My name is Brad Tuttle with WCC Land and Cattle in San Marcos, Texas. You're listening to the latest news in Texas agriculture on Texas Ag Today. This is Texas Ag Today, the number one source for the latest news in Texas agriculture. The largest and most experienced farm news team in the Lone Star State covers it all. From the Piney Woods of East Texas to the rocky ranges of the Trans-Pecos, and from the Panhandle down to the Rio Grande Valley. Here's today's top stories. Despite getting some rains, it's been a tough start to the growing season in the northern Texas Panhandle. I'm James Hunt, and we'll talk about that on Texas Ag Today. There are five steps to trait development. I'm Tom Nicoletti and I'll have more on how these five steps lead to better crop yields for farmers on Texas Ag Today. FDA currently has not approved medicated feed products for the treatment of New World screw worm in deer and cattle. We will hear directly from someone at the FDA on why coming up on Texas Ag Today. Now, here's the host of Texas Ag Today, Kerry Martin. Hello, Texas. Why don't you jump on in with me and buckle up. We're going to take a ride around the Lone Star State as we cover the most important industry in this greatest state in the nation, Texas agriculture. Be sure to hold on tight because it all starts right now. We are into those dog days of summer with heat and wind across many areas of Texas. I checked in with Josh Coons. He's the AgriLife County agent in Baylor County. that's southwest of Wichita Falls. We could always use a rain, you know, just like we always say. We have been blessed with a few showers from time to time that came through with some wind and some hail unfortunately, but a little dry. We've got some hay that's being cut. The cotton crop is off and looking okay, I think, right now at the stage it's at. And cattle still have some pasture to eat. Kuhn says the cotton crop got off to a good start this year and it's handling the summer heat well. Oh yeah, yeah, it soaks it up, soaking up the sun and it's progressing nicely. We're going to need, like I said, we're going to need a little rain here to kind of boost it along a little bit going forward. These hot days with wind, it's pretty tough on it. It's tough on everything, but it's enjoying the heat right now. That's AgriLife County agent Josh Coons in Baylor County. The United States will maintain its anti-dumping duties on imports of tomatoes from Mexico. The U.S. International Trade Commission recently rejected a request by Mexican tomato growers saying they found no changed circumstances that would justify lifting the duties. Mexican tomato growers asked the ITC to lift the duties, arguing the circumstances under which the duties were levied has changed and they oppose the anti-dumping measures. The existing anti-dumping order will remain in place, continuing trade protections for U.S. growers who argued Mexican imports of tomatoes are dumped into the U.S. below market value. A public report explaining the ITC's decision is expected by August 17th. For the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network, I'm Jessica Domewool. Texas agriculture has lost a longtime voice. Roddy Peoples spent his life as a farm broadcaster on the radio airwaves of Texas. He passed away Tuesday. Roddy got his start as a Texas farm broadcaster at a radio station in Wichita Falls. Four years later, he moved to Midland and founded the Voice of Southwest Agriculture Radio Network. At its peak, Roddy was providing farm news and market information to around 70 Texas radio stations. He received numerous awards during his farm broadcasting career, including being named as National Farm Broadcaster of the Year in 1992 by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. He was also elected to that organization's Hall of Fame in 2001. Roddy Peoples was 94 years old. The northern Texas panhandle has had a tough start for the summer growing season. James Hunt reports. Over the past few weeks, the drought monitor map has upgraded Moore County from a designation of D3 to D2, which suggests a lot of benefit from recent rains. But here's what Extension Agent Marcel Fischbacher has to say about that. I think that's kind of deceiving because if you look at the average of the county, we're improving. But it's the eastern one-third or one-fourth that has got the rain, and the western part of the county has just kept missing it so we're really dry over here and i think right now we're kind of in a bind because i don't think anybody's been able to build up the soil moisture profile after having such a dry winter and just needing some rain and some moist days now we've had a few of those days that it was cloudy and there was some humidity and it looked like it could rain but we've just pretty much missed it on the western side of the county i'd say there's producers that have had less than three inches of rain in 2026 well of course i want to ask how your crops are looking but i've got to assume it probably follows along the lines of where the rainfall has been and where it hasn't yeah crops when they came out of the ground and all that a little less weed pressure because of the dryness really did have a good stand there to start out with they do appear to be a little behind where they should be as just far as the growth of the corn Cotton is probably for some reason everything a little behind You would think with such warm soil and all we be a little bit ahead but we really struggling to get much soil water profile And I think if we move into the tassel stage like this on corn we going to see some well below average county yields and I think it's going to be tough, and those farmers are really going to struggle. That's Marcel Fischbacher with the Moore County Extension Office in Dumas. I'm James Hunt on the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. Bolgard Cotton is celebrating its 30-year anniversary. Tom Nicoletti has the story. which involves plants in test fields and research centers to assess performance. And fifth, on-farm trials where participants test the latest trait technology with feedback on trait performance under commercial-scale planting conditions. Joni Blount is Bayer Crop Science Cotton Product Advancement Specialist for Texas and several western states. Now, Joni, you cover Texas and a number of other states when it comes to cotton research and development. And here it is, 2026, and this is the celebration of 30 years of Bogard cotton across the industry. It began in 1996, so quite a track record, and it's certainly been successful and good for farmers across the Cotton Belt, the east to west. Being able to protect the yield for growers across the Cotton Belt and provide them something that makes their lives safer, reducing the number of insecticides that have to go out, reducing the impact that we have on natural enemies. There's a lot of layers to what these traits provide for everybody, and I haven't lived in a world that we didn't have BullGarden. I think we've been able to increase the expectations for the industry overall with these kinds of technologies and steward that well so that it's available and around for a long time. That is Joni Blount. She is with Bear Crop Science. I'm Tom Nicoletti for the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. The FDA has not approved any medicated feed products for the treatment and prevention of screwworms. Jessica Dommel tells why. In a hearing hosted by the Texas House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, a representative from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration addressed the potential for medicated feed products for prevention or treatment of New World screwworms in cattle and deer. Here is Dr. Tim Schell, the director of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. Currently, there are no medicated feed products approved or authorized in the U.S. for screwworm, and we are not aware of any product approved or authorized globally for that purpose. FDA is currently working with Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas A&M, and USDA on multiple trials and studies in cattle and deer to generate data that can help FDA evaluate whether feed products may be effective against New World Screwworm. We are committed to authorizing products that have sufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness. I'd like to note a significant challenge with feed products that injectable and topical products don't have, and that is the difficulty in delivering a consistent dose of a drug to ensure effectiveness. This is particularly challenging in range and wild settings where animal feeding rates and product stability and availability can vary widely. A variable or less than effective dose can drive up antiparasitic resistance and may not protect animals from screwworm. Producers, veterinarians, and consumers all rely on the FDA to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of screwworm medical countermeasures, and we are dedicated to filling our responsibilities as quickly as possible. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 33 cases of New World screwworm in Texas. 17 of those cases were active as of Thursday. Additional details on New World screwworm is available at screwworm.gov. For the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. I'm Jessica Duhlmull. Coming up next... This is Jim Hearn in San Antonio. The tropical season has started slow, but weather patterns now look a lot more like summer. We'll have those stories and more in today's report. And screw worms can affect all warm-blooded animals. These stories plus a look at the markets are straight ahead on Texas Ag Today. Hello, I'm veterinarian Dr. Bob Judd, host of Texas Vet News on the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. There are steps we should take if we suspect new world screw worms in our livestock. First, immediately report to the Texas Animal Health Commission, the USDA, or your local veterinarian. After collection and wound cleaning, use appropriate treatment methods to care for the wound based on current conditions and advice from your local veterinarian. Keep the wound covered if possible and treated until it is healed to avoid more infestations. And report suspicious wildlife to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist. Keeping Texas farmers and ranchers informed for over two decades. This is Texas Ag Today on the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. The tropical season is off to a slow start. Jim Hearn reports from San Antonio. The start of the tropical season has been very slow. Saharan dust moving across the Atlantic, and that's combining with strong upper-level winds. That's really stopped the development of any tropical systems. But as we still have a long way to go for this tropical season ahead The weather has turned hot in San Antonio and much of the hill country Typical summer Rains have ended for the time being, and temperatures have hit the upper 90s with humidities pushing heat indexes to triple digits. Now, we're continuing to watch a large area of tropical moisture that has been heading toward the entire Texas coastline, so rain could be in the foreseeable future. Everyone here is looking for a shower. Well, the weather has halted the rise in the Edwards Aquifer, currently dropping a half to a foot per day. It'll not take long to put the aquifer back to its lowest points. As we look at the reservoir situation along the Rio Grande, Lake Amistad is now 30% full. You know, that's down about 5% from where it was just six months ago. At Falcon, Reservoir is at 30%, and that's steady for now, but still down about 7% from where we were six months ago. The New World screwworm cases continue to climb in the state. At this time, there is at least 31 cases that have been confirmed, 17 of those in cattle, 10 in sheep, 3 goats and a dog. And as we move closer to hunting season, the screwworm cases may be affecting wildlife too. Hunters need to be aware and be on the lookout for any signs of screwworms and report anything suspicious at once. This is Jim Hearn in San Antonio. Now the screwworms are in Texas. It's important to know they can infest all warm-blooded animals. Dr. Bob Judd has more. We have now had confirmed cases of the New World's screwworms found in various counties in Texas, and this is not surprising considering the northward movement of the pest in Mexico over the last year. The United States Department of Agriculture has taken numerous measures to prevent screwworms from entering Texas. New sterile fly facilities are being built and more sterile flies are being released to decrease the number of flies by interrupting their life cycle. USDA is working to prevent further spread of the pest and then eliminate it once again from the United States. To accomplish this, everyone needs to be vigilant in examining their animals closely for cuts or other skin lesions in which the screwworms can lay their eggs. The eggs hatch and the larva burrow into live tissue versus normal fly larva that only feed on dead tissue. These larvae can cause severe tissue destruction and can lead to infection and death of the animal without treatment. And examining your animals does not mean only your livestock, but all animals, including pets, and the screwworm can even affect humans. Any lesion on your pets, like a small laceration or a puncture wound, can be attacked by these pests and make a simple wound potentially deadly. Livestock guard dogs and other farm dogs and barn cats are especially susceptible, but animals in urban areas can also be infested. One of the major concerns is wildlife infestation, as wildlife are very susceptible and cannot be examined like domestic animals. And infestation in wildlife is one of the reasons a parasite is so difficult to control. If you see live wildlife that have maggots on a wound, call your veterinarian or the Texas Animal Health Commission as soon as possible. I'm Dr. Bob Judd, and this is the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. We'll check the markets coming up next on Texas Ag Today. Hey everybody, Kerry Martin here inviting you to check out our brand new online radio station. It's called KTFB Texas Farm and Ranch Radio. That's right, it's a radio station designed by farmers and ranchers for farmers and ranchers. During the day on weekdays, you'll hear Texas news headlines, the latest agricultural news, market reports twice an hour, and the farm and ranch weather forecast every 30 minutes. And we fill in the holes between all that with nothing but Texas country music. We play the Texas legends like Willie, Waylon, and King George. And we play the newest Texas country music hits off the Texas country charts with artists like Wade Bowen, Aaron Watson, and the Randy Rogers Band. Farm news and market information plus great Texas country music. It's on KTFB Texas Farm and Ranch Radio. Go to your app store or the Google Play store and download the KTFB app. Just search for it. KTFB. Download the app. Bluetooth it in your truck, your tractor, your combine. Give it a listen. KTFB Texas Farm and Ranch Radio. Sometimes you love them, sometimes you cuss them. Here's a look at the markets on Texas Ag Today. Howdy, neighbors. I'm Larry Marble with the Livestock Auction Market Report on Texas Ag Today. We're on the line with Bill Martin from Lone Star Stockyards, Wilderay to Texas. Bill, how'd the sale go? Had a good sale today, Larry. 1,080 head went through the rain. Compared to a couple weeks ago, the market was strong on all classes of feeders. Calves were fully steady to sharply higher in spots. In Jaden, Texas, we had a load of 750-pound steers at $3.77. Another load from the same place, 640-pound steers at $4.23.50. Some 511 weights off the deal at $4.67. A load of 800-pound heifers from Jaden brought $3.32.75. A load of 685 weights at $3.69.75. Mammarilla, we had a load of mixed crossbred heifers weighing 786. 333 and a quarter. From Hereford, a low to 890 pound background and steers at 333 Olton 8 and a quarter weight steers at 359 dalhart 407 pound heifer calves at 562 50 504 weight heifer calves at 467 50 tulia 580 weight steer calves at 452 435 weight steers at 532 520 weight heifer calves at 447 canyon 466 pound weaned heifers 507 360 weight heifers at 580 by the pound. Spearman, 530 pound steer calves at 490, 540 weight heifer calves at 447. Breonna, 615 pound bull calves at 417, 400 pound bull calves at 562. Happy, 677 weight steers at 401, 650 weight heifers at 389. What was the count? 1080. How are you feeling about next week? You know, don't have many consigned yet. This time of year, that should be pretty small, but we'll see what happens. Tell everybody how to get a hold of you, Bill. Please call us at 806-677-0777. Bill, thank you for the call. Thanks so much, Larry. Bye-bye. Bye. Neighbor, thanks for joining me. I'm Larry Marble. This is the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. Walk in the pants. We'll see you tomorrow. Good day. Cattle futures ending the week on a lower note. We've dropped all week long on Friday. August live cattle down 5 cents to close at $2.35. 20. The October down $1.05 at $2.30. 55. Same thing on feeder cattle. August feeders down $1.55, $3.50 for six. September feeders down $1.97, $3.51.02. Cash fed cattle market following the same course that futures are. We've seen a big drop. $7 lower on live sales this week. $2.48 is the price in both the north and the south on live cattle. Dressed cattle selling at $3.93. That's $10 lower. Boxed beef prices higher with choice up $3.09, $3.80, $3.90. Select up 616, 369.65. August Class III milk down 24 cents, 16.64, 100 weight. USDA released the latest WASDE report Friday morning. The corn and wheat markets reacted positively. September corn up 8 cents, 4.39 and a half. December corn up 9, 4.61 a bushel. Wheat took a huge jump as that WASDE report confirmed what we've been hearing at wheat acreage could possibly be the lowest we've seen in well over 100 years. September Kansas City wheat up 22 cents, $6.76 and a quarter. September Chicago wheat up 20 and a half, $6.40 and a quarter. USDA raised U.S. cotton production by 400,000 bales. The market reacted positively to that, with December up 91 points, closing at 81.54 cents. In the energy markets, August natural gas down 6,294. August West Texas crude oil down 58 at 71.50 a barrel. The financial markets slightly higher with the Dow up 149 points, 52,637. The Nasdaq up 74,26281. The S&P up 31 at 7,575. Now with a closer look at the energy and financial markets, Here's economist Tim Snyder with Matador Economics in Dallas. As we head into another weekend, markets are ending this week with caution rather than panic. Crude oil is easing modestly today, but both WTI and Brent remain on track for solid weekly gains as disrupted tanker traffic and renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran keep a geoeconomic premium firmly embedded in the energy markets. On Wall Street, equity futures are slightly lower, led by weakness in technology shares as investors balance Middle East uncertainty against optimism surrounding artificial intelligence and the start of the second quarter earnings season. In short, the equity markets are not pricing in a full-scale regional war, but they're no longer willing to price the dependable ceasefire either. The energy trade remains flummoxed. Reuters reports tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen by roughly 70% of the pre-war levels. Here we go again. At the same time, seasonal U.S. fuel demand is at the highest point of the year, and that combination has pushed gasoline prices sharply higher. Around Texas, we've seen prices jump more than 30 cents a gallon since the 4th of July weekend, raising transportation costs for businesses, increasing production expenses for agriculture, and putting additional pressure on family budgets. Next week brings a full slate of market-moving events, including second-quarter bank earnings, CPI and PPI inflation reports, retail sales, housing data, and consumer confidence, all against the backdrop of continued tensions in the Middle East. Today's market misconception. Falling crude oil prices yesterday meant geopolitical risk was fading. The reality? Crude oil is simply easing from this week's sharp spike. Tanker traffic remains impaired and the market is reducing the probability of immediate escalation, not eliminating the underlying risk. Here's the bottom line. Today's quieter trading isn't signaling a resolution. It's signaling caution. Investors are heading into the weekend hoping diplomacy can regain momentum. But preparing their portfolios in case the next headline tells a different story. No matter what the weekend brings, next week we'll be packed with headlines that will no doubt drive our markets. For the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network, I'm economist Tim Snyder. That wraps up our look at the markets and that wraps up this episode of Texas Ag Today. I'm Kerry Martin. Hope to see you back here next time as we cover the most important industry in this greatest state in the U.S. of A, Texas agriculture. Thanks for joining us for Texas Ag Today. Be sure to follow the Texas Ag Today podcast found wherever you listen to podcasts. For more Texas farm and ranch news, check out our website at texasfarmbureau.org or tfbradio.com. Texas Ag Today is a production of the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. you
