South Texas Grazing Lands Coalition workshop scheduled for Oct. 8-9 in Weslaco
AgriLife Extension event to focus on ranch productivity, profitability and sustainability
South Texas ranchers can gain research-based information and practical management strategies during the South Texas Grazing Lands Coalition Working Lands Workshop, Oct. 8-9 in Weslaco.
The workshop will take place at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service District 12 Headquarters, 2401 Business Highway 83 E., Weslaco. Day two of the workshop will include a visit to La Sarra Ranch. Both sessions will last from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The cost of the workshop is $20. Attendees should RSVP by Oct. 1 at tx.ag/WorkinglandsWorkshop or by calling 361-944-4597.
The event will offer two general Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units for pesticide applicator license holders.
About the workshop
The collaborative workshop is hosted by AgriLife Extension, the Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, the Texas Grazing Land Coalition and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The workshop combines research-based information with hands-on demonstrations and producer experiences to help ranchers make informed management decisions and better prepare their operations for changing environmental and economic conditions.
The first day of the workshop will feature the following topics and speakers:
- Climate Trends for South Texas – John Nielsen-Gammon, Ph.D., Texas state climatologist, director of the Southern Regional Climate Center and Regents Fellow in the Texas A&M College of Arts and Sciences Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
- Cattle Market Outlook – David Anderson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agricultural economist and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, Bryan-College Station.
- New World Screwworm Update -Eli Benavidez, region manager, Texas Animal Health Commission, Willacy County.
- Principles Before Practices: Soil Health, Grazing Management, Drought Planning – Jenny Pluhar, executive director, Texas Grazing Lands Coalition, Victoria.
- Ranch Technology: Satellite Imagery, Virtual Fencing, AI, Remote Monitoring Systems, Drone Spraying Demonstration – Clayton Martin, sales and account manager, The Orion Companies.
A special panel discussion will feature South Texas ranchers sharing their experiences, management practices and lessons learned.
Day two of the workshop will include a hands-on visit to La Sarra Ranch featuring live demonstrations of brush control techniques and equipment, low-stress livestock handling practices, and practical ranch management strategies producers can apply to their own operations.
For more information, contact Vidal Saenz, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Hidalgo County, at [email protected].
