In the big news item of the week, the U.S. Senate began consideration of the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, more commonly known as the Farm Bill. Several amendments were voted on, but the largest threat to agriculture was the passage of the Durbin-Coburn amendment. On a 59 to 33 vote, the Senate adopted the amendment that would take a 15 percentage point reduction on the crop insurance premium discount for farmers with adjusted gross incomes of more than $750,000. The Texas Wheat Producers Association strongly opposed the amendment which is not currently in the House version. Debate is scheduled to continue on June 3, when the Senate returns from recess.
This week, Texas A&M AgriLife researchers and extension personnel met with regional farmers during the Spring Crops Ag Day at Etter. The field day featured irrigation test plots where farmers could see the effects of varying levels of irrigation ranging from 100 percent ET to 40 percent ET. Researchers also discussed heat and drought-tolerance, wheat streak mosaic virus, seed treatments and freeze injury in wheat. Dryland wheat plots at the Northern Plains Research Field were severely damaged by drought and freeze, but the irrigated wheat was better than expected after continued freeze events caused damage earlier in the season. Steve Brown of the Foundation Seed Service encouraged farmers to begin contacting seed dealers to line up seed supply for fall planting.
Harvest across the state progressed as combines continued to roll in South Texas and some fields were cut in the Rolling Plains region near Wichita Falls. Crop conditions remain dismal with 76 percent of wheat acres in Texas rated poor to very poor. Click here for a detailed harvest report.
Farmers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office to sign-up for 2013 farm programs as sign-up deadlines quickly approach. Farmers are once again allowed to choose between ACRE and DCP due to the 2008 Farm Bill extension passed earlier this year. The ACRE Sign-up deadline is June 3 and is quickly followed by the DCP deadline on August 2. An online decision tool is available here for those wishing to evaluate ACRE for their operation.
On the web:
National Association of Wheat Growers Newsletter
Southwest wheat crop comes up short – Southwest Farm Press
Risk management strategies key to weathering wheat markets – High Plains Journal
Farm Bill extension may make ACRE program a viable option for some area farmers – AgriLife Today
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