These articles are a constant source of new organic program information. Also go to the Resources page to see these articles and many more by category.
If you still have a question, give me a call. Bob Whitney, 254.974.9442
Developing Organic Varieties for Texas: Why It Matters
Texas organic agriculture is dominated by field crops, yet the number of certified organic varieties available to our growers remains very small (probably easier to say none!). Even when varieties are not genetically engineered (GE) and could theoretically fit organic systems, many are simply not adapted to Texas conditions—our heat, drought cycles, variable rainfall, soils,…
Surveys, Recipes, More Surveys and Organic Investments!
Here are few things that are important but don’t need their own blog post. Take a quick look and see if they apply to you! Table of Contents – Just click on one to read about it! Organic Dairy and Internal Parasites: Challenges, Practices, and What’s Next Parasite control remains one of the most persistent…
Residue Testing for a Global Supply Chain
The article below appears in the Fall 2025, “OMRI Materials Review” newsletter sent out by OMRI to subscribers. I thought this article was interesting since it concerns pesticide residues – a hot topic in Texas Organic Agriculture! It is reprinted with permission by OMRI. By Doug Currier The work to modernize residue testing in USDA…
From the Field: Choosing Wheat for Organic Systems
On Thursday, November 13th, Dr. Brandon Gerrish, State Extension Small Grain Specialist planted our first Texas Organic Wheat Variety Trial at Todd Vranac’s certified organic farm in Rule, Texas. This test is an opportunity to evaluate wheat lines under authentic organic production conditions. This irrigated farm, managed organically over many seasons, offers an environment that…
New Organic Cowpea ‘TAMC 101’: A Cover Crop and Forage Option for Southern Farms
by Dr. Waltram Ravelombola1 Texas A&M AgriLife has released a new organic cowpea variety called ‘TAMC 101’, developed specifically for farms across the southern United States that are working to build soil health in hot, dry conditions.2 Cowpeas have always been a dependable summer legume in our region, sprouting with very little moisture and growing…
Organic Isn’t Just a Production System—It’s a Promise!
From Farm to Consumer: Why Organic Markets Need Transparency and Storytelling to Grow In our recent “Texas Organic News” newsletter, I conducted a single question survey and the question was: “What’s standing in the way of producing and/or selling more organic products?”Here are the results from the 1,360 newsletters sent out – only 32 responses!…
Lots of Summer Tours with Organic Topics!
There have been a lot of opportunities this summer for Organic Farmers to attend tours held outside, in the field, that featured organic agriculture. I hope that you as an organic farmer took the time to attend, learn, and show your support. I hope that organic farmers realize that Extension education works much like a…
Texas Organic Agriculture: Expanding from Farm to Market
The Texas organic industry continues to grow on both ends of the supply chain—from the farms that grow organic crops and livestock to the companies that process, package, and distribute them. As of October 2025, the state lists 412 certified organic grower operations, including farms that produce crops, livestock, and wild crops on 512,000 Texas…
Smart Sensing in Organic Systems: How Drones, Satellites, and Sensors Help Detect Crop Stress Before It Happens
Smart sensing is transforming how we understand plant health in organic systems. By integrating satellite and drone imagery, in-field sensors, and artificial intelligence, we can now detect stress in crops long before symptoms appear. This technology doesn’t replace the farmer’s eye—it strengthens it, helping us protect soil biology, use resources more wisely, and make better…
New Organic Guar from Texas A&M AgriLife
by Dr. Waltram Ravelombola1 Texas A&M AgriLife recently released one of the first organic guar varieties in the country: ‘TAMG 101’ and ‘TAMG 102′.2 Even though guar might not be a popular legume, many of us have used guar products in various forms. Guar is a drought- and heat-tolerant legume. In the U.S., it is…
2025 Sorghum Variety Testing
In case you didn’t know I want to emphasize that Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension have an extensive variety testing program for corn, cotton, sorghum, peanuts, wheat, sunflower, soybean, silage, forages, rice, oilseeds, and more than I can count! The trials are conducted in farmer fields and on Texas A&M AgriLife Research Stations across…
Organic Cotton Market Summary
If you missed getting a copy of the USDA Organic Cotton Market Summary put out by the Agricultural Marketing Service, then let me provide the report here. This report is for the 2024 market year and typically this report comes out in August of the next year or in this case, August 2025. Production The…
You are special and everybody knows it!
Yes, if you are certified organic you are special and yes, everybody knows it or can know it! I have many, many opportunities to speak to groups about organic every year. I do my best to tell people that really don’t know about organic, what is involved in being certified organic, and then to describe…
Why Bread Tastes Better in Europe Than in the U.S. and Does it Matter?
If you’ve ever traveled to Europe and wondered why the bread, pasta, or croissants taste so much better, you’re not imagining things. Organic wheat products in Europe really do have a different flavor and texture compared to what we’re used to in the United States. The reasons come down to how wheat is grown, milled,…
Hi-A Corn Field Day Brings Farmers, Researchers, and Industry Together
On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Halfway Station hosted a Hi-A Corn Breeding and Genetics Field Tour and Research Forum that brought together around 30 participants, including farmers, researchers, seed companies, and agricultural lenders. The event highlighted the exciting potential of Hi-A (high anthocyanin) corn varieties in both production and food…
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Texas A&M AgriLife Organic 
Je m’appelle Josias Ali Djimet, je suis reconnaissant. J’aime bien agriculture avec mes équipes missionnaire.
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