Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 10/19/2017 6:17 AM
To: ron@ronhays.com



 
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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 Carson Horn on RON.
 

  
  
Let's Check the Markets!  
MarketLinks 
 
 
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.
 
 
   
Finished cattle prices 
averaged $109.00 this Wednesday on FedCattleExchange.com - 919 cattle were offered with only 230 head actually sold. Click here to see their complete market results.
 
 
OKC West reported yearlings sold 5.00 to 7.00 lower Wednesday, 
compared to a week ago - click or tap here for a look at the October 18th sale results.   
 
 
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.
  
  
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
    Thursday,  October 19, 2017

Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 
CattleIndustryLetterOklahoma Cattle Industry Leaders Push Back Against Out of State Activists Opposing Okahoma Beef Checkoff Vote
 
We received the following statement Wednesday evening that has been signed by a whole host of Oklahoma Cattle Industry leaders. The names of those supporting this statement are at the bottom of this Story

"It has come to our attention that out-of-state activist groups have either filed or are considering filing a lawsuit to stop the current refundable Oklahoma Beef Checkoff referendum. Earlier this month, one of the out-of-state groups sent out a memo casting a wide net searching for a state beef producer to file the suit. This follows the current misinformation campaign that Organization of Competitive Markets (OCM), Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and R-Calf are leading in our state to discourage and deny beef producers the right to vote.

"We are confident in our handling of this referendum and know our actions will withstand the scrutiny. We worked closely with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF),and followed and abided by the state statute when conducting the petition and current checkoff vote. As for the voting process, we have even taken it upon ourselves to put extra measures in place to ensure the integrity of the vote.

"It's worth noting:

        "ODAFF held a public hearing on June 14, 2017 before certifying the petition allowing for the referendum

       "Individuals who pay the assessment have been able to vote in checkoff referendums since 1988, and in subsequent states checkoff referendums

        "By state law this state checkoff, is refundable, upon request.

    
"It's unfortunate out-of-state activist groups are meddling in our state's referendum and beef industry by working to keep Oklahoma beef producers from voting in an Oklahoma state beef checkoff.

"These petty process tactics by out-of-state activist groups have no place in the Oklahoma beef industry."


The current leadership of the Oklahoma Cattlemen, Oklahoma Cattlewomen and the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association all signed this open letter- click or tap here to see the names of everyone who associate their name to this effort to get ahead of the OCM and R-Calf as they plan a lawsuit to try to derail the vote now underway in Oklahoma to decide whether or not cattle producers want a secondary state beef checkoff in the state.



Dr. Jayson Lusk, former OSU professor and now Department Head of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, was honored at a World Food Prize side event, where he was named the winner of the Borlaug CAST Communication Award.


Recipients of CAST's annual award are science/ag experts who demonstrate an ability to communicate through written material, public presentations, and various forms of media. Lusk is described in a statement announcing his award, as a consummate communicator who promotes agricultural science and technology in the public arena.


Lusk uses multiple forms of media to advocate for science, but one of his most notable platforms is his blog, which explores how innovation and growth in agriculture are critical for food security and global progress. One of those who nominated Lusk for the award said, "his perspective is often surprising, and he engages the reader." 


Upon accepting his award, Lusk presented on an emerging food movement and offered considerations on how to engage consumers who mistrust technology and innovation in food production. Lusk points out that productivity and sustainability have improved with tech advancements. Using facts and surveys, he showed that precision agriculture benefits us all. He then stressed the importance of considering consumers and their values when communicating with the public. In an era of misinformation and polarization, Lusk says he is optimistic about "the future of food."


Before diving into academic work at Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, and now Purdue, Lusk obtained a B.S. in food technology from Texas Tech and his Ph.D in agricultural economics from Kansas State. In 2015, he was named a fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, and he has served on councils, chaired committees, written extensively, and has become a valued voice in the realm of agricultural sciences.
 
 
Click here to read more about Lusk and his award, given to him during the 2017 World Food Prize event.

Sponsor Spotlight
 
 
It's great 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. 


American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall chimed in, yesterday, to the national discussion surrounding the USDA's decision to scrap the so-called GIPSA rules, that many argued would have led to increased litigation against packers and processors and such companies producing their own livestock.


Duvall agreed with this position in comments released Wednesday by AFBF, calling the move, "good news for farmers and ranchers."


"We thank Secretary Perdue for his diligent efforts on these rules," he said. "The livestock Scope rule would have disrupted key marketing arrangements in our livestock sectors."


Critics of the withdrawal, though, say the rule would have leveled the playing field for independent producers when dealing with the packing companies, who some claim treat producers unfairly.


Duvall acknowledged those concerns, and suggested he would continue to lead AFBF's collaboration with agency officials to properly address and resolve any unfairness happening in the livestock industry.


"As to the Unfair and Undue Preferences rule, we encourage the agency to continue to work toward solutions that protect our farmers and ranchers from unjust practices and strengthen GIPSA's ability to enforce these issues," Duvall remarked. "In particular, we urge the department to continue working to achieve more fairness for growers."


He went on to say that, "the USDA can and should stop predatory practices that continue in the chicken industry." 


Click here to read Duvall's complete comments in reference to the USDA's withdrawal of the controversial GIPSA rules.


Oklahoma's 3rd District Representative Frank Lucas, announced this week he will cosponsor a bill entitled the Securing All Livestock Equitably (S.A.L.E.) Act.


If passed, the SALE Act would offer protections to sale barns and livestock producers from the recurring trend of defaults of livestock dealers by placing livestock sold to a dealer, and proceeds/receivables from already sold livestock, in a trust until the original seller has been paid, ensuring that producers and livestock auctions have a legal recourse in the event of a dealer default and/or bankruptcy.


The bill was introduced by Congressman Roger Marshall, and has received strong bipartisan support. By current law, according to Marshall, livestock producers and markets are vulnerable to being cheated out of millions of dollars of cattle while creditors are unfairly given priority, even though the cattle in question were never paid for.


"This bill would assure that producers and markets are paid for cattle," Marshall said.


By cosponsoring this bill, Congressman Lucas says he hopes to repair and improve the current level of confidence in the cattle markets.


"I cosponsored the S.A.L.E. Act so that we can implement protections in the cattle transaction process to ensure producers and livestock marketers are fully compensated for their hard work," Lucas said.


Read more about the SALE Act and how it will improve the protections provided to sale barns and livestock producers in the event of dealer default, by clicking here.




Cattle markets this fall have outperformed most people's expectations, especially in regards to stocker and yearling markets. Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel, includes himself among those surprised by the welcomed strength in markets this year, after watching them tumble over the last few years around this season. He talked this week with me about what exactly is happening.


According to Peel, the price of light weight stocker calves have dropped since August as they typically do, but only by about half as much as normal during this period - showing some relatively fair strength. On the other hand, heavier weight feeders are actually running about 8 percent above August levels with very strong demand.


"When you raise the big end relative to the light end, you start to change that stocker signal in there - offering more value of gain," Peel explained. "That's fairly typical this time of year, but maybe even a little more pronounced this year."


Peel says this is especially surprising, given the fact that feeder supplies are up. In fact, he notes that in Oklahoma's combined auction totals, the state has ran 11 percent more feeder cattle compared to a year ago during the past six weeks. Even more surprising, he says, is that this is happening while wheat pastures remain undeveloped thanks to various planting delays.


"I think because there is pretty good forage conditions in general, there's been good stocker demand," Peel said. "I think a lot of stocker cattle are kind of stashed out on pasture waiting for that wheat pasture to get there and as a result, we've continued to see these strong prices even with bigger numbers this fall."


Listen to Peel and I discuss the unexpectedly strong performance of cattle markets this fall, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - 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!


With a third year of herd expansion, the world's largest branded beef program knew it would have both a challenge and an opportunity with supply, heading into the 2017 fiscal year.


According to Certified Angus Beef, those in ranching, retail and foodservice took full advantage.


"2017 for Certified Angus Beef will mark the 13th consecutive year of growth," said John Stika, president of Certified Angus Beef LLC. "It will mark the 11th record sales year in a row and now the second time that Certified Angus Beef brand sales have tallied more than a billion pounds, coming in at 1,120,000,000 as we close our fiscal year."


That increase came from all areas-each division from international to foodservice to retail saw growth.


Stika first credits cattlemen and women for producing more high-quality beef to sell.


"This past year, we had a record 29.6 percent of all Angus cattle meet our 10 specifications for quality. That says a lot about what cattlemen have built," Stika said. "To give that some perspective, if you go back to 2006, Certified Angus Beef acceptance rates were only 14 percent. If you look beyond that, on a carcass count basis, Certified Angus Beef only represented 6.6 percent of the entire fed cattle industry at that time."


In 2006, U-S-D-A Select was 37.5 percent of the total. Today, C-A-B makes up 18.4 percent of the entire fed cattle industry-a greater percentage than Select.


With that kind of success, one question remains - Can the brand continue to grow year after year?


To find out Stika's answer - you can continue reading this story or watch a video clip featuring Stika, talk about how partners all along the beef chain helped the brand achieve yet another milestone, by clicking over to our website.
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.

 

NACDSoil Health Champion Brendon Rockey of Colo. Receives NAPPC-NACD's U.S. Farmer-Rancher Award

Brendon Rockey, a potato farmer at Rockey Farms located in Center, Colorado was named a Soil Health Champion by the National Association of Conservation Districts, last year, for his innovative work supporting a diverse pollinator population. In recognition of his continued service as an advocate for conservation practices and his mentorship to many of the Soil Health Champions Network's 170 members - he was also honored last night, with this year's NAPPC-NACD U.S. Farmer-Rancher Award during the 17th Annual North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) Conference in Washington, D.C.


According to a news release announcing the award, the NAPPC-NACD U.S. Farmer-Rancher Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to pollinator protection, conservation, and issue outreach resulting in increased awareness of the importance of pollinators and pollination within the agricultural community. 


Under Rockey's direction, Rockey Farms has become a leader in the biotic approach to farming. Rockey employs the use of companion crops, livestock, green manure fields, and flowering strips - instead of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. His system supports soil health and attracts beneficial insects that defend against aphids and thrips.


Rockey also uses nectar plants in his potato greenhouse to create beneficial insect habitat and has eliminated the need for insecticide. He has begun incorporating a legume heavy mix of companion crops, too, that fix nitrogen, mobilize phosphorus, and host pollinators.


During the winter months, Rockey travels North America sharing his successes, and in 2017, went as far as France and Belgium. He shares this year's award with Canadian farmer and rancher, Antony John, of Soiled Reputation.


Click or tap here to read more details about Rockey's commitment to environmental stewardship and pollinator conservation.


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentAmerican Farmers & Ranchers, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National StockyardsOklahoma Farm BureauStillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma AgCredit, the Oklahoma Beef Councilthe 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 appreciate our Market Links Sponsor - OKC West Livestock! 
 
 
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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