Other crops include about 50 acres of corn and 30 acres of soybeans. Hes the fourth generation in the Hudson family to grow cotton and other crops in the Falcon area. Hudson and his family have farmed through good years and lean ones, including this years drought that cut cotton yields by 50 percent to 60 percent. You really have to admire young people who are willing to start out with so much going against them with Mother Nature and so many things they have to contend with and have no...

Reasons for higher hay prices include more expensive diesel, water availability -- alfalfa needs a lot of water -- and permanent crops such as nut trees supplanting row crops such as alfalfa. Although alfalfa's prices are cyclical, he's never seen hay prices as high as they are now in the 20-plus years he's been a farmer. Higher milk prices are a combination of market factors, including the cost of hay, and regulation, Sanden said. One alfalfa farmer predicts people may stop growing the...

Acreage dropped roughly 23% in Texas, the national leader, and 19% in California, which ranks fourth in domestic production. The current bill on the Senate floor leaves those programs virtually intact, despite the threat of further legal complaints and concerns that international sanctions could ultimately cause layoffs and patchy unemployment. Last month, the World Trade Organization ruled subsidies handed out to American cotton farmers broke international trade laws, opening the door for...

In several areas, cotton acres had corn growing on them this summer or were reserved for winter wheat planting because of high prices for grain. For a larger perspective, according to information from the group, the 4.13 million bales to be harvested on the South Plains would make it the seventh largest cotton producing country in the world. Cotton prices are good with the price per pound for a 500-pound bale of good quality hovering above 60 cents, Huddleston said. The gin, now in its...

On the other hand livestock producers are wondering what to do. The winter wheat crop was in fair to good condition, with 40 percent to 100 percent of the crop planted and 10 percent to 50 percent of existing plantings emerged. Rolling Plains: Cool, sunny days have allowed producers to step up cotton harvesting. Cotton ranged from very poor to excellent, with most areas reporting good. Cotton production was under way with very good yields. This year's crop may be one for the books as...

Due to the parity prices far exceeding market prices, even a short-term escalation in milk prices of this magnitude would have long-lasting, devastating effects on dairy producers and consumers, House Republicans have said. For example, permanent law does not authorize counter-cyclical payments or decoupled direct payments and imposes acreage allotments and marketing quotas for wheat and cotton. According to House Republicans, the underlying law does not reflect current farming and...

Ahmedabad, Nov 11 - Gujarat celebrated Diwali with plenty to cheer but the dazzle was a shade muted as high gold prices made the yellow metal slide down on the must-buy list. The compulsory reservation of 10 percent of corn to be diverted to bio-fuel production in Brazil and the US has opened a window of opportunity for growers. Also, other crops - cereals and cash crops - are expected to fetch good money, thanks to incentives and better pricing formula of the central government. Reports...

Acreage dropped by about 22 percent in Texas, the national leader, and by nearly 20 percent in California, which ranks seventh in domestic production. Cotton also has lost ground for another reason that became apparent this week as the Senate debated the 2007 farm bill: The United States' cotton subsidy program is enmeshed in a global trade battle. The current bill on the Senate floor leaves those programs virtually intact, despite the threat of further legal complaints and concerns that...

As the Chairman of the Sub-committee of the National Development Council for the agriculture sector, I had taken a close look on various issues that have been affecting agriculture such as irrigation, natural resource management, animal husbandry, agro-climatic zonal planning, marketing, credit, technology, land and global issues. The pattern of production in the recent past, particularly that of oilseeds and pulses has not maintained pace with demand causing substantial import dependence....