Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Wednesday, March 30, 2022 |
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Wildfires and Wind and a Little Rain Across Oklahoma-Ahead of That KC Talks with Gary McManus
- Oklahoma AgCredit Pays Record $11.5 Million Patronage Return
- So Far So Good- Derrell Peel Sees Beef Demand Hanging in There as First Qtr 2022 Ends
- Reversing Course- EPA Expands Use of Enlist Products to 134 Additional Counties for the 2022 Growing Season
- Greg Willis at Okie Hunts Helping Producers Manage Hunting Leases
- Mark Johnson on Spring 2022 Replacement Heifer Management
- Names In the News on the Move
- The Yeas and Nays on the Updated Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act
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Wildfires and Wind and a Little Rain Across Oklahoma-Ahead of That KC Talks with Gary McManus |
A strong front has rolled across the state- triggering wildfires, a few thunderstorms and wind and rain- helping some parts of the state with rainfall amounts up to an inch and a half- Mesonet sites like Washington, Seminole and Holdenville. Much of the state got little moisture to help with drought conditions.
Click on the Mesonet Rainfall map above to see the latest rainfall amounts in real time.
Parts of eastern Oklahoma still getting some good rains early this morning. Colder air is coming in across the state as we write this early on Wednesday- and more winds behind this latest front.
Ahead of the storm- Oklahoma Farm Report's KC Sheperd talked with State Climatologist Gary McManus about the wind and storms that rolled in last night- as well as the day of fire danger we experienced on Tuesday.
Even though we've seen some above-average temps the past few weeks in the state, McManus says there's still a possibility of snow and a hard freeze in the weeks to come, "Our Average last freeze for spring is usually the first week of April. When we figure out those averages, that comes with a range, later into April to the earlier end of march, so it depends on where you end up that year." McManus echoed that in the next seven days, the forecast does show some colder temps for the next few days "Freezes can happen well into April in Oklahoma."
The weather experts say that Oklahoma's tornado season typically begins in late April and runs through June, but it varies based on the year. McManus said now is the time to start cleaning out your storm shelters and being prepared. High Winds are always a possibility in Oklahoma, so he says it's essential to clear the brush around your property and make some good fire breaks as fire danger is always a possibility.
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Oklahoma AgCredit Pays Record $11.5 Million Patronage Return |
Oklahoma AgCredit, the state’s largest agricultural lending cooperative, will pay its members a record $11.5 million Patronage return this week. This Patronage return reduces each eligible member’s interest rate by just over half a percent.
Chief Financial Officer for Oklahoma AgCredit, Malinda Thimmesch, talked with me about the record Patronage going out to members. She says it effectively lowers the interest rate that borrowers are having to pay. Our conversation can be found in our webstory if you click the blue button at the bottom of this report.
When a farmer, rancher, agribusiness owner or rural homeowner opens a loan with Oklahoma AgCredit, they become a member of the cooperative. As a member, they have an opportunity to share in the cooperative’s financial success through the Patronage Program. Oklahoma AgCredit distributes returns based on the amount of interest expense on each member’s loan(s).
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So Far So Good- Derrell Peel Sees Beef Demand Hanging in There as First Qtr 2022 Ends |
Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel says so far so good for US Beef Demand in 2022 even in the face of higher beef prices staring consumers in the face when they walk down the supermarket aisles in the fresh meat section. "You know so far, demand seems to be holding up well, prices are high- there's a lot of talk about high prices and pushback- but we are not seeing much."
Peel tells yours truly that as we approach April- it's the time of year when beef demand has several things going for it. "when we get into April, we'll be buying beef in anticipation of Memorial Day and the beginning of grilling season." He adds it's not just beef prices that are up- it's also chicken and pork prices that are also higher- "For the consumers, it's kinda painful all the way around but it all comes down to relative prices and beef seems to be hanging in there pretty well."
Peel and Hays also talk about current cattle supplies and when we might see tighter numbers of cattle in our feedlots. Dr. Peel says the big unknown factor is how much drought the cattle industry will have to deal with as we hit the second and third quarters of 2022. More drought could force cattle off pasture and into feedlots ahead of when you might normally expect them to be arriving.
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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 daily report heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk!
Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report
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Reversing Course- EPA Expands Use of Enlist Products to 134 Additional Counties for the 2022 Growing Season |
About Face!!! That is what happened on Tuesday as the EPA has taken a deep breath- and has reversed a controversial labeling of Corteva's Enlist One and Enlist Duo. The Agency was picking and choosing which counties they were going to allow the products to be used in across nine states- including Oklahoma.
But in a letter to Corteva- the EPA now says "The amendment approved through this letter removes use prohibitions in certain counties in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas."
The letter and the revised label for the products can be seen by clicking on the PDF file at the bottom of this story.
Congressman Frank Lucas and several of his colleagues were loudly complaining to the EPA over the uneven handling of this labeling process- click here for their comments from earlier this week- and you can go back six weeks to Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur's letter that also complained of how farmers in many Oklahoma counties were going to be kicked to the curb and not allowed to use the products.
Congressman Lucas offers this statement after word surfaced that EPA had reversed course:
“The EPA’s decision to expand the use of Enlist products to include all of Oklahoma’s counties is extremely welcome news and gives our farmers and agriculture community the certainty they deserve this upcoming growing season,” said Congressman Lucas. “Oklahoma’s farmers prepare months and months in advance for growing seasons, with many purchasing the equipment, fertilizer, and herbicide they need to help feed our communities well before they harvest their previous crop.
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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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Sponsor Spotlight
It's Almost Here!
Make Plans to attend the Oklahoma City Farm Show, coming April 7-8-9, 2022. Admission and Parking are free.
Exhibits include all of the latest in agriculture with a full line of displays, including tractor, sprayer, tillage, harvest equipment, cattle management products, and more. In addition to indoor and outdoor exhibits, daily horse training seminars, cattle chute demonstrations, cattle grading competitions, and prize drawings make the Oklahoma Farm Show a don't-miss event.
Click here for more details about the 2022 Oklahoma City Farm - presented by Midwest Farm Shows.
And give Show Manager Penny Swank a call if you are interested in exhibiting in next week's show- they have a handful of spaces available- Penny can be reached at (507) 437-7969
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Greg Willis at Okie Hunts Helping Producers Manage Hunting Leases |
Since 1999, Okie Hunts has been one of Oklahoma's leading Hunting Lease land services for farmers, landowners, deer hunters, and other types of hunters.
Farm Director KC Sheperd spoke with owner Greg Willis. He said this gives landowners peace of mind when leasing their hunting land because you don't have to worry about people leaving the gates open, littering, or having people not approved to hunt on the land. He said it's also helpful because you don't have to go through the hassle of finding quality hunters, "It's kind of a hassle to keep your hand leased out every year to find good quality hunters that you can trust over time. So that's another reason that legal documentation is a big part of it. We've had an attorney draw up our lease agreement with the waiver, and we also put insurance on the property."
Willis said they provide different types of hunts, including wild hogs, deer, and other gaming animals, "In our description on our website, it'll say what type of animals they see on the property, and we'll grab that information directly from the land."
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OSU's Mark Johnson on Spring 2022 Replacement Heifer Management |
Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialists, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner" published electronically. Today Mark Johnson is talking about managing replacement heifers.
With much of Oklahoma in various degrees of drought over the past several months, winter grazing has been generally poor for most of our state this year. If you are selecting yearling heifers as replacements for the cowherd there are several things to keep in mind:
- Typical “best management” goal for development of replacement heifers is to have them at 65% of their mature weight by 14-15 months of age. Research indicates 90% or more of heifers reaching this goal will be cycling at the beginning of breeding season and on target to calve at two-years of age.
- Research also indicates that if heifers are at 55% of their mature weight by 14-15 months of age, only half will be cycling. If this is the situation you find yourself in right now and your planned breeding season is in the near future, adjust your rate of heifer retention up accordingly, pregnancy check heifers as soon as possible after pulling bulls and market the open heifers as yearlings this summer.
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Names in the News on the Move |
Kay Johnson Smith has a new gig after spending 28 years with the Animal Ag Alliance. She's headed our direction as she is leaving the Washington, DC area and bound for the Dallas metroplex to become the chief operating officer of Dairy MAX, leading key areas of the business including consumer marketing, corporate communications, issues management, health and wellness and school marketing.
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The void at Animal Ag Alliance was filled quickly as Hannah Thompson- Weeman has been selected to follow Smith.
The Animal Agriculture Alliance board of directors has announced that Hannah Thompson-Weeman, currently serving as the Alliance’s vice president, strategic engagement, has been named the organization’s new president and CEO. Thompson-Weeman will assume the role on May 1 prior to the departure of longtime president and CEO Kay Johnson Smith.
Thompson-Weeman joined the Alliance in 2014 as director of communications and since that time has been promoted to vice president of communications before assuming her current role leading strategic engagement.
She has led the Alliance’s issues management, crisis communications, animal rights extremist monitoring and influencer engagement work, as well as played an integral role in connecting with supporters and developing Alliance programs such as the Stakeholders Summit, Animal Ag Allies and College Aggies Online.
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Another name that has been surfaced that we wanted to spotlight is the former Chief Technology Officer for Monsanto, Robb Fraley. Fraley has just been named as the newest Board Member for the company Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, Inc., a pre-commercial stage agricultural technology company focused on providing natural and sustainable herbicide solutions.
"I'm very impressed by Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions' technology and the field performance of their natural herbicide formulations," said Dr. Fraley. "There is an incredible need to continuously improve our food system and the introduction of new, more sustainable herbicide alternatives will further enable farmers to produce high-quality food without negatively impacting soil, waterways and their neighboring environments. At the same time, researching and developing new herbicide tolerance crop systems, that will enable expansion of natural chemistry, will dramatically shape the future of agriculture."
Another name caught my eye in the release on Dr. Fraley- and that is the CEO of the company adding him to their Board of Directors.
That gentlemen is the former top hired hand for the Noble Research Institute- Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions CEO Bill Buckner.
It's a small world.
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The Yeas and Nays on the Updated Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act
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This week, Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a revised Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act.
The updated bill comes after hours of deliberation with leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee and weeks of technical feedback from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The U.S. Cattlemen's Association's (USCA) Marketing and Competition Committee will review the proposed revisions- but it appears that USCA is a "yea" on the lynchpin part of the proposal- government directed mandated cash cattle trade.
USCA President Brooke Miller issued the following statement:
“Thank you to Senators Fischer, Grassley, Tester, and Wyden for their relentless pursuit to advance legislation that strengthens the bottom line of the U.S. cattle producer. There has never been this much momentum for industry change, both in the countryside and in the Capitol.
"USCA stands with county, state, and national producer associations across the U.S. in supporting mandatory cash trade minimums - a concept that is also supported by the majority of Senate Agriculture Committee members."
Read more of the USCA's early take on the legislation by clicking here.
Less favorable is the take on the measure from R-Calf- “R-CALF USA’s cattle producer, member-driven policy has led us to ask many specific questions regarding the Fischer-Grassley compromise bill,” said Brett Kenzy, R-CALF USA President. “Our questions have and continue to go unanswered. We continue to fire out questions about this bill because it is so vague and ambiguous, and yet no one seems to have any answers.”
The North American Meat Institute continues to oppose any of the government mandates on the marketing of cattle- from their news release-- "The North American Meat Institute today said the latest version of the Grassley-Fischer government mandate bill is now more onerous and more irrelevant as market driven prices for cattle producers have steadily risen to seven-year highs.
“Supply and demand has already driven the cattle markets back into balance without the radical government interference and convoluted mandates called for in the latest draft of the Grassley-Fischer bill,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “Make no mistake, the bill still contains government mandates directing how producers market their cattle.”
Still to come- Ethan Lane of NCBA weighing in on the Grassley-Fischer Bill in the Beef Buzz we will feature in the Email tomorrow.
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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. Choice Beef was up 63 cents and Select Beef was down $1.48 on Tuesday 3/29/2022.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had a final number of 8,426 head on Monday, March 28, 2022.
Compared to last week: Feeder steers 2.00 - 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers 1.00 - 3.00 higher. Stocker cattle 5.00 - 9.00 higher. Steer calves 7.00 - 10.00 higher with instances 15.00 higher. Heifer calves 5.00 - 9.00 higher with instances 14.00 higher. Demand very good for light weight cattle; moderate to good for feeder cattle. Quality average to attractive. Last week's Cattle on Feed report showed record placements. Very dry conditions coupled with high wheat prices had producers marketing cattle early. Many expecting lighter runs come May.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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OKC West in El Reno had 2,000 calves for their Tuesday calf run on March 29, 2022.
Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold 8.00-12.00 higher with exception of grazing cattle over 600 lbs up to as much as 15.00 higher. Demand very good for all classes. Quality average to mostly attractive. Recent rains and warm temperature have graze out buyers optimistic.
Looking to the Wednesday Yearling Sale- OKC West is expecting 5,000 head- 2,000 Feeder Heifers at 9:00 am
3,000 Feeder Steers at 12:00 pm.
Click on the button below for details of the trade as compiled by the USDA Market News Service.
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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/Ranch Broadcaster and Editor
KC Sheperd, Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
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 a big reason why Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity dives into these stories, bringing 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.
Our Latest RRP features Don Schieber, the 2022 winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Agriculture Award, which is the highest award given by the Governor of Oklahoma to honor distinguished Oklahoma agriculture producers. This prestigious award honors leaders in the agriculture industry who exemplify personal values, performance, and achievement.
Governor Kevin Stitt presented Schieber his award during the Oklahoma celebration of Ag Day on March 24th- after riding with the honoree in a mule drawn wagon up Lincoln Blvd to the front steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Schieber is the 25th award winner and becomes the newest inductee into the Oklahoma Ag Hall of Fame. Ron and Don talk about his career in production agriculture- his work on behalf of wheat farmers with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and US Wheat Associates that included traveling to 26 countries taking the Oklahoma wheat production story to buyers of wheat around the world. Don is a major supporter of the wheat breeding work of Dr. Brett Carver- having provided ground on his farm in Kay County for an OSU wheat Variety Field Plot for 17 years.
Search for Road to Rural Prosperity and subscribe on your favorite Podcast platform.
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, 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
Rural Oklahoma Networks
405-317-6361
***************
Mike Henderson
Director of Sales
405-615-4922
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KC Sheperd
Farm Director
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405-443-5717
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Ron Hays
Senior Farm/Ranch Broadcaster
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
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