August 2015 Beef herd expansion: how fast and how much?atascosa.agrilife.org/files/2011/03/August-20152.pdf · include talks on quail management, economics, the Texas Quail Index,

The Brush Country

Agriculture Newsletter

atascosa.agrilife.org

August 2015

Beef herd expansion: how

fast and how much? Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University

Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

The dramatic rise in calf prices in 2014 and

the corresponding increase in cow-calf returns

highlight the growing market incentives to

rebuild the beef cow herd. As the primary

supply source for the beef industry, cow-calf

producers will, by their decisions in the next

two to four years, determine the inventory of

cattle and the overall level of beef production

in the U.S. for the remainder of the

decade. Dramatic improvement in forage and

pasture conditions in much of the country in

2015 means that the beef cattle industry can

focus on doing what they want to do rather

than being restricted to what they have to

do. Much of the far west regions of the

country are still hampered by severe drought

in areas that represent about 9 percent of the

total beef cow herd.

Beef cow herd expansion started briskly in

2014 with a 2.1 percent increase in beef cow

numbers in the first year of expansion. This

faster-than-typical early growth reflected

suppressed expansion desires as a result of the

drought. Though producers were forced to

liquidate cows during the drought years of

2011-2013, they continued to add heifers to

the herd to be ready to expand when the

opportunity arose. The resulting cow herd is

young and productive and allowed for a sharp

drop in beef cow culling in 2014 with a

culling rate of 8.8 percent, down from 10.6

percent in 2013.

So far in 2015, beef cow slaughter is down

17.3 percent. Though seasonally higher beef

cow slaughter is anticipated in the fall, thereby

reducing the year over year decline, beef cow

slaughter will be down again year over year

and is likely to result in a near record low

2015 net culling rate below 8 percent. The

July Cattle report indicates a 2.5 percent year

over year increase in beef cows to mid-year

2015. Historical relationships between the

estimated July beef cow inventory and the

following January 1inventory suggest a

January 2016 beef cow inventory of just over

30 million head, representing just over 1

percent growth in 2015. However, beef

replacement heifers were up 4 percent on

January 1 and were up 6.5 percent on July 1,

indicating more aggressive herd

expansion. The year over year increase in the

beef cow herd in 2015 is likely to fall in the

range of 2.5-3.5 percent. Annual herd growth

up to 4 percent is possible but would be very

aggressive. The January 1, 2016 inventory is

likely to fall in the range of 30.4 to 30.7

million head. -- Continued next page…

Upcoming Educational Programs

August Location 22 Feral Hog Workshop Jourdanton

28 Living in the Country Program Poteet

September Location 3 Beef Quality Assurance Prgm Floresville

16 Statewide Quail Symposium Abilene

18 WFG Farm Sale Poteet

22 Atascosa Wildlife Coop Mtg Pleasanton

24 S. TX Peanut Growers Tour Pearsall

25 Living in the Country Program Poteet

Location 10/23 Living in the Country Prgm Poteet

11/20 Living in the Country Prgm Poteet

The upper end of this range, corresponding to

an aggressive 3.5 percent annual growth rate,

would represent a one million head increase in

beef cows from 2015 and would be slightly

less than the pre-drought 2011 level of 30.9

million head.

This leads to the question of just how much

beef cow herd expansion is needed.

The answer to that depends on several

factors. Total beef production in coming years

will be the result of increased slaughter

numbers resulting from herd growth and cattle

carcass weights. Cattle carcass weights have

jumped sharply the past three years. If that

pace of increase continues it will curtail the

amount of herd expansion needed. However,

more moderate carcass weight growth in the

next two or three years would warrant a larger

herd inventory.

Beef demand is the ultimate determinant of

how big the beef industry will be and thus the

combination of domestic and international

demand for U.S. beef will be critical to

determine how much beef cow herd expansion

is needed. Per capita beef consumption will

grow as beef production expands but demand

will determine at what price level this

consumption will occur. In a stable market,

consumers will pay a price just high enough

for a given level of consumption to ensure that

producers will provide enough beef for that

level of consumption. Of course, international

beef trade must be figured into to that as

well. It is an evolving picture that will depend

on conditions in the coming years but at the

current time my estimate is that the industry

will operate with around 32 to 32.5 million

beef cows. It appears that we could achieve

that level at the earliest by 2017, more likely

by 2018 or 2019.

Statewide Quail Symposium set

for Sept. 16-18 in Abilene

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-

[email protected]

Contacts: Dr. Dale Rollins, 325-653-4576, d-

[email protected]

Becky Ruzicka, 661-618-3956,

[email protected]

ABILENE – Organizers are urging quail

enthusiasts to make plans to attend the Statewide

Quail Symposium to be conducted by the Texas

A&M AgriLife Extension Service on September

16-18.

These bobwhite quail seem to be discussing their

much-improved living conditions on a West Texas

ranch. Improving their plight will be the focus of

the Statewide Quail Symposium set for Sept. 16-

18 in Abilene. (Texas A&M AgriLife

Communications photo by Steve Byrns)

Plans are being finalized for the symposium,

which will open with a tour of the Trail Ranch at

Albany beginning at 1 p.m. Sept. 16. The

remainder of the symposium will take place at the

MCM Elegante Hotel in Abilene.

“The last time we convened a statewide quail

symposium was in 1999 in Abilene,” said Dr.

Dale Rollins, a symposium planner. Rollins is

AgriLife Extension’s statewide coordinator for the

Reversing the Quail Decline Initiative at San

Angelo and director of the Rolling Plains Quail

Research Ranch at Roby.

“Since then we’ve experienced record lows of

bobwhites, scaled or blue quail and consequently,

the number of quail hunters,” he said. “We hope

we turned the corner last year and we likewise

hope to build on that rebound nicely this

summer.”

Rollins said the symposium will bring together

leading professionals and experts in quail

management, research and conservation from

around the state.

”These speakers come from a wide range of

backgrounds, including current land managers,

research scientists and state agency professionals

who will present a wide range of currently

relevant and popular topics,” he said.

The Sept. 16 Trail Ranch tour presentations will

include talks on quail management, economics,

the Texas Quail Index, defining usable space for

quail and brush sculpting.

The Sept. 17 session slated for 7:30 a.m.-5:30

p.m. will feature talks on the state of quail hunting

in Texas, weather and quail, translocating wild

quail for re-establishment and eyeworms, plus

debates on pen-reared quail and cow and quail

coexistence.

The Sept. 18 session from 8-11:15 a.m. will

feature talks on the Rolling Plains Quail Research

Ranch, Quail-Tech, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife

Institute, Borderlands Research Institute and plans

for the next biennium.

Individual preregistration is $50 by Sept. 7 and

$75 thereafter. Individual student preregistration is

$20 by Sept. 7 and $50 thereafter. Three (3.0)

Texas Department of Agriculture continuing

education units in the general category will be

offered. For the latest information on the agenda,

registration, lodging and more go to,

www.statewidequailsymposium.com .

The Reversing the Quail Decline Initiative

coordinated by Rollins is a $2 million legislatively

funded AgriLife Extension statewide initiative

supported by Upland Game Bird Stamp revenue.

Rollins said those dollars support research projects

and AgriLife Extension educational activities

including the Statewide Quail Symposium, which

represents the culmination of those funds.

Common Conversions

for Producers

Area:

1 acre = 43,560 square feet, 209 feet

X 209 feet, 69.5 X 69.5 yards

1/10 acre = 4,356 square feet, 66 feet X

66 feet, 22 yards X 22 yards

1/100 acre = 436 square feet, 21 feet X

21 feet, 7 yards X 7 yards

1 section = 640 acres or 1 square mile

1 hectare = 2.471 acres

Length:

1 mile = 5,280 feet. 1,760 yards or 1.61

kilometers

1 rod = 16.5 feet

1 chain = 66 feet

1 kilometer = 0.62 miles

1 roll barbed wire = 1/4 mile or 1320 ft.

1 roll net wire = 330 feet or 20 rods

Weight:

1 short ton = 2,000 pounds

1 long ton = 2,240 pounds

1 pound = 453.6 grams or 16 ounces

1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds

Liquid Measure:

1 gallon = 128 ounces, 3,785.4

milliliters, 16 cups, 4 quarts,

8.355 pounds or 256

tablespoons

1 quart = 0.946 liters, 2 pints or 32

ounces

1 pint = 16 ounces or 2 cups

1 cup = 8 ounces

1 milliliter = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

1 teaspoon = 5 milliliters

1 cubic foot of water = 62.43 pounds or

7.48 gallons

1 acre inch of water = 27,154 gallons

1 barrel of water = 55 gallons

1 barrel of oil = 40 gallons

Calculation of Water Storage Capacity:

Round tank (gallons) = 3.1416 X radius

squared (ft.) X height (ft.) X 7.48

Rectangular tank (gallons) = height (ft.) X

width (ft.) X length (ft.) X 7.48

Pressure:

1 foot lift of water = 0.433 psi

1 psi will lift water 2.31 feet

Private Applicator

Training Procedure

Individuals that are interested in getting a

private applicator license should contact

the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Office of Atascosa County and set an

appointment with Agent Dale Rankin.

The Texas Department of Agriculture has

changed the testing procedures and do not

administer the test in person anymore.

For more information please contact the

Atascosa County Extension Office at

(830) 769-3066

Time of Day of Harvest and Impact on Nitrate Concentration

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University

Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist

Forage sorghums are used by cattle producers

for summer grazing or harvested for

hay. Forage sorghums can be very productive

and high quality, but can also accumulate toxic

levels of nitrate when stressed. In the past, the

assumption was made that the plant continues

soil nitrate uptake during nighttime hours,

followed by accelerated conversion of the

nitrate to protein during daylight hours.

Therefore past recommendations have been to

wait until afternoon to cut forage sorghum for

hay if anticipated nitrate levels are marginally

high. You have heard the old adage: “Never

assume anything….”

To evaluate the significance of the change in

nitrate concentration in forage sorghums during

the day, Oklahoma State University Extension

County and Area Educators collected samples at

two hour intervals from 8 AM to 6 PM. Five

cooperator’s fields (“farm”) were divided into

quadrants. Three random samples, consisting of

ten stems each, were taken from each quadrant

at the specified interval. The samples were

analyzed at the Oklahoma State University Soil,

Water, and Forage Analytical Laboratory to

determine the level of nitrates, in parts per

million (ppm).

As expected, differences between “farms” were

substantial and significant. The mean

concentration of nitrate for individual farms

varied from only 412 ppm to 8935 ppm. The

mean nitrate concentrations across all farms

were 3857, 3768, 4962, 4140, 4560, and 4077

ppm for samples at 8 AM, 10 AM, noon, 2 PM,

4 PM, and 6 PM, respectively.

Remember, most laboratories consider nitrate

concentrations at, or above 10,000 ppm

potentially lethal. There was much more

variation between farms than between

harvest times. Time of day of harvest did not

impact nitrate concentration or proportion of

dangerous samples of forage sorghum

hay. Don’t be misled and believe that cutting

the hay late in the day will solve all of the

potential dangers of nitrate toxicity. Source: Levalley and co-workers. 2008 Oklahoma State

University Animal Science Research Report.

South Texas Peanut Growers Association

Annual Tour The 2015 South Texas Peanut Growers Field Day and Tour will be Held on Thursday September 24, 2015 in Frio County. Registration will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Frio County Extension Office and the tour will begin at 9:30 a.m. Topics to include variety trials, peanut breeding lines and more. Three (3) continuing education units (CEU’s) will be given with a $10.00 fee. Lunch will be served at 12:00 noon at the Extension Office. An RSVP is requested by Wednesday September 23, 2015 by calling the Frio County Extension Office at (830) 334-0099 or the Atascosa County Extension Office at (830) 769-3066

Atascosa Wildlife Coop Annual Meeting

The Atascosa Wildlife Coop is planning their annual meeting for September 22, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Coastal Bend College. Topics for the day will be an update on how our wildlife has been impacted or improved with the actions of the Eagle Ford Shale. We will also here an update on the Chronic Wasting Disease. Our Guest Speaker for the Day is Matt Reidy Texas Barks and Wildlife Biologist for Atascosa County. An RSVP is requested by Friday September 18, 2015 by calling the Atascosa County Extension Office at (830) 769-3066.

Expert: Chronic Wasting Disease

Containment Demands Vigilance,

Common Sense Posted on July 20, 2015 by Linda Causey Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, [email protected] Contact: Dr. John Tomecek, 325-653-4576, [email protected]

SAN ANGELO – A positive case of chronic wasting disease was recently verified in a captive white-tailed deer in Medina County, and hunters are advised to learn precautionary measures.

“Chronic Wasting Disease is a condition that affects the nervous system of deer, elk and moose,” said Dr. John Tomecek, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service wildlife specialist at San Angelo. “It is similar to diseases such as scrapie in sheep and goats, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE in cattle. There is no evidence chronic wasting disease can be transmitted to sheep, goats, cattle or humans.”

“Chronic wasting disease was reported in Far West Texas in 2012, which was the first instance in the state in wild mule deer until the Medina County confirmation reported by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission on July 1, 2015.” Tomecek said the precise origin where chronic wasting disease developed is unknown, but the condition was first detected in 1967 in a captive research mule deer herd in Colorado. Since then it has been detected in 22 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.

“As its name suggests, chronic wasting disease causes weight loss and degraded body condition, abnormal behavior and ultimately death of the animal,” Tomecek said. “Infected animals may drink and urinate excessively and exhibit symptoms ranging from repetitive movement to sluggishness or hyperactivity to standing ‘spraddle-legged’ with a blank expression and head held low.”

There is no vaccination to guard against it, and once infected there is no treatment for animals with the disease, so prevention is the only solution, he said.

“The most common prevention techniques practiced in other states include removing infected animals from the population and discouraging high-density deer scenarios coupled with intensive sampling for early disease detection. It should be noted that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been monitoring our state’s deer for the disease since 2002.”

Among the over 33,000 deer tested, no white-tailed deer tested positive until the recent occurrence near Medina, he said. Tomecek said deer hunters have always been important in deer management to balance population size, while maintaining healthy habitat.

“High deer densities compromise habitat and contribute to easier transmission for a variety of pathogens,” he said. “Common sense should prevail, and a diseased animal, whether it might have chronic wasting disease or some other health issue, should not be consumed.

“Although there is no evidence of human health risks, experts advise those hunting in known chronic wasting disease areas to completely process healthy-looking harvested animals to include removing the bones and any brain, spinal, tonsil, spleen or lymph node tissues,” he said. “Disposing of these organs in a location where other susceptible species will not encounter them helps limit the spread of the disease.”

“Some people have expressed concern about the potential of chronic wasting disease to negatively impact deer populations in Texas. While that is a possibility, states where CWD is prevalent still have large, healthy deer populations that provide excellent hunting. Early prevention and action are paramount in controlling many diseases, including this one,” he said. “Therefore Texans should focus on remaining vigilant by immediately reporting any deer they suspect may be diseased to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.” Tomecek added, “The key message is to enjoy the outdoors, while paying attention for animals showing signs of distress.” Resources include: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 512-389-4800, http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/ Texas Animal Health Commission, 1-800-550-8242, www.tahc.texas.gov . Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance www.cwd-info.org Source: http://today.agrilife.org/2015/07/17/expert-chronic-wasting-disease-containment-demands-vigilance-common-sense/

The Atascosa Wildlife and Fisheries Committee, Atascosa Wildlife Coop and the Atascosa County Farm Bureau are pleased to announce the re-scheduling of the Feral Hog Program that was recently cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. The program will be held on Saturday, August 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Cowboy Fellowship Church of Atascosa County located at 561 FM 3350 in Jourdanton, Texas. The cost of the program will be $10.00 and three (3) CEU’s will be provided for private, commercial and non-commercial applicators. Registration will start at 9:00 a.m. and the first official presentation will start at 10:00 a.m. with a talk on overview of feral hogs in Texas by Matt Reidy, Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologist for Atascosa County. We will then hear about feral hog health issues associated with livestock and people followed by hunting concerns from Game Warden officials. We will round out the official meeting with an update on current Feral Hog research. Vendor booths will open at 9:00 a.m. and company representatives will be available to visit with you and discuss feral hogs, control methods, merchandise and related products. An RSVP is requested by Wednesday, August 19, 2015 and more information can be obtained by calling the Atascosa County Extension Office at (830) 769-3066.

Living in the Country;

Landowners Program Series

August 28 @ 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

This Land-owner Education program is a

series of 9 informational meetings, seminars,

and/or field days designed to educate land

owners in Atascosa County about the activities

associated with Living in the

Country. Participants in the program will hear

from experts in certain fields of Agriculture

about the best management practices that they

can implement on their own property.

Programs and Dates:

August 28 (1.0 General CEU)

Poteet Rotary Club Building located on the

Strawberry Festival Grounds

Laws and Regulations

September 25 (call for CEU info)

Livestock

October 23

Fence Equipment Demo and Safety

precautions

November 20

Game Processing and Storage Safety

All meetings will begin at 1:30pm. Locations

will be announced prior to meeting

Refreshments will be served at each meeting.

Who Should Participate?

* Anyone with an interest in learning more

about the resources that are available to them

as a landowner in Atascosa County

What Does it Cost?

* $75.00/ Couple or $50.00/individual – (All)

* $15.00 per person for individual meetings

Please RSVP for registration form and send

payment to Atascosa Leadership Advisory

Board, 1003 Oak Street, Jourdanton, Texas

78026.

Vaccinations are a vital part of health

maintenance for your horse. They provide an

active immunity to protect the horse against

diseases they are intended for. Giving

vaccinations does not keep your horse from

getting a disease, but it gives your horse’s

immune system a head start in fighting off the

disease which usually results in less

symptoms, if any at all. The American

Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP)

recommends that all horses be vaccinated for

a core set of vaccines. They include Eastern

and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE

and WEE respectively), Rabies, Tetanus, and

West Nile Virus. Other vaccines are available

and considered to be risked-based depending

on the activities of the horse and/or location.

For example, horses that are frequently

exposed to other horses and/or travel should

be vaccinated for Influenza (Flu) and Equine

herpesvirus (Rhinopneumonitis), type 1

(EHV-1) and type 4 (EHV-4). Your local

veterinarian should be consulted for type and

Dennis Sigler, Ph.D.

Extension Horse

Specialist, TAMU

frequency of vaccinations needed for your

area and situation. Each vaccination has

specific guidelines although most require an

annual booster. Typically those booster

vaccinations are administered in the spring

before the onset of vector season. Certain

horse diseases are spread by vectors such

as mosquitos and flies. Vaccinations for

diseases that are spread from horse to horse

should be timed according to highest

exposure or travel and might require more

frequent boosting than annually. Specific

AAEP guidelines for each vaccination are

available at http://

www.aaep.org/custdocs/AdultVaccinationCha

rt.pdf. Most horse owners opt to get their

vaccinations from their veterinarian, although

some of the core vaccines are also available

at feed stores/animal supply stores. In

general, you want to purchase vaccinations

from a reputable source. Poor handling can

lead to ineffective vaccines. Correct

administration of vaccines is also paramount

and should only be performed by an

experienced individual like your veterinarian.

Vaccines have become very convenient and

are often offered in single doses that include

multiple vaccines. A 5-way typically contains

EEE, WEE, Tetanus, Flu, and Rhino. A 6-way

has the 5-way plus West Nile Virus. Always

check the label or ask questions to ensure

you are vaccinating for what is

recommended. Rabies is not available over

the counter and must be administered by a

veterinarian in a solitary dose. Start planning

your horse’s vaccinations now. Some

veterinary practices offer low-cost vaccine

clinics in the spring to provide convenience

and savings for the horse owner. You’ll want

to vaccinate at least four weeks in advance of

vector season to give your horse optimal

protection. For parts of Texas, that could be

as early as the beginning of March. More

information about health management,

disease control and vaccinations is available

at http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ livestock-

species/equine/publications/ under “Best

Management Practices for Equine Disease

Prevention.”

Bermuda Grass Stem Maggot Charles Allen, AgriLife Extension Entomologist Photo: BGSM in Coastal – Steve Estes

Texas hay growers and cattlemen first

experienced Bermuda grass stem maggot

(Atherigona reversura) in Coastal Bermuda

fields in Waller County in 2012. It showed up

again in 2013 in Van Zandt and other east

Texas Counties and was suspected in

Comanche County in 2013. –Continued next page

This year it has been found in Menard, Brown

and Jones Counties and is reported in

Comanche County in West Central Texas.

First seen in the US in Georgia in 2010, the

small, yellow fly lays its eggs on stems near

nodes. The tiny (1/8th

inch), yellowish larvae

burrow into the shoot and feed, causing the

death of the shoot. Since the life cycle is from

12-21 days, several generations are expected

each year. The larvae leave the stem when

they mature to pupate on the ground. The

plant may respond by growing new shoots at

lower nodes.

Higher losses are reported where soil

conditions, fertility and moisture favor high

yields. Damage tends to be worse in fine-

stemmed cultivars such as Alicia, Coastal,

Russell and common Bermuda. In the

southern states damage almost never reaches

economically important levels in coarser

cultivars such as Tifton-85. Damage is limited

to hayed fields because grazing livestock

consume the fly larvae and eggs along with

the grass.

Early harvest is a good management option.

The hay should be baled and removed from

the field as soon as possible.

Low labeled rates of pyrethroid insecticides

are effective, especially if applied a few days

following cutting and hay removal from fields.

Two treatments, one shortly after cutting and a

second 5-7 days later have been effective in

Southern states. Pyrethroids are those

insecticides that have active ingredients that

end in the letters “thrin”. There are many

active ingredients and brand names available

and they are relatively inexpensive.

BGSM larva teased

from Coastal Stem

Photo: Steve Estes Photo: Steve Estes

Dead Coastal Stems in

Coastal Photo: Steve Estes

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, religion,

sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. We will seek to provide reasonable accommodation for

all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact the Atascosa County Extension Service twelve days (12)

prior to the event at (830) 769-3066 or as soon as possible to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that you require.

The Brush Country Agriculture Newsletter

1003 Oak Street Jourdanton, TX 78026

830-769-3066 830-769-2330 – fax

Dale Rankin – County Extension Agent [email protected]

Bermuda grass stem

maggot damage

Photo: Scott Anderson

Water, energy, food symposium set Nov. 19 in Austin

by Kay Ledbetter

Limited registration opens Aug. 15

AUSTIN – In a time of increased competition for limited natural resources, evolving social preferences, expanding global markets and climate uncertainty, the agriculture industry needs to be talking about how it will feed 9 billion people by 2050.

Navigating Agriculture through the Water-Energy-Food Nexus is a symposium designed to do that, according to David Smith, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist in College Station.

The event will be held Nov. 19 at the Omni Austin Hotel Southpark, 4140 Governors Row, Austin.

The program is aimed at AgriLife Extension educators, technical service providers, regulatory agencies, academic institutions, agricultural commodity groups, producers and agricultural science teachers, Smith said.

Some questions to be addressed include: What are the linkages between water, energy, and food systems? What are the interdependencies and tradeoffs that will influence future policy and sustainability of agriculture? How does the water-energy-food nexus function from local to regional scales and can it be a useful tool for future planning? Is agriculture prepared to manage risks from climate variability and does it have a voice in climate change policy?

“This will be a unique opportunity to hear from a distinguished panel of experts as they discuss these and other issues facing agriculture and the rural communities that support this vital industry,” Smith said.

Registration is limited and will open Aug. 15 at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/Nexus.

This event is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-NIFA project “Animal Agriculture in a Changing Climate” led by Smith and Dr. Saqib Mukhtar, former AgriLife Extension engineer and associate head of the Texas A&M University

department of biological and agricultural engineering. Mukhtar recently became the associate dean and agriculture program leader at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, Florida.

Topics and speakers on the program will be: – Water-energy-food nexus – Applications for agriculture communities, Dr. Rabi Mohtar, endowed professor with the Texas A&M department of biological and agricultural engineering, College Station. – Water supply and demand – Trends and challenges for the Southwest, Dr. Robert Mace, Texas Water Development Board deputy executive director, College Station. – Value of water to agricultural communities, Jason Coleman, High Plains Water District general manager, Lubbock. – The shale boom – Impacts for agriculture production and producers, Dr. Thomas Tunstall, The University of Texas at San Antonio Institute for Economic Development research director, San Antonio. – The future of renewable energy and agriculture, Dr. Wendell Porter, University of Florida agricultural and biological engineering department lecturer, Gainesville, Florida. – Global market impacts and implications for local farms and ranches, Dr. James Richardson, Regents Professor and co-director of the Agriculture and Food Policy Center, Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M, College Station. – Innovation and technology applications for agriculture production, Dr. Reza Ehsani, University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Center agricultural and biological engineering associate professor, Gainesville, Florida. – Turning climate change into opportunities for agricultural producers, Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist, College Station. – Policy alternatives for promoting sustainable agriculture, Steven Rhines, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation vice president, general counsel and director of public affairs, Ardmore, Oklahoma. – The rapidly evolving legal and regulatory framework for agriculture producers, Jim Bradbury, attorney, Austin and Fort Worth. – Panel discussion: How can ‘nexus thinking’ take root in agriculture?

For more information, contact Smith at [email protected].

NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT

NO. 50

EXTENSION SERVICE - ATASCOSA COUNTY

1003 OAK ST.

JOURDANTON, TX 78026

Brush Country Newsletter

August 2015