The Hansford County Reporter-Statesman

Drip Irrigation Workshop

Netafim USA, the pioneer of drip irrigation and the Texas Agrilife Extension are hosting a workshop designed to help corn, cotton and alfalfa growers achieve higher yields, improved crop quality and uniformity and increased profits using a subsurface drip (SDI) system

The workshop on Subsurface Drip Irrigation for Corn, Cotton & Alfalfa will be held in Dalhart on Thursday, March 3, 2011 at the Rita Blanca Colisuem, 219 Farm-to-Market 281 in Dalhart.  Registration will be from 8:00 to 8:30 A.M. and the program will begin promptly at 9:00 A.M.  Lunch will be provided and will be sponsored by Netafim.

Topics of the meeting and speakers will include:

Precisely Meeting Corn, Cotton & Alfalfa Water Needs with Subsurface Drip Irrigation – Nicholas Kenney P.E. Texas Agrilife Extension Service, Amarillo, TX

Subsurface Drip Irrigation Design Considerations – Craig Hoelscher, Branch manager Eco-Drip Irrigation, Levelland, Tx

Subsurface Drip Operation & Maintenance Considerations – Jerry Funck, P.E., Owner, Professional Water Management Associates, Lubbock, TX

Filtration Systems – Ross Roberts, Co-Owner, Diversity D, Brownfield, TX

Fertigation (Fertility) with Subsurface Drip Irrigation – Danny Sosebee, C.C.A. South Texas District Sales Manager Netafim USA

Following the main program a grower panel discussion with subsurface drip irrigation growers will be available to answer general questions.

This program is approved for 2 hours of continuing education through Texas Department of Agriculture for pesticide applicators.

For more information, please contact the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Dallam & Hartley County Office at 244-4434.

Farm Service Agency has Resources to Help Livestock Producers Who Suffered Winter Losses

Rick Hargrove, Executive Director for the Hansford County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), announced that permanent disaster assistance programs created in the 2008 Farm Bill allow FSA to offer relief to producers affected by adverse weather.

The winter months brought much snow, ice and frigid temperatures across the state causing livestock and forage losses.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides livestock producers with benefits for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides emergency assistance to producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish that have losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, including blizzards and wildfires. For livestock producers, ELAP assistance may be available for feed losses due to a major weather event. ELAP benefits paid are based on FSA’s calculation of the value of feed lost compared to the feed needs of the livestock during the disaster period. Producers should document any additional costs associated with transporting feed to livestock. 

“Many farmers and ranchers have faced a rough winter, and they need to know FSA has programs that offer relief when they need it most,” said Hargrove. “For LIP benefits, producers should document the number and kind of livestock that died due to the winter storms and notify our office as soon as possible,” he said.

To meet eligibility requirements under LIP, producers must file a notice of loss within 30 days from when the loss is apparent to the producer. It is also important that the verification of death loss is verified by an unrelated third party.

Another disaster assistance program available to livestock producers is the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) which provides financial assistance to producers who suffer grazing losses due to drought or fire. LFP requires that producers obtain a policy or plan of insurance for the grazed forage crop under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIA) or file the required paperwork and pay the administrative fee by the applicable state application closing date for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).

“Although we don’t often think of drought and snow in the same context, it is very possible that both weather conditions are occurring at the same time and LFP is available to help alleviate the financial strain caused by drought, “said Hargrove.

Hargrove stressed that applications received for any of the livestock disaster assistance programs are considered on a case-by-case basis and producers should be prepared to provide required information to determine eligibility and applicable benefits.

Producers who have questions regarding livestock disaster assistance program eligibility and the application process should contact the Hansford County FSA office at 806-659-3036 or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

Direct & Counter-cyclical Payment Signup Ends June 1, 2011

Rick Hargrove, Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Hansford County reminds producers that the deadline to sign up for the 2011 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment (DCP) program is June 1, 2011.

Payments are calculated using base acres and payment yields established for each farm.  Eligible producers receive direct payments at rates established by statute regardless of market prices.  Advance payments of 22 percent on the 2011 DCP program will be available starting December 1, 2010. The remaining 78 percent of the DCP payment will be issued after October 1, 2011. 

Counter-cyclical payments vary depending on market prices, and are issued only when the effective price for a commodity is below its target price (which takes into account the direct payment rate, market price and loan rate).

“It is important that producers submit their DCP contracts before June 1, 2011 because applications will not be approved after this date,” said Hargrove. 

Producers can fill out a DCP contract at any USDA Service Center or online. To access the online service, producers must have an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account.  To get a Level 2 account, producers must complete an online registration form at http://www.eauth.egov.usda.gov and then visit the local USDA Service Center to verify their identity.

For more information about DCP, please contact the Hansford County FSA office at 806-659-3036.  Information can also be obtained on line at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

Farm Service Agency Boosts Rural Economies

The Texas Farm Service Agency provided approximately $1.6 billion in assistance to the state’s agricultural producers during fiscal year 2010 (FY 2010), October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.  According to Rick Hargrove, executive director for Hansford County FSA, these funds provide farmers and ranchers with assistance to recover from disasters, implement conservation practices and with commodity price support to insure the well-being of American agriculture.  Of the $1.6 billion, $17.6 million was disbursed in Hansford County.

Following is an accounting, by program, of federal farm payments issued in Texas during FY 2010:

$728.1 million was issued through the Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment (DCP) program, which provides annual fixed direct payments to eligible producers according to historically-based acreage and yields.  The Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) provides producers with revenue-based payments as an alternative to receiving price-based counter-cyclical payments.  $3.4 million was disbursed in Texas through the ACRE program.

The Supplemental Revenue Assistance (SURE) program provides crop disaster assistance to eligible producers on farms that have incurred crop production or crop quality losses due to natural disasters.  Qualifying producers in Texas received $181.1 million during FY 2010.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary land retirement program available to agricultural producers to help safeguard environmentally-sensitive land.  In FY 2010, CRP contract holders in Texas received $136.2 million in annual rental payments for doing their part to improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat. 

Other notable Texas program totals for FY 2010 include:  $16.4 million for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); $4.6 million for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program and $7.2 million for the Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment (DELAP) program. 

In addition to direct payments, Texas FSA paid $180.2 million through commodity loans and Loan Deficiency Payments to provide producers interim financing at harvest to meet cash flow needs, and the Farm Storage Facility Loan program provided $650 thousand in low-interest financing for producers to build or upgrade farm storage.

FSA’s Farm Loan programs provide direct and guaranteed loans to purchase real estate or to provide funding for operating expenses.  In FY 2010, Texas FSA made 1,235 operating loans and 142 ownership loans for a total of $100 million in direct loans.  Additionally, FSA guaranteed 387 operating loans and 50 ownership loans for a total of $130.3 million.

Payments made through FSA’s federal farm programs provide a financial boost to rural communities.  The economic impact of farm programs reaches local businesses through purchases of equipment and crop inputs, such as seed, fertilizer and fuel.  Some economists estimate that once a federal farm program payment is made to a producer, those dollars change hands locally at least seven times.

For consumers who are not directly involved in production agriculture, a safe, affordable and abundant food, fiber and fuel supply are the indirect benefits received through FSA’s issuance of federal farm program payments,

For more information about USDA Farm Service Agency programs, contact the Hansford County FSA office at 806-659-3036 or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

Corn Producers Launch Campaign Promoting Water Conservation and Economic Growth

LUBBOCK, Texas (February 15, 2011) – Water conservation goals can be achieved without severe restrictions on irrigation that would damage the economy of Texas High Plains. That’s the message of a public information campaign launched this week by Texas corn producers.

“Agriculture brings billions of dollars into the economy of the Panhandle and South Plains every year and is the main driver of economic growth in the region,” said David Gibson, Executive Director of the Texas Corn Producers Board. “Through research and development of new technology, we are finding ways to grow more crops with less water. This means we can conserve water for future generations without sacrificing economic growth today.”

The campaign includes televised public service announcements, a 10 minute video and a new website, www.WaterGrowsJobs.org, with the slogan “Water grows our economy; let’s make it last.”

“Every person in this region of West Texas is affected by the availability of groundwater, but no one has a bigger stake in conserving water resources than the farmers whose livelihoods depend upon irrigation,” Gibson said. “That’s why we’re working with agencies like the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service to apply conservation practices that benefit everyone who lives and works in the region.”

Thanks to new irrigation methods and improved seed genetics, today a bushel of corn can be grown with half the water that was used 25 years ago, and researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Research are currently testing new corn hybrids that will reduce water use by another 25 percent. All the major seed companies are developing new drought-tolerant crops and the first generation of these water-conserving crops will be available to farmers this year.

“This makes us strongly optimistic about the future of our economy,” Gibson said. “We can achieve our long range water conservation goals by implementing small, gradual reductions in irrigation use and still increase agricultural production that drives economic growth.”

“Groundwater districts will be making important decisions about water use in the coming years, and the public needs to be fully informed when they participate in the decision making process. We want everyone to understand the conservation options available to us and the consequences of those options,” Gibson said.

Additional information and research reports are available at www.WaterGrowsJobs.org. ###

CPAT is the legislative arm of Texas corn producer representation. CPAT’s mission is to build a strong organizational support system for corn that will represent the interests and concerns of producers from all regions of Texas. The Texas Corn Producers Board is a state-wide board funded by a voluntary half cent per bushel checkoff program. Checkoff funds are used for research, education and promotion to further the corn industry in Texas, and to create better marketing opportunities for producers.

For more information, visit www.WaterGrowsJobs.org or contact CPAT and TCPB Communications Director Stephanie Pruitt at stephanie@texascorn.org.

Local Angus Breeder Recognized Nationally in Pathfinder Report

Bailey Patterson, Spearman, Texas, has been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association® for having 3 registered Angus cows included in the Association's 2011 Pathfinder® Report.

Only 2,099 of the nearly 30,000 American Angus Association members are represented in this year's report, according to Bill Bowman, chief operating officer and director of performance programs of the Association with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Missouri.

The Pathfinder Program identifies superior Angus cows based upon recorded performance traits that are economically important to efficient beef production. These traits include early and regular calving and heavy weaning weights, Bowman says. Over 1.9 million eligible dams and more than 6.2 million weaning records were examined to determine Pathfinder status. All registered Angus cows that meet the strict Pathfinder standards are listed, along with their owners, in the Pathfinder Report that is published annually by the Association.

The 2011 Pathfinder Report lists 9,083 individual cows and 242 Pathfinder sires. It is published online at www.angus.org, and printed copies are available from the Association. The largest number of Pathfinder cows from a single herd this year is 86. Started in 1978, the Pathfinder Program continues to recognize outstanding breeders participating in the Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) Program.

USDA Rural Development Invites Applications For Rural Economic Development Funding

Investing In Rural America Essential to Job Creation and Business Growth

TEMPLE, TEXAS, Feb. 15, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is accepting applications for loans and grants to create jobs and spur economic development. Funding is provided through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program.

“In his State of the Union address, President Obama laid out a vision for ‘winning the future,’ with a call to ‘out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world,’” said Vilsack. “These investment opportunities will promote business expansion and entrepreneurship by helping local businesses get access to capital, technical assistance and new markets for their products and services.”

REDLG provides loan and grant funding for rural projects through local utility cooperatives. Under the program, USDA provides zero-interest loans and limited grant support to utilities. The funds are re-loaned to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. For more information on this program, visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_redlg.html.

“Our mission at USDA Rural Development includes the creation and preservation of jobs in rural Texas,” said State Director Paco Valentin. “The REDLG program supports this mission by promoting entrepreneurship and stimulating business expansion.”

Applications from the utility cooperative must be received by March 31 for 3rd quarter funding and June 30 for 4th quarter funding. Completed applications must be postmarked and submitted to the Texas USDA Rural Development Office, 101 South Main, Suite 102, Temple, Texas 76501 or submitted electronically at http://www.grants.gov by the provided deadlines. An application must contain all of the required elements to prevent negatively impacting the overall score. For further details about eligibility rules and application procedures, see the February 14, 2011 issue of the Federal Register, page 8334.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of nearly $146 billion in loans and loan guarantees. For additional information or an application package, contact Billy Curb at (254) 742-9780. For further information regarding USDA Rural Development Programs, visit our web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP) announced it will be holding a ground-breaking conference on training farmworkers for the exploding wind energy industry. The two-day event will feature tours of wind energy projects at Amarillo College and Western Texas College and visits to training classes. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from Dr. Gabriela Lemus, Director of the Office of Public Engagement for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL); local government officials, including Amarillo Mayor Debra McCartt; program creators; wind industry employers; and successful trainees.

“Recently we began to see a dramatic increase of wind farms in our area of the Panhandle,” said Irene Favila, the Workforce Development Coordinator at Motivation, Education & Training, Inc. (MET) in Plainview, TX, who spearheaded the creation of this wind energy training program for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. “We realized this is an industry that will continue to grow and demand qualified workers: workers like our clients.”

MET, a non-profit AFOP member agency, developed and implemented this creative new training program in response to the emergence of new jobs created by the wind energy boom in the panhandle. MET staff researched other programs for jobs in the wind energy sector and partnered with Amarillo College to craft a condensed version of their current one- and two-year wind energy programs, highlighting what employers really needed. The curriculum has since been shared by Amarillo College with Texas State Technical College in Sweetwater and Clarendon Junior College.

“This event is a great opportunity for organizations and communities to learn about successful strategies used to overcome logistical, language, and education barriers,” said David Strauss, Executive Director of AFOP. “Attendees will hear from education and training experts on how to create valuable partnerships and tailor training programs to meet an underserved population’s needs.”

The event will also include information on future plans by these organizations and institutions to continue developing programs for farmworkers in promising and sustainable green jobs.

The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs is a non-profit, national federation of 52 non-profit and public agencies that provide training and employment services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all farmworkers and their families through advocacy, education, and training. For additional comment or an interview, please contact Ayrianne Parks at 202.828-6006 ext. 140 or Parks@AFOP.org

 Now is the time to take a leadership role in Texas’ agricultural sector. State soybean farmers have the opportunity to join the ranks of other soybean leaders, determine how to invest soybean checkoff dollars and serve as a farmer-leader on the Texas Soybean Board (TSB).

Interested candidates must be a Texas soybean farmer and submit a nomination form with 10 soybean producer signatures to the TSB office by November 1. The election is open to all state soybean producers and the vote will be held by mail on December 15, 2010.

“TSB is looking for soybean farmers to help direct the soybean checkoff dollars,” says Tom Rotello, TSB chairman and farmer from Navasota. “Our board funds research conducted in our state to help create profit opportunities for all Texas soybean farmers.”

The nine-member board makes important decisions and directs the investment of the state’s soybean checkoff dollars in production research, animal agriculture, biodiesel education and other areas.

The elected positions are voluntary and meet two to three times a year at various locations within the state, with travel and expenses provided during these business meetings. Each term is six years long.

This year, five directors will be elected, and positions are open to any Texas soybean farmer in the specific district. The following list indicates the districts and positions available:

2 High Plains - Andrews, Armstrong, Bailey, Briscoe, Castro, Carson, Cochran, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Floyd, Gaines, Glasscock, Gray, Hale, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hockley, Howard, Hutchinson, Lamb, Lipscomb, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Midland, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher, Terry and Yoakum counties.

1 Northeast Texas - Bowie, Collin, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Lama, and Red River counties.

2 At-Large - All soybean counties in Texas.

Interested in a position and want to learn more from a current board member? Gain perspective from the TSB farmer-leaders today. Contact the TSB staff at 1-800-247-8691 and they will put you in touch with a current board member to learn more.

Anyone wishing to run for a position on the board should apply to TSB by November 1, by contacting the office at 1-800-247-8691 or e-mail TSB Executive Director Dawn Howe at swsoy@aristole.net.

The North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, in conjunction with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, is hosting field days to promote their mutual effort to grow 200 bushel per acre corn on 12 acre inches of water. While Syngenta Seeds was not invited to participate in these field days or trials, we applaud the efforts of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District.

We at Syngenta would like to remind taxpayers and officials that on July 26th, 2010, Syngenta Seeds, Inc. launched Agrisure Artesian™ Technology, the first Water-Optimized Technology for Corn Hybrids. We look forward to working closely with producers, extension, and other agriculture professionals to deliver this technology in our NK® brand in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. A limited quantity of hybrids with this technology, which has demonstrated the potential to deliver 15% yield preservation under drought stress, will be available in 2010.

Agrisure Artesian™ is industry-first new technology that delivers improved yields on dryland and limited-irrigation acres as well as acres prone to drought stress. Agrisure Artesian technology enables corn plants to use available moisture more efficiently, resulting in higher yields on drought-stressed acres including dryland and limited-irrigation farms in the western Corn Belt.

For questions about product availability and testing in 2010, you may contact Travis Taylor, Sales Rep for Syngenta Seeds, Inc. Please use the attached media press release freely. If you have further questions or would like quotes for a story, please contact Amy Steigman with Weber Shandwick or Jill Wenzel with Syngenta Seeds, Inc listed as media contacts on the attached press release.

One More Chance for an Update on North Plains Groundwater Conservation District Demonstration Projects

The field day in Perryton yesterday co-sponsored by North Plains Groundwater Conservation District and Texas AgriLife Extension Service-Ochiltree County was well attended and the preliminary numbers on irrigation amounts were released. All cooperators irrigated less than 12 inches of water for the season. Now, harvest will tell us if they achieved the goal of 200 bushels of corn per acre. The focus yesterday was on the demonstration field of Danny Krienke of Ochiltree County. The second (and last) in the series of field days is scheduled to start at 8:30 am on Wednesday at the North Plains Research Field in Etter. For those who didn’t make it to Monday’s field day, or those who just want to find out how the rest of the fields stack-up Wednesday is the last chance to get an update on these important demonstrations. The demonstration fields of Harold Grall of Moore County and Phil Haaland of Hartley County will be the focus of Wednesday’s field day. For more information call Kirk Welch at 806-935-6401.

North Plains Groundwater Conservagtion District

Fact Sheet

200-12 Reduced Irrigation on Corn Project

200-12 Project Objective: To prepare irrigating farmers for profitable sustainability under limited water conditions by demonstrating the feasibility of and profitability of growing 200 bushel corn on 12 inches of irrigation water.

Facts:

1) Cooperators agree to a protocol of only 12 inches of irrigation for the year.

2) Protocol includes the combination of Irrigation Water Management, Conservation Tillage and Crop Residue Management to result in the application of a Resource Management System that will reduce erosion and water usage for improved sustainability.

3) A successful 200-12 Project will result in an average reduction of 6 inches of irrigation water per acre of corn, per year.

4) Growers in the District irrigate approximately 500,000 acres of corn each year.

5) With irrigation costing approximately $5 per acre inch, a savings of six inches of irrigation equates to a $15,000,000 savings over the 500,000 acres of irrigated corn in the District.

6) A six inch reduction also results in a savings of 250,000 acre feet or 81 billion gallons of water per year.

7) The strategies used in these demonstrations could also be applied to the remaining 500,000 acres of irrigated crops besides corn that are grown in the District.

8) A reduction of two acre inches of irrigation over the remaining 500,000 acres would result in an additional savings of $5,000,000 and 83,333 acre feet, or 27 billion gallons of Ogallala water annually.

9) The Potential: An annual savings of 22 % in irrigation water use and $20 million.

10) This means more time for more water efficient hybrids to become available.

A Wheat Producer Update informational meeting will be conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Randall County on May 11 in Canyon.

The meeting is scheduled from 7-8:30 a.m., starting with a Dutch-treat breakfast, at the Ranch House Cafe at 810 23rd Street, according to J.D. Ragland, AgriLife Extension agent for Randall County. Two general continuing education units will be offered to private applicator license holders.

Producers are encouraged to bring samples of wheat that might be of concern, Ragland said. And, if need be and time and weather permit, the group could travel to fields where potential problems may be present.

The program topics are:

-- Current Randall County Wheat Situation and Update, Ragland.

-- Panhandle Wheat Update: Producer Management Strategies – Now Until Harvest, Dr. Jackie Rudd, Texas AgriLife Research wheat breeder in Amarillo.

-- Occurring and Future Fungus or Diseases to be on the Lookout For, Dr. Ron French, AgriLife Extension plant pathologist in Amarillo.

For more information, contact Ragland at 806-468-5543 or jdragland@ag.tamu.edu .

Women of the Land is a land stewardship training program designed specifically for women landowners, land managers, hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts. This workshop is designed to encourage women to become active land managers, develop and hone their management skills, and network with women of similar interests.  The Texas Wildlife Association (TWA), in partnership with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and with support from the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, will host this event.

The 2010 Women of the Land workshop will be held at La Bandera near Carrizo Springs, Texas, May 14th – 16th.  The cost is $200 for TWA members and $235 for non-members.  The registration fee covers meals, lodging, and materials.  Non-members will receive a one-year membership to the Texas Wildlife Association.  Registration is limited to 40 participants and is now open to first time and repeat attendees. 

Much of this workshop will be conducted in the field.  Topics to be discussed include habitat, land ethics, soils and hydrology, plant identification, wildlife identification and biology, pond management, nature photography, watershed management, income diversification, and contract negotiations.  Instructors will be wildlife and natural resource professionals from the private sector, Texas Wildlife Association, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas AgriLife Extension, and other organizations.

If you or someone you know is interested in the Women of the Land program, please visit the Texas Wildlife Association website at http://www.texas-wildlife.org or contact Courtney Hollimon at 800-TEX-WILD, 210-826-2904, or chollimon@texas-wildife.org.

Texas Wildlife Association - The Texas Wildlife Association is a statewide organization that is an active advocate in the state and national political arenas for wildlife and natural resource conservation.  Education of our young people and our growing urban populations, increasingly disconnected from the land, is critical to understanding our natural resources and maintaining rural lifestyles.

Quail management program scheduled May 26 in Roberts County

Landowners wanting to enhance their quail population and habitat can attend a Quail Management Strategies meeting by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Roberts County on May 26 at the Mesa Vista Ranch north of Miami.

"Over the past decade, many things have changed the way we view wildlife and wildlife habitat management," said Brandon Dukes, AgriLife Extension agent for Roberts County.

"We have learned a great deal from research and technologies that have made tracking quail habitat easier," he said. "No doubt we still have much to learn if we want to reverse the downward population trend of quail in Texas.

The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include a free lunch. Those planning to attend should RSVP by May 19 by calling the AgriLife Extension office in Roberts County at 806-868-3191. Three general continuing education units will be offered, Dukes said.

The first portion of the ranch tour will focus on habitat scoring and plant succession. Stops and discussions will include enhancing Conservation Reserve Program land, farmland and native rangeland for quail habitat, as well as using cows as a management tool through prescribed grazing.

The morning tour also will include information on watering and feeding quail and managing predators, Dukes said.

The afternoon session will begin with a look at the plight of the bobwhite quail and wrap up with an extended discussion on future quail management.

Stewardship Week to be Celebrated April 25-May 2

by Clyde Gottschalk

Texas 216 soil and water conservation districts will be joining with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) to celebrate an annual historical national 55-year observance April 25-May 2 which focuses on the care and conservation of the state and nation’s renewable natural resources. The theme for this year’s Stewardship Week observance is “Conservation Habits = Healthy Habitats".

“The stewardship concept involves personal and social responsibility, including a duty to learn about and improve natural resources as we use them wisely to leave a rich legacy for future generations,” said Scott Buckles, President of the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

“When we begin to think that each of us has a role in conserving and protecting our natural resources, we can effect personal actions that will have a positive impact for creating healthy habitats of ecosystems found in and around our communities”, Buckles added.

In America, the stewardship observance traces its origin to the Rogation Days celebrated more than 1,500 years ago in the neighborhood of Vienne, France. The custom began when bad weather and earthquakes brought crop failures and widespread hunger. The people of that community responded by imploring for divine help to alleviate their suffering and privation.

“The stewardship observance relies on locally led soil and water conservation districts nationwide sharing and promoting stewardship and conservation activities. From a national perspective, NACD represents the nation’s 3,000 soil and water conservation districts which were established to encourage resource conservation across the country”, said Buckles.

“Districts throughout Texas provide an array of activities to promote the observance such as conservation and stewardship field days, programs, workshops and other outreach efforts throughout their communities to educate citizens about the need to care for soil, water and related renewable natural resources,” Buckles added.

TxDOT Seeks Student Help During Annual Summer Hire Recruitment

Program Provides Valuable on-the-job Training

As the school year begins to wind down, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) will begin filling summer jobs for maintenance, engineering and technical positions.

The summer employment program give shigh school and college students’ valuable on-the-job training. The program helps students establish career credentials, while enhancing their professional growth. Working side by side with experienced professionals in the transportation feidl enables students with salaried positions ot help supplement educational expenses.

TxDOT’s summer employment program beganin the 1950s. Approximately 48,151 students have spent their summers working for the department and currently, 1,907 former student employees hold positions at TxDOT.

This year, TxDOT is looking to hire about 400 new and returning students Summer positions are available from May 1 through August 15. To qualify for the program, students must:

• be at least 17 years old

• be eligible to work in the U.S.

• submit a completed state employment application, and

• be enrolled as a full-time student at a high school, technical school, college or university the spring semester before the summer work period OR be currently accepted for enrollment at an institutuion of higher learning.

For more information about summer job positions, go to www.txdot.gov.

Online tomato growing course ripe for picking

by Kathleen Phillips

People who want to try their hand at growing tomatoes may want to try their intellect on a new Web site first.

"Tomato Growing 101" is an online course by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service that walks people from seed to harvest in nine easy-to-learn chapters. Tests after each section enable one to see what information was learned and what needs more attention. At the end of the instruction and tests, participants can print out a certificate of completion, according to its developers.

"For the home gardener, we know their main questions revolve around the three Ts – tomatoes, turf and trees. We know this from the questions that come to AgriLife Extension agents in the counties," said Dr. Joe Masabni, AgriLife Extension vegetable specialist. "Of all the vegetables, the tomato is the No. 1 interest of home gardeners. We decided that if we were to develop a self-paced, self-taught course, the needs and demands were for tomato information."

Masabni developed the online course with AgriLife Extension assistant Patrick Lillard.

Participants first log on by selecting the course at http://www-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/. After a quick signup process, one can select any of the nine sections to study.

In the first section, "Thinking about Tomatoes," information is given to help a person decide whether to start with seed or with transplants. Advantages of starting with seed include being able to try unique varieties that are not locally available as transplants. Reasons for starting with transplants include being faster and requiring less work than beginning with seeds.

Tomato students are also taught how to decide how many plants to produce.

"If you are just wanting to eat them fresh as they ripen, one to two plants per person should be more than enough," Masabni recommended.

The course continues at the participant's pace – even if one needs to do only a portion of the study over a period of days. Other portions of the course include chapters on soil, planting, training, watering, fertilizing, plant pests, general care and a conclusion. Each section includes a test that scores as one selects answers.

Presently, the Tomato 101 course is a beta version. The complete version will be relaunched soon for a nominal fee, Masabni said, which will support the development of future online courses such as Squash 101 and Cucumber 101.

 "The comments we've gotten from participants during the beta version have been great. They have remarked about how much they learned and asked where they could take additional courses like it," he said. "So, we will keep Tomato 101 and continue to refresh and add information over time."

Grain-grading workshops planned for May in Amarillo

by Kay Ledbetter

Two one-day grain-grading workshops will be hosted on May 4 and May 5 at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at 6500 W. Amarillo Blvd., according to Dr. Steve Amosson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service economist.

Each workshop will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. followed by the program from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. A registration fee of $45 is required to cover the costs associated with instruction, lunch materials and equipment, Amosson said. Pre-registration is required, as each workshop is limited to 60 participants.

Registration forms can be found online at http://amarillo.tamu.edu and by clicking on the link in the Events and Updates section. These forms should be mailed to: Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, attn: Jane Planchon, 6500 W. Amarillo Blvd., Amarillo, Texas 79106.

Amosson said the grain-grading workshop is designed for corn, sorghum and wheat grain handlers and producers. Information from the workshop will help them recognize the different types of damages that occur in these grains and how the damages affect grade.

The grain-grading workshops are co-sponsored by the Panhandle Grain and Feed Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association and AgriLife Extension.

Course instructors are Amosson; Gale Calkins, retired from the Federal Grain Inspection Service, Wichita, Kan.; Dr. Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, Amarillo; and Dr. James Welch, AgriLife Extension economist-grain marketing and policy, College Station.

Topics covered will include: why grade grain, grain quality and the feedlot industry, grain standards and upcoming changes, and hands-on sessions for wheat, sorghum and corn grading, Amosson said.

For more information, e-mail Amosson at samosson@ag.tamu.edu or Planchon at japlanchon@ag.tamu.edu , or call either person at 806-677-5600.

Celebrate National Arbor Day! Join the Arbor Day Foundation and Receive 10 Free Shade Trees

The ideal way to celebrate National Arbor Day is to plant trees, and the Arbor Day Foundation wants people all across America to participate. As a way to celebrate, everyone who joins the nonprofit Foundation during the month of April will receive 10 free shade trees.

National Arbor Day and Texas' Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April, which is April 30 this year.

Everyone who joins the Arbor Day Foundation in April will receive the following shade trees: red oak, sugar maple, weeping willow, baldcypress, thornless honeylocust, pin oak, river birch, tuliptree, silver maple, and red maple. The free trees are part of the nonprofit Foundation's Trees for America campaign.

"The best way everyone can commemorate Arbor Day is to plant trees in communities all across America," said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. "These trees will provide shade and beauty year-round and magnificent color in the fall."

The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting in April or May with enclosed planting instructions. The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge.

"Planting a tree connects us directly to nature," Rosenow said. "It's the perfect activity for parents, grandparents and children to enjoy because trees will last for generations."

To become a member of the Foundation and receive the free trees, send a $10 contribution to TEN FREE SHADE TREES, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410, by April 30, 2010, or visit www.arborday.org/april.

Cold Storage Facilities Now Eligible for USDA Facility Loan Program

Producers Can Expand Market Opportunities, Build New Capacity

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said that the Farm Storage Facility Loan program has been amended to allow producers to build cold storage facilities to store their fresh fruits and vegetables. This program is part of USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative and uses discretionary authority provided by the 2008 Farm Bill authorizing the eligibility of cold storage facilities for fruits and vegetables.

"Expand the Farm Storage Facility Loan program will provide our nation's fruit and vegetable producers with new storage and marketing opportunities," Vilsack said. "On-farm storage may cost a lot to build, but it can help farmers to maximize profits. USDA's program will help these producers to finance the purchase, construction, or refurbishment of these important farm storage facilities."

USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. The effort builds on the 2008 Farm Bill, which provides for increases and flexibility for USDA programs in an effort to revitalize rural economies through the promotion local food systems. Aimed at strengthening the connection between farmers and consumers, the initiative also supports local and regional food systems, to increase economic opportunities for local farmers and expand access to healthy food for Americans.

To be eligible, cold storage facilities must have a useful life of 15 years and include:

New structures suitable for a cold storage facility;

New walk-in prefabricated permanently installed coolers suitable for storing fresh fruits and vegetables;

New permanently affixed cooling, circulating and monitoring equipment;

Electrical equipment integral to the proper operation of a cold storage facility; and must be

An addition or modification to an existing storage facility.

USDA will not make cold storage facility loans for portable structures, portable handling and cooling equipment, used or pre-owned structures or cooling equipment or structures not suitable for a fresh fruits and vegetables' cold storage facility.

The maximum loan amount for a Farm Storage Facility loan is $500,000 per loan. One partial disbursement of up to half the anticipated total cost is available when that portion of the structure has been completed. The final disbursement will be made when the entire structure has been completed and inspected by a USDA representative.

All Farm Storage Facility Loans require a down payment of at least 15 percent. Applications must be approved before construction can begin. Loan terms of 7, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan.

Loans applications should be submitted to the administrative FSA county office that maintains the records of the farm or farms to which the application applies. If the commodities are produced on land that does not have farm records established, the application must be submitted to the FSA county office that services the county where the facility will be located.

For more information on this program or other FSA farm programs please contact your local FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).