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Northwest Iowa Dairy Outlooks

“A local discussion of current science and issues concerning dairying in northwest iowa”

Monthly Archives: January 2016

28/01/16 Pizza Ranch Field Trip For Fourth And Fifth Graders Set For May 3 & 4

Fourth and fifth grade students in Tarrant County are invited to participate in Pizza Ranch. This fun and free educational event is presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Tarrant County Food and Fiber Committee to help our youth better understand the origin of the ingredients in pizza.

In 2016 Pizza Ranch will be held on May 3 & 4 in the Justin Arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Complex, 1501 Rip Johnson Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76107.

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25/01/16 North Texas Spring Forage Conference Set For Feb 16

Forage producers in North Texas will have a opportunity to hear the latest information on the new Bermudagrass Stem Maggot at the North Texas Spring Forage Conference. The conference is scheduled for Tuesday, February 16 in 2016 and will be held at the Tarrant County Resource Connection Conference Center in Fort Worth. According to the new Tarrant County AgriLife Extension Agriculture Agent Fred M. Hall, “Whether you are a part-time producer with twenty acres or a commercial grower with 2,000 acres, this program will cover information that you need”. The program will began at 9 a.m with sign-in and the presentations will start at 9:30 .m. There will be three continuing education units offered for pesticide applicator license holders including the hard-to-find law and regs plus IPM CEUs. The registration fee is $25.

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25/01/16 Private Pesticide Applicator Class Set For February 10 In Tarrant County

Training for Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) private pesticide applicator licenses will be held in the Fort Worth Room at the Tarrant County Extension Office on Wednesday, February 10, 2016. Training begins promptly at 8 a.m. and will be completed by 12 noon. Pre-registration is required by calling the Tarrant County Extension Office at 817.884.1946 or on-line at: http://agrilife.org/urbantarrantag/program-registration.

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20/01/16 Full Slate Of Classes Set For 2016 Horse O’ Rama

The 2016 Horse O’ Rama is set for March 11-13 in the John Justin Arena on the grounds of the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. Pre-entries must be postmarked by February 26. No phone entries will be accepted. Stalls will open at noon on Friday, March 11, books open at 4 p.m. and classes begin at 6 p.m. On Saturday books open at 8 a.m. and classes begin at 9 a.m. Finally, on Sunday books open at 8 a.m. and classes at 9 a.m. Stall hours include: Friday from noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 7 a.m. until noon.

The class list and entry forms are available on-line at: http://agrilife.org/urbantarrantag/horse-o-rama/events/horse-o-rama-2016. Exhibitors are reminded that a negative coggins is required. All horsemen are invited to participate.

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12/01/16 Last Call For January Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Training for Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) private pesticide applicator licenses will be held in the Bluebonnet Room at the Tarrant County Extension Office on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Training begins promptly at 8 a.m. and will be completed by 12 noon. Pre-registration is required by calling the Tarrant County Extension Office at 817.884.1946.

The four-hour training at the Tarrant County Extension Office will give participants the necessary information to take the private applicator license test. Cost for the training and study materials in Tarrant County is $50.  The Tarrant County Extension Office is located at 200 Taylor St., Suite 500 in Fort Worth.

 

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11/01/16 Tarrant County Youth Receive BIG Scholarships

Scholarships were presented to eleven 4-H members, including two from Tarrant County, at the 54th Blackland Income Growth Conference (BIG) held recently at the Waco Convention Center.

The annual conference, sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Waco Chamber of Commerce, provides agricultural education to producers in the Blacklands region, including Tarrant County.

The scholarships were presented during the conference luncheon that featured Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market.

Receiving a $1,000 scholarship was Hollyann Roach from Tarrant County. Hollyann is the daughter of Connie and Darrell Roach of Keller. Her major projects include beef, leadership, photography and culinary arts. She plans on attending Texas Tech University and majoring in agribusiness.

Dalton York received the $1,500 Scott Felton Scholarship. He is the 18 year old son of Michele Lee of Fort Worth. His major projects include sheep, leadership and sport fishing. He will be attending Texas A&M University Kingsville and majoring in wildlife management.

dalton and Hollyann earn BIG scholarship

Blackland Income Growth Scholarship winner Hollyann Roach (Center) and Scott Felton Scholarship winner Dalton York (right) are shown with Tarrant County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent Fred M. Hall at the Blackland Income Growth Conference in Waco last week.

 

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07/01/16 Texas Corn Growers Board Election Ballots Available At Extension Office

The Texas Corn Producers Board will hold elections in three of its five voting regions to elect five board members where current members’ seats are expiring. The TCPB election will be held from January 9, 2016, until Jan. 23, 2016.

Of the five seats, there is one seat open for election in voting region three, which Tarrant County. Bruce Wetzel of Grayson County has been nominated for the seat in voting region three.

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07/01/16 Series Continues For Local Food Producers

The law affects sustainable, local food producers in many ways, and farmers need information on how to deal with these concerns. Tarrant County Extension will present this webinar series through Farm Commons and Attorney Rachel Armstrong, this winter that will help farmers and small processors identify some common concerns. Webinars are hosted at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Tarrant County Extension office located at 200 Taylor Street, Suite 500 in Fort Worth. Topics include: Establishing partnerships, Insurance issues, Intern and volunteer issues, Food safety liability issues, and Sales strategies. Several topics will have local presenters in addition to the webinar.

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07/01/16 Tarrant County Organics Series Continues With Program On The Connections Between Biodiversity and Livestock Well-Being

Among organic and sustainable farmers, there is a belief that healthy ecosystems with minimally disturbed soils, adequate access to diverse, high quality forages, and clean water have a robust correlation with cows’ well-being and milk quality.  However, there has been limited research on the relationships between changes in biodiversity, livestock health, and farm management and productivity.

Therefore, in 2012, a University of Vermont research team began a multidisciplinary, long-term study to learn if managing farms for increased diversity at different “community” levels (from rumen microbes to forage composition) in Northeast pasture-based dairy production systems positively contributes to improved livestock well-being, health and productivity, and creates an ecological service feedback loop that benefits soil and natural resource diversity.

“While this research is being done in the northeast, it’s application has amazing potential for the nations largest livestock state” says the new Tarrant County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent Fred. M. Hall. The 60-minute webinar program is set for 1 p.m. on Monday, January 4 and will be held in the Fort Worth Room at the Tarrant County Extension office located at 200 Taylor St. in Fort Worth.

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