Saturday, May 17, 1997

Mexico backs off its restrictions on Texas sorghum

Texas Ag Commissioner Rick Perry says Mexico has rescinded its ban on Texas grain sorghum exports as well as sorghum that was being shipped through Texas from other states.

"Working with U.S. Department of Agriculture and industry representatives, we were able to educate and assure Mexican officials of the outstanding quality and safety of Texas grain sorghum," Perry said. "I'm pleased to announce the ban has been lifted."

Mexican officials had used the isolated discovery of an airborne fungal disease called "sorghum ergot" in fields bordering the Rio Grande as a reason to restrict trade. Actually, the disease already had been detected in several Mexican states.

Deadline nears on applying for Cotton Leadership

Applications to the Cotton Leadership Program's 1997-98 class are being accepted until July 1.

The application and nomination forms must be turned in to Jance McRae, The Cotton Foundation, P.O. Box 12284, Memphis, Tenn., 38182. Applicants must be U.S. cotton industry members between the ages of 27 and 40.

The 10-member class, consisting of one producer from each of the major production regions and one person from each of the other six industry segments, will be chosen by an industrywide selection committee in August.

The 1997-98 class will be the 15th in the Cotton Leadership Program, which is sponsored by a grant from DuPont Agricultural Products to The Cotton Foundation.

Each class participates in six week-long sessions throughout the year. Members receive insight on cotton organizations, practices, and policy development. Class members also meet with decision-makers in Washington and get a firsthand look at some of the latest cotton research and innovative production and processing techniques across the Cotton Belt.

Cowboys return to Llano Estacado tonight

The High Plains town of Levelland will bring cowboy music and poetry back to the Llano Estacado when they revive the "Levelland Cowboy Gathering and Campfire Concert" at 6:30 p.m. today at the City Park.

Adult admission is $4, with children under 12 admitted for $1.

Levelland is 30 miles west of Lubbock.

Wheat crop still much bigger than past two years

The Texas wheat crop was expected to be a bumper crop of about 150 million bushels before the freakish late-April freeze.

Instead, it is projected at 103.6 million millions - about 50 million bushels lower than the super crop earlier anticipated.

Nevertheless, 103 million bushels will still be a good crop. In fact, it will be 37 percent above the 1996 and also the 1995 Texas wheat crop.