Spider mite infestations across the Texas High Plains were among the worst producers have had to deal with in years, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist.

Ed Bynum, AgriLife Extension entomologist, said corn producers primarily saw populations of the Banks grass mite, which “are supposedly easier to control than the two-spotted spider mite.”

But, Bynum said, this year many producers had a hard time controlling any mites with a single miticide application.

Westway Group, Inc. announced it has closed the previously announced sale of its liquid feed supplement business, Westway Feed Products, and certain bulk liquid storage terminals located in Ireland, Denmark, Korea and the United Kingdom to ED&F Man Holdings Limited, Westway's largest stockholder, for a final purchase price of approximately $112 million.

Holstein Canada has achieved an all-time new record for animal registrations: 280,620 registrations were completed in 2012, representing a 3.3 per cent growth over 2011. Electronic registrations continue to grow and now represent 86 per cent of the total.

AMBRACO is offering a new wrap for round hay bales.

Launched for the first time in the U.S. by U.S. Farm Innovations – the exclusive North American distributor for this product – Tractor Guard provides an affordable, durable and hassle-free solution to issues associated with broken windows on farm and construction equipment. These patented Tractor Guards are made of clear poly-carbonate similar to police riot shields, says Lyle Silbernagel, owner of U.S. Farm Innovations.

The tax relief bill approved by Congress last week extends tax credits to wind energy and ethanol producers. Among the states expected to benefit from the extension are Texas, the nation's leading wind energy producer, and Iowa, the leading ethanol maker.

Ecolab's Envirocid SP is a single-step acid CIP wash solution for dairy tank and pipeline cleaning. Its benefits include the ability to milk more cows per day and reduced time spent cleaning. Ecolab says that Envirocid also helps to enhance milk quality, due to improved cleaning results.

Vegetated drainage ditches can help capture pesticide and nutrient loads in field runoff, USDA scientists report. These ditches – as common in the country as the fields they drain – give farmers a low-cost alternative for managing agricultural pollutants and protecting natural resources.

Despite getting some big storms last month, much of the U.S. is still desperate for relief from the nation's longest dry spell in decades. And experts say it will take an absurd amount of snow to ease the woes of farmers and ranchers.