Across Texas, alternative or nontraditional crops continue to find a significant role in many farming operations because they offer crop diversification or an additional opportunity for late-season planting after failed crops.
While some crops are limited by contract availability and marketing options, Texas producers plant almost 1 million acres of alternative crops such as sunflowers, sesame, Sudan grass, alfalfa and hemp, said Calvin Trostle, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist, statewide hemp and alternative crop specialist and professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock.
“ Alternative crops in Texas, especially for those producers who are willing to take the time to understand and optimize production practices and marketing opportunities, certainly have a place in diversified farming operations,” Trostle said. “And we in Texas A&M AgriLife have the expertise to help farmers make those management decisions.”
While rains have been scattered around the state, he said conditions in the lower South Plains and South Texas improved slightly from severe drought. However, the Panhandle region has not changed much in recent weeks, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Alternative crops around the state Sunflowers
The 10,000-15,000 acres of sunflowers in the lower Rio Grande Valley, planted in February, will be ready for harvest in late June to July. Sunflowers in the High Plains, which are headed to the bird food market in Lubbock and oil crush market in Colorado, have kept acreage steady at about 15,000 acres and 10,000 acres, respectively.
“The sunflower has taught producers in these semi-arid regions that their roots are really good at getting to deep-soil moisture,” Trostle said. “This has definitely given those farmers in Hildalgo and Starr counties an alternative when moisture is short.”
In 2025, sunflower prices were good, he said, but the market has come down a bit this year to about $22 per hundredweight for oil crush and slightly higher for bird food. In 2025, the bird food market was offering $26 per hundredweight, and the oil crush market was $24-$25 per hundredweight.
Guar
Some farmers are planting guar on a contract basis as it offers a heat and droughttolerant rotational crop, Trostle said. The processing plant in Brownfield is taking more acres, so now there are 15,000-20,000 acres planted.
The market price is low, 22.5 cents per hundredweight, but guar is inexpensive to grow and often chosen after a failed crop, he said. Also, cotton yields following a guar crop are typically better.
Guar is a nitrogen-fixing legume that producers have utilized as a rotation crop, especially for cotton. Its gum has also been marketed as an emulsifier for products used in oil and gas production and cosmetics.
“They have the processing plant running again and are having to import guar to stay at capacity,” he said. “The hope is to get the acreage up so they can offer a higher price for U.S.-grown guar and have less reliance on imports.”
Sesame and black-eyed peas
Sesame production in Texas continues in the Rolling Plains and into the Winter Garden area, with planting taking place primarily in May and June. Typically, somewhere between 50,00075,000 acres are grown on a contract basis in Texas and directed to a processing plant in Oklahoma.
Black-eyed peas are another contracted crop, with growers spread across the state, but primarily in the High Plains. They are planted in June and early July, and acreage is dependent on contracts.
Summer annual forages
Another alternative is summer annual forage crops such as hybrid pearl millet and sorghum Sudan grass grown statewide on about 500,000 acres. They have a wide planting window and are very valuable to the livestock industry, including feedlots and dairy operations, Trostle said.
“ They can be planted throughout the summer until August around Lubbock and still get a harvest, which makes them a valuable replacement for failed crops,” he said. “They are versatile because they don’t rely on physiological seed maturing, so they only need about 6075 days to grow.”
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a perennial alternative crop where growers expect to get up to four years of growth. Texas grows about 60,000 acres of alfalfa annually. The high-value crop gets producers $275$300 a ton for premium-tosupreme quality, prices that have remained steady from last year, Trostle said.
“It is the queen of forages for our dairy industry, but it is highly dependent on irrigation water in West Texas,” he said.
Hemp
Fiber hemp acreage has fallen to less than 500 acres in Texas, Trostle said, because the main processing plant is looking to northern Oklahoma and Kansas for production.
Trostle said multiple factors have contributed to declining hemp acreage.
“We are realizing the optimum production requires an earlier planting date that doesn’t align with traditional cropping patterns in Texas,” he said. “ Producers also need a premium price to cover the involved risks associated with the regulatory requirements.”
AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries: Panhandle
Rainfall was scattered across the district, with amounts ranging from less than 0.5 inches in some areas to 2.3 inches. A high temperature of 102 degrees was reported. Measurable moisture improved topsoil conditions in several counties and provided a significant boost to corn, sorghum and cotton that were emerging and developing across the district. Corn was growing quickly, while sorghum stands were reported as good, and cotton crop progress ranged from first to third true leaf stage. Wheat fields intended for grain continued to mature under generally favorable conditions, with harvest underway in some areas. Pastures began greening up where rain fell, and post-wildfire grass recovery was noted in some locations, though additional precipitation remained critical for rangeland and dryland crops throughout the district. Pasture and rangeland were in very poor to fair condition, and livestock were in poor to good condition across the district.
South Plains
Rainfall was highly variable across the district, with some areas recording more than 2 inches while others received only trace amounts. Hot, dry winds continued to crust soil surfaces and strip topsoil moisture in drier pockets. Cotton was progressing, with most fields showing decent stands emerging following recent rains. Producers addressed irrigated fields that needed replanting. Corn and sorghum both showed improvement following recent moisture, and sorghum was progressing well, with some fields already headed. Wheat harvest accelerated where conditions allowed, though yields were low in some counties. Pest pressure was active in several areas, with corn leafhopper, thrips cotton and heavy wireworm pressure reported. Weed control was an ongoing challenge following the rains. Potato harvest was expected by the end of the month, and cucumber planting was about 30% complete. Native pastures were greening up, and producers were reducing supplemental feeding, though subsoil moisture deficits remained a concern across much of the district.
Rolling Plains
Conditions across the district were mixed, with rainfall ranging from 2-4 inches in some eastern and northern areas while western and central portions remained hot, dry and windy. Soil moisture levels were mostly short to adequate. Wheat harvest was wrapping up in most areas, though some grain quality loss was reported where late rains interrupted harvest. Cotton planting continued at varying paces, with some fields showing spotty stands due to erratic soil moisture and some acres expected to be replanted. Sudan grass planting was more active than it has been in recent years, with producers taking advantage of planting windows between weather events. Corn was silking in many fields, and sorghum was approaching the boot stage and expected to head soon. Coastal Bermuda grass hay yields of 3,500 to more than 5,000 pounds per acre were reported in areas that received adequate rain, though some cut hay was damaged by subsequent showers. New World screwworm remained a concern for livestock producers across the district, and heat and humidity were affecting stocker cattle health in some areas. Livestock were mostly in fair to good condition, with some reports of poor and excellent conditions.