Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Monday, June 28, 2021
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Bye OKC- Hello Tulsa- Oklahoma FFA Convention Moving to Tulsa
- During
Testimony to Senate Ag Committee, Dr. Glynn Tonsor Encouraged Lawmakers
Not to Take Action That Could Harm Quality of Cattle Market
- Senator Jim Inhofe Leads Effort to Protect GPS Across the US
- OSU's Courtney Bir With All The Buzz About Bees And Their Impact As Pollinators
- Ag Committee Reviews Efficacy of the Farm Safety Net
- Biofuels Coalition Disappointed in Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Tenth Circuit’s RFS Refinery Exemption Ruling
- Today is Final Day to Vote to Continue Pecan Federal Marketing Order
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Bye OKC- Hello Tulsa- Oklahoma FFA Convention Moving to Tulsa
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Thousands
of high school students representing 365 FFA chapters are expected to
attend the 96th Oklahoma FFA State Convention and Expo next May 3 and 4
at the BOK Center and COX Business Center in downtown Tulsa. The
convention has previously been held in Oklahoma City for over 30 years
and is known as the state’s largest annual convention of any kind. The
convention will remain in Tulsa through at least 2026, which means the
100th Annual Convention will happen in Tulsa in year five of this
agreement.
This
day had been coming for some time- since the decision by Oklahoma City
to build a new Convention Center and take the old Cox Convention Center
out of service. While the new Convention Center offers a lot of Trade
Show space and meeting rooms- it does not offer an arena within the
facility like the one found in the old Cox center. The first and only
Oklahoma FFA Convention held in the new facility this past May was able
to use Chesapeake Arena for the general sessions(because of Covid)- but
that was not going to be available in normal years the first few days of
May because of the NBA requirements that the home of the Oklahoma City
Thunder be totally available in case the Team was in the Playoffs. With
Tulsa having an available arena (BOK), Oklahoma City became the less
attractive option- even though it is more centrally located.
“We appreciate the city of Tulsa working with Oklahoma FFA to make this happen,” said Trevor Lucas,
state FFA executive secretary. “It feels good to have a new long term
home for our premier event so that we can celebrate member’s successes
and give our sponsors and supporters the recognition they so richly
deserve.”
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During
Testimony to Senate Ag Committee, Dr. Glynn Tonsor Encouraged Lawmakers
Not to Take Action That Could Harm Quality of Cattle Market
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During his opening comments before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee this past week, Dr. Glynn Tonsor,
Kansas State University Extension livestock market economist, said it
is important not to harm the current high quality beef market.
I
encourage the industry to proceed forward in a manner that does not
deteriorate economic benefits of the industry’s evolution in recent
decades to improve beef quality and align effort with beef demand
signals, Tonsor said.
The KSU economist noted the U.S. beef cattle industry is the envy of the world.
He
said the current high quality of beef is the result of the alternative
marketing arrangements that have been in place the past several years.
Lawmakers and others want to mandate higher cash cattle trade levels, but Tonsor said that comes with a risk.
Eventually
I would think you would lose market share in not only the export market
but in domestic food service and retail because you’re competing with
other proteins. Tonsor said.
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Senator Jim Inhofe Leads Effort to Protect GPS Across the US
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Members of Congress introduced
bipartisan legislation this past week to keep GPS reliable and ensure
unfair cost burdens won’t fall on U.S. farmers or other end users who
rely on the network to operate safely and efficiently.
The Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer
Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications
Act, or RETAIN, was introduced by U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (R-R.I.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) in response to the Federal Communication Commission’s Ligado Order.
Last week, on the Senate floor- Senator Inhofe talked about the importance of GPS for the ag community- "Farmers
and ranchers depend on GPS and satellite communication when planting
crops, applying fertilizer, and during harvesting operations to move
large and critical machinery with precision." (View the video by
clicking on the graphic above)
The problem is something called the
Ligado Order- Senator Inhofe explains his concerns in the video and
details how the RETAIN Act would protect GPS here in the US.
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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
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Courtney Bir With All The Buzz About Bees And Their Impact As Pollinators
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This week is declared National Pollinator Week by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, which was designed to increase awareness about pollinators and their impact.
One of the most efficient and prevalent pollinators: Bees.
Associate Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with Courtney Bir, Oklahoma State University Extension farm management specialist and assistant professor of agricultural economics.
“Bees
are really important pollinators along with other species such as
butterflies, bats, and even common house flies,” Bir said. “We want to
make sure we have strong pollinator species so that we can rely on them
to pollinate crops, have food to eat, and do it in the most economical
way.”
There are many different species of bees, Bir said, and they do a great job of pollinating crops, plants and gardens.
“Native
pollinators in Oklahoma do a great job, but crops like watermelon,
cantaloupe and seed alfalfa do better when there are more pollinators,”
Bir said. “This poses an opportunity for larger beekeepers and farmers
to team up for increased pollination that can help crops produce higher
yields.”
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network weekdays-
if you missed this morning's Farm News -
or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click below for this
morning's Farm news from Ron Hays and KC Sheperd on RON.
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Ag Committee Reviews Efficacy of the Farm Safety Net
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On
Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General
Farm Commodities and Risk Management met to assess the efficacy of the
current farm safety net as lawmakers begin the lengthy process of
considering what changes might be needed to enhance or bridge current
inadequacies in farm programs leading up to the development of the 2023
Farm Bill.
In her opening comments, Chairwoman Cheri Bustos
(D-IL), stated “This is an important hearing to get input from
producers about how the 2018 Farm Bill programs are working and to get a
better understanding of what is happening in the countryside.” Bustos
added, “The information we gather from you today and in future hearings
is critically important in our work to ensure that help is there when
times are tough and when disaster strikes.”
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Glenn “GT” Thompson
(R-PA) outlined his guiding principles for disaster programs during the
subcommittee hearing and stated in his opening comments, that “Whether
it be a natural disaster that can wipe out a crop at a moment’s notice, a
foreign government that interferes with a market, or a pandemic that
disrupts the entire supply chain producers are in a constant battle to
remain viable. That is why a strong safety net is a critical piece of
rebuilding a robust rural economy.”
The three principles that Representative Thompson outlined included:
· The program must complement rather than compete with crop insurance;
· The program should be easy to implement, and;
· The program should be reliable and respond quickly to disaster events.
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Biofuels Coalition Disappointed in Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Tenth Circuit’s RFS Refinery Exemption Ruling
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A coalition of renewable fuel and farm groups expressed “extreme disappointment” in today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning
a 2020 appellate court ruling that struck down three improper small
refinery exemptions granted by previous EPA administrators. However,
because certain elements of the appellate court ruling were left
unchallenged and were not reviewed by the Supreme Court, the groups
remain optimistic that the Biden administration will discontinue the
past administration’s flagrant abuse of the refinery exemption program.
Today’s
decision stems from a May 2018 challenge brought against EPA in the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by the Renewable Fuels
Association, the National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers
Union, and the American Coalition for Ethanol, working together as the
Biofuels Coalition. The petitioners argued that the small refinery
exemptions were granted in direct contradiction to the statutory text
and purpose of the RFS.
In
January 2020, the Tenth Circuit decided that EPA cannot “extend”
exemptions to any small refineries whose earlier, temporary exemptions
had lapsed. According to the Circuit Court ruling, “the statute limits
exemptions to situations involving ‘extensions,’ with the goal of
forcing the market to accept escalating amounts of renewable fuels over
time.” While the Supreme Court failed to affirm this portion of the
Tenth Circuit decision, the Biofuels Coalition pointed out that the
appellate court also ruled that EPA’s exemption decisions must reconcile
the agency’s consistent findings that all refineries recover the costs
of compliance with the RFS, and that EPA may only use hardship caused by
the RFS to justify granting exemptions. Despite today’s Supreme Court
decision, EPA must still resolve those other aspects of the Tenth
Circuit ruling.
As of today, 70 small refinery exemption petitions remain pending with EPA, for the compliance years 2011-2020.
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Four Oklahoma Schools Receive School Garden Kits on Behalf of the USDA Speciality Crop Block Grant
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Four
Oklahoma schools and three early childhood educations centers have been
selected to receive school garden kits through the Oklahoma Farm to School program on behalf of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant.
The following schools and early childhood programs have been selected for the two-year grant:
• Guymon Highschool, Guymon
• Stratford Elementary, Stratford
• Oologah Lower Elementary, Oologah
• Wister Public Schools, Wister
• DD Kirkland Childcare Center, Putnam City
• Robert E Lee Early Childhood Education, Durant
• Scissortail Children’s School, Lawton
The
school garden kits include basic garden supplies and equipment, various
plants and seeds, Farm to School and Ag in the Classroom resources,
garden curriculum from the Jr. Master Gardener program, Life Lab signage
for garden beds and materials needed to build raised garden beds. Each
selected school will also receive a $2,000 per year stipend for two
years to support the garden coordinator.
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Today is Final Day to Vote to Continue Pecan Federal Marketing Order
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If you are a U.S.
Pecan Grower who has produced 50,000 pounds of inshell pecans or more
over the four years from October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2020, or who
owns at least 30 pecan acres in the Pecan Belt, you are eligible to cast
your vote for the continuation of the American Pecan Industry's Federal
Marketing Order. Your vote in this first referendum is extremely
important as it's your way of showing the Secretary of Agriculture the
industry's support for the FMO.
Ballots must be mailed back to USDA and postmarked by Monday, June 28, 2021.
USDA will then count all legitimate ballots. If you have any
questions, please contact the USDA office. Abby Campos and
Chris Nissen are conducting and overseeing the election
process and may be reached at:
Abigail Campos
Marketing Specialist
USDA, AMS, Specialty Crops Program
SEMFO
O:863.324.3375 / 863.307.3288
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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.
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Today's First Look:
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
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Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices were mixed on Friday- Choice beef was down $2.86 while Select Beef was up 4 cents.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had 7,800 head of cattle on hand as of early Sunday evening- and General Manage Kelli Payne says they are expecting approximately 8,500 head for today's June 28th sale, which will begin at 8:00 AM.
Compared to the June 14th sale: 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.
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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..
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Okla Cash Grain:
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.
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Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
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
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Rural Oklahoma is full of some of
the greatest success stories throughout the entire state and is the main
reason Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity
will dive into these stories each week, bringing you insight into the
great things happening in and to rural Oklahoma. We will bring you
stories covering rural life, agriculture, energy, healthcare, tourism,
and politics affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
Host Ron Hays sits down 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. He's
a farm boy from western Kansas, who after over 40 years in service to
agriculture, is retiring July 2, 2021. Our conversation with Sam Knipp
is powered by Banc First.
To find out more about our full series of Podcasts on The Road to Rural Prosperity- click or tap here.
To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma Cotton Council, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, Union Mutual Insurance, 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.
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God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
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Tim West
President/General Manager
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
2401 Exchange Avenue,
Suite F
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
405.317.6361
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Ron Hays
Director of Farm Programming
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
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