Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 4/5/2017 6:35 AM
To: rph@ronhays.com



 
OK Farm Report banner
 

Follow us on Twitter    Find us on Facebook    View our videos on YouTube

   

     View my photos on flickr

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!  
 
 FCE  
FedCattleExchange.com has a total of 3,572 cattle on their showlist for the Wednesday March 28th sale of finished cattle-the sale starts at 10 AM this morning- click here for more details.
 
 
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 Tuesday, April 4th.
  
  
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
   Wednesday, April 5, 2017
 
Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 


-- And Ag Groups Pleased with Trump Decision on Emergency Grazing






Featured Story:
CRPGrazingUSDA Authorizes Emergency Grazing in Response to President Trump's Directive 

By order of President Trump, Acting Deputy Secretary of the USDA Michael Young issued a memorandum authorizing the emergency use of CRP lands in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas for grazing of cattle by ranchers who lack the forages necessary to sustain their cattle herds due to recent wildfires in the region.


In accordance to their directive, the Farm Service Agency will begin permitting ranchers to graze their cattle on lands under jurisdiction of the Conservation Reserve Program. To limit the environmental impact of allowing cattle to graze on this land, the US Fish & Wildlife Service will implement protocols to protect wildlife habitat.


"Ranchers are facing devastating conditions and economic calamity because of these wildfires and they need some relief, or else they face the total loss of their herds in many cases," said Acting Deputy Secretary Young. "These measures will allow them to salvage what remains of their cattle and return to the important business of feeding Americans and the rest of the world. I commend and thank President Trump for acting decisively in response to this dire situation."

Click here to learn about the extent of the damage caused by the wildfires in the original release from the USDA.

Sponsor Spotlight
 

P&K Equipment is Oklahoma's premier John Deere dealership. Whether it's residential, commercial, construction, or agricultural equipment, they've got it all- the inventory AND the resources to keep it running strong. Alongside the long-lasting John Deere brand, P&K shares a commitment to providing cutting edge solutions. P&K has ten locations in Oklahoma and nine in eastern Iowa; their mission is to create business relationships through honesty, courtesy, and a sense of urgency. They'll put their network, resources, and solutions to work for YOU. Visit P&K Equipment online... meet the experts and find out just why in Oklahoma John Deere starts with P&K. 

GrazingCommentsLawmakers Praise Trump's Order Allowing CRP Land to Be Used for Emergency Grazing

The decision to permit ranchers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas emergency grazing access for their cattle on CRP land, earned both the USDA and the President praise from our state's lawmakers who applauded Trump and USDA's Michael Young, for their quick action in helping our cattle producers affected by recent wildfires that left them without adequate pasture land to sustain their herds.


"Cattleman and ranchers in northwest Oklahoma have faced devastating losses over the past several weeks as a result of wildfires ravaging the area; this measure allows folks to move their herds to land that has not been badly burned," said Senator Jim Inhofe. "Across the state an estimated 630,000 acres of land have been burned resulting in a loss of more than 3,000 head of cattle. The fires have had and will continue to have a detrimental effect on the Oklahoma economy but today's executive directive will allow these important industries to begin rebuilding." Click here for more from the release from Senator Inhofe's office in DC.


Oklahoma's 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas also weighed in on the supportive action from Washington.


"The president's authorization provides ranchers with much needed flexibility to prevent further losses and speed up the recovery process," Lucas said. "While no one can replace the cattle lost in this disaster, I appreciate the responsiveness of the federal government in working with state and local officials to minimize damages as much as possible." Click here for the full statement released by Rep. Lucas.


EmergencyGrazingAgGroupsAnd Ag Groups Pleased with Trump Decision on Emergency Grazing
 

Several agricultural groups weighed in on the Emergency Grazing Announcement from USDA as directed by President Trump- and all praised the action as one more tool that becomes available to producers in the three state region.

Michael Kelsey with the Oklahoma Cattlemen emailed us their reaction last night- saying "The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association (OCA) is extremely grateful for the opening of CRP acres for emergency grazing. The wildfires have been devastating to family cattle ranchers in Northwest Oklahoma. This common sense move by President Trump's Administration recognizes the importance of conservation acres working in a cooperative beneficial manner with the families that raise our food. OCA also extends our appreciation to Senator Inhofe, Lankford and Representative Lucas for championing this important issue especially since the wildfires of early March."

Oklahoma Farm Bureau also released a statement- attributed to their President, Tom Buchanan- ""The Oklahoma Farm Bureau has stood by the farmers, ranchers, and rural residents impacted by the devastating wildfires in Oklahoma. I am proud to say that President Trump is standing by them too with his decision to allow grazing on CRP lands during this emergency. While there is no silver bullet, this action will go a long way to providing the immediate relief and support Oklahomans need to recover and rebuild from this disaster."

Nationally, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association were quick to praise the move- their President, Craig Uden of Nebraska, says "President Trump, the USDA, and Governors Brownback, Fallin, and Abbott deserve a great deal of credit for moving swiftly to open these lands to grazing so that many of the cattle producers who were dramatically impacted by last month's wildfires can feed their herds. Those devastating wildfires burned more than 1.5 million acres in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas and killed an estimated 9,000 - 18,000 cattle. Those cattle can't be replaced, but today's action will help ranchers salvage what remains of their herds." 
 
BUZZThin Margins Force Cow/Calf Producers to Learn How to Squeeze the Most Profit from Their Operations

A few years ago, making money at the cow/calf business was fairly easy. Since then though, these last few years have proven a bit tougher to turn a profit. Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax, says while it may take a little more work and attention to expenditures, profitability on the ranch can still be done. I caught up with Blach recently at the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers convention in San Antonio where he offered some advice for producers.


"It's time I think for producers in each segment of the industry to just sit back and look at it and ask if there are things we could do a little differently," Blach suggested. "How do I move from being an average return producer to a high return producer?"


For the foreseeable future, Blach says his team at CattleFax is projecting breakeven prices in the cow/calf segment to reach around $1.40, with calf prices expected to be averaging around the low $1.50s. While that is not a big margin, he admits, the top third of producers that can keep costs reigned in will still manage to be very profitable in 2017 and on into the following year.


"We see a lot of producers sharpening their pencils and trying to figure out how they can move that needle successfully to where they can generate more profitability in their businesses," Blach revealed. "In this time of unprecedented volatility, we need to be in a position that we can take advantage of some of these good profit opportunities when they arise."


Listen to Blach's advice on how to squeeze the most profitability from your cow/calf operation, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.

Several FFA chapters have committed to help the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture provide feral hog traps to conservation districts throughout the state. Last week's hog trap demonstration at the State Capitol included 11 traps given out to conservation districts to assist with feral hog issues plaguing farmers. Due to the popular response of this initiative, FFA members have stepped up to advance this project even further.


Head gates will be paid for by a combination of sponsorships and fees collected from the captive feral swine hunting licenses as part of the Feral Swine Control act. The Oklahoma Soybean Association is sponsoring fifty of the next 100 trap gates. The traps will be made available to landowners by their conservation districts.


The feral swine are lured into traps with bait and trapped in the pen after triggering the trip wire which drops the gate. Trapping is considered one of the most effective methods in eliminating hog populations.


Farmers will have access to these traps, taking them on loan through their local conservation district. For more information, or to reserve a hog trap for your own use, click here and contact your local conservation district office.

Sponsor Spotlight

 
Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April.
 
Now is the time to put on your 2017 calendar the date for the 2017 Oklahoma City Farm Show, coming April 20, 21 and 22, 2017.  Contact Ron Bormaster at (507) 437-7969 for more details about how your business or organization can be a part of the 2016 Oklahoma City Farm Show! Remember- a lot of this year's show will be housed in the BRAND NEW Bennett Event Center!
 
Click here for more details about the 2017 Oklahoma City Farm Show- presented by Midwest Farm Shows.


Producer sentiment toward the agricultural economy dropped to 124 in March marking the second consecutive month of decline, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.


The decrease is a 10-point drop from February's reading of 134. The barometer is based on a monthly survey of 400 agricultural producers from across the United States.


"The barometer has been moderating in recent months after a large jump in sentiment that began in November 2016," said Jim Mintert, director of Purdue's Center for Commercial Agriculture and principal investigator for the barometer.


"While sentiment has settled lower, it's important to note that it is still higher than during all but the last two months of 2016."


The March 2016 reading was 85.
Continue reading this article for more insights into the factors contributing to the slide in producer sentiment on the agricultural economy, by clicking 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.

 


If you've been listening to us on the radio lately, you've probably heard us promoting a new fertilizer from Loveland Products called Black Label Zn. Our Associate Farm Director Carson Horn reached out to Brandon Tripp of CPS to get the scoop on Black Label Zn.


"Black Label® Zn is the new standard of applying phosphate fertilizer," Tripp said. "We're introducing Black Label® Zn as a new way to get your phosphate fertilizer, in a formula that builds your soil health and makes nutrients become more available."


Through Loveland's proprietary "LHC technology," Black Label® Zn unlocks plant nutrients in the soil that can be tied up in the high Ph, calcium rich dirt of Oklahoma.

Tripp insists that getting this head start with earlier seasonal growth, results in more dollars to your bottom line. Learn more about Black Label Zn from Tripp himself, in his interview with Carson, by clicking here.


Hunter Thomas of the Newkirk FFA Chapter, is the second of five District Stars in Ag Placement being featured on the Oklahoma Farm Report this week. Thomas has worked his way up the ladder in the custom harvest business since first entering the field at 14 years old, as an employee of L&L Custom Harvesting based out of Newkirk, Okla.


"I've built my way up to be one of the key assets in it, going around the state harvesting, getting these contracts with farmers," he said. "Started out with some low pay jobs of working around odd jobs... I've kind of generated up to being one of our head service men, making sure those machines are in tip-top shape going out before our harvest jobs."


His time working for the Levens has helped Thomas to grow as a person that understands the values shared between one who follows, as an employee - and one who leads, as president of his FFA chapter.


"Getting in those machines - it's hard work," Thomas said. "But, when you're passionate about the agricultural lifestyle, it's something that you very much appreciate."


Click or tap here to read more about Thomas and his work- and for a chance to hear my interview with Thomas right after he had faced the judges for State Star consideration.
 
 
American Farmers & Ranchers is the proud sponsor of our District Star spotlights this month. Be sure to visit the AFR website by clicking or tapping here to learn more on how AFR supports the young people of Oklahoma, and how AFR can provide you with quality insurance for you home, auto, farm, and life.
Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentAmerican Farmers & Ranchers, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Oklahoma Farm BureauStillwater Milling CompanyOERBOklahoma 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
 


 




© 2008-2014 Oklahoma Farm Report
Email Ron   |    Newsletter Signup
Oklahoma Farm Report, 7401 N Kelley, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Sent by ronphays@cox.net in collaboration with
Constant Contact