67th annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course will be live on Aug. 2-4

Texas Aggie Prime Rib Dinner, educational sessions, demonstrations highlight the event The prime rib will be in the smokers and the participants will be there in person to eat them at the 67th annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course on Aug. 2-4. The event is hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. Prime rib is served to all of the Texas A&M Beef…

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USDA Announces New Initiative to Quantify Climate Benefits of Conservation Reserve Program

Proposals for CRP Climate Change Mitigation Assessment Initiative Due July 2 WASHINGTON, May 25, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced an initiative to quantify the climate benefits of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts. This multi-year effort will enable USDA to better target CRP toward climate outcomes and improve existing models and conservation planning tools while supporting USDA’s goal of putting American agriculture and forestry at the…

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Farmers market season renewing community spirit statewide

By Gail Ellis   STILLWATER, Okla. – Much like the annual food festivals and hometown celebrations that center on Oklahoma’s bountiful harvests, farmers markets are kicking off their summer schedules in communities across the state.  Each market varies, but for most weekly popup events, opening weekend is held in late April or May and runs through August or October. As the COVID-19 pandemic loosens its grip on the country and safety protocols are lifted, organizers remain diligent…

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Agriculture and Forestry Coalition Moves to Defend Gray Wolf Delisting

WASHINGTON (May 21, 2021) – This week, a coalition of agriculture and forestry groups — including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Forest Resources Council, the American Sheep Industry Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Public Lands Council — filed motions in court in defense of delisting the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Three cases filed by environmental and animal welfare groups in the U.S. District Court for…

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OSU researchers look at meat plants post-pandemic

By Brian Brus STILLWATER, Okla. – When consumers noticed a reduction in meat products in grocery stores at the beginning of the pandemic, some took matters into their own hands, working with producers directly to arrange for meat processing. An ongoing decline in small meat plants had already led to processing wait times of about nine months pre-COVID 19. In slaughterhouses across Oklahoma, many customers are being told now they’ll get their livestock…

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Fungus takes aim at eastern redcedar trees in late spring

Kansas Forest Service health coordinator urges landowners to look for orange spots MANHATTAN, Kan. – In late spring, especially after a rainstorm, the careful observer may notice alien-like orange, gelatinous objects attached to the branches of their eastern redcedar trees. A Kansas Forest Service official assures it’s not the fruit of a mutant cedar -- or Jell-O from Mars -- but the spore-producing body of cedar-apple rust fungus. “While a bit unusual looking,…

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Is your pasture telling you it has a fertility problem?

Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator (originally published in Farm & Dairy) Knapweed can indicate soil low in calcium, and very low phosphorous. If plants could talk, we could learn a lot and our jobs as stewards of the land would be much easier.  When we go to the doctor because we are sick, we do not sit quietly and expect the doctor to know how we feel and then tell…

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USDA Announces Cooperative Agreements for Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of up to $2 million for local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2021. The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans and they are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture. USDA’s Office…

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Vertical gardening makes most of limited ground space

STILLWATER, Okla. – Things are looking up for gardening enthusiasts who want to think outside of the box – literally – and those with limited ground area for traditional gardens to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers. Growing plants vertically expands possibilities for garden spaces, said David Hillock, Oklahoma State University Extension consumer horticulturist. Although plants naturally reach vertically toward sunlight, vertical in this case refers to the surfaces they grow along. “Vertical gardening is a…

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Keep watch on obese horses eating green forage

By Donald Stotts  STILLWATER, Okla. – Obesity in horses is never a desired condition, but especially so for animals that have developed equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), a condition similar to Type II Diabetes in people.  Springtime can be especially hard for horses that suffer from EMS because the disorder is associated with insulin deregulation that can promote increased fat deposition and a reduced ability to lose weight, said Kris Hiney, Oklahoma State University Extension equine…

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