The Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management received about $1 million in grants for two projects addressing pasture mealybug detection in Texas and grazing management education for ranchers nationwide, AgriLife Today reported Nov. 5, 2026. The National Grazing Lands Coalition is funding both projects.
One project will focus on helping Texas landowners recognize and manage the invasive pest. The other will expand online training through the center’s Ranchworthy program, with plans to share mealybug control methods as research produces solutions.
Detecting damage that can resemble drought
Pasture mealybug damage can closely resemble drought stress, allowing infestations to go unnoticed until severe economic and ecological losses have occurred, according to Jeff Goodwin, the center’s director and an assistant professor with Texas A&M AgriLife Research. He said the work is intended to give landowners and producers research-based guidance to reduce those losses.
The center’s Ranch Diagnostics Laboratory will lead the two-year Texas project. Researchers plan to assess producers’ needs statewide and evaluate grazing land health to establish a starting point for their work.
The project also calls for demonstration sites showing approaches to managing the pest and adjusting grazing practices. Planned technical assistance will address early detection and management decisions involving targeted grazing, prescribed fire and integrated pest management.
Goodwin said the demonstrations, education and collaboration with producers are intended to improve awareness, help identify infestations earlier and support conservation planning. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides a pasture mealybug information page.
Expanding online grazing guidance
The second project will expand the Ranchworthy YouTube channel, which shares grazing management guidance through the experiences of land managers and experts. Established in 2024, the program is intended for agricultural producers.
The expansion aims to deliver producer-led, science-based training across all major U.S. grazing regions. Goodwin said the online format allows producers to access guidance at home or on their operations, on their own schedules.
Plans include additional long- and short-form videos and an expanded Digging Deeper how-to series. That series uses conversations about practical management experiences to address grazing, soil health and other management challenges. Pasture mealybug control guidance will be added as solutions emerge from ongoing research.
Based on reporting by Sarah Fuller for AgriLife Today. Read the original AgriLife Today article: Newly awarded grants will address pasture mealybug, grazing land resilience.
