Current Agriculture News

Members of the U.S. Senate will soon begin deliberation for an immigration reform plan that was passed in a 13-5 vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

According to the Associated Press, the bill could clear the citizenship pathway for approximately 11.5 million immigrants. It also creates a new program for low-skilled workers and permits highly-skilled workers to enter the country at higher levels.

The bill would also require the government to take steps to guard against future illegal immigration.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the AP that he’ll bring the legislation to the Senate floor for debate early next month.

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to begin discussion on its immigration bill today.

The Ogallala Aquifer in the Texas Panhandle is experiencing record drops in its water levels due to the ongoing drought.

According to the Texas Tribune, the Ogallala wells experienced an average drop of 1.87 feet over the last year, making it one of the five or 10 worst drops in the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District’s 60-year history.

A hydro geologist with the water district told the Tribune that the Panhandle has been hit especially hard by the drought, which affected the aquifer’s levels.

Some farmers have opted to stop irrigating in areas where the aquifer is too thin. In areas where the aquifer is thick, the hydro geologist noted that irrigation could have very little effect on remaining water storage.

According to a U.S. Geological Survey, Ogallala Aquifer levels have dropped more in Texas than in any other states.

Due to a drought that has reduced the Texas wooled sheep and angora herd populations, there’s now an increased need for youth to learn more about livestock production practices, rangeland management and proper preparation of wool and fleece. The 76th Annual Wool and Mohair Show, featuring a variety of ranch-related youth competitions, will be held June 18-20 in Sonora.

The event is hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service with cooperation from the Sonora Lions Club, Sonora Wool and Mohair Company and the Sonora Chamber of Commerce.

The show will be held in conjunction with the National 4H Judging and FFA Wool Judging contests.

A schedule of events can be found online here.

For more information, call 325-387-3101.

Texans who live in or near the Pecos River Watershed are being encouraged to attend one of four informational meetings slated for early June.

Event coordinators will discuss efforts to determine the cause of low dissolved oxygen and the evaluation for potential remedies to issues in the watershed. At the workshops, coordinators will also discuss an addendum to the watershed protection plan for the Pecos River Watershed and will provide residents an opportunity to discuss the plan.

The first meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. June 4 at the Community Hall in Pecos. The second will follow at 1:30 p.m. June 4 at the Community Center in Imperial.

A third meeting on June 4 will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic Center in Iraan.

The fourth, and final, meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Center in Ozona.

For more information, call 979-845-7869.