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Farm & RanchSUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2013 UVALDE LEADER-NEWS 11Hondo irrigation conference designedin response to shrinking water suppliesVann Tyler Balke, 13, of Knippa displays the 10-point buck that he shot on Dec. 22near Eagle Pass.FSA offers emergencyloans in Uvalde CountyArea is one of 207 in Texaswhere assistance is possibleJames B. Douglass,United States Departmentof Agriculture TexasFarm Service Agencyacting executive director,has announcedthat 207 countiesin Texas,includingUvalde County,were declareda disaster onJan. 9 due to drought andheat.Under this designation,producers with operationsin any of the 157 primarydisaster counties or 50contiguous disaster countiesare eligible to applyfor low-interest emergencyloans.The streamlined disasterdesignation processissues a drought disasterdeclaration when acounty has experienceda drought intensity valueof at least a D2 (severedrought) level for eightconsecutive weeks basedon the U.S. Drought Monitorduring the crop year.Under this declaration 157counties in Texas havereached that thresholdsince Nov. 1.“The disaster designationis welcome reliefto producersbecause itallows all qualifiedoperatorsin primaryand contiguouscountiesto apply for a low interestemergency (EM) loan,”said Douglass.Emergency loans helpproducers recover fromproduction and physicallosses due to drought,flooding and other naturaldisasters or quarantine.Producers have eightmonths from the date ofthe declaration to applyfor emergency loan assistance.FSA will considereach loan application onits own merits, takinginto account the extent oflosses, security availableand repayment ability.Producers can borrow upto 100 percent of actualproduction or physicallosses, to a maximumamount of $500,000. Thecurrent emergency loaninterest rate is 2.15 percent.Producers with operationsin counties that didnot receive a disaster designationcould be eligiblefor emergency loan assistanceif they suffered atleast a 30 percent loss incrop production or a physicalloss to livestock, livestockproducts, real estateor chattel property.For more informationabout emergency loans,please contact your localFSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.HONDO – Texas AgriLifeExtension can’t createwater, but on Jan. 31, theagency will be conductinga training to help growersdeal with likely decreasesin irrigation water,according to Jason Ott,AgriLife Extension agentfor Medina County.The South Texas IrrigationConference and TradeShow will be held Jan. 31at the Medina County FairHall in Hondo.With the Edwards Aquiferat Stage IV in theUvalde Pool and close toStage II pumping reductionsin the San AntonioPool and the MedinaLake only about 9 percentfull, Winter Garden areagrowers are likely facingincreased water allowancereductions this year, hesaid.“In times of droughtand rising costs of farming,it’s important to knowabout the many new technologiesavailable to growersto help save water,become more efficient andoperate more profitably,”Ott said.“This conference willoffer Winter GardenGrowers the opportunityto see the latest technologiesin improved irrigationsystems and theirmanagement. The eventwill also offer region-specificinformation aboutirrigation practices,cropping systems, policyupdates and cost-sharingprograms available tolocal producersProgram topics willinclude: GroundwaterWe’re the answer for youragriculture needs• Equipment loans• Livestock loans• Production operating lines• Equipment/building leases• Improvements (roads, tanks,fence, wells and structureimprovements)• Farm and ranch land purchaseDistrict Updates; Statusof Cost Share Funds forGrowers through EQIP;EAA Voluntary IrrigationSuspension Option;Economic Considerationsfor Irrigating; MakingBest Use of Limited WaterResources; Strategies toIncrease Water Productivityin Irrigation; Selectionand Practical Use of SoilMoisture Sensors; MaximizingIrrigation WaterUse Efficiency throughoutthe Growing Season; andWhat’s New in IrrigationTechnology.Speakers will include:Dr. Guy Fipps, AgriLifeExtension agriculturalengineer, College Station;Jim Bordosky, AgrilifeResearch Associate,Halfway; Dr. John Robinson,AgriLife Extensioneconomist, College Station;Roland Ruiz, generalmanager, Edwards AquiferAuthority, San Antonio;Dr. Robert Schwartz,U.S. Department of Agriculture,Bushland; andCharles Stichler, AgriLifeagronomist retired,Knippa.Attendees holding aTexas Department ofAgriculture private pesticideapplicator’s licensewill earn three continuingeducation units, one inthe general category, onein integrated pest managementand one in lawsand regulations. RSVPand a registration fee arerequired and will includea noon meal and educationmaterials, Ott said.Contact the AgriLifeExtension Medina CountyOffice at 830-741-6180 formore information.Jae Jones ThompsonVice-President Branch Managerand Brandy Bendele200 East Oak • P.O. Box 550Uvalde, Texas • 830-278-7171www.jae.thompson@capitalfarmcredit.com