Plan-Ahead Checklists
Plan-Ahead Checklists from Texas Dairy Dates: 32 articles for readers in Texas and beyond.
July 17, 2026: Construction Begins on the Ninth Avenue Foods Plant in Longview
A new dairy plant in East Texas can change milk markets. Here is a plan-ahead checklist for producers, with advice on…
November 2027: The Expected Completion of the Ninth Avenue Foods Plant
A dairy plant's expected completion date is a planning aid, not a promise. Here is a checklist to prepare your Texas…
The History of the Texas Dairy Industry: A Timeline
How to research and build a trustworthy timeline of Texas dairy history, with sources to check and a template for your…
The Future of Texas Dairy: A 2027 Timeline
A practical planning timeline for Texas dairy producers heading into 2027, with decisions to schedule, reports to…
The Timeline for the Next Avian Influenza Outbreak
Nobody can say when avian influenza will return, but a readiness timeline helps. Learn seasonal patterns, warning…
The Best Time to Plant Forages for a Texas Dairy
How to pick planting windows for forage on a Texas dairy, from soil moisture and temperature to species choice, and…
The Best Time to Calve in Texas: A Seasonal Guide
How season, heat, cold and feed supply shape the best calving window for Texas dairies, plus a checklist for cow…
The Best Time to Plan for Farm Succession
Why succession planning should start years before retirement, who to involve, what to document and how Texas families…
The Best Time to Prepare for Winter
When to get a Texas dairy ready for winter: a fall timeline for feed, water, shelter, equipment and power, plus a…
The Best Time to Prepare for Spring Planting
A planning timeline for spring planting on a Texas dairy or mixed farm: equipment, soil, seed, forage and finances…
The Timeline of a Farm Loan Application
A step-by-step timeline of a typical farm loan application, from first conversation to closing, with what to prepare…
The Timeline of a Crop Insurance Claim
How a crop insurance claim typically unfolds, from the first sign of loss to payment, with a checklist of records to…
The Timeline of a Disaster Assistance Application
How applying for farm disaster assistance typically unfolds, from documenting losses to approval, with what to gather…
The Timeline of an HPAI Outbreak Investigation
How a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak investigation generally unfolds, from first signs to release of…
The Timeline of a New World Screwworm Eradication Program
How a New World screwworm eradication program generally works, from surveillance to sterile fly release and movement…
The Timeline of the 2026 Farm Bill
How a farm bill moves from draft to law, what the 2026 farm bill headline means for Texas dairy producers and where to…
The Timeline of the USMCA Review
How the USMCA trade agreement review process works, why dairy and farm trade are involved and where Texas producers…
The Timeline of the Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Rule Change
How a change to dairy tariff-rate quota rules moves from proposal to effect, what quotas are and how Texas producers…
The Timeline of the Texas Dairy Industry’s Response to HPAI
How the Texas dairy industry and agencies typically respond to HPAI: detection, testing, biosecurity, worker health…
The Timeline of the Ninth Avenue Foods Plant Construction
How a dairy processing plant construction project typically unfolds, from announcement to first milk, and what the…
The Timeline of the Hiland Dairy Tyler Expansion
How a dairy plant expansion typically moves from announcement to added production, and what the Hiland Dairy Tyler…
The Timeline of the Leprino Nutrition Lubbock Expansion
How a large dairy processing expansion near Lubbock typically moves from announcement to production, and what…
The Timeline of the 2026 Election and Its Impact on Agriculture
How election cycles connect to farm policy, from campaigns to new laws and programs, and how Texas producers can…
The Timeline of the 2027 Farm Bill Implementation
How a new farm bill moves from law to sign-up, including rulemaking, program notices and payments, and how Texas dairy…
The Timeline of the Next Drought
How a drought typically builds, deepens and recovers, and how Texas dairy producers can plan water, feed and finances…
The Timeline of the Next Market Crash
How a market crash unfolds for a dairy, from early signals to recovery, with checklists for budgets, lenders and risk…
The Timeline of the Next Trade Dispute
What happens, in order, when a trade dispute hits dairy: announcements, tariffs, market reaction and what Texas…
The Timeline of the Next Avian Influenza Outbreak
A calm timeline for the next avian influenza outbreak: early signs, official reporting, biosecurity and recovery, with…
The Timeline of the Next New World Screwworm Outbreak
A practical timeline for the next New World screwworm outbreak: early alerts, inspection habits, reporting and…
The Timeline of the Next Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak
A calm planning timeline for a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak: first alerts, movement controls, biosecurity and…
The Timeline of the Next African Swine Fever Outbreak
What an African swine fever outbreak could mean for a Texas dairy, even without pigs: feed, trade, movement rules and…
The Timeline of the Next Food Safety Recall
How a dairy food recall unfolds, from detection to cleanup, with steps for Texas producers, records to keep and the…