Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 1/23/2017 6:06 AM
To: ronphays@cox.net



 
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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!  
 
   
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
  
  
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futuresclick or tap here for the report posted yesterday afternoon around 3:30 PM.
 
  
Okla Cash Grain:  
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture on Friday, January 20th.
  
  
Futures Wrap:  
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network - analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day.
  
Feeder Cattle Recap:  
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
  
Slaughter Cattle Recap: 
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by the USDA.
  
TCFA Feedlot Recap:  
Finally, here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.
  


  
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
  
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor

Carson Horn, Associate Farm Director and Editor
  
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
  
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production



Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News

 
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
   Monday, January 23, 2017

Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

AGLOANSFeatured Story:
Volume of New Agriculture Loans Drop to 20 Year Record Low in the Fourth Quarter of 2016 

According to the latest Ag Finance Databook from the Federal Reserve of Kansas City, "Farm lending activity at commercial banks slowed significantly in the fourth quarter as lenders and borrowers assessed economic prospects for 2017. Despite persistent increases in the level of outstanding farm debt and ongoing demand for loan renewals, new loan originations dropped sharply. 

"Some of the reduced loan volume likely stemmed from lower costs of farm inputs. However, as the outlook for farm income generally has remained weak and farmland values have continued to decline, both lenders and borrowers may have been more apprehensive about adding new debt heading into 2017."

The KC Fed says the financial stress that has been seen over the last year is clearly a significant factor in the reduction of new loans in farm country.  This report indicates a 40% in new ag loans which is the largest year over year decline in some 20 years. 

To read more- and for our link to the complete report from the KC Fed- click or tap here.

 

Sponsor Spotlight
 
 
We are proud to have the Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards as a sponsor for our daily email.  The eight Commission firms at the Stockyards make up the exchange- and they are committed to work hard to get you top dollar when you consign your cattle with them.  They will present your cattle to the buyers gathered each Monday or Tuesday at one of the largest stocker and feeder cattle auctions in the world.
 
Click here for a complete list of the Commission firms that make up the Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards- still the best place to sell your cattle- and at the heart of Stockyards City, where you can go around the corner enjoy a great steak and shop for the very best in western wear. 


Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese said the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry had set a goal to eliminate 10,000 feral swine in 2016. State Wildlife Services Director Kevin Grant reported this month that the Wildlife Services Division of ODAFF eliminated 11,206 feral swine in 2016. That is compared to 7,808 feral swine eliminated in 2015 and 2,426 in 2011.


The effort put forth on behalf of Oklahoma agricultural producers and urban residents resulted in 44 percent more feral swine eliminated during 2016 than in the previous year.


"The damage they do, not only affects agriculture, but personal property such as lawns and gardens and natural resources as well," said Scott Alls, Oklahoma assistant state director of Wildlife Services for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. "They provide direct competition to popular game species such as deer and turkey but also affect the environment in numerous negative manners."
Click here to read more about ODAFF's success in feral swine elimination this past year.

An air of change blew through Washington last week as Donald Trump took the Oath of Office, becoming the nation's 45th President. Scott Yager of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association told me that Trump and his team, particularly his Environmental Protection Agency Administrator nominee, Scott Pruitt, assuming he is confirmed to the post, will act on their statements that repeal of overreaching regulations like the Waters of the US rule will be a top priority for the new administration. In the meantime though, the Supreme Court has decided to step in with some direction on how WOTUS should be handled for the time being.


"We are in the courts right now fighting the rule," Yager said, bringing Hays up to speed on the status of the rule that's been stayed by the courts. "We are on different levels of the court, so we have the meat of the case, or the 'merits briefing,' and is taking place in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals."


Yager asserts that NCBA fundamentally disagrees with the case starting at that level, insisting instead it is appropriate to begin the process at the District Court level, citing language in the Clean Water Act and adding too that the WOTUS rule goes "above and beyond" the Interstate Commerce Clause, an is in and of itself unconstitutional. NCBA has reached out to the Supreme Court about this matter, which has answered in turn, and favorably for their cause, according to Yager.


"It's great news for cattle producers and any land owners across the country because it shows that the Supreme Court is interest in WOTUS," Yager points out. "They're going to determine where the case starts at, so we're going to continue fighting this battle."
Listen to Yager deliver his full brief to me on the status of the WOTUS lawsuit on the last Beef Buzz, by clicking here.

Last week at the Central Oklahoma Soil Health seminar in El Reno, Dr. Jean Steiner, a USDA researcher at the Fort Reno Grazing Lands Laboratory, presented on some of the studies being conducted by her team. Our own Associate Farm Director Carson Horn was there to speak with Dr. Steiner about her research on long-term agroecosystems in the Southern Plains.


"The Southern Plains really is a complex mix of beef cattle production, but also has a really diverse set of forages that sustain it," Steiner said. "We're trying to look at that as a system, which really hasn't been done a lot within the research community."


Oklahoma is unique from other states, Steiner contends, as its agricultural practices have traditionally always had a strong integration of wheat crops and cattle herds.


"It turns out that it's a win-win because that really has some good ecological effects on ramping up these nutrient cycles and the soil biology," Steiner said, adding that the research has also yielded information that suggests some cattle are more efficient at digesting forages, and as a result emit less methane - which has long been a subject of contention with environmentalists. "We're looking into that and how to start bringing that understanding of the genetics into future breeding programs."

To read more about her research and for your chance to listen to Horn's entire conversation with Dr. Steiner, click here.

Sponsor Spotlight

 
We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update. On both the state and national levels, full-time staff members serve as a "watchdog" for family agriculture producers, mutual insurance company members and life company members.

Click here to go to their AFR website to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

OCAOklahoma Cattlemen's Association Hosts Winter Policy Meeting Ahead of State's Legislative Session

This past fall, Michael Kelsey, Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association president, announced that the organization will host a new Winter Policy Meeting this year ahead of the Oklahoma Legislative Session.

That meeting will take place tomorrow in Oklahoma City. All members of the OCA are encouraged to attend this meeting and participate in the association's policy-making process.

"Traditionally, OCA policy is developed at the annual summer Convention. This new winter meeting will give OCA members an additional opportunity to consider and create policy that drives our organization," said OCA President Charlie Swanson.  

The timing of the meeting in late January allows for members to discuss bills of the upcoming Legislative Session which begins in February as well as proposed policies for the NCBA Annual Convention the following week. The day will conclude with the Winter Quarterly Board of Director's meeting.

To learn more about OCA's Winter Policy Meeting and for information about how to register, click here.
Want to Have the Latest Energy News Delivered to Your Inbox Daily?
 

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

 

ChildressProducers Plan to Attend Red River Crops Conference for the Latest Innovations on Production Practices

Oklahoma and Texas agricultural producers and others interested in learning the latest information about best crop production practices for the Red River region should register now to attend the Jan. 24-25 Red River Crops Conference in Childress, Texas.


A collaborative effort by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and Texas AgriLife Extension that alternates between Oklahoma and Texas annually, the conference focuses on providing relevant management information applicable to the Red River area that can help enhance the potential profitability of farm and ranch enterprises.


"Cotton will be featured on Jan. 24 and in-season and summer crops will be featured on Jan. 25," said Gary Strickland, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension agricultural educator for Jackson County.


The two-day conference will take place at the Childress Event Center, located at 1100 N.W. 7th St. Each day will begin with on-site registration at 8 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. Cost is $25 per participant and includes both days.

For more information or to register for this conference, click here.

Canadian River Vineyards and Winery in Slaughterville, Oklahoma, continues to bring home honors during international competitions for its wine made from Oklahoma-grown grapes.


"We are proud that our wines made from Oklahoma-grown grapes are doing so well in international competitions," said Gene Clifton, owner of Canadian River Vineyards and Winery. "We won medals in every wine competition we entered in 2016."


The Made in Oklahoma company won silver and bronze medals in the Vino Challenge International, the oldest international wine competition in the United States.


A single vineyard Dry Riesling made from grapes acquired from Ingels Vineyard in Norman, Oklahoma, won a silver medal, as well as the Oklahoma Merlot. The Oklahoma Moscato and Oklahoma Chocolate Drop won bronze medals.


The company's Moscato and Chocolate Drop wines won silver medals in the Wines of the South Wine Competition, and the Chocolate Drop wine won a bronze medal in the Texas International Wine Competition. In addition, the Dry Riesling and Chocolate Drop won bronze medals in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Continue reading about these award-winning Oklahoma wines, by clicking here.
Gayle In Tribute to a Big Brother 


I will be saying goodbye to my big brother Gayle later on this morning in a Celebration of his life back in Kentucky. He is ten years my senior- and has been an inspiration to me, members of our family and the educational community of my old home state of Kentucky.  

While we often have visitation here in Oklahoma ahead of the actual memorial service- it's nothing like they have in many southern states- the visitation time yesterday was amazing to me- my brother had retired a couple of years ago after 48 years of being an educator- teacher, Principal, Superintendent in three different districts and an Associate Professor at Western Kentucky University. Add in the fact that his wife had been a elementary school principal and now a consultant to multiple schools added up to hundreds of people- mostly educators but also former students- making their way through a line to pay their respects. 

It was humbling to me to see how greatly he was respected- and he was described over and over as a kind man, a great teacher and mentor and as I thanked many of them for taking a part of their Sunday to come- they replied- we had to be be here- we have to say thank you to Debbie and to the family.

In a sometimes ugly world- I would hope you would take this reminder to heart- it's worth our time to do the right thing- to be compassionate with everyone that crosses our path- and realize that excellence in our lives will be noticed. 

A couple of years ago- I was fortunate enough to be honored by the National Association of Farm Broadcasters as a member of their Hall of Fame- truly one of the highlights of that evening was when Gayle and Debbie accepted the invite to come and be a part of that occasion- sharing it with him made it all the more valuable and memorable to me. 

I'm grateful that my big brother- as we grew up- was a friend and mentor in my life- and I am hoping that in the remaining days of my life- that I can be half the man that Gayle has clearly been- based on those who have responded to the end of his earthly life. And- I am grateful that I will be able to see him again one day in the future because of who we both believe in and have a relationship with- Jesus. 
 
Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentAmerican Farmers & Ranchers, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Oklahoma Farm Bureau,  Stillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma AgCreditthe 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 also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.   

 Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com  

 


 

God Bless! You can reach us at the following:  

 

phone: 405-473-6144
 


 





 


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