Despite Congress reaching an agreement this week to end the federal shutdown, the agricultural industry in Texas is still feeling its effects. The suspension of some $3 billion worth of federal loans due to the U.S. government shutdown forced some cotton farmers to turn to commercial banks for aid, boosting costs and further complicating the upcoming harvest in the world's largest cotton exporter.
The Texas Alliance for Water Conservation, a research project made up of producers, industries, universities, and government agencies, has received the American Water Resources Association's 'Integrated Water Resources Management Award.' The award will be presented at the group's annual conference in November in Portland.