Issue 7 by THEAGMAG

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

Al Benavides

Graphic Designer (956) 492-6407

In This Issue:

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

A Letter from the Editor We are now into our second year of the Ag Mag and we are looking forward to becoming bigger and better in this second year. The word CHANGE kept coming into play as I was thinking about what to write for this edition. I know I have talked about change plenty of times, but this time the topic was increasingly persistent in my mind. I learned during the summer that I really - and I mean really - don’t like change, unless I am the one making the change. The past summer was extremely difficult and filled with change I would not have chosen for my life. Between losing my mother, having surgery, having a family member admitted into the hospital for three weeks, amongst other things, all while being pregnant was a tough transition from my normal day-to-day routines. There were days where I questioned how so much change could occur in my life in such short time. I wondered what good could come from these “changes.” However, I learned I had strength I didn’t know existed within me. I learned my patience was much greater than I had given myself credit for. Most important, I learned that life is how you deal with the cards you are dealt, and the hand isn’t always in your favor. I know this year that everyone in the Agricultural industry has had their patience tested extensively. Between all the rain, then no rain, to the hurry and harvest before we get a random spurt of rain, to the changes in farm bills, the fever tick and whatever else you may have encountered, it has been more than CHALLENGING. In all honesty – isn’t that what agriculture is, a constant and unforgiving test of patience and will? Maybe it is the challenges that keep us busy and on our feet. Maybe it is the challenges that keep us rising to our feet and overcoming all obstacles. The good news is the year is more than half way over. We can remain optimistic that we can continue to handle challenges – it’s what we do all the time. I have so much respect for the Agriculture world, because change is so common. Agriculture is always changing, and y’all do a great job of handling it. Thank you for embracing CHANGE to feed the world, to put clothes on our backs and so much more. I am sure many of you, as I do, sometimes question God’s plan (which many of you may be doing now with this year’s season) but, know that His plan is always better than ours ever could be. Thank you for your continued support of the Ag Mag. It is always a blessing to me to be able to have this magazine, despite the challenges. I pray you all meet your goals, have a successful harvest and have amazing livestock. More importantly I pray you overcome any challenge you face. Looking forward to a great second year of Ag Mag editions!

Owner/Creator of AG MAG

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Drones being honed to help farmers

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Vocalist Lauren Cozine

Page 10 Valley cotton crop finishing stronger than expected Page 13 Helping farmers today & in the future Page 15 Dr. Temple Grandin is coming to the Rio Grande Valley Page 16 Featured Farmer Story A Self Made Success! Page 19 Ask the Expert Page 21 Conservation Effects Assessment Project Page 23 Grazing lands focus of upcoming renowned national conference Page 24 La Muñeca to host 28th annual Jr. Round Up & Futurity Page 25 Team Mario Page 28 Harvesting ‘round the RGV Page 30 FFA & 4-H Calendar Page 33 Major farm bill changes to the Sugarcane Policies Page 34 Conservation Leaders in every community Page 37 Grace Heritage Ranch Page 38 Enduring Legacy: The First Conversation Page 41 Whittle Farms Page 44 Deer breeder movement standards plan finalized Volume 2, Issue 1. September 2015. 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.

Drones being honed to help farmers grow better crops bY ROD SANTA ANA

F WESLACO

armers will be using drones in the near future to monitor and improve their crops to help feed a hungry world, say Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists who are now developing the technology.

“Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, will soon play a major role in meeting the challenges of feeding a growing global population,”

said Dr. Juan Enciso, an AgriLife Research irrigation engineer in Weslaco.

“One day, flying a UAV will be a 6 Ag Mag

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AgriLife Communications photos by Rod Santa Ana

routine task an agricultural producer performs on a regular basis to help him efficiently maintain his crops, improve yields and optimize resources, especially water,” he said. The sensors being tested are on a platform mounted on a tractor, but eventually will be transferred to a drone. “The data is transmitted to web-based computer programs, some of which already exist, that can help a grower make decisions about when and where to perform farming practices, like irrigating, fertilizing or using insecticides,” he said. Preliminary research has already shown

promise in using advanced sensor technology in agriculture. “Data shows that this technology can help farmers detect water and insect stresses and increase water-use efficiency,” he said. “And as technology continues to develop, a grower will be even better informed about the crop he’s growing.” Crop breeders seeking specific traits in developing drought tolerant crop varieties, for instance, can also make quick, inexpensive and precise assessments to help pick the best plants from the many thousands being evaluated, Enciso said. “The amount of time spent evaluating indi-

vidual plants would be drastically reduced, which would greatly accelerate the time it takes to develop improved varieties.”

“That farmer could then compare what he’s seeing in the field with what the application is telling him to do,” Enciso said.

Sensors currently being evaluated for use on mobile platforms include ultrasound sensors to measure plant height, infrared thermometers to measure plant and soil temperatures and hyperspectral sensors to measure relative leaf water content. There are also other sensors to measure what is called normalized difference vegetation index, or NDVI, to determine how well a plant canopy is performing photosynthesis.

“The idea is to make the decision-making process easier for the farmer while optimizing his resources to get better yields and increase profitability.” Dr. Juan Landivar, director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centers in Weslaco and Corpus Christi, said UAVs are not meant to replace farm

managers or crop consultants, but to improve information available to them. “UAVs are valuable tools to readily and accurately produce geo-reference field information for the management of crops,” he said. “Anybody tasked with growing a crop will be provided with valuable field information to make smarter management decisions.”

e h t e k a m o t s The idea i king process decision-mae farmer while easier for th is resources optimizing hyields and to get better fitability. increase pro

”

“The next step in this research is to identify exactly which sensors are needed, which can be combined, then make them light enough to be carried by a drone,” Enciso said.

“We could then run economic asessments to determine exactly how much cheaper it is to fly over a crop than to do it on a tractor.” Data gathered by drones would be applied to web-based programs that a grower could see on his iPhone or other mobile device.

”

Dr. Juan Enciso, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research irrigation engineer in Weslaco, examines sensors that will one day be mounted on drones to evaluate crops.

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2015

Lauren

Corzine

bY HENRY MILLER

Photo by LNR STUDIOS

auren Corzine started booking gigs as a country music singer when she was 11 years old. But music was flying through her veins for more than a decade by then.

She grew up with parents who played and per formed every weekend. By the time she started singing on her own, her understanding of music was far beyond an 11-year-old’s and her exposure to an eclectic array of sounds – from her parents’ worship band to U2 to ABBA to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (and everything in between) helped her create her own sound. “The gig life really appealed to me and artists were always the most interesting to be around.” She especially enjoys performing at places like the Mid Valley Livestock Show, which she’s done for three straight year, and at the Guerra Ranch, where she has entertained for the STARS Scholarship Gala and several FFA events. “It really energizes me to be in front of real country music fans,” says Lauren. “They are smiling, they are clapping and just having a great time – it’s a lot of fun and I play off that energy and they play off my energy. It’s just terrific.” So when it comes to music, it’s just natural for Lauren. That’s what you come to realize when you hear her perform – whether it’s the cover of a Patsy Cline song or something original – this is what she was meant to do. The first song she wrote is entitled, appropriately enough for an introductory EP, “The Story of Me.” “It’s a song about trying to figure out who one is as a person and not relying on other people for validation,” Lauren says. “My EP is about becoming your own person. The songs were all written when I left high school. It was a pretty crazy time for me. I wrote this while in the process of figuring out who I am as a person. Who and what is good for me? Where do I go now? All of these were answered while writing.” By the time Lauren was 12, she was playing country music throughout South Texas, so being in front of a crowd was not only something she was used to, but something she truly enjoyed. At 16, she joined Scott Randolph and The White Lightning and doors began to open.

Follow Lauren’s Facebook Page at Lauren Corzine Music. For booking information call Henry Miller at (956) 607-9210.

“Music has always played a major role in my life,” says Lauren, whose smile grows wide whenever she talks about music or family. “I have always known that I would end up in the entertainment industry one way or another. I love to entertain people by telling them stories and, hopefully, influencing them to do great things in life. Music is the way for me to speak what’s on my mind by putting it to a melody. When someone sees me performing they are seeing me at my core.” S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Valley Cotton Crop Finishing Stronger Than Expected BY JOHN MILLER

e have not talked too much about cotton this year as the wet spring and early summer rains seemed to hurt more than help, planted acres were down across all of Central and South Texas, and prices had been well below the average of the past several years. The Valley crop, however, responded well to the mid-summer heat and gave us increased hopes for decent yields across the region. The photos in this article are probably similar to what you have seen driving around the Valley recently, and are a reminder of how a good field of open cotton attracts immediate attention and brings out the cameras. A little more timely mid-summer rain could still have led to topend results, but most farmers are pleased with their outcome given the type of year experienced. Irrigated acres of cotton have in many cases produced 3 bales per acre (approximately 485 pounds per bale), with some fields testing 4 bales per acre. Many non-irrigated acres were consistent with past years and produced yields of anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 bales per acre, with

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exceptions both above and below this range depending on the degree of adverse weather experienced. In most cases, the final outcome, given the year, is a reminder of why cotton farming will continue to be so important to this area. As you can see from the bar chart below, the Valley was part of a nationwide trend to lower cotton acres this year. The chart shows how the estimated U.S. planted cotton acreage fell below 9 million acres for the first time in recent memory. When abandoned or damaged acres are finally accounted for, it is possible that less than 8 million acres will be harvested. If the current 795 pounds per acre national average yield estimate holds, the resulting 13 million bale crop would be among the lowest in recent years. This lower production estimate is set to reduce our countries excess supply of cotton to 3.10 million bales, down from 4.2 million this time last year. And this is despite the fact that the 10 million bale export estimate is the lowest since the year 2000. Of course it will take a few more months to

confirm or change these government estimates. Experienced industry experts have pointed out that many areas of the U.S., like the Valley, could see better results than currently expected. For now, the concern about the U.S. crop has helped to push futures prices from a recent low of near 60 cents per pound to a weekago-high of 67 cents per pound on the NYMEX exchange. Higher futures prices, however, could be challenging since so much of what U.S. farmers are paid for cotton is determined by supply and demand factors experienced abroad.

Of that total, it is estimated that China controls 62 percent, or 65 million bales. What the world trading community struggles with is that China, being the largest user of cotton, processed approximately 35 million bales per year. If the cotton China has in storage is of usable quality, this excess coupled with their own annual production of 26 million bales would suggest that this market will be hard to access except for the very best of quality. This chart does show some promise, however, as the rest of world share of 38 percent, or 40 million bales, is falling and suggest that there is opportunity for U.S. cotton in a lot of places other than China. There is no question that the Valley stands to compete for what opportunities surface, even if those deals are only available for a short time. The early season of the Valley crop compared to the rest of the U.S., the great cotton quality that can be produced here, and the cotton tradition that has kept cotton from this area front and center on the radar of cotton buyers, shippers and users.

The chart below illustrating the global ending cotton stocks share contains some of the most followed information in the cotton trading community at this time. We have already discussed the fact that the ending stocks estimate for the U.S. is 3.1 million bales. The chart below shows that this represents a mere 3 percent of global ending stocks. This is not surprising since there are very few spinning operations remaining in the U.S., but it also emphasizes how our even a small U.S. ending stocks level is only modestly important where world prices are concerned. At this time, it is estimated that world ending stocks are 105 million bales, which is only 10 million bales less than annual needs.

There is no question that you will continue to see cotton photos like the ones above over the years, especially since new growing and harvesting technology is constantly being investigated. In addition, cotton prices will as in the past few years ebb and flow in a way to give farmers nice opportunities since this crop is a part of such a large array of inter-connected global financial and economic activity. Keep your cameras ready!

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2015

Cover Crops: Helping Farmers Today In The Future

& C

bY ALFONSO SANDOVAL

onservation in today’s world is the only way to secure our state’s agricul ture industry and the well-being of Texas’ future generations. By installing or taking conservation measures today, it will help future Texans enjoy the abundant natural resources and wildlife that we appreciate today. When I heard the word conservation, I would think of it as taking 10 minute showers instead of 30 minute showers to conserve water, or turning off all lights at home to conserve energy. I never thought that there are more critical things to conserve, like our natural resources. When I say natural resources, I am referring to our soil, water, air, plants and animals like wildlife and livestock. After having the great opportunity of working with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), I have gained knowledge and seen firsthand the importance of conservation on farms and ranches in South Texas. Now I tell my friends about conservation and the different methods we can use to conserve our natural resources. They like me, had no idea of how much we can do to preserve our wonderful land. Our soil is one of our key natural resources that make life possible on Earth. Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.” We know this because of the famous Dust Bowl where the lack of knowledge on conservation methods to prevent wind erosion, tons of topsoil was blown away devastating agriculture and thousands of lives. The cost effective ways to conserve our soil that I am really excited about is cover crops. Cover crops are defined as crops including grasses, legumes, forbs, or other herbaceous plants established for seasonal cover and conservation purposes. The

USDA-NRCS Earth Team Volunteer/TAMU Kingsville Ag Major

idea to keep soil covered is an innovative way that keeps our soils healthy and rich in nutrients. Cover crops help filter water into the soil, and prevent erosion, and then those crops serve as organic matter. Some common cover crops include soybean, cowpeas, red clover, sunflower, and many more. There is minimum to little need for tillage, because it exposes soil to direct sunlight evaporating the moisture in the soil, it also breaks up the natural holding ability of the soil and disrupts the ecosystem. I myself have told a couple of farmers to try cover crops and the benefits that come from keeping soil covered. I know of a farmer who is trying cover crops and is already seeing the benefits of them, like improving nitrogen fixation on soybeans which helps increase production and helps retain moisture during drought.

Long Term Benefits of Using Conservation Techniques like Cover Crops, No-Till and diverse crop rotations: • Improves cropping system • Increases diversity for the biology under the soil which in turn increases nutrients available for plants • Increases organic matter • Increases water holding capacity of the soil (esp. beneficial with droughts) • Can break up soil compaction • Reduces soil erosion • Using a mix of warm season grasses planted after harvest, then can use rota tion grazing for cattle to graze half, leave half • Decreases fertilizer use • Protect the soil ecosystem from temperature extremes and improve plant health • Saves time and money

On water conservation, cover crops help also because one percent of organic matter in the topsoil can hold approximately 27,000 gallons of water per acre after a one inch rainfall. If the soils are healthy, the crop will use water efficiently because the soil is able to absorb more. There are tons of ways we can help the land we live in to be rich and full of life. I hope more farmers take into consideration cover crops and start using them to maintain their soil health. We should also teach our younger generations the importance and ways to conserve our natural resources. If everybody puts an effort to follow conservation practices, we will continue to enjoy our natural resources for many years to come.

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2015

Dr. Temple Grandin

is Coming to the Rio Grande Valley bY Christine clifford Photos by Rosalie Winard

eam Mario - an Autism Awareness Organization, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the Rio Grande Valley Brahman and F-1 Association are co-hosting the world renowned Dr. Temple Grandin on October 26 and 27, 2015 at UTRGV.

Dr. Grandin is an expert on animal behavior and is globally known for designing humane handling systems for half the cattle-processing facilities in the US. She is also widely considered as the world’s leading expert on the welfare of cattle and pigs. She obtained her B.A. at Franklin Pierce College and her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State University. Dr. Grandin received her Ph.D in Animal Science from the University of Illinois. Today she teaches courses on livestock behavior and facility design at Colorado State University and consults with the livestock industry on facility design, livestock handling, and animal welfare. Grandin’s personal insight on autism has increased the world’s understanding of the condition. She was born to parents Richard Grandin and Eustacia Cutler in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 29, 1947. At the age of two, Grandin was diagnosed with autism, which was considered a form of brain damage at the time. Grandin’s struggles, and those of her family, have created a movement which inspires parents and individuals who have autism, to reach their full potential. Her life story has also been made into an HBO movie titled “Temple Grandin”, starring Claire Danes. The HBO movie won over seven Emmy awards and a Golden Globe. Grandin is a world renowned and nationally recognized leader in these two fields. On October 26, 2015, at 9 AM, Dr. Grandin’s first presentation will take place at the UTRGV Performing Arts Center. Her presenta-

tion is titled,”My Experience with Autism,” states Christine Clifford, Marketing Director for Team Mario and former cattle showman. “I am so blessed to have the opportunity to have my favorite worlds-autism and cattle-come together in the Rio Grande Valley.” Team Mario is extremely grateful for the support of our co-hostsRGV Brahman Association’s President Mr. Mike England and board member Mr. Carlos Guerra, along with UT-RGV (be consistent on whether you use a dash/hyphen. RGV Brahman & F-1 Association President reported, “Dr. Grandin will speak on October 27th, at 9 AM on “Understanding Cattle Behavior”. There will be a meet and greet book signing session after each presentation. Sponsorships are available from $500 to $5,000. As sponsorship levels increase, sponsors will receive recognition, tickets for Dr. Grandin’s presentation of choice and a private ranch dinner hosted at La Muneca Ranch. For more information on becoming a sponsor, please contact Sponsorship Chairman Carlos X. Guerra at lamunecacattle@aol.com or at 956-8021641 or UT-RGV’s Dr. John Lowdermilk at john.lowdermilk@utrgv.edu or 859-536-9857. S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

Ag Mag Featured Farmer

A Self Made SUCCESS! bY MICHELLE MARTIN

16 Ag Mag

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n the outskirts of Mercedes lies a big red barn, a landmark for many. That big red barn lies on the residence of England Cattle Co. and England Farms. For the England’s, it is much more than a landmark. That red barn stands for hard work, dedi cation, perseverance – and as a simple reminder of where the family has come from.

Mike England began his journey in the Agricultural world at a young age. When Mike was only a year old, his parents - who were actively involved in farming - decided to move from Nebraska to the Rio Grande Valley to explore new career opportunities. Mike knew, however, from an early age that he wanted to be submerged into agriculture. Fifteen years after his family moved to the Valley, they decided to once again explore their career options and moved again. Mike, 16 at the time, remained in the Valley, which at the time was already employed at Clifford ranch as well as the local sale yard. He began to be active in his Ag class at school and can accredit much of his knowledge to his former Ag teacher, Pete Abrigo. Mike also began to work at Clifford Ranch for his longtime mentor Alton Clifford, son Jimmy and his wife Mary(South of Mercedes) tending to cattle and farming a variety of crops. It was here where Mike learned the majority of what he knows now. After several years of work on the ranch Mike met his future wife Elizabeth “Crickett” Schwarz. Elizabeth was raised on their farm in Mercedes, it has been in her family for 3 generations. She started working at her family ‘s egg farm “Schwarz Quality Eggs at the age of five. She later worked at the Sale barn in Mercedes, where she and Mike met. She graduated from Pan American University in 1982 with BFA in Studio Art. Through the years she worked at Progreso Co-op Gin, HCID#5, Valley Coop Oil Mill, Van Burkleo & Davis and Salinas, Allen & Schmitt,LLP. She is proud to say she never applied for a job but was always asked. She finally quit public accounting in May of 2014 to concentrate on the family business. Elizabeth and Mike married in 1982.They continued to work at the Clifford ranch until it sold in 1984. Mike was spending most of his time dehorning cattle, palpating, hauling order buying, and anything he could to make a buck. One day, Elizabeth’s father Carroll Schwarz asked Mike to help him on the farm. Mike was hesitant. He was debating on taking one of 27 job offers he had waiting for a response – most of which would required moving. He agreed to stay and help and says “my roots began to be planted and I knew I wasn’t going anywhere from that point on.” Mike recalls farming some of the land that that no one wanted because it was not very productive, and no one had ever made a crop on it. He soon began to trade labor for equipment and expand his farm operations. He farmed cotton, grain and corn and vegetables. Although he enjoyed his work, Mike felt he was still missing something and that stemmed from his love for cattle - Brahmans to be exact. In the early 90s Mike started buying sale yard cows, and buying and trading what he could to make an extra dollar. He recalls attending a special sale in Pearsall one day and bought his first set of commercial cows 5 to be exact. He called his son Benton and instructed him to go catch 10 commercial cows and get them to the sale yard to get them sold to pay for the 5 he had just bought. Mike saw the potential and demand for Brahman cattle and decided to jump on board. There is one story that sticks out in Mike’s mind that he really accredits his polled success too. A gentleman Mike was custom harvesting for in San Antonio had mentioned he had 20 Brahman cows that needed to go. They had belonged to the man’s dad who had recently passed away. Mike jumped on the opportunity and purchased the cattle, and later found they were registered. He then called long time friend and cattleman Carlos Guerra at La Muneca ranch and told Carlos he needed a polled bull, and the rest is history. Mike and Elizabeth have been back in the registered business for about 5 years now and feel that they are making a difference in the breed. Breeding some of the best polled cattle

in the industry. Mike doesn’t do it all alone, having his son Benton – who has also been involved in Agriculture from an early age - by his side. Benton helps his father with the farming, but, like dad, truly enjoys working with the cattle. Mike says he would not be able to do what he does without his family by his side, and his close friends. He believes it is rewarding to work with kids and, although challenging, the reward far outweighs anything. Mike and Elizabeth’s youngest son Cole grew up helping with their operation until he left to get his business degree at Texas State university in San Marcos as he wants to pursue a life in the restaurant business, but he still comes home and helps out every opportunity he gets. Of course, changes throughout the years have impacted the family operations. Aside from technology, Mike says, cost has been imperative on most things. Lack of rain in the water sheds has also been a problem, leading Mike and others who battle that similar challenge to be creative. On the cattle side, however, Mike says the quality of Brahmans have been improving each year, an amazing site to watch. Mike has not forgotten his roots. He remembers those who helped him get to where he is today with mentors like Alton Clifford, Mary Clifford who he still calls his mom. Mary had such a huge impact on his life that there is no way to repay her for how she helped him. Other like Blue Bradford, Norman and Jesse Reid who were never afraid to take a chance in achieving something they had set their eyes on. To people like Carlos Guerra , Charlie Miller, Ralph Powell, Carroll Schwarz just to name a few. He believes in always giving back. Mike and wife Elizabeth now serve on several boards that give back to the community, but more importantly to the younger generation of Ag Leaders. “THAT BIG RED BARN IS STILL IN USE TODAY WHILE IT MAY BE A LANDMARK FOR MANY, IT CARRIES THE HISTORY AND STORIES OF MIKE, THE ENGLAND CATTLE COMPANY AND ENGLAND FARMS. AND THERE ARE MORE STORIES YET TO BE WRITTEN. So when in Mercedes stop by that big red barn and tell the England’s hello, their heart is as big as that barn and you will find that out after talking with them for a couple of minutes. They always welcome visitors.

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Ask THE EXPERT w w w . T e x a s S h r i m p A s s o c i a t i o n . c o m

bY ANDREA HANCE

Please give us a brief history of the Texas Shrimp Association. The Texas Shrimp Association (TSA) was formed in 1950 as a nonprofit organization whose primary goal is to protect and grow the Texas Gulf Shrimp industry. This sounds pretty simple but in actuality our industry is one of the most regulated, complex, dangerous, misconstrued industries in the world. Our organization not only promotes gulf shrimp, but deals with a broad array of issues such as crew safety, environmental topics, gear enhancement, crew training, labeling laws, import issues and that’s just to name a few. We work closely with the Coast Guard, TPWD, NMFS, NOAA, Sea Grant, and several costal conservation organizations to stay abreast of new or changing regulations. Just recently TSA was involved with our legislatures to successfully re open the Visa Worker application process, ensuring that our boats have a full crew for the start of the season (July 15th). Visa workers make up approximately 30% of our crew. Why is it important for Texas consumers to know about the Texas shrimp industry? Currently we are facing one of our biggest challenges – the increase of imported farm raised shrimp that enters our country virtually untested and unregulated. Consumer Report magazine recently reported that a high percent of the imported shrimp contain harmful chemicals and antibiotics - most of which are banned in the US and can be potentially harmful for consumption. The FDA only tests .8% of imported shrimp and the US has earned a reputation as the “dumping grounds” for imported shrimp. Most other countries destroy the shrimp to protect the consumers, however in the U.S., the shrimp are sent back to their country of origin, or unfortunately re-enters at another port. After all, there is a 99% chance this shrimp will end up on your plate. Recently TSA conducted an informal study, dining at 25 (nonchain) restaurants throughout the state that serve shrimp. When we inquired about the origin of the shrimp, 20 restaurants said the shrimp were from the Gulf and 5 conveyed the shrimp were imported from an Asian Country. After digging a little deeper, turns out that only 2 of the 25 restaurants were actually serving gulf shrimp. Which sums up our biggest challenge – the lack of transparency in regards to labeling laws. Most people are completely unaware that The Texas Gulf Shrimp industry is a struggling industry; decreasing in size by almost 70% over the past 20 years. The complexities and the risk of our industry by far outweighs any other industry; what person in their right mind would invest $200,000 - $300,000 for a 30+ year old fishing vessel, spend 1/2 that amount on fishing gear (netting, cables, TED’s, doors, etc), fill a 15,000 gallon tank with fuel and send out to fish for 45 – 60 days in statistically the most dangerous industry in the United States – with little or no insurance for our vessel, crew, or harvest. In your opinion, what is the biggest different between Texas Gulf shrimp and Imported Shrimp? “Wild-Caught” gulf shrimp are harvested in a natural habitat which provides the right balance of nutrients making up their bold, distinctive flavor that truly sets them apart from any other

which provides the right balance of nutrients making up their bold, distinctive flavor that truly sets them apart from any other shrimp. Texas is the only coastal state that closes our coastline for approximately 60 days allowing our shrimp to grow to a larger more marketable size. Imported farm raised shrimp are flavorless. They are grown in ponds under less than ideal conditions. If you had one thing to tell/teach consumers about Texas wild caught Gulf shrimp, what would it be? Contrary to believe, The Texas Gulf Shrimp industry is one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Our industry has been very proactive in the overall coastal conservation and sustainable efforts. We are required to pull TED’s (turtle excluder devices) that are 97% effective, BYRD’s (by catch reduction devices) that have decreased our by catch to record lows. In fact, the Texas Gulf Shrimping industry was recently applauded for our sustainability achievements. Unfortunately there are many environmentalist and NGO’s (non Government organizations) that use statistical data from 20 years ago with no mention of the drastic improvements and accomplishments made by our industry. After all positive data would decrease their ability to raise money. They hold all the cards! Therefore our industries reputation will always be tainted by this negative publicity. If there is only one boat left shrimping, somehow that one boat will be blamed for destroying the entire marine habitat of the gulf. What do you see in the future for the Texas shrimp industry? As the Executive Director, I certainly don’t want to come across too pessimistic about our future. This industry is comprised of resilient, hard working people who are forced to endure extreme challenges on a daily basis. We have accepted the fact that our Government is not coming to our rescue. Unlike NGO’s ,and environmentalist, we don’t receive donations to assist with our sustainability efforts - which on average costs each boat owner approximately $50,000 per year in loss of production, not to mention the added cost of this special gear and netting. What keeps us going is the faith that the American Consumer will not only choose Gulf Shrimp (product of USA) over a foreign imported farm raised shrimp, but more importantly, should exercise their right to demand the origin of the shrimp! S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

National Resources Inventory

Conservation Effects Assessment Project

Survey of Farming and Conservation Practices

Why is CEAP important? Agricultural leaders value conservation programs and their importance in protecting and restoring the environment and natural resources on which farmers and ranchers depend. Billions of dollars in federal funding have supported the implementation of conservation programs and practices on private lands in the United States. The information from the CEAP survey will provide the farming community, the general public, legislators, and others involved in environmental policy with a current accounting of the environmental impacts of conservation practices. It will also help determine what resources farmers may need to further protect the soil, water and related resources. To learn more about CEAP visit: www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Conservation_Effects_Assessment_Project/index.asp www.nrcs.usda. gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ main/national/technical/nra/ceap

Why participate in CEAP?

The survey captures producers’ current farming and management practices, including conservation practices designed to help protect soil and water resources. Each year, the survey provides a complete picture of conservation practices in selected watersheds.

This information is used to maintain, modify and improve programs that assist farmers in planning and installing on-farm conservation practices. Changes made to these conservation programs have the potential to further reduce sediment and nutrient losses from cropland. Maintaining conservation programs in the United States benefits producers by protecting the environment on which their livelihoods depend. The programs provide financial incentives such as rental payments and cost-sharing incentives to offset the cost of installing conservation practices. USDA conservation programs currently benefiting farmers include: • Agricultural Management Assistance • Agricultural Water Enhancement Program • Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program • Conservation Reserve Program • Conservation Security Program • Conservation Stewardship Program • Environmental Quality Incentives Program • Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative • Wetlands Reserve Program • Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program

USE LINK:

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/ Conservation_Effects_Assessment_ Project/index.asp

Field people will screen for the point operators from late August through September, and can begin data collection on October 15. All chemical applications and field management practices must be complete for the season before the interviews can be conducted, so many interviews will not be done until December and January. For those operators who participate, our office has arranged for them to earn one CEU, good towards their Applicators License with TDA.

For more informationor questions about the CEAP survey, contact the NASS Agriculturalo Statistics Hotline at

(202) 720-9540

In addition to these and other federal programs,assistance is available from state agencies and nonprofit organizations. Also, many farmers install conservation practices without public incentives or assistance. S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Grazing Lands Focus of Upcoming Renowned National Conference bY LORI VALADEZ

C O L L E G E S TAT I O N

he National Grazing Lands Coalition will host the 6th National Conference on Grazing Lands Dec. 13-16, 2015, at the Hyatt Regency DFW near Grapevine, Texas. Conference organizers expect more than 1,200 ranchers, professors, land managers, researchers, public officials, conservationists and students to attend this national conference and participate in the exchange of ideas and information on grazing land environmental and economic practices and issues.

“We are excited about bringing this renowned national conference to Texas. Grazing lands make up more than a quarter of the private land acres in the United States and serve many roles from homes for livestock and wildlife to sponges for rainfall, carbon reservoirs, hunting and fishing grounds, and much, much more,” said Bob Drake, National Grazing Lands Coalition chairman emeritus. “Sustainably managing all these roles across 530 million acres of grazing lands in this nation is a huge balancing act.”

speakers also include everyday ranchers and land managers. This year’s conference will also feature a “Texas Day” on December 15 that will feature sessions on prescribed burning and brush management, along with a Texas Social in the evening.

The conference will feature experts in fields such as range science, range and pasture management, forage management and animal behavior. Speakers include Dr. Don Ball, professor emeritus, Auburn University; Dr. Garry Lacefield, professor of plant and soil science, Extension forage specialist, University of Kentucky; Dr. Peter Ballerstedt, forage product manager, Barenbrug, USA; and Dr. Rachel Gilker and Kathy Voth, who produce “On Pasture,” an online grazing magazine which translates research and experience into actions graziers can implement on their own operations.

“While we welcome all grazing land experts, we also look for presenters who are the ‘cowboy expert’- the individual who has gained his or her expertise through long hours working with livestock and firsthand exposure to all sorts of elements — natural, economic and political,” Drake said.

The conference’s unique format will provide grazing information and expert speakers along four “tracks” - Western, Midwestern, Eastern and Dairy. Some of the topics to be highlighted include grazing management, grazing land economics and marketing, public policy, soil health and the ag/urban interface. Session

Early bird registration of $295 is available through Oct. 15, 2015, followed by regular online registration of $365 until Dec. 4, 2015. On-site registration is also available at $365. For more registration information, or opportunities to exhibit or participate in poster presentations visit http://www.grazinglands.org S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

La Muneca to Host 28th Annual

Jr. Round Up & Futurity

“O

n Saturday, October 3rd, starting at 9:00 a.m., La Muneca Cattle Co. will proudly be host ing our 28th Annual Jr. Round Up & LMC Futurity. This is a fun-filled, educational, family oriented event that anyone interested in is invited to attend. There will be some awesome speakers on many topics related to the beef industry, showmanship, leadership, motivation, fertilizer, judging and ag opportunities,” states LMC owner, Carlos X. Guerra Adults and three age groups of juniors will have the opportunity to judge four classes of Simbrah, Brahman and Simbravieh cattle, two classes of hay plus a weightguessing contest. Seventy-five juniors will win $750 in premiums sponsored by the Darryl Raub Family, plus be in the drawing for over 100 door prizes donated by many local businesses, including Martin’s Farm

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BY CARLOS GUERRA

& Ranch, Farm & Ranch in San Isidro-Kito Saenz, Hidalgo County Farm Bureau, Mueller Inc.-Frank Trevino, Chorizo de San Manuel, Creative Awards, San Isidro FFA-Raul Hinojosa, Rio Grande City FFARandy Lee Lara, Tandy’s, La Muneca and the families of Dr. Oscar Alvarez, Benny & James Cano, Benjamin Hill, Doug Lightfoot, Curtis Gruetzmacher, Norberto Lopez, Tucker Tanner & Buck Rhyner. The average attendance through the years has been over 300 kids, parents and leaders. The LMC Special Awards of Volunteer, Booster and Educators of the Year will be awarded at the Round Up. The Annual La Muneca Futurity will conclude the day’s events with over $7,500 in prize money and buckles. Half of this money will be awarded in showmanship. The RGV Brahman & F-1 Association will also be sponsoring a registered Brahman steer show at this event. Other upcoming LMC events this fall include the LMC

GenePLUS Online Sale X on August 29th - Sept. 1 and the LMC GIVING THANKS Online Sale II on November 21-24 where 100% of every lot will be donated to Junior Scholarship Funds and other charities. You can sign up at www.cattleinmo-

tion.com.

Food and refreshments will be served all day by the Edinburg FFA Booster Club. The tenth annual LMC Customer Appreciation Dinner will be held at the conclusion of the LMC Futurity. La Muneca is located three miles south of Linn on the west side of Highway 281.

For more information, please call Carlos or Sister Guerra at 956-3837566 or 802-1641 or email them at lamunecacattle@aol.com or call Brad Cowan, Hidalgo County Agent at 956-383-1026 or b-cowan@tamu.edu.

TEAM MARIO bY LISA BECERRA

“C

an Fun Friday’s end next week?”, a 7 year old camper asks. His eyes open wide in hope for one more week with TEAM MARIO. A smile runs across his face as he asks his question again. It slowly disappears when he is told that unfortunately Fun Fridays have come to an end but that they’ll be back next year, “We’re going to have more events with TEAM MARIO throughout the year,” Lisa Beccera, program director for TEAM MARIO, mentions to him. He smiles again at the thought of seeing his new found friends again at another TEAM MARIO event. This is the second year he has attended TEAM MARIO’s Fun Fridays Social Skills camp. The camp promoted social skills in a fun educational environment at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. TEAM MARIO is a non-profit Autism awareness organization based out of the border town of Edinburg, Texas. They serve children and families in the Rio Grande Valley who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The Team is made up of various professionals, including Special Educators, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Board Certified Behavioral Analysts, volunteers, students, and parents who believe that children with autism have the capacity to reach their full potential with the right support in place. TEAM MARIO was inspired by an amazing young boy named Mario, who has touched everyone’s life with his journey and motivates the team to make a difference in the lives of children with autism. The organization aims to inspire families and individuals with autism to look beyond the impossibilities to the hope that comes with knowing that they are not alone. It is TEAM MARIO’s mission to educate, support and advocate for children and families affected by ASD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities

that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges.” Autism is a national epidemic. In less than 2 years the increase of autism diagnosis went from 1 in 85 children, to 1 in 68 children. Autism is considered a spectrum disorder, as children are affected by autism at different levels. Children with Autism are part of a unique population that experience the world around them in different ways. TEAM MARIO is dedicated to providing children with autism opportunities to learn, succeed and acquire the necessary skills to help improve their quality of life. The unique organization hosts a series of monthly community-based social skills events for children with autism incorporating the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which is an effective treatment method for individuals with ASD. All monthly events are provided free of charge to the families. TEAM MARIO also provides trainings and resources for parents, teachers and other professionals. TEAM MARIO is organizing an Autism Conference scheduled for October 1st and 2nd, providing information on a variety of topics related to the assessment, treatment and education of those affected by ASD. They are also co-hosting Dr. Temple Grandin with UTRGV and the Rio Grande Valley Brahman and F-1 Association on October 26th and 27th at UTRGV. Families will get the opportunity to listen to Dr. Grandin’s amazing words and her example of overcoming challenges and inspiring others to believe in reaching their full potential. In the words of Dr. Temple Grandin, “The most interesting people you’ll find are ones that don’t fit into your average cardboard box. They’ll make what they need, they’ll make their own boxes.” For more information about events, volunteering or sponsorship opportunities, please visit their website at www.teammario.org. S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Want to Advertise? Contact Michelle Martin at the Ag Mag (956) 330-8870 michelle@theagmag.org

Harvesting ‘rou

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RGV

nd the

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

FFA & 4-H 2 015

RGV

DISTRICT

CAL

September 1, 2015

September 22, 2015

RGV District Meeting

Plant & Land ID

Goat/Lamb Validation

RGVLS 10am

9-11am/1:30-6 pm

September 1, 2015

September 22, 2015

October 24, 2015

Weslaco 5:30pm

Heifer Validation Count due to Milton Perez Weslaco 5:30pm

September 5, 2015

Brush Country Classic RGVLS

September 8, 2015

AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING TAMUK 5:30pm

September 12, 2015

District Greenhand Leadership Conference RGVLS

September 22, 2015

Atascosa Co. Wintergarden Dist. Invitational Plant ID, Land, Range CDE Jourdanton

October 3, 2015

La Muneca Field Day La Muneca 8 am

October 6, 2015

AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

RGV District Meeting

Pioneer

La Joya 5:30am

September 21, 2015

October 10, 2015

Hog Tags are due to David Vela 30 Ag Mag

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Rattler Diamond Back Showdown RGVLS

October 20, 2015

Hill Country Classic RGVLS

October 31, 2015

Commercial Heifer RGVLS 8am

October 31, 2015

AREA 10 PLANT ID, LAND, RANGE CDE Wildlife Refuge, Sinton

November 1, 2015

DISTRICT, AREA,STATE & NATIONAL FFA DUES DEADLINE Respective Org. 5pm

November 17, 2015

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DISTRICT LDE’S 10am

Calendar

LENDAR

ACTIVITIES

Sponsored by:

September 12, 2015

STAR Show Steer Validation (steers that were not validated in June) Pioneer H.S. 8-10am

September 15, 2015

Ambassador Meeting Extension Office 6:30pm

September 17, 2015

Swine Validation Tag Orders Due Extension Office 5pm

September 19, 2015

Achievement Night PSJA T-STEM Campus 6pm

September 22, 2015

October 2, 2015

October 27, 2015

Hoedown

County Council/ ALPA Meeting

Las Palmas Race Park 6pm

Extension Office 7pm

October 6, 2015

Ambassador Meeting Extension Office 6:30pm

October 10, 2015

District 12 4-H Council / Volunteer Workshop TAMUK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kingsville Time TBA

October 20, 2015

Registered Heifer Validation

County Council/ALPA Lamb & Goat Validation Meeting Weslaco Ag Farm September 26-27, 2015

October 24, 2015

Dist. 12 Shooting Sports Coach Certification Location and time TBA

RGVLS Grounds-Mercedes 8 am

November 21, 2015

District Food Show / Food Challenge November 22, 2015

October 20, 2015

9-11am, 1:30-6pm

Commercial Heifer Validation

Alice Time TBA

Weslaco Ag Farm 8 -11am

Extension Office 7pm

October 31, 2015

District 12 Consumer Decision Making Alice Time TBA

November 24, 2015

Swine Validation

County Food Show/ Food Challenge

Edinburg Ag. Farm 3-6pm

TBA Time TBA

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

32054 Weaver Road, San Benito, Texas

956-207-9004 Harvesting year â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;round Delivery Available

Your business is our priority! Locally grown

TIFT 419, Bermuda, Floratam & St. Augustine

Major Farm Bill changes to the Sugarcane policies bY CASEY CLIPSON

s we move into the 2016 crop year, 2014 Farm Bill rules will be implemented to allow growers more options with their crop insurance decisions. These changes are intended to create a program that can be applied to the grower on an individual risk management level or, where it makes sense, a county risk management level, negating the old program (2008 Farm Bill) which was more of a one size fits all program with very little options.

See Chart 1 (YLDS are in LBS) Chart 1 Cameron RMA SCO YLD 6684 SCO PMT Starts 5748.24

Hidalgo 5982 5144.52

Willacy 6911 5943.46

With the 2016 crop year there are two major changes, the ability to select enterprise unit structure and the addition of Supplemental Coverage Option.

For Example: If Cameron County Sugar Yield falls below 5748/ ac, Cameron County would have suffered a loss and a payment would be made to every grower who purchased SCO coverage. The payment would be based off of these numbers and the growers APH. (Its sounds complicated, but is easy to understand once explained) This opens up all kind of possibilities on how to approach coverage and manage risk. Some growers can choose 50% optional unit coverage and also protect against a county loss for a very reasonable premium. In some cases we are running numbers of $1173/ ac coverage for $20/ac premium. That is less than a 2% rating and with a year like this past year every little bit counts.

Enterprise units:

Pasture Rangeland and Forage:

Sugar Cane:

Enterprise unit structure allows the grower to save up to 50% of the premium on his or her policy. This is very beneficial for some growers, but comes at a risk as all acres will be treated as one unit reducing the field by field coverage to a county wide coverage. Enterprise unit coverage allows growers to select 75% or higher coverage for much less premium. Growers must have enough acres to qualify for EU discount. They call this the 20/20 rule. There must be at least 20 acres in at least two separate units or 20% of the total crop planted in two or more separate units. This can get a little complicated so by all means ask the question to make sure you qualify. Once again, the risk of EU comes in to play when you have fields that are scheduled for early harvest on the same policy with fields scheduled for harvest in the spring. A real scenario could be 50% of the cane can be harvested in Oct. before a freeze, and the rest harvested in March after the freeze damage sets in. This claim calculated as all fields as one unit even though they were harvested months apart. Good production would be averaged with the fields with freeze damage, which would result in less of a payment, but once again there is a huge discount for EU acres.

Supplemental Coverage Options (SCO):

SCO coverage for sugarcane is new with the implementation of 2014 Farm Bill. This allows growers to purchase additional coverage up to 86% of the county SCO yield.

Pasture Rangeland and Forage Polices better known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rainfall Policyâ&#x20AC;? have assisted cattle producers since 2007 when the policy was first developed. It is still the only policy that allows protection for drought related losses for our very important cattle producers. The Final Rules are not out for the 2016 crop year for this policy but are due out on or before 8/31/2015. This policy is becoming a permanent policy and will no longer be in Pilot classification by RMA. Being this is the case I do not want to comment on this policy too much as it may have some significant changes. Sales Closing on the PRF policy is normally 11/15(which I do not see changing), with coverage starting on Jan 1 in most cases. I will do full story on this product in the future once we know more. Here at CropGuard we want the RGV and all of our areas to have the most up to date information in this every changing agriculture environment. For those who are our customers we would like to thank you for your support, and we want you to know we will continue our commitment to superior service throughout the years to come. For those of you who are not our customers, we would like the opportunity to earn your business. Give us a call if you have any questions or if you would like us to help with your operation. Thanks, C Casey Clipson S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Conservation Leaders in Every Community bY KATHRYN BRADY

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early morning and the sun is just peaking over the horizon brightening the dawn sky with rays of pink and yellow and then suddenly you hear the cadences of marching youth breaking through the peaceful chirps of birds. What could this be you wonder? What teenager would spend their sum mer waking up bright and early to shout cadences in marching formation about wildlife conservation? This scene is exactly what happens every summer across Texas. Young adults descend upon Texas ranches to learn about wildlife and agricultural management. The program is called the Texas Brigades; which includes the buckskin brigade, the Bobwhite Brigade, the Bass Brigade and the Ranch Brigade. The Texas Brigades were started in 1992 by Dr. Dale Rollins; Extension Wildlife Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the first camp took place in the Rolling plains of Texas to teach youth about wildlife conservation; specifically

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quail due to the dwindling quail populations and to create conservation leaders in every community. And since that time the brigades have grown and spread to multiple camps throughout the state and is described as a wildlife intensive leadership development camp. I had the opportunity to attend the Rolling Plains Bobwhite Brigade at the Krooked River Ranch in Leuders, Texas outside of Abilene in 2001. And, I must say this camp changed my life and began to mold me into the person I am today. Without Bobwhite Brigade I would not have learned what kind of leader I could be and would not have taken steps to stay involved in leadership and in natural resource conservation. So many of the things that I learned at Bobwhite Brigade have stayed with me and given me a yearning to give back to the conservation and youth communities. I recently had the opportunity to meet one of the young men who has attended some the Brigade camps. Cooper Moore is going to be a freshman at Hays Consolidated High School

I recently had the opportunity to meet one of the young men who has attended some the Brigade camps. Cooper Moore is going to be a freshman at Hays Consolidated High School and is a member of the Kyle 4- H club. Cooper attended the south Texas Buckskin Brigade this summer at the Southern Star Ranch outside Uvalde, Texas. Cooper said that he had a “great time meeting new friends and learning new things.” Although he does admit that the most surprising thing about the camp was the amount of sleep they got in the whole week. Cooper described a typical day to me like this:

tie a knot and hang on” by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Cooper proudly recited and what that means to me is that “you have to keep trying even when life gets difficult and you feel like you have nothing left to give just keep going and life will pull you through” stated Cooper. Cooper has had a fantastic time at both of the brigade camps he has attended (he attended the North Texas Bobwhite Brigade in San Angelo last year) and hopes to go back next year to the South Texas Buckskin Brigade as a leader or to attend more of the brigades.

”

You wake up around 5:30 or 6 AM get ready for the day and make sure your cabin in clean and tidy, then you go outside and get into formation with your “herd” or team and march and shout the cadences. Cadences are set to the typical military rhythm and are on the same topics that the “cadets” or campers are learning. Then it’s breakfast time, and then begins the learning part of the day; which includes a plant of the day, a learning activity, field work, lunch, classroom learning, a guest speaker in the field of natural resource conservation, an activity that reinforces more about conservation, archery and target practice, dinner, leadership activities, a wildlife lesson, a quiz, teambuilding games, another lesson, some time for a little fun, then you have the option of going to bed or completing your projects which will be turned in and judged at the end of camp. By this time it is anywhere from mid-night to 2 am. Lessons at Buckskin Brigade include learning about deer habitat, which Moore says included “learning about fawning cover which is tall grass of bushes and that wildlife managers can create this kind of habitat by having areas of thick brush inter-laced with clear areas to create a perfect mosaic of cover and browse.” They also learned how it is important to enhance and maintain your browse plants because the deer will eat the most preferred plants first; which are known as “ice-cream plants”.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

”

Moore said he would encourage any 4-H or FFA student that is interested in wildlife, the outdoors or conservation to attend one of the brigade camps because it is “a great way to meet new friends, gain hands-on outdoor experience, learn about plants and animals and develop into a better person.

”

Cooper told me that some of the field work included allowing the cadets to participate in a deer census; where they went out at dusk and used a spotlight to count how many and what gender of deer they were seeing. They also learned how to age deer based on their teeth. And also learned about tracking deer with a GPS collar. Cooper’s favorite part was a field activity where the cadets were able to pretend to be a game warden and they had to go up to the real game warden who had a hunting camp set up with scenarios of hunting law violations. The cadets had to find the violations. The brigades are also filled with opportunities to grow as a leader and develop team building skills. One of Cooper’s favorite team building games was a game where they had metal cans tied up to a bungee-cord rubber bands that are connected to ropes each cadet has a rope and they have to work together to stack the cans in a pyramid. Once the team had accomplished the task one time then one of the team members is blind-folded and the other team members have to compensate for the other and direct the blind-folded member on what to do in order to stack the cans. Cooper quoted me his “silver bullet” which is a quotation that each cadet is given to memorize and then explain what it means to them. ““When you get to the end of your rope;

You have to keep trying even when life gets difficult and you feel like you have nothing left to give, just keep going and life will pull you through.

”

– Cooper Moore

If you or child are interested in the Texas Brigades or to learn more about the Texas Brigades visit:

http://www.texasbrigades.org

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Grace

Heritage Ranch If you are looking for something fun to do or somewhere to take your kids then Grace Heritage Ranch is the place (GHR). GHR is located just outside the little town of Santa Monica in Willacy County, Texas. I had the pleasure of being invited to Grace Heritage Ranch to check out what they had to offer. To be honest, when I was driving up the dirt road that leads to their 100 acre homestead, I was skeptical, but like many I was pleasantly surprised. Brian Schalk and Mary Schalk moved their family to GHR in August of 2010. The purpose of this move was start a self-sustaining homestead, while becoming more self-reliant, and teaching their children skills and techniques of the past. Some of the responsibilities of the children are bee keeping, cultivating the large organic garden, and also caring for the wide variety of animals. Some popular attractions are the American Milking Devon cattle and the San Clemente Island goats. These goats and cattle are endangered breeds, so it is a sight to see. Along with cattle and goats GHR also has Nigerian Dwarf goats, Chocolate and Bourbon Red turkeys, and heritage breeds of chickens. There are several other animals that call GHR home, but I will leave that up to you to go see for yourself. The animals at GHR are tame and most love and are accustomed to visitors, which was exciting. Overall, GHR is a fun filled yet educational place, where you can learn the ways of the land, while at the same time experiencing warm hospitality. The Schalkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s believe in using the land God has graciously provided for them, and look forward to sharing their gift with you.

GRACEHERITAGERANCH.COM FACEBOOK.COM/VISITGHR brian@graceheritageranch.com 1-844-VISIT-GHR (1-844-847-4844) 27539 Old Alice Rd Santa Monica, TX 78569

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Enduring Legacy:

THE FIRST CONVERSATION bY:

Kurt Schuster

AgMag Columnist

n my last article we went over an introduction as to how we can help grow agribusiness in our community. In doing my research for this subject, I realized that this is a much larger issue than just getting our and help your local FFA chapter. The demographics and complicated, sprawling nature of agribusiness has made it such that those engaged in it, and those looking to become engaged in it, could use a little help and guidance to grow and thrive. To that end, in this month’s article we’re going to discuss the one thing that everyone seems to fear the most: communication. What you mean to say, what you actually say, what the other person hears, what the other person thinks they hear, what the other person says about what you said, and what you think the other person said about what you said are six different messages that can get through, of course you need to communicate better!

WE NEED TO TALK Whether it’s your significant other, your employer, or even your parents, this little phrase is almost as scary as the government saying they’re here to help you. However, this should not be the case as proper and timely communication is an absolute necessity for any relationship or business to thrive. If you’re a small time operator on a family farm for example, you’re probably used to doing many things by yourself. To this end you’re not used to telling anyone your business and you probably like it that way. However, if you want your kids to take over the business or new partners to come on board you’re going to have to communicate, more so than you do to the banker or the tax man. In this column we’ve multiple times insisted on having the right legal paperwork drawn up. New people bring new ideas and skills to the table and you may be surprised to find new and better ways of doing things. Or, maybe you can explain how to and thus offload that one job you hate or just something that makes your life easier. In any event, be clear and as concise as possible. You may be thinking that this is so basic why I even need to read it. A good rejoinder and anecdote I have is a farmer I knew who was going over his operations with his wife, his son who had just joined the farm, and a consultant. As he told the story of the operations history and gave estimates of the value of his property the wife said in amazement that such figures couldn’t be true, but they were simply because there was no discussion or shared knowledge between the two. As such when a health crisis hit that operation all sorts of chaos developed.

We Need to Write it Down

Communication is not limited to the verbal of course, and as has become a common them in this column you need to: write it 38 Ag Mag

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has become a common them in this column you need to: write it down, get it legal, and get someone with letters after their name to check it for you. A perfect example of this would be a will. You may think that such a document isn’t something that should concern you, being the healthy and strong ox you are. However, accidents happen, situations arise, and all it takes is a little time and expense to get your affairs in order so your family or your business legacy doesn’t suffer. A will is also a powerful tool I how you want to shape your operations. Not only can it give you an end goal that you can visualize and work towards, but it can help shape things for future generations. Want to keep land in the family? Get a will, set up a trust, etc. Worried that your children/partner/spouse won’t want your business? Get a will, set up a way to dissolve operations, etc. Almost any other example you can think of will involve this type of legal communication for you estate dealing with your business interests. Having such documents will give you the ability to head off most inter-family squabbles over probate, fights over what is fair and not, and keep peace and profitability in the family and business. It cannot be emphasized enough that having proper legal documentation of your plans, and then communicating effectively those desires, can save a world of trouble for all involved.

We Need to Practice It As with a lot of my columns most of these ideas seem blessedly simple. Good! Often times the most basic ideas are the ones that work the best and are also the easiest to implement. However, when these most of basic of ideas are neglected you cannot then be surprised when everything falls apart with such a shaky foundation. Telling those you’re involved with (friends, family, or business partners) is always the first and best step to having thriving relationships and a successful business.

congratulates Pepe Ortega

on harvesting the first bale of cotton in the u.s. the early mid-season variety was purchased from bayer cropscience.

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

TAHC Releases Temporary Fever Tick Quarantine Area in Starr County

he Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has released the remaining portion of the fever tick temporary preventative quarantine area (TPQA) in Starr County (South Texas). The release was effective June 19, 2015. The area released is located in the southwest part of Starr County along Highway 83, near Zapata County. The TAHC established a TPQA for portions of Starr County on July 3, 2007 following findings of cattle fever tick infestations on multiple premises, and then increased the size of the area quarantined in 2008. Over 65,000 acres were under quarantine in the county until a partial release of the zone occurred in 2011. The size of the remaining area to be released in phase two for Starr County consists of 33,024 acres. “Releasing the remaining area in the

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TPQA confirms that the cooperative efforts between the TAHC, USDAVeterinary Services Tick Force and local ranchers are working successfully,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC Executive Director. “The TAHC and USDA will continue to work closely with local ranchers and hunters to maintain an effective surveillance program so that fever ticks do not reoccur in the area.” The release rescinds all movement restrictions originally placed on livestock within the TPQA as a result of simply being located in the temporary quarantine zone. A separate temporary fever tick quarantine zone established in 2014 is still in place in Cameron County, with approximately 225,000 acres affected. Cattle fever ticks are capable of carrying and transmitting ‘Babesia’, a blood para-

site deadly to cattle. The fever ticks are common in Mexico, but are not normally found in Texas. For more information about the cattle fever tick, visit the TAHC web site at:

www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_ health/fevertick/fevertick.html. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), one of the oldest state regulatory agencies, was founded in 1893 with a mission to combat the fever ticks that plagued the Texas cattle industry. Today, the agency works to protect the health of all Texas livestock including: cattle, equine, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, exotic livestock and fowl.

WHITTLE FARMS

bY NICKy BRASHEAR

estled between a big box store parking lot and a high school track sits a small slice of Texas agriculture. Whittle Farms, affectionately dubbed “Dixieland” by the family, has watched the city of Harlingen sprawl and con sume just about every parcel of fertile land. As the asphalt crept up to the farm’s property line, however, this family remained steadfast that their farm was here to stay. Purchased by Grady and Cynthia Whittle in 1955, the two-story farm house on five acres was on the side of a dirt road that went nowhere. The couple with their daughter, Faye, made updates to the house which included an addition and aluminum siding. They were careful to maintain the architecture of the 1920’s home, choosing to leave the charming wide baseboards, crystal doorknobs, and hardwood floors. Little did they know that 60 years later two of their granddaughters would work hard to restore the farm to its previous splendor. Grady, a teacher, band director, and school principal by trade was also quite an agriculturalist. On his 5 acres of Texas dirt, he nurtured the yard into an oasis of tropical plants. He was particularly proud of his cactus garden in the back yard. The acres surrounding the house took the plow and eventually gave life to grapefruit trees, banana trees and finally sago palms. Many old-timers in the area will still comment on how well kept the tree farm was, and how hard Grady toiled to keep the rows weed free and the yard immaculate. Truth was, the life giving earth was what kept him young. Upon falling ill in 1993 and unable to work the land, Grady passed away, leaving the tree farm and operation in the capable hands of his wife, Cynthia. For 12 years Cynthia, with the aid of a field worker, kept the business alive. The sago palms planted by Grady all those years before produced the progeny that would keep cash flow coming in for his wife until her own death in 2005.

made the decision to sell all the mature trees in the field. Keeping the seed beds and nursery intact, she also allowed for hope and tradition to grow. As the years passed, Faye saw the love for the land her father once had take hold of her two daughters, Cyndie and Nicky. Deeding the property and house over to them was more than generous, it was this selfless act that put the farm on the road to recovery. Upon gaining ownership of Dixieland, the two sisters were excited to continue the legacy of Whittle Farms. They soon found that their passion, however, was not in palm trees. They tried pumpkins, but the South Texas heat and the whiteflies put a quick end to that particular dream. Not ones easily deterred, they turned their focus back to what originally graced the fieldscitrus. Their grandfather’s grapefruit trees were all killed in the freeze of 1983, but the land seemed to welcome the sister’s efforts. Planting 200 baby trees in 2011, the now mature trees are full of fruit, and full of promise. We all know that every ag venture has its own set of trials and tribulations, this is a fact that the sisters are painfully aware of. Their dream of providing local, Organic citrus is already being challenged by the pervasive Citrus Greening. Digging in their heels once again, they are fighting fire with fire, so to speak, using nature’s answer to greening- the wasp named Tamarixia radiata. Working closely with the XXXXX, Whittle Farms has recently installed a “wasp dorm” to house, breed, and subsequently release wasps in their orchard. This method will allow them to apply many times the number of wasps on their trees than the traditional hand release method. Not allowing this obstacle to dampen their spirits shows that the sisters truly harbor the spirit of land stewardship. They will continue to work their land, love their house, and instill in their children the value of owning the land that is caked on their boots.

The farm was then inherited by their only daughter, Faye. Finding the house in poor repair, and the fields overwhelming, she S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Deer Breeder Movement Standards Plan Finalized

Framework Addresses Chronic Wasting Disease Management , Industry Needs

AUSTIN , TX exas deer breeders will be able to resume animal movements under a plan finalized today by staff of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The Breeder Deer Movement Qualifica tion Standards Plan will take effect upon the filing of Emergency Rules by TPWD and will be in place through the 2015-16 Texas hunting season. Details of the plan are available online at www.tpwd.texas.gov/cwd.

Key elements of the plan include: • A framework giving breeders who met previous movement qualified standards an option to move and liberate deer. Movement qualification is also dependent on administrative compliance with deer breeder permit regulations and statutes. • Enhanced options for closely-monitored herds with a status of “fifth year” or “certified” in the TAHC Monitored Herd Program. There are no additional release site requirements for ranches that receive deer only from these herds. • Additional Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing in deer breeding facilities. Under the plan, the vast majority of the 1,300 permitted deer breeders in Texas can gain movement qualified status by testing two or fewer animals. • There will be CWD testing requirements for a proportion of deer that are harvested on some release sites. The goal of the Movement Qualification Plan is to provide deer breeders with options prior to the September 22 deadline for movement and liberation of bucks and before the 2015-16 hunting season. This is just one of many steps Texas is taking to mitigate the spread of CWD after it was detected in deer from a Medina County deer breeding facility earlier this summer. “We have received and tried to be responsive to the extensive feedback from the state’s many and varied deer management interests in developing this revised plan,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. “In the development of this framework, 44 Ag Mag

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both agencies are balancing the need to minimize the risk of unwittingly allowing the movement or liberation of Chronic Wasting Disease-positive deer on the Texas landscape while adopting reasonable movement qualification standards that allow qualified deer breeders to begin moving and liberating captive deer. The complexity associated with the development of this framework is immense.” A joint agency CWD Working Group will now focus efforts on developing individual herd plans for affected deer breeders and develop a plan for strategic sampling of hunter harvested deer from free- ranging populations this fall. “Our goal was to protect the health of free-ranging deer and captive breeder deer, while maintaining business continuity for the breeder industry,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC Executive Director.

“We believe this plan accomplishes those goals.” Factors such as level of connectedness to the index facility, level of testing in the TAHC Monitored Herd Program, relative percentage of the overall herd that has been tested, and variable liberation criteria are all being considered in development of the herd plans. The TAHC and TPWD are continuing the investigation of the index facility in Medina County, where 42 deer have been euthanized and tested for CWD. “The results from the partial testing of the animals in the Index Facility, as well as samples from the CWD-exposed herds, are important to making reasonable, prudent, and responsible decisions for the remaining captive herds, neighboring landowners, and wild deer,” said Clayton Wolf, TPWD Wildlife Division director. Founded in 1893, the Texas Animal Health Commission works to protect the health of all Texas livestock, including: cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, equine animals and exotic livestock.

– Texas animal health commision

Visiting Farmers Markets in the

Rio Grande Valley bY HEIDI ORTEGA

e seem to be really busy these days, trying to crowd in all of our errands, like grocery shopping, on week ends, along with all of the other things there is no time for during the week. Our lives are busy, but going to a farmers market is a happy journey. This is a chance to walk outdoors. Buying food from the growers is a treat. We get to know something about the produce and it is fun to get to know the people who are growing our food. Shopping at the farmers markets teaches us that there are seasons to these vegetables, not everything is always available, as we have come to expect. It is almost like going back in time. You can find seasonal fruits and vegetables at the markets, including exotic delicacies and, sometimes, heritage varieties. Here in the Rio Grande Valley, we are fortunate to have heritage vegetables that originated in Mexico or Central America, like some of the Calabasas, as well as, some typical North American heritage vegetables, like heirloom tomatoes. When visiting a local farmers market, we learn about the health benefits of vegetables and how to prepare them. Some of the markets have chefs demonstrating dishes and providing free recipes. A farmers market is more about fresh produce like: tomatoes, lettuce, squash, cauliflower, eggplant, avocados, okra, radish, beets, carrots, kale, hot peppers, and cucumbers. They also have a wide variety of medicinal and culinary herbs, like chaya, basil, rosemary, chives, moringa, and lemon grass. You also find squash blossoms, subtropical and tropical fruits, like papayas, guavas, starfruit, citrus, dragon fruit, and figs to mention a few.

It’s about the community coming together, being healthy, and supporting our local growers! Fresh produce dominates at local farmers markets with a strong organic presence, so that means no temptation for processed foods and more fresh raw produce leads to eating healthier. A farmers market is an incubator for business for local producers. Vendors increase their income and the more they grow, they increase our local economy. One of my favorite farmers market in the Valley is the Grow’n Growers farmers market located in McAllen. It is open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. They have local raw honey, quail eggs,

goat’s milk soap, 100% certified grassfed beef, wild-caught shrimp and artisan chesses, as well as vegetables, fruit and herbs. They even have specialty baked products, including gluten-free breads and treats and baked goods for people with allergies and those on special diets. It’s always “easier” or “faster” to go to the grocery store and pick up food, but it is neither fun, sustainable nor educational. It’s about the community coming together, being healthy, and supporting our local growers!

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

bY ROD SANTA ANA

PHOTO bY MICHELLE MARTIN

Soybean Crop

South Texas

Unless someone can prove otherwise, two agricultural experts believe the first U.S. soybean harvest of the year is currently taking place in South Texas. Furthermore, yields are so high and advantages so numerous, they believe other South Texas growers should consider planting the legume. “Our soybean crop in the Rio Grande Valley of a few thousand acres is just a tiny blip on the nation’s huge soybean crop, but those who plant it here do quite well,” said Brad Cowan, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Hidalgo County. “Our soybean yields are outstanding. They require little or no insecticides and no expensive fertilizers. They can vastly improve a grower’s soil conditions, and in a market like we have now, there’s a tidy profit to be made.” “Soybeans, a legume, ‘fix’ nitrogen, meaning they take nitrogen from the atmosphere and replace it into the soil. For South Texas growers, soybeans are a great rotation crop for sugarcane. Growers report that their sugarcane crops are very productive when planted in a field that had previously grown soybeans.” Despite its advantages, soybean production here “just hasn’t caught on in a big way,” Cowan said. “But I think it has great potential, especially because our climate

allows growers to plant two crops, one in the spring for summer harvest, and another planted in the summer for fall harvest.” Soybean production in the semitropical climate of South Texas is only possible because of the development of Vernal, a variety adapted specifically to the area by Andy Scott, research director of Rio Farms Inc., a private agricultural research center in Monte Alto, near Weslaco, Cowan said. “Andy Scott pioneered soybean production here,” he said. “Over the years, many had tried lots of varieties but soybeans are sensitive to daylight hours and they just couldn’t find one that worked here until Scott made it possible.” To develop the variety, Scott said he collaborated with two scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, lead scientist Dr. Edgar Hartwig of Stoneville, Mississippi and Dr. Kuell Hinson of Gainsville, Florida. “It was a collaborative effort,” Scott said. “They made the breeding crosses in Mississippi and Florida, and I made the variety selections here in the Valley. We were looking for traits favorable to production in lower latitudes, especially long juvenile traits which allow the plant to make decent size before flowering and setting the crop. That results in higher yields, and adaptation to the semi-tropics of South Texas.” Vernal, is a “non-GMO,” or a non-geneti-

cally modified variety, meaning there has been no gene splicing to make it herbicideready, Scott said. “Over time, subsequent genes in the variety have gotten a little stronger so that we’re now getting good commercial yields,” he said. “The state average yield, provided they get enough water, is 28 bushels per acre. It is commonplace for spring-planted soybeans to yield more than 40 bushels per acre.” “Soybeans are a sound, solid contributor to our nation’s economy, and with 60 percent of our crop going worldwide, it provides food for a lot of people,” he said. “Plus, soybeans provide the miracle of fixing nitrogen and improving the soil health of this country to help keep us a strong, vibrant and well-fed nation.” Scott said that in addition to soybeans’ many attributes, geography also plays a role in promoting its production by South Texas growers. “A crop has no value if it can’t be marketed, if you don’t have a place to sell it,” he said. “Fortunately, one of the largest oil mills in Latin America, Regasa, is nearby, near Matamoros, across the river from Brownsville. With a huge demand for soybeans, growers here are now in a good position to take advantage of the proximity of the mill.”

S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

2015

Come join us at the 2 6 T H A N N UA L 4 - H C O U N T RY

Hoedown Friday, October 2, 2015 6 pm at Las Palmas Race Park, Mission, TX

$75 Individual ticket, includes dinner, concert, beer and wine

FEATURING

Roger Creager

Sponsorship packages also available. $1,000 Breed Champion • 10 Individual Hoedown Tickets • Reserved Table • Recognition as a Table Sponsor $2,500 Reserve Grand Champion • 10 Individual Hoedown Tickets • Half Page Ad in Program • Reserved Table • Meet & Greet Pass for Two People $5,000 Grand Champion • 10 Individual Hoedown Tickets • Full Page Ad in Program • Reserved Table • Meet & Greet Pass for Two People

4-H Motto and Pledge Contact Mary Kelly - 956-929-4767 or Tammie Hartzog 445-2905 for tickets or more information.

In support of the 4-H Motto “To Make the Best Bette” I pledge... MY HEAD to clearer thinking MY HEART to greater loyalty MY HANDS to larger service, and MY HEALTH to better living, for my club, my community, my country and my world.

w ww.4h f ou ndation .net 50 Ag Mag

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congratulates Steve Bauer, Garcia Grain, and Rio Farms on the 2015 Soybean Harvest!

PHOTO bY MICHELLE MARTIN

Steveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soybeans yielded 66.2 bushels per acre!

Congratulations Steve Bauer! 52 Ag Mag

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