Jim Wells County

AgriLife Extension Service Office

Through an expansive network of 250 county offices and more than 900 professional educators, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides practical, accessible solutions to everyday challenges. Connect with an AgriLife Extension representative in your area to explore the wide range of educational resources, programming and activities available to you.

Resources Available in Jim Wells County

AgriLife Extension offers key programs across the state that are organized and supported at the county level. Click the links below for more information about local programming or contact your county office.

4-H Announcements

Reminders

6/16 4-H Financial Literacy
6/18 Awards Application Due
6/18 4-H Financial Literacy
6/20 County Swine Validation
6/23 4-H Financial Literacy
6/24 First Responders Luncheon
6/25 4-H Financial Literacy
6/27 County Market Lamb/Goat Validation
6/27 State Heifer Validation
6/30 4-H Financial Literacy

June 15, 2026

Jim Wells County 4-H’ers!! Join us for It’s Your Money Financial literacy program beginning June 16, 2026 at the Jim Wells County Women’s Building. This financial program developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is intended to teach youth and adults the basic principles of personal finance. Topics include budgeting, saving, credit, decision making, and consumer skills. This program consists of two parts: financial education in the classroom and a Real-World Experience capstone activity where they will use their new skills to make real-life financial decisions without real-world consequences. Sessions can be offered in school classrooms, 4-H clubs, afterschool programs, or community group settings.

Each session will start at 10:00 AM with session days being June 16, June 18, June 23, June 25, and June 30.

This program is intended for grade levels 6-12

There is a program cost of $15

To RSVP for this program, please contact our office at 361-668-5705

June 8, 2026

Wednesday we had two teams compete

Meat judging – Arielle Mercado, Jessie Cadena, Samuel Fox

Food Challenge – Kinleigh Carr, Eziekel Mejia, Rebekah Gordon

Thursday we finished off Texas 4-H Round up with Kinleigh Carr placing 3rd in Educational Presentation!!

And lastly our very own Kinleigh Carr retired her green State Council Jacket!

June 8, 2026

Please join us for the South Texas Cattlemen’s Round Up Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Gulf Coast Livestock Auction located at 3015 South Hwy 281, Alice, TX 78333. We will be auctioning baked goods, handmade items, farm and ranch items, and more to benefit Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

June 2, 2026

We would like to give a shout out to our three Jim Wells County Members that competed today

Kinleigh Carr – 4th Place Main Dish Food Show

Wesleigh Pool – 3rd Place Recurve Archery

Ethan Pool – 3rd Place NASP Archery

Not only did they compete today, but one of our very own Brian Carr was awarded a Quilt of Valor Quilt at tonight’s assembly for his time in the Navy!

Congratulations

May 8, 2026

As we continue to recognize our seniors one of our very own has been chosen to receive a Texas 4-H Foundation Scholarship! Kinleigh Carr will be receiving $20,000 from Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo! Congratulations!

Congratulations to our very own Cyreniah Hinojosa! She will be continuing her 4-H rifle career with Schreiner University Rifle team this Fall!

May 5, 2026

Our first day of Ag Fair received great coverage from our news media. Only 100 4th grade students today but we will be busting at the seams Wednesday and Thursday with over 200 students each day. Thanks to Melissa Cantu-Trevino for coming out and interviewing the students!

Shooting Sports

Please keep up with the GroupMe for updated information on Shot Gun Practice.

Rifle Practice will be Saturday at 9:00 AM

Check out our Facebook page!

Jim Wells County 4-H Facebook

Ag & Natural Resources Publications and Information

Here you can find publication information regarding livestock, crops, soil, and other natural resources.

Cattle imports from Mexico resume under new protocol
Tomasick, Julie. (2025, February 4) Cattle imports from Mexico resume under new protocol. Texas Farm Bureau.
Soil Testing Pointers you Probably Haven't Heard (Second in a five-part series)
Trostle, Dr. Calvin. (2025, April 21) Soil Testing Pointers you Probably Haven’t Heard (Second in a five-part series). Texas A&M University Soil & Crop Sciences
Soil Testing Pointers you Probably Haven't Hear (third in a five-part series)
Trostle, Dr. Calvin. (2025, April 28) Soil Testing Pointers you Probably Haven’t Hear (third in a five-part series). Texas A&M University Soil & Crop Sciences
Techniques for Aging Live Deer
Pierce, Robert A. II, Jason Sumners, Emily Flinn. (2022, March) Techniques for Aging Live Deer. Extension University of Missouri.
Appendix M Herd Composition: An Essential Element of White-tailed Deer Population and Harvest Management in Texas
Dillard Jim, Gary Homerstad. Appendix M Herd Composition: An Essential Element of White-tailed Deer Population and Harvest Management in Texas.
Wildlife Monitoring and Management for New World Screwworm
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has put out a New World Screwworm Fact Sheet for wild life.
The primary focus of landowners concerned about their wildlife populations should be surveillance and record-keeping. As with livestock, reporting is CRITICAL, and any suspected NWS cases should be immediately reported to your local TPWD biologist. TPWD has been actively training biologists, especially in South Texas, to handle NWS cases, who will then report to the TPWD health team. (To find a Biologist visit the link below). Captive wildlife (i.e., native species) cases will flow through TPWD, while exotic hoofstock cases will flow through TAHC.
Unfortunately, at this time, we don’t have any approved treatments for wild animals, leaving these species extra susceptible to population declines. On top of that, wildlife populations are much more difficult to monitor than livestock; therefore, the potential negative consequences for wild animals are likely much higher from a population standpoint. These consequences are why surveillance and reporting will be critical to managing our wildlife populations and reducing the population-level effects.
To review more about Wildlife Monitoring and Management for New World Screwworm visit the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Website Below.
Find a Biologist
Wildlife Monitoring and Management for New World Screwworm
The Pasture Mealybug: A New Invasive Pest of Pastures and Hayfields in Texas
Biles, Steve, Danielle Sekula, Jose Santiago-Gonzalez, Caixing Xion, and David Kerns. (2025, October). The Pasture Mealybug: A New Invasive Pest of Pastures and Hayfields in Texas. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Preemergence Herbicides for Warm-Season Turfgrass
Bowling, Becky. Preemergence Herbicides for Warm-Season Turfgrass Lawns. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Healthy South Texas Announcements

June 2, 2026

June is Men’s Health Month
Men in the U.S. live nearly 6 years less than women. Small steps like checkups, knowing your numbers, and support can change that. Start now. Do it for you and those who count on you.

May 11, 2026

Hey Jim Wells County!!! Save the Date!

Join us for a Family Health Fair & Car Seat Safety Check! Explore a variety of vendors offering resources for our community, plus get expert help to ensure your child’s car seat is safely installed. Don’t miss it! – May 20, 2026, from 4 – 6 PM.

May 4, 2026

Protect your brain at any age. Discover 8 simple habits like exercise, better sleep, and staying social that may help reduce cognitive decline and support overall wellness. Start today for a healthier brain and body!

May 1, 2026

How much water do you really need each day? Learn simple guidelines plus benefits like better digestion, improved blood flow, and healthier skin. Get easy tips to stay hydrated and feel your best

May 1, 2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Explore this resource with warning signs, types of conditions, treatments, and ways to find local support. Learn more and take a step toward better mental health

Check our our Facebook Page!

Healthy South Texas Facebook

Jim Wells County Healthy South Texas Facebook

Ag and Natural Resources Announcements

June 10, 2026

It’s still not too late to RSVP! The Beef Cattle Herd Health and New World Screwworm update will be held Wednesday June 17, 2026 at the Jim Wells County Fairgrounds Merchants Building located at 3001 S Johnson St, Alice Tx. There will be a registration fee of $20 On Site, Cash or Check Only. Lunch will be provided beginning at 12:00 with the program presentations starting at 1:00 PM. RSVP no later than Monday June 15th by contacting our office at 361-668-5705.

Beef Cattle Herd Health & New World Screwworm Update

June 8, 2026

June 6, 2026

I spent the morning at 2BarC Angus Ranch in Luling, Texas helping our Livestock Specialist, Dr. Karl Harborth conduct a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training for approximately 40 beef cattle producers. Great location and working facilities. I enjoyed working with 3 farm workers who only speak Spanish and getting them trained and certified as well. Thanks to everyone who participated and made the event possible.

June 4, 2026

Stay up to date on the latest information regrading the New World Screwworm. Texas A&M AgriLife has developed a wide range of resources to support stakeholder education and response efforts including fact sheets, reporting guidance, animal health resources and education materials for producers, veterinarians, and the public. This information can be found at the following link, along with additional information and resources.

New World Screwworm

June 1, 2026

Join us for a Beef Cattle Herd Health and New World Screwworm Update, located at the Jim Wells County Fairgrounds Merchants building, 3001 S Johnson St, Alice Tx. There will be a $20 Registration Fee, on site. Cash or Check Only. If paying by Check, please make checks payable to Jim Wells County Crops Committee.

Registration and lunch will begin at 12:00 PM with a 1:00 PM Program Start Time.

Please RSVP by Monday June 15th. To RSVP you may contact our office at 361-668-5705.

June 1, 2026

Join us Thursday June 4, 2026 for the Jim Wells County Row Crops Seminar, located at the Jim Wells County Fairgrounds Women’s Building, 3001 S Johnson St. Registration Begins at 8:30, Presentations will start promptly at 9:00 AM. This seminar will discuss Agronomic Updates and Challenges of Current Crop Situation (Josh McGinty, Extention Agronomist-Corpus Christi), Status of the Cotton Jassid and Pasture Mealybug in Texas (Jose Santiago Gonzalez, Extension Entomologist-Corpus Christi), Market Update and Marketing Strategies (Yuri Calil, Extension Economist-Corpus Christi), Drone Technologies and Yield Estimates in Row Crop Production (Mahendra Bhandari, Assistant Professor-Corpus Christi). 2 CEU Credits will be given. To RSVP please contact our office at 361-668-5705.

May 14, 2026

A USDA-NRCS funded program led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research that provides financial Incentives to help Texas Farmers, ranchers, and foresters adopt conservation practices that improve soil health and long term productivity. Program requirements include: participants must be working lands in the state of Texas, must have a Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm number, Producer must not already be receiving federal incentives for planned practices.

Participation benefits include: incentives up to $100,000 while improving resilience, enhance soil, water, and land health, support sustainability markets and future research, technical assistance from the TCSI team from start to finish.

To apply visit tcsi-data.tamu.edu

March 13, 2026

Where’s the Fire? We have received numerous calls about smoke. There are a number of controlled burns in the area causing the smoky smells and haze.

Did you know? Prescribed Fire Benefits – Texas A&M Forest Service

Prescribed Fire Benefits

February 13, 2026

Pre-emergent herbicides in preparation for spring weed germination. Watch the Thermometer: Apply spring pre-emergents when soil temperatures reach an average of 52 degrees Fahrenheit at a 4-inch depth to target germinating seeds before they emerge. The Second Window: don’t forget the fall application. Split your Applications: use a split application strategy to extend residual control throughout the entire germination windows of spring and fall. Activation is mandatory: Herbicides must be “watered in” to be effective. Know your Turf: Verify that your chosen product is safe for your specific gras type to avoid causing injury to your lawn. Product Selection: Effective options are available for homeowners and professions alike.

If you would like to read more information regarding this topic please click on the link below.

Preemergence Herbicides for Warm-Season Turfgrass Lawns

Soil Temperature Maps

Texas Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Course Information: This online course is designed for pesticide applicators in Texas that want to obtain a pesticide license. It provides crucial information that will prepare them to take the Private Applicator Exam by the Texas Department of Agriculture and administered by Metro Institute. The instructor for this course is Dr. Mark Matocha, and the course length is 3 hours. This online course has a fee of $100. Please note that printed manuals will be shipped to all course registrants. Please provide a physical shipping address during registration.

Is this course right for you? A private pesticide applicator is someone who uses or supervises the use of restricted-use or state-limited-use pesticides or regulated herbicides to produce an agricultural commodity on personally owned property, rented property, property owned by his/her employer, property under his/her general control or the property of another person if applied without compensation, other than the trading of personal services between producers or agricultural commodities.

Please visit the link below to learn more about the training course.

Texas Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Events Calendar

Stay up to date on monthly 4-H Meetings, Competitions, Deadlines and Events. Explore the events calendar to stay current on what is happening throughout the year.

June Events
6/2-6/5 State Round Up
6/10 Turkey Validation
6/10-6/12 Leadership Lab
6/13 County Steer Validation
6/16 4-H Financial Literacy
6/18 Awards Application Due
6/18 4-H Financial Literacy
6/20 County Swine Validation
6/23 4-H Financial Literacy
6/24 First Responders Luncheon
6/25 4-H Financial Literacy
6/27 County Market Lamb/Goat Validation
6/27 State Heifer Validation
6/30 4-H Financial Literacy
July Events
7/3 County Closed
7/11 Roaster Validation
7/14 Cattlemen’s Round Up
7/19-7/22 4-H Congress
7/31 Council Officer Retreat