U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Launches 3-Year Enrollment
Trust Protocol participating producers will find the new streamlined enrollment for the 2022-2024 crops easy and quick. Production data, which remains confidential, now can be more efficiently uploaded into the Protocol platform, thus paving the way for a potential redistribution of program revenue.
As before, crop consultants can be authorized to enter information and the John Deere Operations Center can pre-populate up to 40% of the data needed to complete the Fieldprint analysis for those utilizing the Protocol platform.
To learn more or begin enrollment, visit www.TrustUSCotton.org or reach out to the Grower Helpdesk at growers@trustuscotton.org.
Feral Hog Control Workshop: Nueces County, Texas, Oct. 13
A group of Texas agencies is working together to help landowners address the issues that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and the health of humans and animals.
Several workshops were held in September, and one will be offered in Nueces County Oct. 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Johnny Caledron Building, 710 E. Main St. Suite 1, Robstown. Contact Jaime Lopez, AgriLife Extension agent for Nueces County at jaime.lopez@ag.tamu.edu.
Feral swine are a threat to waterways and ecosystems as their numbers rapidly increase daily across the state. Texas is a private-land state, with 83% of its land mass in family owned farms, ranches and forests, making education and awareness of wild pig damage a priority for maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Providing learning opportunities to landowners about effective management strategies remains crucial to the success of abating damages associated with these feral swine.
The Feral Swine Control Pilot Program consists of a “smart trap” loan program, educational and outreach activities, and direct-control activities by Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Landowners in participating counties may be eligible to use a feral swine smart trap on their property through the Soil and Water Conservation Districts trap loan program or receive direct control through APHIS.
The Texas Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program activities are funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Services grant and administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
TFB Distributes Nearly $178,000 To Wildfire Victims
Thanks to nearly 150 generous contributions, Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) and its West Texas Wildfire Relief Fund recently distributed $177,930 to farmers and ranchers impacted by spring wildfires in the state.
“While the wildfires were still burning, Farm Bureau members, organizations and others from across the state called in asking how they could help,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “While this aid cannot replace everything that was lost, we hope it truly helps those still recovering from the disaster.”
Wildfires burned more than 150,000 acres across the state in March, causing millions of dollars in damage. Fires devoured pastureland and farmland, livestock, homes, barns and equipment.
Farmers and ranchers with unreimbursed agricultural losses were encouraged to apply for assistance. The TFB West Texas Wildfire Relief Fund was established through the organization’s nonprofit Agriculture Research and Education Foundation.
“We cannot say thank you enough for the generous contributions sent in to help our fellow Texans,” Boening said. “Farm Bureau members have always stepped up to help their neighbors in need, and this wildfire relief fund collected tax-deductible donations to meet the needs in affected areas.”
A group of volunteer leaders selected by the TFB board of directors determined the allotment of aid. TFB and non-TFB members received funding for unreimbursed expenses related to the wildfires.
“Farming and ranching is an expensive business,” Boening said. “We hope with this support, those impacted can continue to rebuild and recover from the wildfires that devastated areas of our state.”