Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, (806) 746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu
September 9, 2020
Guar is arguably the most heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant summer annual row crop grown in Texas. Current production regions are the South Plains and the northern Rolling Plains. For information on guar production resources for these drier regions of Texas view https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/other-field-crops/guar/
In Fall 2018 USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) initiated a review of ~100 minor fruit, vegetable, and other crops for possible study for federal program crop insurance. AgriLife Extension with Guar Resources, Brownfield (the sole buyer of U.S. grown guar grain) coordinated grower, field, and processor visits for RMA staff. Public meetings were held in Vernon and Brownfield to receive grower feedback. Also, guar farmers wrote comments to RMA about what program crop insurance would mean.
Despite consideration of high-value specialty crops, guar was chosen for RMA’s further review for potential program crop insurance. RMA called for proposals for a 19-month feasibility study. This contract was awarded to Agralytica, Alexandria, Virginia.
Agralytica (president Mr. Andre Williamson, awilliamson@agralytica.com, office (703) 739-9090, ext. 121) is currently gathering information from guar farmers and industry. Phone/online listening sessions occurred August 28 & 31. The outcome of Agralytica’s report to RMA will influence if guar may enter a three-year pilot program in 20 to 30 counties in west Texas and southwest Oklahoma.
Upcoming In-Person Guar Listening Meetings
Agralytica has scheduled face-to-face grower meetings to receive additional input from guar farmers (even if you have not grown recently) and allied industry. Feedback is also sought from FSA, regional crop insurance and ag. finance staff, and guar industry personnel.
The meetings are open to the public (provided attendees follow required Covid-19 safety precautions):
- Monday, Sept. 28, morning, Brownfield. The location is not finalized. Contact Guar Resources, Brownfield, for final meeting location and time, (806) 637-4662.
- Tuesday, Sept. 29, 9:00 AM, Wilbarger Co. Exhibit Building (2215 Harrold Street), Vernon.
In addition to the above meetings, interested participants may also submit their comments to Agralytica by writing Mr. Williamson:
AGRALYTICA
105 Oronoco Street, Suite 312
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 739-9090, ext. 121
For assistance in submitting written comments, consult an AgriLife Extension guide to aid your comments. These involve your acreage, your years of history for guar farming, why you grow guar, rotation benefits, and what impact guar program crop insurance would have on your farming. And importantly, what perils have you faced as a guar grower (hail, drought, pests, disease, fall wet weather, etc.)? Access the AgriLife guar crop insurance tip sheet at https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/other-field-crops/guar/
Current Texas A&M AgriLife & Oklahoma State Guar Research
Several research projects in guar for the High Plains/Rolling Plains/Oklahoma region are in process or recently completed:
- Guar-wheat rotation, funded by USDA, Dr. Curtis Adams, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Vernon, TX (adams@ag.tamu.edu, (940) 552-9941).
- Guar Rhizobium/nodulation testing, Dr. Adams.
- Guar breeding and testing of new potential guar varieties, funded by USDA Ogallala Aquifer Project, Dr. Mark Burow, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Lubbock, TX (mdburow@ag.tamu.edu, (806) 746-6101).
- Rotational performance of guar on cotton and grain sorghum yields, Beka Ortiz/Dr. Calvin Trostle, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Lubbock & Chillicothe, TX (ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu, (806) 746-6101).
- Guar for sustainable cropping, funded by USDA, Dr. Sangu Angadi, New Mexico State Ag. Science Center, Clovis, NM (angadis@nmsu.edu, (575) 985-2292).
- Guar as forage, Dr. Alex Rocateli, Oklahoma State Univ., Altus & Chickasha, OK (rocateli@okstate.edu, (405) 744-9648).
If you would like to discuss your guar production contact Dr. Trostle.