High Energy Prices Effecting Agriculture Producers!
Blaine Jernigan Extension News

High energy prices have had an adverse effect on just about every business sector in the overall economy. Agriculture is no exception.

High feed ingredient costs have been detrimental to poultry integrators, feedlots, and the cow-calf producers right here in East Texas. Ethanol production is a contributing factor effecting the price of corn, traditionally a major component of feed ingredients for meat, milk, egg, and poultry production. Some estimates indicate that one fifth of our 2007 domestic corn crop will go into ethanol production. The ethanol boom also encouraged many farmers to plant less acres of important commodities like soybeans, and wheat hoping to capitalize on higher corn prices last year creating smaller supplies of other commodities.

Consumers have felt this shortage at the grocery store in the form of higher prices for many staples including milk, eggs, and bread. The dollars weakness against other countries' currencies has also aggravated the situation. The puzzling thing is that some scientists feel that ethanol is not a logical alternative to fossil fuels citing that it takes more energy to produce than it saves. One thing that is certain is that ethanol production is having a negative impact on the animal production side of agriculture.

Nitrogen fertilizer is another important component in the production agriculture equation. Natural gas is a raw ingredient used in the production of some nitrogen fertilizers. It's price has been affected by the world's demand for fossil fuels. Here in East Texas, we use a lot of nitrogen fertilizer to produce hay for winter feeding on our hay meadows. This year, prices are expected to be sharply higher than last year which was at historical highs. Texas AgriLife Research and Extension will sponsor a program entitled 'Surviving High Fertilizer and Fuel Costs' on April 18 at the center in Overton. The program will run from 9:30 AM until 3:30. The cost to attend will be $20. Topics to be discussed will include: tips on fertilizer and liming; beef cattle supplementation; using clovers and other legumes; adjustingstocking rates and nutrient recycling. For more information, contact the TAMU center in Overton at (903)834-6191.

In other news, a Pesticide Applicators Licensing and Training is scheduled for April 8, 2008 at the Texas Agrilife Extension Service office located at 115 E. Fordall St. In Henderson, Texas. The program is scheduled to begin at 8:30 AM. To register, contact us at (903)657-0376.

Lastly, I hope you will plan on coming out to the 2008 Rusk County Youth Project Show to be held March 26-29 at the Rusk County YouthExposition Center. Contact us at (903)657-0376 if we can answer any questions on how to support this important event held annually in Rusk

County or for information on the schedule of events. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless ofsocioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or nationalorigin.

Ginger Shorter Rusk County Extension Office Manager 113 East Fordall Street Henderson, TX 75652 E-Mail gshorter@ag.tamu.edu