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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network weekdays- if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click here for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays on RON.
Let's Check the Markets!
OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.
OKC West in El Reno had 295 in the cow and bull turn on Monday- Compared to last week: Slaughter cows mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Click here for the compete report from USDA Market News.
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Oklahoma National Stockyards reported 6,000 head on Monday- with the market bouncing back from the hard down of a week ago- Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Steer calves 4.00-5.00 higher. Heifer calves 3.00-8.00 higher. Click here for the full report from Oklahoma City.
Based on the relatively light numbers seen Monday at the Joplin Stockyards- cattle producers were a little gun shy-just 3,310 were reported at the sale- Compared to last week, steers and heifers under 500 lbs steady to 5.00 lower, steers 500 to 700 lbs steers steady to 3.00 higher, over 700 lbs steady. Click here for the full details from USDA Market News.
Okla Cash Grain: Futures Wrap: Feeder Cattle Recap: Slaughter Cattle Recap: TCFA Feedlot Recap:
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor
KC Sheperd, Associate Farm Director and Editor
Sam Knipp, Farm Editor
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
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Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
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Howdy Neighbors!
Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
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The stage is set for the 2020 Oklahoma Youth Expo coming up March 10th through the 20th at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. Kass Newell, Executive Vice President of this years Oklahoma Youth Expo says they are excited, "We're moving into the fairgrounds tomorrow and getting ready for all the exhibitors from all over the state for the Worlds largest junior livestock show."
7,100 Oklahoma exhibitors are entered to exhibit with just over 22,000 head of cattle, sheep, goats and swine at this year's OYE.
The 22,065 total entries compares to 21,159 a year ago- all of the market animal division entries were higher compared to 2019- while there were very slight declines in breeding ewes and heifers- Does and Gilts were higher in 2020 versus 2019.
"It always amazes me how much our Oklahoma families value raising their kids through showing livestock," Newell said.
New this year is the addition of the Ag Mechanics contest, which provides 4-H and FFA members who may not wish to show livestock an opportunity to compete at OYE.
Total Exhibitors: 7,100
Ag Mechanics: 102 entries
Breeding Gilts: 6,621 entries
Breeding Heifers: 1,765 entries
Breeding Ewes: 1,224 entries
Breeding Does: 1,396 entries
Market Barrows 6,730 entries
Market Steers: 827 entries
Market Wether Sheep: 2,048 entries
Market Wether Goats: 1,219 entries
The Oklahoma Youth Expo will take place March 10 - 20 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. A full schedule can be found online here-
Our coverage of the 2020 Oklahoma Youth Expo will once again be powered by ITC, Your Energy Superhighway.
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Sponsor Spotlight
National Livestock was founded in 1932 in Oklahoma City. National's Marketing Division offers cattle for sale weekly at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City. The Finance Division lends money to ranchers across several states for cattle production. The Grazing Division works with producers to place cattle for grazing on wheat or grass pastures. National also owns and operates other livestock marketing subsidiaries including Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction in Ada, Oklahoma, OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the nation's premier livestock video sale, Superior Livestock Auction. National offers customers many services custom made for today's producer. To learn more, click here for the website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.
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Tonkawa rancher and AFR/OFU President Scott Blubaugh talked me via telephone from Savanah, Georgia on Monday afternoon where the National Farmers Union convention is underway this week.
Topping the headlines was the election of Rob Larew to replace retiring NFU President Roger Johnson.
Larew was elected by a large margin, 74 percent of the vote, as the NFU delegates believed his experience on Capitol Hill as their senior policy analyst the past few years will make it a smooth transition to the top job and provide continuity for NFU policy.
"We're going to miss Roger immensely, but Larew brings a lot of experience to the table," Blubaugh said.
The Oklahoma delegation, with 32 delegates, is the largest NFU affiliate and along with the North Dakota Farmers Union has the majority of the votes on any one issue.
A Monday morning highlight of the NFU convention was the appearance of USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue as he talked trade and more.
"He understands the tough times we're having," Blubaugh said.
The Oklahoma leader added Perdue told the NFU members there could be a third round of Market Facilitation Payments, especially if the trade issues are not completely resolved. Perdue is not convinced that a 2020 set of MFP payments will be necessary- but says the President will not hesitate to offer them if the circumstances are right. Perdue emphasized the word "if"- adding he did not expect to have a 2020 round of MFP payments but if the trade deals don't deliver as expected- that third round of trade help could result.
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Mondays, Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, offers his economic analysis of the beef cattle industry. This analysis is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner" published electronically by Dr. Peel and Dr. Glenn Selk. Today, Dr. Peel talks about decision-making in a turbulent market.
Global markets are being roiled by coronavirus (known as COVID-19) and cattle markets are no exception. The combination of broad-based market fears and current market impacts have taken a big toll. One of the functions of futures markets is to anticipate the worst and, not surprisingly, futures markets have taken the biggest hit. Cash fed and feeder cattle markets have seen the pressure grow as the uncertainty and fear have expanded recently.
Live cattle futures are down over 12 percent from levels prior to the first wave of coronavirus news in January. Cash fed cattle prices are down about 7.5 percent over the same period. Feeder cattle futures dropped initially in January, then recovered significantly before dropping sharply in the past week. Cash feeder cattle prices have tried to follow seasonal patterns with stocker prices increasing seasonally until last week when the weight of lower futures and growing uncertainty in the global and U.S. COVID-19 situation pushed cash prices sharply lower. Feeder futures are down nearly 11 percent from January and cash prices for 450-500 lb. M/L #1 steers in Oklahoma dropped 6.0 percent just last week.
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We don't get a national weekly Crop Progress report until the first of April- but for Oklahoma and Kansas- we start getting weekly reports this week- Texas has already been doing weekly reports for several weeks now.
The key number we always look for as we start the reporting season is what sort of shape the winter wheat crop is in- and generally- it looks like it is very similar to what we had as we had back in March of 2019.
The 2020 Winter Wheat Crop in Oklahoma is 57% in good to excellent condition, 32% fair and 11% in poor to very poor condition. That compares to 53% in good to excellent condition in the first March report of 2019. Winter wheat grazed reached 60 percent, up 5 points from the previous year.
In Kansas- Winter wheat condition rated 43% good to excellent, 37 percent fair and 20 percent poor to very poor. (again close to the first March reports of 2019)
Finally in Texas- the Texas wheat crop is rated 36% good to excellent, 41% fair and 23% in poor to very poor condiiton. Those ratings were similar to the wheat crop ratings of early March 2019.
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Sponsor Spotlight
Great Plains Kubota is Oklahoma's family of full-line Kubota dealerships. As Oklahoma's premier Kubota dealer, we have the largest selection of Kubota Tractors, Kubota Mowers, Kubota Utility Vehicles, Kubota Construction Equipment and Kubota's new line of Hay Tools. Great Plains Kubota can help with your construction rental needs as well! Give us a call today at 405-275-4455 or stop by any of our four Kubota dealerships in Ada, Duncan, Edmond, and Shawnee OK to see why Great Plains Kubota is... the brand that works!
Great Plains Kubota, home of the 10 year warranty!
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On today's Beef Buzz, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director, Ron Hays talks with Chase DeCoite, Director of the Beef Quality Assurance program for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. He explains how, even after 30 years of training cattle producers and industry officials, the BQA program is still essential today.
The BQA program was initially started to address injection site blemishes and animal health product residues, DeCoite said. Today it has successfully met those challenges and now covers pasture to plate, addressing all issues.
"It's a tool and resource farmers and ranchers can use to improve their operations," he said.
In the early years of the BQA, the training was all on-site live, up close and personal. Today the program has evolved to include online training available to the producer 24/7.
"We recently launched new online training modules with interactive videos," DeCoite said.
Additionally, the BQA program has become a great communications tool to help the consumers become more aware of the safe, humane handling methods producers use today.
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The Food Industry Association and the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education, the foundation for the North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute), released their 15th-annual in-depth study of meat and poultry through shoppers' eyes. The Power of Meat 2020 explores consumption trends, sales growth and consumer preferences and found demand for meat is accelerating with $50.5 billion in sales for 2019.
"The Power of Meat is a thorough examination of consumer behavior and reflects the value of meat and poultry to retailers," said Julie Anna Potts, NAMI President and CEO. "The survey affirms the ongoing work of the industry to improve trust in animal protein is welcomed by consumers and useful to retailers."
The survey took a deep dive into consumer interest in topics like production claims and sustainability. With 49% believing that animal agriculture does not have negative impacts on the planet if done properly, the belief that it does have negative impacts is higher among younger generations, showing the opportunity and importance of consumer education.
Meat department sales are strong in dollars and volume, driven by beef and chicken, and spending per household increased. When it comes to meat consumption, moderation is far more popular than elimination, with flexitarians (12%) looking to reduce their animal protein through smaller portion sizes and/or a day without meat/poultry
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In a March 2020 Article from Noble Research Institute Jeff Goodwin, Conservation Stewardship Leader and Pasture and Range Consultant, Jim Johnson, Soils and Crops Consultant, and Hugh Aljoe, Director of Producer Relations write about Regenerative Agriculture.
In today's agricultural climate of fluctuating markets, erratic weather patterns and growing social restlessness, the resolve of the American farmer and rancher has never been more tested. As stewards of the nation's private working lands, many progressive producers are working to mitigate those uncertainties by refocusing efforts on the foundation building block of their operation: the soil resource.
For most agricultural enterprises, success and long-term viability ultimately hinges on soil health.
For decades, the agriculture industry has focused, studied and ultimately understood the physical and chemical characteristics of our soil resource. However until recently, little emphasis has been placed on the biological constituents and their importance in a healthy, functional soil. As researchers work to better understand the complexities of soil health, further understanding tends to lead to more questions.
Noble Research Institute has recently focused efforts to gain critical insight into these soil health questions and help producers understand their impacts. Today, Noble Research Institute is poised to deliver producer-focused solutions in the area of regenerative agriculture.
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, AFR Insurance, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Inc., the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association and KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- at NO Charge!
We invite you to check out our website at the link below too that includes an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.
God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
phone: 405-473-6144
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