Articles

Dairy Update

by Alan Rhodes

Putting the Pieces Together
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Congratulations to several Underwood clients and friends who are making progress toward pushing dirt or completing a new facility. Read more...

Status Date for Participation in USDA Crop Programs
Monday, February 18, 2008

Over the past several months we've been involved with a number of dairy farmers who have expanded their holdings of farmland capable of producing forage. Based on the transactions and information that we've seen, land purchases allow the dairies to control their feed costs. The land purchases also facilitate nutrient management. Read more...

DFA's Industry Update
Thursday, December 27, 2007

Dairy Farmers of America hosted an industry update in Clovis, New Mexico on November 27, 2007. Most of the attendees were members of DFA's Southwest Area Council. DFA invited several friends of and advisors to the dairy industry. Read more...

Denmark: an interim report and some reminders, particularly as a farmer starts operations
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

We arrived in Copenhagen on Monday morning, October 22, 2007. We were able to visit Underwood clients south of town. Read more...

Solid Waste Bonds and Current Lending Activity
Tuesday, October 16, 2007

In 2004 and 2005 Underwood was involved, as issuer's counsel or as borrower's counsel, in a handful of solid waste facility financings. The financings have been developed by W.R. Taylor & Co. Jason Grubbs has been W.R. Taylor's primary representative in our area. Read more...

Free Martins and Wind Rights
Monday, October 15, 2007

During this week I'll take a detour as I learn more about free martins. I'm interested to know if the industry standard is for these calves to be moved into the beef cycle shortly after their birth. If you have thoughts or input, I'd like to know. Read more...

Denmark Travel
Thursday, October 11, 2007

Lynn Tate, Chuck Mallard, and I will travel to Denmark during week 43 to meet with dairy families who may be interested in relocating to our trade area. Read more...

Friona's cheeseburger cookoff highlights
Friday, August 3, 2007

A handful of Underwood employees cooked at Friona's cheeseburger cookoff on Saturday, July 21. Slater Elza lead the cooking team. While we didn't win the event, Underwood's Tabasco cheeseburgers were outstanding. Lynn Tate, Courtney Goodman-Morris, and Alan Rhodes, Underwood lawyers with some expertise or insight into ag matters, helped Slater cook the burgers.

Friona hosted the cheeseburger cookoff for the second year as a highlight of Parmer County agriculture. Wheat for buns, the beef industry for meat, and the increasing number of dairies providing cheese.

For Parmer County, 2007 has brought first milk in the Palla Dairy, a new owner of Lone Star Dairy, continuing construction of Alger Dairy, the spec dairy on State Highway 145, and maturation of the dairies around Hub. And, I'm sure that there are a number of transactions of which I am not aware.

With Parmer County's level of activity, Friona is appropriately celebrating the successes.

Alan Rhodes and George Clift interviewed by Texas Rural Land News and Review
Thursday, May 24, 2007

Ed Blackburn of "Texas Rural Land News and Review" interviewed George Clift and me on Tuesday, May 22, 2007. Ed asked about the development of the dairy industry in the Texas Panhandle. The podcast of the interview is available at here. Read more...

2007 Land Sales
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Over the last six months, we've seen a very interesting series of transactions involving farm land in the Texas Panhandle. Perhaps the number of purchases and sales comes from the continued development of our agriculture practice. Read more...

High Ground of Texas participation at the Emigraria
Tuesday, February 6, 2007

In an earlier article I mentioned Underwood's efforts to facilitate an Investor Visa Pilot Program. This program will compliment the efforts that are being made to welcome European farmers to the High Ground of Texas. Read more...

Mega Dairies
Friday, January 26, 2007

The 5 to 10 inch snow most of the Texas Panhandle received on January 20 and 21, was this winter's fourth storm. As a crop farmer, the snow came without any wind and will be a great help for our moisture profile for the 2007 crop year. The dairy farmers in open lot facilities look on the cold and the moisture a little differently, no doubt. Read more...

An Update on the Dairy Industry
Thursday, January 25, 2007

Beginning in 2001 the Underwood law firm expanded its' traditional agriculture practice in step with the development of the dairy industry in Eastern New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Southwestern Kansas. We've been blessed with the opportunity to work with a number of (a) crop farmers who hoped to sell forage or land, (b) contractors who are providing equipment or building facilities for incoming dairy farmers, and (c) dairy farmers who were pursuing opportunities in our trade area. Read more...

Underwood Continues to Grow the Panhandle's European Dairy Connection
Monday, November 20, 2006

As a continuing part of Underwood's and Amarillo National Bank's support of the dairy industry in the Texas Panhandle and Southwest Kansas, Wade Porter, Cory Ramsey, Lynn Tate and Alan Rhodes participated in a development tour to The Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark during the week of October 30, 2006. Mr. Porter is an Amarillo National Bank executive vice president; Mr. Ramsey is an Amarillo National Bank vice president; Lynn Tate and Alan Rhodes are shareholders in the Underwood Law Firm. Read more...