Farm & Ranch
[AgriLife Today] Texas to see 300,000-acre increase in planted corn acres for 2016
By: Blair Fannin
Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, [email protected]
Contact: Dr. Mark Welch, 979-845-8011, [email protected]
COLLEGE STATION – Texas is projected to see an increase of 300,000 acres of corn planted for 2016 following a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture expected plantings report, which confirmed a broad-scale increase in corn acreage across the nation.
Significant shifts have been seen on the western edge of the Corn Belt from North Dakota to Texas as corn acres are projected to be up 2.25 million acres, said Dr. Mark Welch, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service grain marketing economist, College Station.
Texas is projected to plant 2.6 million acres of corn in 2016 compared to 2.3 million acres in 2015. The 300,000-acre increase is attributed to wet conditions during the fall, which prohibited farmers in the Central Texas Blacklands region and along the Interstate 35 corridor from planting wheat, Welch said.
“That left many farmers leaning towards corn since the moisture was favorable and corn budgets looked better versus other commodities,” Welch said.
The threat of the sugarcane aphid has left some Texas farmers to opt for corn with already record-high sorghum yields booked in 2015.
In his recent Feed Grain Outlook report, Welch said the USDA’s expected plantings report, “if realized and yields are at or near trend line, corn supplies could reach 16 billion bushels and carry over 2.3 billion bushels.”
Other grains will see fewer planted acres, Welch noted. U.S. wheat acres are projected to be down 5 million acres compared to 2015 and sorghum down 1.2 million acres.
“We were already expecting more corn acres to be planted this year and the USDA report confirmed it,” he said.
Though corn prices have fallen due to U.S. farmers’ intentions to plant more corn, farmers can offset that revenue loss with more volume, Welch said.
“If a farmer feels that they’ve got the moisture and there’s favorable chances for moisture to continue through the growing season, they can make more bushels to make up for the lower price.”
Another factor is the financial capacity of some farming operations. Welch said for producers carrying over large debt from the previous year, a big question is will they have enough capital needed to plant a new crop?
“If not, will there be someone else to come in and pick up the land (in time before the planting window closes)?” Welch said.
Low commodity prices and increased loan demand are concerns for ag lenders across the country, Welch said. Several farm income safety net programs, such as crop insurance and the Agriculture Risk Coverage, or ARC, program in the farm bill, offer lower levels of security in times of low commodity prices.
“But that all depends on how each farmer is structured and their cost of production,” Welch said.
Some farmers in Texas have been diversifying by planting oilseed crops to offset depressed prices in corn, cotton and other commodities, Welch said.
“Overall, the USDA report was a wake-up call in that we are capable of planting considerably more corn compared to recent years,” Welch said.
Welch distributes a Feed Grain Outlook, which can be subscribed to via email at [email protected] or by calling 979-845-8011.
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By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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