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Texas Agriculture Archive

February 3, 2006

Satellite imagery of individual sections of ground occurs about every eight days, according to an Associated Press article. The high-level, high-resolution photos can detect farmer planting, irrigation, crops in production and crop growth. Most farmers would be shocked by the detail that it shows, said G.A. "Art" Barnaby Jr., an agricultural economist at Kansas State University.

There have been several cases where satellite imagery was used to prosecute farmers.

"What it does is keep honest folks honest," Barnaby said about the use of satellite imagery.

Since 2001, the USDA Risk Management Agency has been compiling an annual list of about 1,500 farms to "watch," both aerially and on the ground.
Source: AFBF; Executive Newswatch; Jan. 17, 2006

'Sausage King' dies in prison
Stuart Alexander, who called himself the "Sausage King," died recently in his cell at San Quentin Prison in California, where he was serving time on death row.

Alexander was convicted of murdering three meat inspectors at his San Leandro, Calif., sausage factory in 2002.
Source: Doane's Agricultural Report; Dec. 28, 2005

Build your own biodiesel plant!
The Illinois Value-Added Rural Development Center has launched a website that provides a method to perform a pre-feasibility study for a biodiesel facility.

Users can plug in information about feedstock availability and costs, byproduct disposition, location, transportation and other data. The program will evaluate three or five-year projections for return on investment.

To access the site, visit http://www.value-added.org/.
Source: Doane's Agricultural Report; Vol. 69, No. 1-1; Jan. 6, 2006

Ag export dollars stimulate growth
U.S. agricultural exports generate employment, income, and purchasing power in both the farm and non-farm sectors.

In calendar year 2004, each farm export dollar stimulated another $1.48 in business activity. The $61.4 billion of agricultural exports in calendar year 2004 produced an additional $90.8 billion in economic activity.

Agricultural exports also generated 825,000 full-time civilian jobs, which include 437,000 jobs in the non-farm sector. Farmers' purchases of fuel, fertilizer, and other inputs to produce commodities for export spurred economic activity in the manufacturing, trade, and transportation sectors.
Source: USDA; U.S. Agricultural Trade Update/FAU-109/Jan. 13, 2006

Chinese start growing spuds
PepsiCo Inc. is currently the largest potato grower in China, using the spuds to manufacture chips and other snack foods.

Pepsi marketers are working hard to convince Chinese consumers to eat potato chips, rather than more traditional snacks such as seasoned seaweed.
Source: AFBF; Executive Newswatch; Dec. 20, 2005

Grand jury indicts environmental activists
The Justice Department has charged 11 members of the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front with felonies for arson and property damage actions the group allegedly conducted in California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

The 65-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in U.S. District Court in Oregon. Actions noted in the indictment include sabotaging a high-tension power line, setting fire to a slaughterhouse and burning park ranger stations to protest environmental situations or animal rights. Eight of the eleven defendants were in custody at press time.
Source: AFBF; Executive Newswatch; Jan. 23, 2006