To maximize successful pregnancies in replacement heifers early in their first breeding season, studies conducted at Texas A&M University and at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Station-Beevi lle are evaluating nutritional strategies to promote puberty consistently by 12-14 months of age in Bos taurus x Bos indicus crossbred heifers. Pictured are BrahmanXHereford-F1 heifers. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo)

Cattle and wheat go hand-in-hand in the Rolling Plains of Texas. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Kay Ledbetter)

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reminded producers that changes mandated through the 2014 Farm Bill require them to have on file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026). The Farm Bill relinked highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation compliance with eligibility for premium support paid under the federal crop insurance program.

Predicted El Niño improves winter pasture prospects this fall

Please contact the Extension Office to RSVP for the training at 903-583-7453 or email cody.maxwell@ag.tamu.edu. Due to availability of training materials, we will be limiting this course to 15 people.

Since we are experiencing the best cattle market any of us have ever seen, now would be a good time to make sure you really know what is going on and how you can make changes or shifts in your business to keep you as profitable as possible.

Those interested in food health and self sufficiency would find this Aquaponics Beginners Workshop very informative and helpful. Frank Zarauska, owner of Frank’s Aquaponic, is our visiting presenter. He will be discussing producing tilapia, sprouts, and other greens using homeowner-size aquaponic systems. Come learn about aquaponic basics – initial expense, needed equipment and supplies, set up, operation, production levels, maintenance, and food quality. Program is Tuesday, July 22, 2014 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Grayson County Courthouse

Drought conditions in Texas and throughout the U.S. the past decade have not only caused crops to fail, but farmers have had to alter the mix of commodities planted as a result of changing weather patterns. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Blair Fannin)

Dr. Jorge da Silva examines hundreds of micropropagated sugarcane plants in a bioreactor. (Texas AgriLife Communications photo by Rod Santa Ana)

"The Texas Beef Checkoff will help us expand beef demand and better educate consumers by investing an additional dollar-per-head into a state checkoff program," says Pete Bonds, president, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. "The checkoff will be used to extend vital marketing, education and research efforts, which will help enable us to continue providing a safe, abundant and affordable beef supply. This will not only help us promote beef in Texas, but also in the United States and internationally."

Results of sale Thursday, July 17 -- 1,386 head sold

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Texas Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Judith A. Canales announced today that a public meeting will be held on August 4, 2014, at Plains Cotton Cooperative Association in Lubbock to solicit comments on a recently completed draft analysis that examines the potential environmental impacts of changes to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enacted by the 2014 Farm Bill.