Hay prices remain steady amidst predictions of a softer market in the new year.
AMARILLO, TX Jan 02, 2009 -- Compared to last week: Prices for hay holding mostly steady, although there have been comments made about the possibility of the market softening a bit after the first of the year. However, contracts for Chopped Alfalfa for spring months are still quoted at steady, if not a little stronger. Trade activity and movement slow for Alfalfa and moderate to active on Coastal Bermuda as those growing areas are still in a severe drought and have very limited grazing pastures available.
Due to the increase of supplemental feeding, some producers are running short on large rounds of Coastal and in other areas, some producers supplies on small squares of Coastal are dwindling. Buyers and sellers remain in a standoff over hay waiting to see that the New Year will bring.
The web site for TDA is www.tda.state.tx.us. Prices for hay and pellets quoted per ton except where noted.
Panhandle:
Alfalfa: Small Squares: Delivered: Premium to Supreme quality 230.00-250.00, 7.00-8.50 per bale; Good to Premium quality 200.00-230.00, 6.50-7.00 per bale.
Large Squares: Delivered: Supreme to Premium quality 200.00-260.00; Good to Premium quality 170.00-200.00.
Chopped Alfalfa: Delivered to feedlots: North: 195.00-200.00. South: 200.00-215.00. Coastal Bermuda: Small squares: Delivered: 7.00-7.50 per bale. Large rounds: Delivered: Premium quality: 140.00, 85.00 per roll; Good quality 125.00-135.00; 65.00 per roll.
Prairie Hay: Small squares: Delivered: 175.00-190.00; 7.00 per bale. Large
squares: Delivered: 140.00-160.000. Large rounds: Delivered: 85.00 per roll.
Beardless Wheat: Large rounds: Delivered: 70.00 per roll.
West Texas:
Alfalfa: Small Squares: FOB: Premium to Supreme quality 230.00-280.00, 7.50-
10.00 per bale; Good to Premium quality 200.00-230.00; 7.00-7.50 per bale.
Large Squares: Delivered: Premium to Supreme quality 220.00-260.00; Good to
Premium quality 190.00-230.00; Good quality 160.00-190.00.
North, Central and East Texas:
Alfalfa: Small Squares: Delivered: Premium to Supreme quality 240.00-300.00,
7.00-10.00 per bale; Good to Premium quality 6.00-7.00 per bale. FOB: Good to
Premium quality 5.00-7.00 per bale in the barn. Large Squares: Delivered:
Premium to Supreme quality 230.00-260.00; Good to Premium quality 180.00-230.00.
Coastal Bermuda: Small Squares: FOB: Premium quality 6.00-8.50 per bale; Fair
to Good quality 5.00-6.00 per bale. Large rounds: FOB: Premium 70.00-90.00;
Good quality 50.00-70.00; Fair quality 40.00-50.00 per roll.
South Texas:
Coastal Bermuda: Small squares: FOB or delivered locally: Good quality 5.00-
7.50 per bale. Large rounds: FOB: Good quality 50.00-70.00; Poor quality 30.00-
40.00 per roll.
See the full report at http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/am_gr310.txt
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Valence, XTO and Apache receive permits to drill new wells in Upshur.
The Texas Railroad Commission approved permits in December granting the three operators permission to drill wells in excess of 12,000 feet deep in the hunt for more natural gas.
Two of the new wells will be in the Cherokee Trace field, and one in Cedar Springs.
On 12-29-08, Maximus Operating, LTD submitted a permit request to the Railroad Commission to drill a new oil/gas well, the Tarter Coleman #2. It will be drilled to a depth of 12,500 feet in the Cedar Springs field, 8.21 miles NE of Gilmer.
Permits Approved To Drill New Wells In Upshur County:
On 12-02-08, the RRC approved a permit to Valence Operating to drill a new gas well, the JB Orr #3. It will be drilled to a depth of 12,200 feet in the Cedar Springs field, 1.1 miles NW of New Mountain.
On 12-04-08, the RRC approved a permit to XTO Energy to drill a new gas well, the Linda O. Spruiell Gas Unit #2. It will be drilled to a depth of 13,500 feet in the Cherokee Trace field, 8.0 miles NE of Gilmer.
On 12-29-08, the RRC approved a permit to the Apache Corporation to drill a new gas well, the Wright Gas Unit #1. It will be drilled to a depth of 15,000 feet in the Cherokee Trace field, 7.0 miles NE of Gilmer.
Upshur County Well Completions and Potential Testing:
Maximus Operating completed drilling the Phillips-Wright #1 well on 09-04-2008. It was drilled to a total depth of 4100 feet in the Glenwood field, 4.7 miles NE of Gladewater. Maximus has declared this a dry hole.
New Lease Construction Completed In Upshur County:
Apache reported to the RRC on 12-30-08 that surface construction was complete at the WF Smith Gas Unit #4 well. The company also reported on 12-22-08 that surface construction was complete at the James Jackson Gas Unit #4 well.
Forest Oil Corporation reported to the RRC on 12-09-08 that surface construction was complete at the DJ White Gas Unit #2H well.
Maximus Operating reported to the Railroad Commission on 12-10-08 that surface construction was complete at the Malone Heirs #1 well.
Maximus also reported to the Railroad Commission on 12-05-08 that surface construction was complete at the Tanner #1 well.
Pipeline Permitting and Construction In Upshur County:
On 11-17-08, Maximus received permission from the RRC to operate an additional .67 miles of 6" Cedar Springs Gathering System. The new line is from the Malone Heirs #1 well, to tie into the existing line from McCaslin Hall #3, and ties into an Enbridge line.
Monthly Production Totals For Upshur County:
For the month of October, 2008, the RRC reports that combined production of Upshur oil and gas leases were 9,583 barrels of oil, 7,895 MCF of natural gas, and 42,935 barrels of condensate.
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To comply with a new law that goes into effect Jan. 1st, cigarette vendors will have to ensure they only sell Fire Standard Compliant (FSC) cigarettes.
Fires caused by unattended cigarettes cause between 700 and 900 fatalities in homes across the U.S. each year. In 2006, there were 1,880 cigarette fires in Texas, causing more than $14 million in property losses and damage. In those fires, 10 people died, and 45 were injured, counting 10 firefighters responding to the blazes.
To counter the problem, Gov. Rick Perry signed H.B. 2935, known as the FSCC law, on June 15, 2007.
The law requires that all cigarettes sold in the state be certified fire standard compliant (FSC). It goes into effect Jan. 1st of 2009, but allows a one year grace period to allow retailers and wholesalers to clear non-compliant inventory.
A fire standard compliant cigarette (FSCC) reduces the chance of starting fires because it is self-extinguishing when not being actively smoked.
Cigarette companies make FSC cigarettes by wrapping the cigarettes with two to three thin bands of less porous paper. These bands act to slow down the burning of a cigarette, causing it to self-extinguish.
Similar laws have been enacted over the last several years by other states, so most major cigarette manufacturers are already producing the safer versions of their popular product lines.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office will be in charge of enforcing the law.
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