*Cattle futures were volatile during 2024.
*USDA is investing another $300 million to expand food and agricultural exports.
*The number of cattle in Texas feedlots is down slightly from a year ago.
*The level of cow herd rebuilding in Texas is a big unknown.
*There is now more time to comment on the Department of Labor’s proposed heat illness prevention rule.
*2024 was a challenging year for Central Texas farmers and ranchers.
*We have a record agricultural trade deficit, and it will continue into 2025.
*Soaking your horse’s foot is sometimes required, but there is a better option.
I'm Joyce everyone with Silverwood Dairy Farms in Waller, 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 tiny woods of East Texas to the rocky ranges of the Transbakers, and from the Panhandle down to the Rio Grande Valley. Here's today's top stories. How soon and how aggressively Texas High Plains ranchers will rebuild their herds remains unknown at this time, and some of our producers might choose to do something else altogether. I'm James Hunt and we'll talk about that on Texas Ag Today. We now have more time to comment on the Department of Labor's proposed heat illness prevention rule. I'm Jessica Dolmore and I'll have more coming up on Texas Ag Today. A challenging 2024 for a central Texas agricultural producer. Dry and wet weather kept farmers guessing as to what would be their final crop harvest. I'm Tom Nickelodeon and I'll have more on Texas Ag Today. Now, here's the host of Texas Ag Today, Kari Martin. Hello Texas, why don't you jump on in with me and buckle up. We're gonna 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. The cash fed cattle market has stayed strong all throughout this year, trading mostly in a 180 to 190 range, but the futures market has been much more volatile. Texas A&M Livestock marketing economist David Anderson says we saw a big drop in futures in the middle of the year, particularly into June and July. And then at the end of July, early August, we had a big decline in futures market prices. I think that's really because of this recognition that we were producing more beef than a year ago. Because we think about that, we've certainly had some mixed signals in the overall economy, but certainly growing GDP, rising real wages, certainly some declining rates of inflation. Yet, we do have a lot of consumers that are struggling and we look at higher prices. So we had this realization in the futures market that gosh, we're producing more beef than a year ago. At that very same kind, there were a bunch of stories about in the popular press about, oh gosh, we're headed for a recession. Well, I think those gave a reason for the futures market to sell off and drive those prices down. The recession really didn't materialize, but our high beef production was still with us. Texas A&M's David Anderson, USDA is investing in over $300 million to expand American food and agricultural exports in emerging global markets. The second round of funding for the regional agricultural promotion program, or RAP, brings USDA's investments in the program to $600 million for the year. The funding will go to 67 partners, including the USDA Export Council, U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Meat Export Federation, USA Rice, and others, to diversify export markets in regions with rising consumer demand and purchasing power, including Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and South and Southeast Asia. USDA says those regions offer significant opportunities for U.S. producers seeking to establish a stronger foothold in dynamic and growing markets. For the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network, I'm Jessica Domal. The number of cattle in Texas feedlots is down slightly from a year ago. As of December 1st, there were 2.88 million head of cattle in Texas feedyards down 1%. Placements took a big drop last month, with 35,000 head going into the feedlots that's down 12%. Things also took a big drop down 10% at 330,000 head. The level of cow herd rebuilding in Texas is a big unknown. James Hunt says some cattle producers may never rebuild. As we head into the new year, there is still a question of how soon we will see significant herd rebuilding begin on our area ranches. And in fact, there could be a question of how many producers want to engage in rebuilding. Some of them might choose to go a different direction. Here's what Texas A&M AgriLife beef cattle specialist Jason Smith told me. Historically speaking, when we see in this part of the world, when we see drought driving a large portion of the cow herd reduction, we expect a portion of that to not be replaced with cows but to be replaced with stocker cattle. So over the long term, we've seen some, I don't know if permanent is the right word to use, but it's the one I will use, trading of cows for stocker cattle. And we expect the same will be true in this situation because we're going to have some operations that whether it's the capital overhead required to reinvest in cows, the amount of time and effort required to do so, or the long-term risk of doing so, there are some operations that will say no, we're not interested in doing that again, we will graze stocker cattle or contract someone with stocker cattle to graze our grass as the forages allow, as the weather and the environment allow that opportunity to put something on the ground to graze. Some thoughts from Jason Smith of AgriLife. And by the way, you can hear more from Dr. Smith and other AgriLife specialists by searching online with the words AgriLife North Region Podcasts. There is now more time to comment on the Department of Labor's proposed heat illness prevention rule. Jessica Domal has the story. The Department of Labor is giving the public more time to weigh in on its proposed heat injury and illness prevention rule. The comment period for the proposal initially was set to expire at the end of the month. However, the Department has granted a 15-day extension allowing people to comment until January 14th. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed requiring employers to designate a heat safety coordinator who would be responsible for monitoring and implementing a heat safety plan at work sites to protect indoor and outdoor workers. Under the proposal, employers would be required to monitor heat in one of two ways, either by monitoring the local heat index forecast or by taking measurements on site. When the heat index reaches the first proposed trigger of 80 degrees, the advisory group recommended requiring employers to provide drinking water to employees. The proposal would require employers to provide break areas as well. Indoor workplaces would need an indoor break area large enough to accommodate all employees on break, be readily accessible, and be air conditioned or have increased air movement, and if appropriate, dehumidification. A required place for employees to acclimatize is also under consideration. The second heat trigger of 90 degrees Fahrenheit would require employers to take additional steps, including rest breaks for employees. The proposal would require additional observation and supervision on days when the mercury tops 90 degrees. OSHA is considering a requirement for a heat illness and response plan that would specify the steps that an employer should take if an employee is experiencing signs and symptoms of a heat-related illness. While comments are still being taken on that proposal, there is a chance it may not move forward under the new administration in 2025. Here's Ethan Lane from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. "Anything that's in that regulatory realm coming out of the last four years that hasn't been finalized yet, you have to assume is going to be frozen, and that's not a Donald Trump thing. That's an any presidential transition thing. We saw it at the beginning of the Biden administration. That's kind of a tradition as old as time, right? That's just sort of part of what they do. They come in day one and they will freeze all that ongoing work and they'll do an analysis. I think that analysis is probably already ongoing of, hey, does this square with what we would want to do there? Is this an opportunity to revisit? Is this something we're just going to scrap, right? So I think we have to assume anything that's not finalized right now or anything that's being finalized right now is going to be in that net. You can pretty much write it off for the time being while the Trump administration figures out where they want to go." That was NCBA's Ethan Lane. For the Texas Farm Bureau radio network, I'm Jessica Dommel. 2024 was a challenging year for central Texas farmers and ranchers. Tom Nicaletti has more. As we look back at 2024 in central Texas agriculture and look ahead to 2025, we catch up with Dr. Shane McClellan, who's on the road today, and certainly farmers and ranchers during the year of 2024 had a lot of challenges and give us a wrap-up of what you experienced through the year with farming and ranching here in central Texas. 2024 is a year that we probably want to forget. It was kind of a wild year. We started off dry, and then we had a good bit of rain, and we got corn planted, grain sorghum planted, had one of the best stands that I've seen in probably 15 to 16 years. Just really good stand, excited about the potential of our crops, and then it started raining, a net kep raining. So much so that we received 14 to 15 inches in the month of May. It was so wet that our corn grew really big, had good potential. We were excited about the corn potential yield as well. Then we started harvesting wheat, and we couldn't get into the fields to harvest our wheat. We had a record crop of wheat note out in the field, and the rains just kept us out to a point where wheat started sprouting, and it really, really messed up our wheat yield that we were thinking 80 to 90 bushel wheat, and we ended up harvesting about 40 bushels an acre. So that was kind of kicking the gut. And then corn did well in some areas, but really it was just too much water for our corn crop as well. Then we get into the May time line, and it just stopped raining, and we didn't really receive much rainfall at all until about September, October, and then it was just kind of spotty, scattered showers that we really continued into. Now we got into the fall months, wanting to plant wheat note. It just stayed dry, and a lot of people waited until later in November than normal. Finally got a wheat planted, and it is up now, we've received enough moisture that some fields look good. And then other areas that haven't received some of those scattered showers just look like it's behind trying to catch up. Really need a good rainfall to end out 2024, so we can start 25 on a positive moment. Yes, looking ahead to 2025, and in Waco in early January will be the Blackland Income Growth Conference, the annual conference that tracks farmers and ranchers from McLennan County, a number of regional counties. So we'll talk about that a little bit, and then what you hope is on the horizon for farmers and ranchers in the New Year. Tom at B.I.G. Conference, our Blackland Income Growth Conference will be January 7th and 8th at the Extroevent Center that is held in conjunction with Waco Chamber, who hosts the MidTech's Farmer at Show. So a lot of ag vendors there on display will have educational sessions and all the ag commodity groups. And looking for a good turnout, and that's always kind of a highlight event to kick off the year. The biggest thing we could have, hopefully, is wet fields during that time. So producers can't be out in the fields and they'll come to our program. That's what I'm hoping for. I really need a good soaking rain to catch some runoff water for stock tanks and set us up for the spring going season with some deeper soil moisture than we currently have. Shane, thanks for your report today. Thank you, Tom. I'm Tom Nickelodey with the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. Coming up next. As the U.S. closes out fiscal year 2024 and looks toward 2025, farmers and ranchers are facing another year with an agricultural trade deficit. I'm Chad Smith, and I've got that story coming up on Texas Ag Today. And soaking your horses foot is sometimes necessary, but there may be a better way. These stories plus a look at the markets are straight ahead on Texas Ag Today. Texas Farm Bureau membership provides value and impact. Giving you access to over 60 member benefits and discounts, supporting over 1 million dollars in scholarships to high school seniors and college students, growing education outreach programs that impact the community, advocating for farmers and ranchers who feed, fuel, and float America, and cultivating conversations and experiences that move agriculture forward. Learn more at Texas Farm Bureau dot org. Broadcasting from a padded room in the basement of a Texas Farm Bureau world headquarters. Here's Carey Martin with more Texas Ag Today. We now have a record agricultural trade deficit, and it will continue into 2025. Chad Smith reports from Washington. The recent USDA trade outlook has U.S. Ag trade running in the red for 2024 and 2025. Betty Resnick, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the updated forecast doesn't give us much better news. I feel like a broken record, but last week's USDA trade outlook confirmed once again that both fiscal year 2024 and 2025 are going to be record trade deficits and agricultural products. The fiscal year 24 deficit ended up being 31.8 billion and fiscal year 25, which started on October 1st, is now forecasted at 45.5 billion. Mexico and Canada are leading the charge as the top destinations for U.S. export markets. Resnick says there are multiple factors driving the negative forecast. In fiscal year 2025, the USDA currently projects the third year in a row of declining exports by value, which combined with continuously climbing imports, exasperates that trade deficit. The declining exports by value are mostly still on sliding commodity prices, with volumes of bulk commodities projected to stay steady year over year. Of course, any projections made now are still educated guesses, as we'll have to wait and see how the next administration's trade agenda shakes out. A new report from the Department of Commerce shows the larger U.S. economy at a deficit as well. The October trade data was just published, and overall, the U.S. economy has smaller trade deficit than forecasted in October, mostly on falling imports. Now, this drop in October imports may be related to a rush of imports in September before October's potential report strikes across the entire East Coast. Now, while overall exports fell in October, agricultural exports have had a year to date peak, which is pretty typical this time of year, with large after harvest exports. From Washington, I'm Chad Smith for Texas Ag Today. Soaking your horse's foot is sometimes required, but Dr. Bob Judd says there is a better option. Soaking a horse's foot is usually indicated if you feel a sub-solar abscess is present in the hoof. A sub-solar abscess occurs when a puncture occurs in the foot, or if there is a separation at the white line allowing bacteria to enter the hoof. Many times your veterinarian can examine the hoof and find the abscess and drain it. However, lots of times, especially in the hot and dry Texas summer, the soul is very hard and it is difficult to determine the location of the abscess, so softening the hoof is required. The equals publication indicates soaking a hoof accomplishes several goals. First of all, softening the soul will sometimes allow the abscess to break out of the soul or at least make it easier for the veterinarian to find the abscess and open it up. The equals article also indicates that the addition of Epsom salt to the water when soaking helps to draw out other infection while also having some antibacterial properties to kill the infection. Although this could be the case, I don't believe there is any scientific proof that Epsom salt actually draws out the infection. Soaking does soften the soul, but that's about all it does in my experience. Soaking the foot is difficult in some horses, depending on their temperament. To have an effect, the foot must be soaked at least 30 minutes. And if you have done this, you know most horses pull their foot out or turn over the tub of water. A much more effective and easier method is to apply a soft pad called animal index to the soul. Wet the pad and wrap it on the foot, including the coronary band once daily until the soul is soft. This is much more effective than soaking as it is on the foot 24 hours a day, which is much better than 30 minutes, and easier for you and easier for the horse. If you are still soaking feet, try the animal index pad. I'm veterinarian Dr. Bob Judd. This is a Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. We'll check the markets coming up next on Texas Ag Today. Are you a teacher or do you know a teacher that teaches in Texas? Through Texas Farm Bureau's Agriculture in the Classroom Program, teachers can access over 450 lessons that incorporate agricultural concepts across all subjects and grade levels. And 300 of these lessons are aligned to TEACs. Free digital and virtual resources are also available. For more information about how TFB is connecting agriculture and education, visit texasfarmburo.org/AITC. Sometimes you love them, sometimes you cuss them. Here's a look at the markets on Texas Ag Today. Cattle futures traded both sides of the market. We wrapped up the live cattle market with a mixed close. We were lower on the nearby contracts, higher on the deferreds. February live cattle down 35 cents, closing at 190.30, April down 32 at 193.02. Feeder cattle finished higher, January feeders up 25 cents, 261.62, march up 50, 261.05, with April feeder cattle up 22 cents, 261.27. Cash fed cattle market wrapping up last week, selling cattle here in the southern plains at 192 to 193, with some late tops of 195. In the north, most live sales at 195 to 196, with a few late sales as high as 197. Dress cattle in the north, selling mostly at 307. All of these prices won to $2 higher. Boxed beef was higher, choice up $3, 325.38, select up 296 and 294.09. While I checked the auction markets, we're walking the pans with Larry Marble. Called the sales or closed until after the holiday, let's go back to Phil Brockenbush and see how his last one wasn't getting Phil. How'd you sell them? We went up with 18.07 total. Here's $300 in back average, $3.35, brought up to $4.90, $3.40, $3.39 to $4.15, $4 to $5, $3.10 to $3.95 to $6, $2.74 to $3.45, $6 to $7, $2.38 to $2.92 and $1/2, $7, $8, $2.09 to $2.47 and $1/2. You're in for mates 300 back average 295 run up 14 3 to 4 weights 3 16 to 390 45 weights 278 to 3 10 5 to 6 weights 256 to 285 6 to 7 weights 227 to 250 7 8 weights 203 to 230 your bow you're in 7 to 850 pounds 145 to 240 850 to 1000 pounds 140 to 230 hacker cows and bulls the high unit bulls 150 to 165 medium you're both 130 to 145 high unit yeah we had that little old special sale man the cow sold really good there was a lot of activity the pairs brought from 1300 to 3850 and the bread cows from 1000 to 3500 it was man it was really good sold some bulls you know quite a few bulls and the bulls so good had some bulls rained 6000 so it was really good the stocker sale was that was the last sale before the holiday correct there's the last one we'll be back on January the 6th and you know like to wish everybody America Christmas and happy new year and we'll be back on the 6th and hopefully it'll be as good as it was this year has been a really good year it sure has tell everybody how to get ahold of you feel Brock and Bush you can call me at 979 716 for 395 or call the barn at 97542 227 for neighbor thanks so much for joining us for today's edition of walk in the pans will have new sale reports for you next week back over to the futures market where lean hogsman is sharply lower February hogs dropped 252 closing at 8162 while the April contract was down 247 closing at 8705 class 3 milk higher with the January contract up 41 cents it closed at 2053 100 weight not much happening in the cotton market with traders winding down their year in positions march cotton down 41 points at 6848 may cotton down 3769 59 with July down 40 points at 70.59 cents same story and grains is not much happening here in this holiday period corn slightly lower march corn down one and three quarters for 52 and a quarter may down one and a half at 460 a bushel July corn down one and a quarter for 63 and a quarter the week complex slightly higher not much news to move wheat either way march Kansas City wheat up one and a quarter 555 and three quarters while march Chicago wheat was up one and three quarters 548 and a quarter in the energy markets we saw big jump in natural gas February natural gas of 51 cents at 390 February West Texas crude up 54 71 14 a barrel the financial markets were lower the Dow down 418 points 42,573 the Nasdaq down 235 at 19,486 with the S&P down 63 5,906 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 his 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 podcast for more Texas farm and ranch news check out our website at Texas farm Bureau dot org or TFB radio dot com Texas ag today is a production of the Texas farm Bureau radio network you you (dramatic music) [BLANK_AUDIO]
