Dry conditions continue in most areas of the Concho Valley. Winters/Wingate, Miles, and parts of Tom Green County received some much needed rainfall late last week. Some of these areas also received hail damage as well. Just about the time we think the drought has broke, it stops raining again. Surely weather conditions will change soon. Area wheat crops have really matured the past two weeks. Combining could start a week or two earlier this year. Producers should not bank on the wheat yields they received last year. I think there will be a lot of 16-18 bushel wheat this year.

The hot dry winds in April has accelerated the drying process in wheat and will result in some low test seed weights. Those producers planting cotton early will need to monitor their emerging cotton plants closely and regularly for thrips. As the wheat dries down, the cotton will be more attractive to insects.

Sign-up continues for the Cotton Scouting Program and information is available at all participating gins. If you have any questions, please give me a call.

The Runnels County Wheat Tour is scheduled for May 13. Enclosed is information on the Tour.

Insect Scout School is scheduled for June 3rd and 4th and producers are encouraged to attend and refresh your memories on insect management and plant growth and development. We have an excellent programput together and look forward to a lot of participants.

Cotton planting is just around the corner and many producershave changed to a reduced tillage/conservation tillage management practice. Remember all cover crops and/or weeds should be killed at least 30 days prior to planting. This will reduce the incidence of cutworms and prevent soil from drying excessively. Do not let weeds get too large or they will be more difficult to control.

Most producers will probably use glyphosate but some have asked about using 2,4-D because of volunteer cotton present in some fields. Remember, if you use 2,4-D on cotton ground, you need to wait to plant approximately 30 days. If you plant prior to that, crop injury could result. Some other options would include Aim® or Buctril®. Both do a good job on seedling cotton and do not have any soil activity.

Atrazine Under Fire Again

Recent studies conducted at the University of California by research Tyrone Hayes suggest that atrazine at 30 times less than the amount acceptable in public drinking water, upsets the hormone balance in developing frogs. His research suggests that the male tadpoles are rendered sterile and the National Environmental Council suggests that this is one of the reasons for the world's declining frog population. Syngenta spokesman (Pasteur) stated that their laboratories and those of other universities had shown that it required levels far greater than public drinking water levels to render impotency.

The effects of atrazine have been known for some time, but this is the only study suggesting action at such scant levels. Atrazine has been in use for nearly 40 years, and is considered a "backbone" herbicide for grain production and for keeping weeds out of lawns. At a recent EPA hearing on atrazine, NEC spokesperson (MS Sass) stated that their organization would like to see atrazine removed from farm use and alternative herbicides used in its place. Syngenta will be conducting additional research in cooperation with several universities and testing laboratories. EPA stated that the frog data is not strong enough evidence on its own, to ban atrazine at this time. Dr. Hayes reasoned that some frogs may have become resistant to atrzine, or that some frogs may recover their potency with time.

The long-awaited farm bill has cleared the House and Senate conference committee and specific details can now be examined. Texas Cooperative Extension has scheduled a "Farm Bill Interpretation Program" at 9:00 a.m. May 17 in the Texas A&M University San Angelo Research and Extension Center's auditorium to help producers and Ag lenders better understand the ramifications of the new farm bill.

"Basically, what we've done over the last several months is speculate on what the new farm bill would contain and what the many changes would mean to producers," said Dr. Jason Johnson, District 7 Extension economist. "Now, we have the details of the bill in place.

Johnson and Dr. Joe Outlaw will conduct the program. Outlaw is an Extension economist with the Agricultural Food and Policy Center at Texas A&M University, College Station. Dr. Outlaw has been monitoring the farm bill debate and has been assigned responsibility for coordinating the farm bill educational program for producers.

The program will start with a general overview of the farm bill and its program and crop commodity changes. The overview will be followed by an explanation of the target prices, loan rates, fixed payment rates, counter-cyclical program, base and yield updating and payment limits.

"We'll also talk about the farm bill's considerable conservation-related program changes and what producers need to do to speed up the processes associated with these changes," said Johnson.

For further information, contact Dr. Jason Johnson, Extension Economist, at San Angelo at 915-653-4576.

The Great Houdini. IT'S FASCINATING to read the stories, many of them legendary, about the late Houdini. That masterful magician was probably a better locksmith than he was a magician. He had a standing challenge that he could get out of any locked jail in 60 minutes, providing they would let him enter in his regular street clothes and not watch him work.

One of the stories is about a little town in the British Isles that decided to challenge (and perhaps embarrass) the great Houdini. This town had just completed an escape-proof jail, and so the townsfolk invited Houdini to come to see if he could break out.

He accepted the challenge. He was allowed to enter the jail in his street clothes. People said they saw the locksmith turn the lock some strange way, and then with the clang of steel, everybody turned their backs and left him alone to work. Houdini had hidden a long flexible steel rod in his belt, which is what he used to try to trip the lock. He worked for 30 minutes. He kept his ear close to the lock - 45 minutes, and than an hour passed; he was perspiring. After two hours, he was exhausted. He leaned against the door, and to his amazement, it fell open. They had never lock the door! It was their trick on the great escape artist!

The door was locked only in Houdini's mind. That's the only place it was locked! Some of you think you can't overcome your problems. The only place where it is impossible is in your thinking. That's the only thing that's locked!

Robert H. Schuller
Life Changers
Random House

RUNNELS COUNTY WHEAT TOUR

MONDAY MAY 13, 2002

9:30a.m. Wheat Variety Trial
Bredemeyer Farm South of Winters
One mile South on US 83

Dr. Billy Warrick
Extension Agronomist-San Angelo
-Wheat Varieties
-Weed Control
-Resistance Management

Tour Wheat Varieties (Thunderbolt, Tam 400, Coronado)
Busenlehner Farms

11:30 a.m. Courtesy Lunch with Program
(Bredemeyer Brothers Shop on Hwy 153)

Dr. Jason Johnson
Extension Economist-San Angelo

Rick Minzenmayer-Extension Agent-IPM
Runnels/Tom Green Counties
-Insect Management
- Update

Two CEU's can be earned for attending entire Tour

Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.