KBTX - From the Ground Up
From The Ground Up Headlines
National Beef Cattle Numbers
Last Updated: 5:06 PM 03/18/10 - The USDA’s cattle inventory came out at the end of January and indicated that the number of beef cows in the U.S. was the fewest since 1963, and the fewest total cattle count since the 1950s. Bob French has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.
(Full Story)
Managing Production Agriculture Risks

Last Updated: 9:52 AM 03/11/10 - For the last couple of years there’s been a lot of talk about the high prices of commodities, but a whole lot less talk about the record high input costs it took to grow them. These costs put farmers at record levels of risk that the supposed safety net in the current farm bill doesn’t address. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Planting Corn
Last Updated: 11:34 AM 03/04/10 - Weather wise, the last 6 months has been just about as different from the previous 6 months before that as anyone could imagine. We went from being extremely hot and dry to extremely cool and wet, getting precipitation in about every form there is. Bob French tells us how this is affecting local farmers in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Forward Contracts and Futures Markets
Last Updated: 8:19 AM 02/25/10 - With historically high grain prices during the last couple of years, one would think that grain producers and grain elevators that accumulate large amounts of product to sell on future’s markets would have been able to reap huge benefits. In this week’s From The Ground Up, Joe Brown says marketing grain isn’t as simple as you might think. (Full Story)
The Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab
Last Updated: 10:19 AM 02/18/10 - The Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory was formally opened in College Station in 1969. Over the years services have expanded to include over sight for drug testing for the pari-mutuel horse and greyhound racing industries as well as providing diagnostic services for aquaculture and animal agriculture.
Today it’s one of the busiest labs in the world, as Joe brown tells us in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Broadband Initiative In Rural Texas
Last Updated: 11:18 AM 02/11/10 - Texas agriculture is as productive as it is because of science, research and technological break-throughs that can be applied in a commercial way, but as advanced as it is, there’s still one area where the industry as a whole is lagging behind. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Cap & Trade & Agriculture
Last Updated: 9:39 AM 02/04/10 - With only about two per cent of our country’s population involved in production agriculture, it’s no surprise that the industry continues to fear new laws and regulations at both the state at both on the state and federal levels that could negatively impact their future. Recent legislative maneuvers in Washington have certainly garnered the attention Texas agricultural producers. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Beef Grades and The Bottom Line
Last Updated: 9:24 AM 01/28/10 - Ranchers, like most businessmen, are constantly looking for ways to improve their bottom line. That’s one of the goal’s of Texas Agrilife Extension’s Beef 706 Course. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Grading Beef Carcasses
Last Updated: 10:06 AM 01/21/10 - There are 8 different grades of beef, but the top three most of us are familiar with are the USDA stickers we see that are either select, choice, or prime. What most of us don’t know is that there’s also a carcass yield grade from 1 to 5, and together these two grades determine the value of the animal to a producer. At Agrilife Extension’s recent Beef 706 Short course, ranchers were learning how to grade live animals to predict their value. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Beef 706 Continuing Education
Last Updated: 12:58 PM 01/14/10 - Contrary to what some may think, there’s a little more to beef production than turning a bunch of cows out into a pasture and gathering their calves once a year. A group of ranchers from across the state were in town this week to attend Texas Agrilife Extension’s Beef 706 Continuing Education course. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From the Ground Up. (Full Story)
Looking Towards 2010
Last Updated: 9:27 AM 01/07/10 - In 2009, agricultural producers experienced a year of excesses; excessive dryness, excessive heat, and then finally excessive moisture. This time of the year farmers usually have their business plans in place, their land ready for planting, and are waiting for different crop planting windows. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
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