. “What used to take weeks and months can be done in a day or even hours now because of the Internet.”

Everything the business and the family is about, the motto that identifies so truly with this can be summarized in one sentence: “Work smarter, and if you can’t do that…better work longer!”

New Facility in Victoria, Tx 2014

and Shane. One thing that will never change is keeping the family value at the forefront of the 83-year-old company that is concentrated along the Texas Gulf Coast Region, and sells equipment world-wide. Their company motto at Hlavinka Equipment Company is, “Helping your Business Grow” by offering proven products, service capacity, farming expertise, training, exporting expertise and diversification.

Established by Joe Hlavinka in 1939.

Partnered with RB Boettcher and Maxine Means

As a family owned and operated business understanding and operating each aspect of the business is crucial. Kenneth who is the jack of all trades does just this! He says his job is constantly changing, because he plays several roles. His main responsibilities, however, are personnel and business. He also runs the farming operation, growing cotton, corn and rice, which also included 3 dryers for the corn and rice.

On the products side, Hlavinka offers some big names as Case IH, Fendt, Bush Hog, K-Tec Earthmovers, Michelin and several others.

“Case IH is obvious, because it’s a successor of International Harvester…and it is our roots,” Terry says. “AGCO and Fendt are recent additions and support the gaps and/or augment what we have with Case IH. “

The Children: Donna & Carol

Bill, Charles, Joe and Victor

“We lost a lot of volume when Case IH exited the cotton business which left some customers upset, but we want to give them other options.

We care about the farmers and they are our main concern.” Also, Holt (previous Fendt dealer) had established a market within our territory and wanted to capitalize.” The more options we have for our consumers the better.

The company knows where its core lies, within each of its different NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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Be on the lookout for

Armyworms

BY JANET HURLEY

Texas A&M Agri-Life Extension

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B

e on the alert for fall armyworms

this fall. Higher-than-normal pop ulations of this lawn-eating insect

have been reported from many areas in Texas this past summer and we have started to see them in San Antonio and Austin areas.

While fall armyworms are nothing new, according to Wizzie Brown, Extension Program Specialist for IPM in Austin, these worms started appearing in home lawns in late July to early August. Usually, infestations take place in late summer or early fall, but the weather can play a big part. The amount of rain we have had this year helped with egg survival and it can also delay predators from feeding on the eggs.

Fall armyworm (FAW) is the caterpillar stage of a drab gray moth, known scientifically as Spodoptera frugiperda. It feeds primarily on grasses, though it has been reported feeding on dozens of non-grass plants and weeds. It earns the name “armyworm” from its habit, during times of major outbreaks, of marching, army-like, across fields, roads, and yards, consuming everything in its path.

The armyworm caterpillar is identified by three thin white or yellow stripes on the shield behind the head (pronotum), an inverted white Y on the face between the eyes, and by four dark hair-bearing bumps (tubercles) on the top of the 8th abdominal segment.

It takes three to four weeks of feeding to reach its full length of about 1.25 inches (34 mm). For a video that will help you recognize this worm check out this episode of Backyard Bug Hunt.

The adult FAW moth has a wingspan of about 1.5 in.

The hind wings are white; the front wings are dark gray, mottled with lighter and darker splotches. On male moths each forewing has a noticeable whitish spot near the extreme tip.

Damage and Control Damage often appears to occur overnight, though armyworms need at least three to four weeks to complete their six larval stages (instars). The last week or two of the larval stage is when most of the feeding, and damage, occurs.

Fall armyworms feed on most common lawn grasses like bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass. But because armyworms feed on the leaves, and not on the critical roots and stolons, a little irrigation or a rain should restore lawns to their original condition within a week or two.

If this is unacceptable to your customer or school district, FAW is relatively easy to control with any pyrethroid insecticide. Organic customer lawns can be treated with products containing spinosad, a naturally occurring microbial toxin. Be sure to avoid treating areas with flowering weeds or clovers that might attract bees, or else mow the lawn (and flowerheads) prior to treating. This will help protect pollinators that might otherwise be attracted to freshly sprayed lawns.

Fall armyworm adult are strong fliers, travelling hundreds of miles from overwintering sites in south Florida, south Texas, and Mexico each spring. In a strange, apparent case of migration suicide, offspring of these northern migrants cannot survive freezing winter weather. And unlike monarch butterflies which return to Mexico each winter, FAWs never return south. Therefore, they and all their offspring perish in the cold weather. The evolutionary advantage of this unusual behavior, if any, is not well understood.

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HIGH FERTILIZER PRICES ADD TO GROWING INPUT COSTS

BY GARY JOINER Publisher

T

exas farmers feel the pinch when the cost of inputs go up. Any bump in price for

energy, labor, water, equipment and fertilizer, among others, erodes the bottom line.

A big spike in fertilizer prices is the latest hit to U.S. agriculture. A gauge of North

American fertilizer prices soared to a record high this month, driving up costs for farmers and threatening to worsen food inflation.

The Green Markets North America Fertilizer Price Index rose 7.9% to $996.32 per short ton.

That’s well past the Index’s 2008 peak. It also set a new benchmark for the index that began nearly 20 years ago.

According to reports, the fertilizer market has been hit hard this year due to extreme weather, plant shutdowns, sanctions and rising energy costs in Europe and China. The energy squeeze in Europe and Asia has created a critical situation for the fertilizer industry. Companies have had to close facilities or reduce production as prices for natural gas have surged. Natural gas is the main feedstock for most nitrogen fertilizer. Those impacts are being felt in U.S. fields. The cost of production for U.S. corn farmers could be 16% higher. Not a good situation.

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Want to Advertise Contact Michelle Martin at the Ag Mag

?

(956) 330-8870 michelle@theagmag.org

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La Muñeca

HELD IT’S 34TH ANNUAL LMC JR. ROUND UP & FUTURITY AT THE RANCH ON OCTOBER 2ND. BELOW ARE PHOTOS OF THE SPEAKERS, JUDGING CONTEST, LMC FUTURITY SHOWMANSHIP, BRAHMAN AND SIMBRAH CHAMPIONS.

THE 2021

HERITAGE SALE Tell me about the Heritage sale?

1. Tell me about the Heritage sale?

It’s a Santa Gertrudis South Texas affiliate sale, selling solid, functional, purebred Santa Gertrudis and Star 5 Santa Gertrudis females. Consignors are Santa Gertrudis Breeders International members who are a part of the South Texas Affiliate.

2. When did it start?

The sale began in 2014.

3. Who started it?

The sale was started by a small group of South Texas Santa Gertrudis Breeders who saw a need for a sale in which to market South Texas Santa Gertrudis genetics.

4. How did it start?

South Texas Santa Gertrudis cattle producers saw a need for a sale In which it’s members could have an outlet to sell

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their cattle. It was then that it was decided we needed to have a sale showcasing South Texas and it’s members who truly have a great product to market to other outlets.

5. What type of cattle is sold there and why is it of importance?

Only registered Santa Gertrudis and Registered Star 5 Santa Gertrudis females are sold at the South Texas Heritage Sale.

6. What steps do you take to make this sale unique and stand out from others?

South Texas is where the Santa Gertrudis breed began. It’s the root of our breed and I am a firm believer that you always return to your roots. People know good cattle and where else but South Texas, where it all began?

7. How many people does it take to put something like this together?

10. Also - let me know anything you want to add in there.

We have a sale committee of 10 Santa Gertrudis Breeders all working hard to make the sale a success.

Join us in Robstown on November 20, 2021 for great cattle and wonderful people. We will be selling over 100 head of Santa Gertrudis and Star 5 Santa Gertrudis females.

8. How many buyers and sellers do you typically have?

BE THERE!!!

The amount of buyers varies but we always have a wonderful turnout.

9. Just provide me with some history The sale is slated every year to take place on the Saturday before the Thanksgiving weekend. It is held at the Borchers Regional Fairgrounds in Robstown, Texas. We incorporate the sale with an open Santa Gertrudis Pionts Show one hour after their sale as well as a Junior Show the next day, our annual “Hot Gert” Show. This tends to draw more buyers to the sale as they are also there to show cattle. Every year we strive to exceed the previous in sales. We like to think that South Texas Breeders bring a lot to the table, quality wise and we prove it year in and year out.

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Taking That Leap Of Faith First time Hemp Growers share their story FIRST TIME HEMP GROWERS SHARE THEIR STORY

1. What inspired you to farm hemp?

Chase is an entrepreneur to his core. He is always thinking of what consumer needs are, supply and demand situations, where he sees a nitch that isn’t being fulfilled, how a specific nitch can be better fulfilled and has been successful in what he has pursued in those ventures.

Kristen has always been the behind the scenes part of his ventures and we have made a great team doing everything. The hemp farming was originally Kristen’s idea and like all of our other ventures, one of us took the lead and the other was the supporter. We decided to farm hemp because we like to be different in our lives, why do something boring and normal when you can be different and adventurous. Hemp was just becoming legal in Texas and we wanted to be in front of the curve.

Although Kristen wanted to farm hemp at first it would be crazy to say she got it off the ground and running. So much went into the planning, purchasing, and growing that it took both of us to get us from start to finish.

2. Tell us about your history- where are you from- how did you meet your husband- (his history as well) and children ?

Kristen: I grew up in Kerrville on a ranch with my parents are 2 brothers.

My parents wanted us to learn about the land and wanted to instill a “doer” work ethic like my dad had been raised so farm and ranch life was a great way to do that. My dad would purchase young calves for us to

raise that instilled a work ethic that I appreciate and am thankful for. We would have to get up, make the calves milk, bottle feed them every day and make sure they had hay / water and were doing good. We didn’t have a huge cattle operation but definitely one worth remembering and one I wanted my children to have when I had kids.

Chase: I grew up in San Antonio with my parents and have a love for all things outdoors. Hunting and fishing were a regular thing we did as a family, anything from fishing off the pier at the coast house to hunting on huge pristine ranches with my dad. I became an avid hunter at a young age and is something that has stuck with me to this day. Being in the outdoors, farming and ranching is something I knew I always wanted to do and owing a ranch is a goal I have had my entire life.

Chase and I met at Angelo State University where we both graduated in 2008. We share the love for hunting of any kind, fishing, and just all things outdoors. We got engaged opening day of dove season, celebrated with family, picked up some bridal magazines and headed to the dove lease in time to limit out with family and bridal magazines in tow.

We have 2 amazing girls, Addison Rae (5) and Caroline Deanne (3). We laugh that God sure had a plan for us in giving us 2 little girls. We have raised them to love the outdoors and they sure caught on to ranch life real quick. Chase and I purchased a ranch just West of Mason in 2019 and quickly decided that is where we wanted to call home. We packed up and moved out to the ranch the girls quickly called “ Ranchy Ranchy” and have not looked back. Instead of raising cows the girls raise deer and have raised a pet axis doe as a pet; mixing bottles and bottle feed-

ing her. Pinta, the axis doe, is now a year old and requires strawberries and bananas almost every day. The kids are loving living on the ranch and everything that comes with that.

3. What is the most difficult/challenging thing about hemp?

The hemp market is an ever evolving beast. We started the hemp growing process in March of 2020 by attending classes and seminars getting familiarized with the industry. We went through all the steps and scenarios of starting a new, unfamiliar crop to Texas, and decided that it was something we wanted to pursue. We came from an oil and gas background where everything is done at record pace and quickly learned that hemp farming is a lot slower pace and things would get done eventually. This made the construction of the grow facility very challenging and became a hurdle from the beginning. Parts for the grow facility were being flown in from around the world, held in customs, opinions from consultants clashed and Chase and I had to take a crash course in grow facility design and make the parts we were given work. Our Injection System arrived in hundreds of pieces and took weeks to put together, we later learned this was the first system ever this manufacturer had sent out not assembled. We eventually found a company out of Garden City Texas, Eco Drip, that has an amazing staff and were able to put us in touch with other great suppliers. Our Rivulus rep, Bobby Deleon, was a major part in getting us up and running just in time to get our plants out of the grow facility and into the ground. At one point we had people from all over the country flying in to commission our system days before our plants were scheduled to go into the ground. It is incredible what the Rivulius Controller can do and what its capabilities are for farmers. Hemp plants are very sensitive plants and require precise injections and timed feeding and learning how to operate the Rivulus system that could control all of that was a task. More frustrations came when we learned we did not prep our soil currently and it had a deficiency in some nutrients and excess in others. We were able to team up with another great company, TPS Labs, where Noel and Joe proved to be invaluable. We were able to send out soil samples and they came up with a plan on what to add and when to add specific nutrients to allow for the best opportunity for growth. Further on in the grow we utilized their expertise and knowledge by sending in samples of our plants weekly where they were able to forecast plant nutrients for 2 weeks allowing us to keep ahead of any nutrient deficiency’s and making sure our THC levels were not rising too high too quick and keeping us under that state level. Frustrations were definitely around every turn but with any new adventure they will happen. We pivoted, learned, adapted and made what we had work.

4. Most rewarding thing?

The most rewarding part of growing hemp would obviously be ending the season with an awesome crop!! The amount of time and money put into this grow was a lot but what we learned and experienced through it was worth it all. We did the entire grow with Chase myself and 1 full time person that helped on the day to day tasks. When we started our seeds our grow room and had to hand water 2 times every day, we split watering shifts and our kids were down in the grow room watering with us. They quickly learned how to balance water, how long to water plants, what to look for, and how to rotate bottom shelf plants. When it was time to transplant plants into larger containers, the 3 of us transferred every plant into larger container, splitting the jobs up; Addison Rae and Caroline put dirt in cups, one of us took the plant out and replanted and another watered.

Transplanting into the field was another rewarding adventure.

Walking the field everyday was just something Kristen and the girls made a game out of, looking for sick plants, bugs, male plants ets. Addison proved to be a great hemp farmer spotting a few male plants and quickly pulling them out. Harvest was again a family adventure and just like every other part of the growing process, we stuck with it and before we knew it it was complete. We were able to bring in Texas Premium Hemp Producers to help with the drying process and ended with roughly 1,000lb of dried biomass and 100 lb of smokable flower. Every part of the grow was rewarding because we truly made it a family adventure and did it together and feel like we succeeded in every step. We have tweaks that will be made for future grows but it was rewarding to make it through the 1st year with great plants!

5. Explain the sustainability and the future you see There are so many uses for this plant. You can use all different parts of the plant for a variety of products from your tinctures, muscle rubs, pain relief products, animal feed, alcohol, clothes, hempcrete, building supplies, the list goes on and is growing everyday. People are creating products all the time that include different parts of the hemp plant and will continue to evolve. Farmers are having to become vertically integrated to stay competitive so that is also driving the product development and therefore the sustainability of hemp products.

6. What is the common misconception?

A huge misconception regarding hemp is how easy the plant is to growthat was not the case for us. It was not a seed you put in the ground and watered when you had time and watched it grow and then reap the benefit when it was convenient either. Hemp is a very particular plant that likes certain temperatures and humidity levels at certain times in its grow cycle, loves nutrients and also some what tells you when its ready to he harvested. Hemp is a full time grow operation but is rewarding when done correctly.

7. Are the input worth the rewards?

I think with everything in life it’s your perspective on the situation. The input we put into this years hemp grow taught not only Chase and I so much but taught our girls a lot about work ethic, plants, farming and family time can come in all different ways. A lot of the days were long and hard but we did it, we grew it, and we made exceptional plants, and we did it with a lot of laughs, a few tears, and some grace so for that I think the input was worth the rewards. Financially- the hemp market is flooded because of the influx of growers in Texas and currently has a major over supply and the demand has not caught up. This year wont be what we had hoped financially but was a learning year and again, for that we are thankful and feel like future years will yield better results because of what we learned this year.

8. How time consuming is it?

Tricky question. When we were first starting off with hemp farming someone very bluntly said, Do you want to grow a Boons Farm wine quality or do you want to grow a high end rare wine quality? That really made Chase and I think of what we wanted out of this grow. Growing a lot of mediocre flower would be easy but we wanted to have a good product with high quality flower. Growing high quality flower takes more prep time for the soil, more pruning, more hand trimming, more time all around but your product is well worth the time. You can grow either kind in Texas, it just depends on what your end goal is.

9. What weather conditions are favorable?

In our experience our weather pattern was favorable to growing, the plants responded to the dryer days and cooler nights. The plants thrived in the dryer hotter days but consumed a lot of water to compensate for the heat. The plants were able to get watered twice a day and dry out because of the heat and didn’t sit in the water overnight.

Planting Roots Far from Home: Featuring David Rosales

I

BY TYLER MAXWELL, Texas CRAC - Zone 5 Representative

n south Texas lies the historical city of Laredo, which is commonly referred to as the heart of Webb County. Laredo is home to David Rosales, a rangeland management specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Texas.

Rosales now lives in Bridgeport, Texas, and also serves on the NRCS Texas Civil Rights Committee as the Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager.

The NRCS Texas Civil Rights vision is to be an inclusive, diverse, and equitable agency that delivers programs and services in a manner based on and consistent with fairness, equality, availability, and accountability, while ensuring that applicants and employees are treated with respect and free from discrimination.

Prior to employment with NRCS, Rosales went to United High School in Laredo where he was heavily involved in the FFA Chapter. His desire and passion for farming and agriculture roots back to both sets of his grandparents that were cattle ranchers. Since the 1960s, his family has owned and operated a ranch in a small town called Ejido La Rosita, Coahuila, about 40 miles south of Big Bend National Park.

“I remember my brother and I would help my grandparents farm and ranch every summer,” Rosales said.

“Since high school, I have had the idea of working in an agriculture-related field.” To attain his goal, Rosales focused on school.

“My mother attended school until she was in the sixth grade, that is all that was offered at the time in Mexico”, he said. “My brother and I are actually first-generation college students.”

After graduating high school in 2014, Rosales enrolled in

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Laredo Community College (LCC), now Laredo College.

While completing his basic courses at LCC, Rosales attended a USDA-NRCS outreach presentation. That is when he met NRCS Texas resource team leader - Flavio Garza. Rosales right away saw an opportunity to pursue his dream of working in the agriculture field after hearing Garza’s presentation.

“I saw an opportunity and jumped on it,” Rosales said.

“I have wanted to work in the agriculture field since high school and hearing that presentation provided me an opportunity to do so.”

Rosales began as an Earth Team Volunteer (ETV) with NRCS Texas. He volunteered from August 2015 until June 2016 with the Laredo field office while still attending college. While at LCC, his major was Animal Science, but after working as a volunteer with NRCS, he switched to Range and Wildlife Management.

Rosales said a few of the things that persuaded the change was that “NRCS employees never did the same thing every day. He was amazed by the ingenuity and innovation of implementing conservation practices, and how knowledgeable his peers and the producers he worked with were.”

Once Rosales finished serving as a volunteer, he transitioned to a part-time employee with the Webb County Soil Water Conservation District #337. As a technician, he learned how to effectively communicate with landowners and help them progress towards achieving their goals and objectives with their property.

He took the most pride in giving technical advice, assisting producers with plant identification, and helping them become overall better land stewards. David says the thing he valued the most from his time with Webb Co. SWCD was “the invaluable knowledge of how managing our finite natural resources is an everyday decision, and how NRCS implements cost-share programs to assist the producer manage their land.”

During the fall semester of 2016, David made the decision to transfer to Texas A&M University Kingsville (TAMUK) to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Range and Wildlife Management. While at TAMUK, he was an active member of the university’s Plant ID club, a member of the Society of Range Management and a member of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society. He competed in state and nationwide plant identification contests and attended multiple seminars and conferences where he advanced his understanding in the management of natural resources. During the nationwide conferences, he met several students and professionals who shared his passion for range and wildlife management.

After completion of his first school year with TAMUK, David pursued a position as a summer intern position through the Pathways Program with USDA-NRCS. A week into the summer of 2017 he accepted a position in Zapata, Texas, as a range management specialist.

While in Zapata, Rosales praised how “the Resource Team Leader (RTL) in the Zapata Field Office gave me more responsibility and treated me like a full-time employee. This gave me confidence in my duties inside and outside the office, and while working with my peers on the resource team and the Zone specialists.” His second internship placed him seven hours away from home in the city of Athens, TX. While at Athens, David described his experience as “being out of my element forced me to learn more about a completely different eco-region of Texas in one summer.” At times while out in the field David said, “it was odd for the sun to be completely covered up by the tops of trees in east Texas, this was the polar opposite of everything I had known and grown up with in south Texas.”

Following graduation in May of 2019 from TAMUK, Rosales received a job offer as the rangeland management specialist in Decatur, Texas. Since starting in August 2019, David has enjoyed every day of being on the Decatur resource team and being a part of Zone 5.

“The team is incredible, and the producers are secondto-none.”

In the fall of 2020, David said “I’ve has always had a passion about the agency’s Civil Rights vision” so he made the decision to submit his name to become the Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager (HEPM) for the state of Texas and was rightfully selected for the position.

“I want to serve as the HEPM to provide outreach and employment opportunities to the Hispanic community,” Rosales said. “I think it is important to have all groups equally represented in the workforce.”

Although he is seven hours north of his hometown of Laredo, he has found his niche and is excited about his future with Texas NRCS in Decatur, and as the Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager. “I am proud to be able to go through this journey because I can relate to college recruits and new employees; I want to be able to share the knowledge and skills I have learned with them through my process of becoming an impactful NRCS employee.” David has achieved a multitude of accomplishments since coming on full-time in August of 2019, and the future is brighter than ever for Mr. Rosales.

David states at the end of the day, “I wouldn’t be anything I am today without giving thanks to my parents, everyone that has supported me along this journey, the NRCS Field Office in Laredo and the Webb Co. SWCD #337 board for providing me the opportunity and turning my spark of interest into a burning passion of conserving our natural resources and helping people, help the land.”

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TSSWCB Announces 2021 Conservation Award Winners

E

ach year the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board

(TSSWCB) and the Association of Texas Soil and Water Con servation Districts (ATSWCD) recognize and honor individuals

who dedicate themselves to the conservation and management

of renewable natural resources. These outstanding conservationists will be recognized during an awards luncheon on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at Kalahari Resort in Round Rock.

The Texas Conservation Awards Program began in the late 1970’s to recognize conservationists and the vital role they play in managing Texas’ natural resources.

The purpose of the program is to acknowledge, recognize, and honor individuals that dedicate their time and efforts to the conservation of natural resources.

The program provides an opportunity for competition and incentives to expand and improve conservation efforts as well as the wise utilization of renewable natural resources. Categories recognized through the Texas Conservation Awards Program are: Poster Contest and Junior and Senior Essay Contests, Conservation Farmer, Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District, Conservation Rancher, Friend of Conservation, Conservation Teacher and Wildlife Conservationist.

The subject for the 2021 Poster Contest was “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities.” Cadence DeLaRosa from Riviera and the Kleberg-Kenedy Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) #356, was chosen as this year’s winner.

The poster will advance to the National Association of Conservation Districts Poster Contest in December 2021. “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities” was also the topic for the 2021 Essay Contest. Blaine Dahal, of Channing and the Hartley Soil and Water Conservation District #152, took first place in the Junior Division of the essay contest. Briana Latray, of Groesbeck and the Limestone-Falls Soil and Water Conservation District #501, took first place in the Senior Division of the essay contest.

Below is a list of the 2021 Conservation Award Winners: Conservation Farmer – Todd Westerfeld, McLennan County SWCD #512 Todd Westerfeld Farms located in Moody, Texas is owned and operated by Todd and Amanda Westerfeld, along with their two daughters, Ember and Lena. Todd grew up on a farm and spent most of his life learning alongside his father. In 2009, Todd ventured out to start his own operation taking on over 3,400 acres of cropland and 250 of pasture. With the help of his father and cousin, the Westerfeld’s have produced some of the best crops in the county over the years. Todd’s innovation, willingness to practice good stewardship and utilizing new technologies has proven to be successful for his operation. Westerfeld is a cooperator with the McLennan County SWCD and USDA-NRCS to put conservation efforts on the ground. Those practices include forage and biomass planting, as well as cross fencing that is utilized for rotational grazing. With a following of over seventeen thousand on Instagram, Westerfelddoes his part to share behind the scenes of the hard work and dedication that comes with producing food and fiber with conservation at top of mind. As trends in agriculture continue to change, the Westerfeld family is always looking to the future and how they can advance their operation in a way that preserves and protects natural resources.

Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District – Parker County SWCD #558 Melton Harms, Chairman Jeanne O’Connor, Vice-Chairman Larry B. King, District Director Larry Waldan, District Director Morris White, District Director The SWCD was originally established in 1941 as Hood-Parker SWCD covering both Hood and Parker Counties. In 1992, through a re-organization process it became Parker County SWCD covering its namesake. The purpose of the SWCD is to protect and enhance the natural resources of Parker County through financial and technical assistance as well as educational support to local citizens and the upkeep of infrastructure in the county. Parker County SWCD is active in the TSSWCB Flood Control Program through addressing the operation and maintenance needs for the 34 flood control structures within the county. The SWCD is passionate about educating landowners and future generations. In 2017, the SWCD

partnered with Weatherford College to plant a demonstration area at the college farm that is utilized as an educational tool for students. Parker County SWCD works diligently to ensure the availability of natural resources for future generations so that all Texans’ present and future needs can be met in a manner that promotes a clean, healthy environment and strong economic growth.

Friend of Conservation – Stephen Deiss, Victoria SWCD #346 Stephen Deiss was selected as the 2021 Friend of Conservation representing Victoria SWCD. Deiss is no stranger to soil and water conservation. He has dedicated his life to working to protect and enhance Texas’ natural resources through his professional career with the TSSWCB and USDA-NRCS. After retirement, Deiss began work at O’Connor Ranches as Ranch Manager where he manages operations in Goliad and Refugio Counties as well as New Mexico. Since taking on his new role, he has used his knowledge of natural resources to implement practices on the ranches to improve overall productivity and conservation efforts.

Outside of his work on the ranch, he spends time educating landowners through field days, workshops and working with them one on one to enhance their operations. Deiss is a friend to many organizations including his local SWCD and NRCS, Grazing Lands Coalition, Texas Section Society of Range Management, Coastal Bend Burn Associationand many others. Deiss is an admirable advocate for land stewardship and natural resource education. He has left a legacy of conservation for many generations to follow.

Conservation Rancher – Broken W Partnership, San Patricio SWCD #324 The Broken W Partnership owned and operated by Bob Whatley and son, Jon Whatley is headquartered in Odem, Texas. Together, with the help of their families they have dedicated their lives to enhancing the growth and sustainability of their ranching operation. Over the years, Broken W Partnership has utilized soil and water conservation programs provided by the TSSWCB, San Patricio SWCD and the USDA-NRCS. The Broken W Partnership has incorporated a variety of conservation practices on their operation such as brush management, forage and biomass planting, cross fencing, rotational and prescribed grazing as well as livestock watering facilities. Outside of their work on the ranch, the Whatley family has devoted their time to serving on numerous boards and organizations from the local to national level. The Whatley family has done an outstanding job in being dedicated stewards of the land and will continue to set an admirable example for others to follow.

Conservation Teacher – Sherrlyn Welch, Howard SWCD #243 Sherrlyn Welch of Howard County was selected as the 2021 Conservation Teacher, representing Howard SWCD. Welch is a science and social studies teacher at Forsan Elementary. Over her many years of teaching, she has worked diligently to include the importance of agriculture and natural resource conservation inside and outside of the classroom. Through exploring the outdoors, she utilizes local plants and soils to demonstrate different biological concepts to her students. She has also partnered with the local USDA-NRCS office and Howard SWCD for classroom presentations as well as participating in the Conservation Awards Program. Welch continues to be a leader in teaching our future generations the importance of conservation to ensure the availability of Texas’ natural resources for many generations to come.

Wildlife Conservationist – Quinn Ranch, McCulloch SWCD #249 Located in McCulloch County, Quinn Ranch was established by C.P. Gray in 1898. Beginning in 1997, his great-grandson, John Quinn took over the operation. Through cooperating with the McCulloch SWCD and USDA-NRCS, he has utilized a variety of programs to implement conservation practices on his land which are great providers of food, water, and habitat for wildlife. Those practices include grazing management, prescribed burning, watering facilities, brush management as well as cross fencing. The Quinn Ranch is an active Wildlife Management Cooperator and a supporter of the Lone Star Land Steward Program as well as a member of the Edwards Plateau Prescribed Burning Association. The dedication to conservation and education demonstrated by the Quinn Ranch is widely admired and appreciated.