INSIDER
U.S.-Mexico water agreement might bring relief to parched South Texas
Read full article: U.S.-Mexico water agreement might bring relief to parched South TexasThe amendment to a 1944 treaty will help Mexico catch up with its water deliveries to the U.S. and might help Rio Grande Valley farmers devastated by low rainfall.
Texas agriculture commissioner’s new executive order aims to provide water for Rio Grande Valley farmers
Read full article: Texas agriculture commissioner’s new executive order aims to provide water for Rio Grande Valley farmersRio Grande Valley farmers' concerns about a lack of water are being addressed in a new executive order issued by state agriculture commissioner Sid Miller’s office.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultant’s criminal trial
Read full article: Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultant’s criminal trialTodd Smith was indicted in 2022 on felony charges of theft and commercial bribery related to taking money in exchange for hemp licenses that are issued by Miller’s office.
How a chance meeting helped Texas become the nation’s top beekeeping state
Read full article: How a chance meeting helped Texas become the nation’s top beekeeping stateTwelve years after a state law gave tax breaks for keeping bees on at least five acres, people are still getting into the trade — or throwing in the towel and hiring professionals to do it for them.
Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires
Read full article: Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfiresThe Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.
Gardopia Gardens, Big Green partner for sustainable food event in San Antonio
Read full article: Gardopia Gardens, Big Green partner for sustainable food event in San AntonioBig Green, a nonprofit that encourages Americans to grow their food, is partnering with Gardopia Gardens for a sustainable agriculture event.
Cows at two Texas dairy farms have bird flu, another blow to Cattle Country following wildfires
Read full article: Cows at two Texas dairy farms have bird flu, another blow to Cattle Country following wildfiresFederal officials said the nation’s milk supply should be not at risk after a bird flu outbreak hits dairies in Texas, New Mexico and Kansas.
“It does not get easier”: Texas ranchers lose cattle and land in historic wildfires
Read full article: “It does not get easier”: Texas ranchers lose cattle and land in historic wildfiresAs ranchers recover from the Smokehouse Creek fire, they face the agonizing choice of what to do with an unknown number of injured cattle.
Wildfires ravage cattle country, threatening Texas’ agriculture economy
Read full article: Wildfires ravage cattle country, threatening Texas’ agriculture economyTexas wildfires have consumed acres of agricultural land, killing thousands of livestock, destroying crops and exacerbating challenges lingering from last year’s drought.
Once a laborer, this immigrant now owns his farm. He and his daughter are among few Hispanic farmers in Texas.
Read full article: Once a laborer, this immigrant now owns his farm. He and his daughter are among few Hispanic farmers in Texas.According to the most recent census, Texas has fewer than 26,000 Hispanic farmers compared to 236,000 white farmers.
Do Texans have the “right to farm?” Voters will decide with Proposition 1.
Read full article: Do Texans have the “right to farm?” Voters will decide with Proposition 1.Supporters of the amendment say it will protect farmers as the state’s largest cities continue to grow. Opponents suggest the amendment is too broad and ambiguous.
Author Dan Egan talks with The Texas Tribune about phosphorus overuse and toxic algae blooms
Read full article: Author Dan Egan talks with The Texas Tribune about phosphorus overuse and toxic algae bloomsEgan sat down with Tribune environmental reporter Alejandra Martinez to talk about his new book, “The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance,” which explains how overuse of phosphorus is impacting the environment.
Sheep graze on Texas solar farms as renewable energy companies embrace agriculture
Read full article: Sheep graze on Texas solar farms as renewable energy companies embrace agricultureThe practice of using land for both agriculture and solar power generation, known as agrivoltaics, is becoming increasingly common in Texas and nationwide.
A generation of Texas farmers are retiring. It’s not clear who will replace them.
Read full article: A generation of Texas farmers are retiring. It’s not clear who will replace them.After 70 years on the farm, Jimmy Drake retired from the cotton business. With no family stepping up to take over the farm, he turned to a young neighbor.
Delayed passage of farm bill stirs uncertainty for Texas agriculture
Read full article: Delayed passage of farm bill stirs uncertainty for Texas agricultureThe must-pass package of legislation known as the farm bill, which is renewed every five years, funds critical crop insurance and loans to farmers and food to low-income families.
Hay prices rising, supply limited amid drought and extreme weather
Read full article: Hay prices rising, supply limited amid drought and extreme weatherThe drought and triple-digit heat have hit many ranchers hard this summer. The cost of hay bales continues to soar, and the lack of production is leaving suppliers and livestock owners scrambling for options.
High Plains farmers are experimenting with novel techniques to protect Texas’ future soil
Read full article: High Plains farmers are experimenting with novel techniques to protect Texas’ future soilA minority of farmers in the Texas High Plains region are looking to organic and regenerative techniques to keep their soil healthy year round, despite a dry climate.
‘Seasons don’t matter’: How hydroponic farmers are cultivating crops Texas normally wouldn’t see in the summer
Read full article: ‘Seasons don’t matter’: How hydroponic farmers are cultivating crops Texas normally wouldn’t see in the summerHydroponic farming is a type of farming that doesn't use soil. It's said to be more sustainable, using less soil and pesticides.
Texas agriculture commissioner orders employees to wear clothes “consistent with their biological gender”
Read full article: Texas agriculture commissioner orders employees to wear clothes “consistent with their biological gender”The policy comes as LGBTQ advocates are fighting a wave of hostile legislation at the Capitol, including proposals to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender children.
Burbank High School partners with Palo Alto College to give students deeper understanding of agriculture
Read full article: Burbank High School partners with Palo Alto College to give students deeper understanding of agricultureBurbank High School’s agriculture program is expanding and has partnered with a local San Antonio college to give students a closer look into the industry.
Farmers face a higher risk of suicide. The Texas Agriculture Department wants $500,000 a year to change that.
Read full article: Farmers face a higher risk of suicide. The Texas Agriculture Department wants $500,000 a year to change that.The department’s helpline is less than a year old. But advocates hope state lawmakers fully fund it as farmers and ranchers continue to face hard economic times and isolation.
Texas ag agency says climate change threatens state’s food supply
Read full article: Texas ag agency says climate change threatens state’s food supplyA new Texas Department of Agriculture report also points to other factors that are making it harder for Texans to access and afford food, including wages falling behind rising costs of living.
Watch: Panhandle cotton farmers, rural economies struggle under “exceptional” drought conditions
Read full article: Watch: Panhandle cotton farmers, rural economies struggle under “exceptional” drought conditions“A year like this, where everything is disaster, is just, I’d say, devastating,” cotton farmer Steven Walker said.
Both have deep Texas roots, but Sid Miller and Susan Hays offer stark contrast in fight for ag commissioner
Read full article: Both have deep Texas roots, but Sid Miller and Susan Hays offer stark contrast in fight for ag commissionerThe state’s agriculture commissioner oversees a vast portfolio including farming and ranching, rural health care and the scales you use at grocery store checkout.
How important is farming still to the U.S.? These facts and figures might surprise you
Read full article: How important is farming still to the U.S.? These facts and figures might surprise youFarming might not be a glamorous job for many, but simply put, we might not exist without the hardworking farm owners and laborers out there.
Company turns shipping containers into vertical hydroponic farms
Read full article: Company turns shipping containers into vertical hydroponic farmsA company based in a Denver suburb turns up-cycled shipping containers into vertical hydroponic farms.. and claims the containers can create as much as two football fields worth of traditional agriculture.
To save water in Texas, these nonprofits are paying farmers to leave it in reservoirs
Read full article: To save water in Texas, these nonprofits are paying farmers to leave it in reservoirsAs Texas continues to battle drought, groups are trying a market-based solution to help farmers and protect what little water is left.
Hemp was supposed to save Texas farmers during a drought. It hasn’t yet.
Read full article: Hemp was supposed to save Texas farmers during a drought. It hasn’t yet.Hemp advocates promised the Texas Legislature the crop was drought resistant. The 2022 drought has proven otherwise. And farmers are abandoning the nascent market.
Texas’ cotton industry is facing its worst harvest in years — costing the state more than $2 billion
Read full article: Texas’ cotton industry is facing its worst harvest in years — costing the state more than $2 billionCotton is Texas’ largest crop, and industry experts say they expect just half the normal annual yield — which will drive up costs for consumers.
Old South Side charro ranch undergoing makeover to support local agricultural organizations
Read full article: Old South Side charro ranch undergoing makeover to support local agricultural organizationsAn old South Side rodeo venue is getting new life as the San Antonio Stockyards Historical Society (SASHS) renovates the ranch that once hosted the Charros Del Chaparral Charreada.
Decades after Texas took part of its historic farm, a family fights again to save its land from a highway expansion
Read full article: Decades after Texas took part of its historic farm, a family fights again to save its land from a highway expansionDaniel Alexander was enslaved when he founded a farm before the Civil War. 175 years later, his family is fighting to keep it intact as Texas plans to expand U.S. Highway 183.
‘Rare’ pest that causes agricultural, economic damage intercepted at South Texas border
Read full article: ‘Rare’ pest that causes agricultural, economic damage intercepted at South Texas borderAgents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a “rare” and damaging pest at the South Texas border earlier this month – the first time the bug has ever been spotted in the U.S.
Sid Miller wins Republican primary for Texas agriculture commissioner
Read full article: Sid Miller wins Republican primary for Texas agriculture commissionerThe incumbent avoided a runoff. State Rep. James White had tried to unseat Miller with criticisms centered on controversies under Miller’s leadership.
What is a bioengineered food and why do some food packages now have that label?
Read full article: What is a bioengineered food and why do some food packages now have that label?You may be more familiar with the terms “genetically modified” or “GMO” — the new standard replaces those terms with “bioengineered” or “BE.”
Black Texas farmers were finally on track to get federal aid. The state’s agriculture commissioner wants to stop that.
Read full article: Black Texas farmers were finally on track to get federal aid. The state’s agriculture commissioner wants to stop that.Sid Miller is challenging a debt relief program that the U.S. Department of Agriculture saw as a way to correct historic discrimination. An advocate for Black Texas farmers says the challenge “pushes us back even further.”
First-generation organic farmer prepares fields for more production amid increased demand
Read full article: First-generation organic farmer prepares fields for more production amid increased demandA first-generation organic farmer is preparing the fields for more production as more people continue to buy organic foods.
Abundance of rain hurting some San Antonio-area farmers’ crops
Read full article: Abundance of rain hurting some San Antonio-area farmers’ cropsFor many San Antonio-area farmers, crops are their sole source of income, and rain is always a welcome sight, but too much can be a problem. A farmer on the Southwest Side says this week has already brought too much rain, damaging some of his crops.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller running for reelection, instead of challenging Gov. Greg Abbott
Read full article: Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller running for reelection, instead of challenging Gov. Greg AbbottMiller was seen as a potential challenger to Abbott because of his vocal criticism of the governor's restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19 last year.
Texas could give landowners more say in eminent domain negotiations under bill sent to Greg Abbott’s desk
Read full article: Texas could give landowners more say in eminent domain negotiations under bill sent to Greg Abbott’s deskAfter failing last session, lawmakers finalized a bill — described as a “delicate compromise” — that provides new protections for landowners in negotiating with companies attempting to seize their land through eminent domain.
This Texas beekeeper helps homeowners, honeybees feel like they bee-long
Read full article: This Texas beekeeper helps homeowners, honeybees feel like they bee-longAll rights reserved)FILE - In this May 20, 2019 file photo, honeybees are shown on a frame at beekeeper Denise Hunsaker's apiary, in Salt Lake City. Erika Thompson, owner and founder of the Austin-based Texas Beeworks, has a pretty unique job. Sure you’ve heard of beekeeping, but she’s helping to preserve, protect and increase honeybee populations in Texas. The company works by helping to support the bees with hive removals and hive hostings for residents and businesses. You can hire a beekeeper to place and manage hives on your property registered by the Texas Apiary Inspection Service.
More than $600 million in agricultural losses accounted for so far, Texas A&M economist says
Read full article: More than $600 million in agricultural losses accounted for so far, Texas A&M economist saysSAN ANTONIO – Losses in the agriculture industry brought on by the winter storm in Texas are now estimated to be $605 million, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. David Anderson, the education agency’s livestock economist, said included in that figure are $228 million in losses to the livestock and poultry industries, as well as the animals who died due to the cold. RELATED: Texas Farm Bureau, others assessing winter storm damage“That probably ate up a lot more cost than they were expecting in producing the birds this year,” Anderson said. Full Screen 1 / 6 Image courtesy of Bryan Bettice, Adkins, Texas. Many had pumps that froze up, and damaged pipe systems now need repair to get water to their cattle.
Texas Farm Bureau, others assessing winter storm damage
Read full article: Texas Farm Bureau, others assessing winter storm damagePOTH, Texas – As the president of the Texas Farm Bureau, Russell Boening experienced much of what the rest of the state’s agriculture industry endured during last month’s record cold. Boening said he agrees with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s prediction that the financial impact of the winter storm could be a billion dollars, if not more. AdWith the fragrant orange blossoms already on the trees, Murden said next year’s crop is gone. He said it’s been estimated the citrus industry has an economic impact of $468 million. The Texas Farm Bureau has been assessing the winter storm damage, but its spokesman said the figures, when complete, will come from the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Were your plants damaged by the freeze? Here’s what to do next.
Read full article: Were your plants damaged by the freeze? Here’s what to do next.“What we need to do is get some real sharp pruners, get some quality hand pruners, hedge shears, quality loppers and start. Rodriguez also recommends pulling the organic mulch away from plants to allow the late February sun to warm up the soil. Other plant life, like palms and sago palms, also took a beating. As long as their center is nice and firm, sago palms can make a comeback. Also, keep in mind that while we are approaching our average final freeze date in San Antonio, a freeze in March is always possible.
Produce distributor ‘cautiously optimistic’ as farmers across Texas count losses following winter storm
Read full article: Produce distributor ‘cautiously optimistic’ as farmers across Texas count losses following winter stormPOTEET, Texas – The area farmers who grew crops were unable to completely protect them against the record cold and are finding their prized harvest ruined after last week’s winter storm. “They got really cold, to the point where they just got brittle and they’re falling apart right now,” said Donovan Garcia Jr., who grows some of Poteet’s prized strawberries. Texas A&M AgriLife extension agents will be throughout affected areas assessing the damage and the economic impacts. Fernando Gonzalez, a major produce distributor, said he is “cautiously optimistic” because the supply is good. “There’s so much product that comes into Texas from all over the United States,” Gonzalez said.
‘We should have been a priority’: Consumers may feel the pinch at checkout after Texas farmers hit hard by winter storm
Read full article: ‘We should have been a priority’: Consumers may feel the pinch at checkout after Texas farmers hit hard by winter stormST. HEDWIG, Texas – Farmers across Texas were hit hard by the recent winter storm and rotating blackouts that knocked out power in many communities. Consumers can expect to feel the effects at the grocery store, with empty shelves and higher prices for some products. But the Scotts could not make it through the 2021 winter storm that left much of Texas without power. State relief for farmers is not available, and federal funds are slow to trickle in, according to the agriculture commissioner. The Texas Department of Agriculture has the STAR Fund, which is made up of private donations that help farmers during a disaster.
Mystery seeds from China showing up in Texas mailboxes
Read full article: Mystery seeds from China showing up in Texas mailboxesTexas Tiny bags marked as jewelry have been showing up in the mailboxes of Texas residents but it turns out the bags actually contain seeds. Texans arent the only ones who have received packages of mystery seeds, residents across the nation have reported receiving unsolicited packages that appear to have originated in China, according to a CNN report. To date, packages containing these mystery seeds have also been received in Washington, Virginia, Utah, Kansas, Louisiana and Arizona, according to a press release from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. If you do receive a bag of the mystery seeds, do not throw them away. It could be a scam, or it very well could be dangerous, said Agrilife extension horticulturist Larry Stein.
Hemp farm just outside Boerne sees growth in first crop
Read full article: Hemp farm just outside Boerne sees growth in first cropSAN ANTONIO – Hemp farming has begun in Texas this year and one set of farmers outside Boerne says they have some of the first crops in the state. The Texas Department of Agriculture began licensing farmers and businesses early this year to grow hemp after the state legislature greenlit farming of the plant. Pur IsoLabs in Bergheim, 10 miles east of Boerne off Highway 46, is one of the first to be licensed. Ruple and his wife Jennifer own Pur IsoLabs and have sold hemp products for the past five years, now they are expanding their business by starting to grow hemp right next to their store. This is just the beginning for the hemp farm industry, the future looks very promising for a plant that can be used in many ways.