Saturday, June 28, 1997

TDA to hold educational meetings on weevil referendum

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

A series of educational meetings will be hosted by the Texas Department of Agriculture to answer questions regarding the upcoming Boll Weevil Eradication Program referendum in the 19-county Southern High Plains-Caprock eradication zone.

The first three meetings will be Monday in Jayton, Spur, and Flomot. Additional meetings throughout the 19-county zone will follow.

Meetings will be: 9 a.m., Jayton Community Center; 11 a.m., Spur Community Center; and 3 p.m., Flomot Community Center.

Cotton farmers and landowners with cotton production are urged to attend and learn more about the referendum process, what to anticipate if the weevil program is approved, and what to expect regarding the assessment collection process.

A time for questions is included for each meeting.

An Aug. 1 election will determine whether an eradication program will start in the Southern High Plains/Caprock zone.

In addition, other issues in the election include approving a maximum assessment level and electing a board member from the zone to serve on the statewide board of directors for the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Inc.

This August election for the zone is a result of recent legislation to correct a constitutional problem with the eradication program found by the Texas Supreme Court.

Under the new operating statute, the Foundation continues to carry out the program. However, TDA takes on the additional responsibilities that include setting new elections on assessments and eradication programs in regional zones. TDA also must appoint advisory committees in each zone.

Counties in the Southern High Plains/Caprock Eradication zone are Kent, Howard, Dickens, Andrews, Borden, Cochran, Crosby, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Garza, Hockley, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Motley, Terry, and Yoakum.

Comanche County tour of silage

The Comanche County Silage Tour is July 2.

Registration is 9-9:30 a.m. in the courthouse parking lot before the tour group leaves.

The Silage Tour includes two continuing education credits for commercial, non-commercial, and private applicators - and a sponsored noon lunch.

To preregister, contact the Texas Agricultural Extension Office in Comanche County at (915) 356-2539.

The tour includes several stops to discuss silage varieties, fertility, herbicide programs, chopping (including particle sizes for good ration quality), innoculants, packing, and silo size.

Plans include a demonstration in corn silage varieties where producers can see hybrids before the chopping, and also discuss variety characteristics, fertility programs to increase quality, and yield and herbicides.

The second stop will feature a field at harvest for discussion on particle length and silage maturity at harvest.

A third stop will include a look a silage preservation - from bagging products to packing a pit.