I sat down this week with Sam Knipp, who has been communicating to farmers and ranchers in Kansas and Oklahoma as a farm broadcaster and ag journalist since the 1970s- Most recently, he has been a part of the broadcast and journalism team for the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network- but before that, Sam worked for farmers and ranchers in Public Relations and Communications for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the American Farmers and Ranchers.

Oklahoma AgCredit is a cooperative, owned by the members we serve. This ensures our customers’ needs come first. Our profit can only be used in two ways – retained to build our financial strength or passed on to members through our Patronage Program. Patronage is like an interest rebate and it basically reduces our members cost of borrowing. We have returned more than $53 million to our members since 1997.

Learn More by coming to our website- Click or tap here.

“We are building capacity and increasing economic opportunity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors and producers across the country.” Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Through MPIRG, meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities can cover the costs for necessary improvements to achieve a Federal Grant of Inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act, or to operate under a state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.”

Several groups were quick to offer reaction to the launch of a new grant program aimed at building capacity and increasing economic opportunity for small and mid-sized meat and poultry processors. 

The Center for Rural Affairs applauds the USDA's announcement saying, “Demand for local foods has grown steadily over the past 16 months, and producers have risen to meet the challenge,” said Johnathan Hladik, policy director for the Center for Rural Affairs. “Our processors are our partners, and they have done all they can to keep up. This program will help them make the efficiency and capacity improvements needed to keep this important piece of our rural economy growing.” 

The NCBA also weighed in on the USDA Announcement: "The chokepoint created by a lack of processing capacity is directly harming our producers and their ability to capture higher value for their product. NCBA has been engaging aggressively on this issue and we're gratified to see the funds we fought to secure in December now going toward a top-priority need in our industry," said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. "NCBA leadership has spoken directly with Secretary Vilsack about the need for more capacity in local and regional facilities, and we've been encouraged by the Secretary's attention to this problem. This grant money will help ensure that we're not just making big plants bigger, but actually expanding capacity in those smaller, independent facilities that our producers need as well." 

For our farmers who have either- always have had cotton on their farms- or those who have more recently have added the fiber crop to their operations- we have a new daily report starting to be heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk- and we appreciate the Oklahoma Cotton Council for their support in making this a reality.

Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report

But it isn’t just the odor that is cause for concern. Skunks are the primary reservoirs of rabies in Oklahoma, followed by bats, said Dr. Barry Whitworth, Oklahoma State University Extension veterinarian.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the scheduled U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on price volatility in cattle markets.

For Equine, click here.

For Livestock, click here. 

Chairlady Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman of the US Senate Ag Committee will be holding a hearing on cattle market transparency on Wednesday afternoon- and the witness list is now available-

Justin Tupper, USCA Vice President, South Dakota

Mark Gardiner, Gardiner Ranch, Ashland, kansas

Dr. Glynn Tonsor, Livestock Market Economist,

Dr. Dustin AherinVice President

Dr. Mary K. Hendrickson, Associate Professor

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.

Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101  

Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices continue to drop like a rock- on Tuesday, June 22nd- Choice Beef fell $5.45 while Select Beef dropped $1.71.

Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News

Oklahoma National Stockyards had a final count of 8,843 for their Monday June 21st Auction.

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers 1.00 - 3.00 lower. Lightly tested steer and heifer calves unevenly steady. Demand moderate to good. Rain moved through the area today bringing much cooler temperatures.

Click below for the complete closing report.

Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures - click below for the latest update on the Livestock and Grain Futures Trade..

Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture- The report available after the close of the Futures Trade for that day.

Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network - analyzing the Futures Markets for that trading day- as reported by KC Sheperd.

The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by the USDA Market News

Finally, here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor

KC Sheperd, Associate Farm Director and Editor

Dave Lanning, Markets and Production

Sam Knipp, Farm News Editor

Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager