Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
|
|
Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- SQ820 Misses Deadline to Make November Ballot- Unless Supreme Court Makes Exception to State Law
- Oklahoma Leading the Nation in Flood Control Dam Rehabilitation
- Representative Pfeiffer talks High Points in Upcoming Legislative Session
- Southern Plains Perspective: Get Your Farm in the Fight
- Jaymelynn Farney Provides Insight on Good Forage Options for Cattle Producers in Fall 2022
- The Economics of Food Production and the Role of Inflation
- OKFB Wraps up 2022 August Area Meetings, Grassroots Policy Development Process Moves Forward
- USSEC Highlights Sustainability, Reliability, Quality of U.S. Soy to Global Audience During Soy Connext
|
SQ820 Misses Deadline to Make November Ballot- Unless Supreme Court Makes Exception to State Law |
The Oklahoma Supreme Court heard an oral presentation Friday, August 26 after a group associated with State Question 820, a potential measure that would legalize recreational marijuana, filed a petition to circumvent Oklahoma’s state statute requiring the completion of a number of procedures before a state question can appear on a ballot.
In the state of Oklahoma, any race or measure appearing on the November 8 ballot must be cleared and given to the state election board by August 26. This allows the election board to create, revise and print ballots with ample time to send absentee ballots to voters by September 23.
Michelle Tilley Nichols and Michelle Jones petitioned the Oklahoma Supreme Court to assume original jurisdiction and overrule the statutory process to advance SQ 820 to the November 8 ballot. This would omit remaining procedural steps that would cause SQ 820 to miss the August 26 deadline.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation joined forces with the State Chamber Research Foundation Legal Center and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association to submit an amicus curiae – or “friend of the court” – brief in support of the state election board.
The group urged the Supreme Court to preserve the integrity of the state statute to ensure a fair and equal process for all state questions, both current and past.
The court did not issue a ruling before the election board’s deadline, leaving SQ 820 off the November 8 ballot for the time being.
|
Oklahoma Leading the Nation in Flood Control Dam Rehabilitation |
Following the Upper Elk Creek Dam 23D rededication ceremony, Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, visited with the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Trey Lam. Lam talks about the highlights of water-related restoration in Roger Mills and Beckham County, and conservation efforts around the state.
“We just finished construction on Elk Creek 23D, which is one of about 35 dams, specifically four that sit just above the town of Elk City and protect Elk City,” Lam said. “If those dams weren’t there or they happened to fail, there would be up to nine feet of water in many businesses and homes in Elk City and kind of flowing down through a mobile home park to the McDonalds, and also it would affect the interstate.”
The dam was a 4.3-million-dollar project, Lam said, where they went in and raised the height of the dam so that it will protect people better.
“It is a federal, state and local partnership between the USDA, Natural Resource Conservation Service, our agency- the Conservation Commission, and the local conservation district, which is the north fork of the red river conservation district,” Lam said. “Oklahoma has 2107 flood control dams and these not only protect homes and towns, but also farms and farmland, county roads and bridges.”
Lam said Oklahoma has more flood control dams than any other state and leads the nation in the rehabilitation of those dams.
|
The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program knows this is a hard time for farmers and ranchers. We want you to know we are still open, and we are still here for you. The Ag Mediation program is a free service that provides mediation to agriculture producers who may need help with ag-related disputes.
At Oklahoma Ag Mediation, we have been helping people in agriculture resolve conflicts since 1987. We know firsthand about working together to resolve conflicts, so you don’t have to go through the court systems. Let our professional mediators help you. Mediation is allowed for lease issues, farmer/neighbor disputes, family farm transitions, and more. These services are available at no cost for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers in all 77 counties. For more information, you can go to ok.gov/mediation, or give us a call at 800 248 5465.
|
Representative Pfeiffer talks High Points in Upcoming Legislative Session |
At the 2022 Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association annual meeting in Stillwater, Okla., Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to visit with member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, John Pfeiffer, talking about needs for wheat growers and what to expect when the legislative session opens back up.
“Most of my districts say we need rain,” Pfeiffer said. “If we could legislate rain, life would be so much easier. Unfortunately, we can’t, and it will come in its own good time. We have lived through these tough times before.”
As for lawmakers going back into session soon, Pfeiffer said before the regular session, they will most likely go into another special session to finish out the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money.
“The federal money that came in through the states- the committee is working through that, and I believe before too long we will see ourselves going back into special session,” Pfeiffer said. “We have done the first round which went to water infrastructure- roads and bridges, things like that.”
This last time, Pfeiffer said they will finish dividing out close to 1.8 billion dollars before prices continue to go up.
“Going into regular session, I think we are going to continue to work on medical marijuana issues,” Pfeiffer said. “It is going to be interesting to see as Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority becomes its own state agency and out from under the umbrella of the health department, how much better that gets.”
|
|
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
|
|
Southern Plains Perspective: Get Your Farm in the Fight |
There is a new blog post out on the Southern Plains Perspective by Clay Pope talking about taking action to continue to feed and clothe the world.
I love history. I am one of those weirdos who would rather watch a documentary about the Mongol conquest of Asia than waist time on the latest reality show craze. I give credit for this strange behavior to my elementary school Principal. When I was in 5th grade, he made me write a report on a different President every week for a couple of months as punishment for getting into a playground fistfight. No recess, no lunch hours–just me setting in the library next to his office studying about the individuals who had led our country. Then, at the end of each week I had to turn in to him my report and make an oral presentation on what I had learned. Two weeks into this “punishment” I was hooked. I have loved history ever since.
When I say I love history, it’s not just the big events and great individuals who have pranced across the stage that I’m enamored with. More and more I have become fascinated about how various choices made by individual citizens have led to turns of events that eventually shaped the word we live in. No one is an island. I truly believe that history teaches that every single one of us has a role to play in what is happening now and that our actions will help shape the future.
|
|
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.
|
Sponsor Spotlight
National Livestock was founded in 1932 in Oklahoma City. National’s Marketing Division offers cattle for sale weekly at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City. The Finance Division lends money to ranchers across several states for cattle production. The Grazing Division works with producers to place cattle for grazing on wheat or grass pastures.
National also owns and operates other livestock marketing subsidiaries including Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction in Ada, Oklahoma, OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the nation’s premier livestock video sale, Superior Livestock Auction. National offers customers many services custom made for today’s producer. To learn more, click here for the website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.
|
|
|
Jaymelynn Farney Provides Insight on Good Forage Options for Cattle Producers in Fall 2022 |
In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am back with Kansas State University associate professor and Beef Systems Specialist, Jaymelynn Farney talking about possible forage options for fall of 2022.
One option for some late-season forage for those who get some rain, Farney said, is forage sorghum.
“I like the sorghum-sudan or forage sorghum the best for a cattle feed just because it does produce more biomass than pearl millet,” Farney said. “Pearl millet is your much safer grazer. Pearl millet doesn’t have prussic acid. If you want to turn out on that you are pretty good.”
If grazing management is practiced correctly on sorghum-sudan, Farney said prussic acid should not be much of an issue. Some rules of thumb to follow when grazing sorghum-sudan, Farney said, are to not turn out until two feet tall, do not graze it below eight inches and not for more than ten days.
“Typically, if we have normal, good rains, in about 28 days you can rotate back onto that sorghum-sudan, so when I designed some grazing paddock sytems, I like to have at least four paddocks,” Farney said. “In a perfect rain event, you graze each paddock for 10 days, then by the time you are back you are up to 30 days, hopefully you are up to a foot tall.”
Allowing your forage to go below two feet, Farney said, is a recipe for disaster.
“Immediately after a drought breaking rain, you can have high prussic acid because those plants are going to grow as fast as they can, especially if they are in shorter,” Farney said. “So, you do need to make sure that you implement those.”
Farney said in her own experience grazing sorghum-sudan, which is quite frequently, she has had minimal issues.
“I know in Oklahoma there has been some big outbreaks and negatives,” Farney said. “If you stick religiously to those rules of thumb, you are less likely to have an issue.”
|
The Economics of Food Production and the Role of Inflation |
Each time a consumer steps into the grocery store, they can’t help but notice the increasing prices. There’s no doubt we are experiencing massive inflation, and groceries are one of the areas where families are seeing it the most. Many people want to know why inflation is greatly impacting the cost of our groceries.
According to a USDA Report, in 2020, expenditures on food were estimated at an average of about 12% of an American’s household budget. Since the report was released is it evident that the percentage has increased, consuming more and more of a family household budget.
The most obvious impacts that producers and consumers have faced are the lingering pandemic and the recent conflict between Ukraine and Russia. These may be the most talked about, but there is a much bigger picture to look at for the answers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, our food inflation hit 10.9% in July 2022.This is the highest it has been since 1979. Unfortunately, the basic factors that cause inflation impact all food categories, whether high-end labels, generic brands, fast food, or fine dining.
Until many of the underlying socioeconomic issues are resolved at the root levels, the cycle of high retail prices coupled with difficult farm production and distribution are likely to continue.
|
OKFB Wraps up 2022 August Area Meetings, Grassroots Policy Development Process Moves Forward |
Another year of August Area Meetings has come to a close. Farm Bureau members from every corner of the state gathered for a total of 11 districtwide meetings during the weeks of August 8 and August 15.
August Area Meetings serve as the beginning of Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s grassroots policy development season where members bring forth top issues facing farmers and ranchers. Members who attended the 2022 meetings discussed a variety of topics, including medical marijuana, private property rights, agriculture labor, school vouchers, climate issues, the 2023 farm bill and more.
Members will now take what they discussed to their county resolutions meetings in the coming weeks to draft resolution language to be considered at the state resolutions meeting in mid-October. Resolutions from the state meeting will be heard and voted on at OKFB’s annual meeting in November. These resolutions will guide the work of the organization in the upcoming year.
Resolutions committee assignments
Twenty five counties will serve on the Oklahoma Farm Bureau state resolutions committee, which reviews and approves county-submitted policy resolutions before the proposals are considered by the delegate body at the OKFB annual meeting.
The OKFB state resolutions committee meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18 and Wednesday, Oct. 19 in Oklahoma City. For questions about the resolutions process or the state resolutions meeting, please contact the OKFB public policy department at (405) 523-2300.
|
USSEC Highlights Sustainability, Reliability, Quality of U.S. Soy to Global Audience During Soy Connext |
The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) has earned Silver Level Equivalence when benchmarked with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform)'s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0, a major takeaway from Soy Connext, the global soy summit hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), with support from the soy checkoff. After two days of expert speakers and connection building in San Diego, more than 600 buyers and sellers of U.S. Soy are leaving with a better understanding of the value and advantages delivered by the U.S. soybean industry.
"We're so glad to have had the opportunity to come together in person to strengthen relationships with U.S. Soy's international customers and industry partners," said Jim Sutter, USSEC chief executive officer. "During this year's forum we heard three recurring themes - we're in transformative and volatile times, supply chains continue to face challenges, and consumers are calling for reduced carbon footprints and increased transparency. Soy Connext provides an excellent forum to collaborate so companies can leverage U.S. Soy's superior quality, reliability, and sustainability in response to these challenges."
|
|
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.
|
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.
|
Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices were higher- Choice Beef was down 78 cents Select Beef was up $1.22 on Friday 08/26/2022.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
|
Oklahoma National Stockyards had 6,500 head on Sunday evening- Kelli Payne with the ONSY says they expect to start today's auction 7,000 to 7,500 head. They will begin the auction at 6:30 AM this morning.
Payne also reminds everyone that next Monday is Labor Day- and the Oklahoma National Stockyards will not have a sale on September 5th because of the holiday.
This Past Monday- August 22nd- Compared to the previous week: Feeder steers 4.00 - 8.00 lower, feeder heifers steady to 4.00 lower. Steer calves steady. Heifers calves steady to 4.00 lower. Demand good to moderate. Quality average.
Click below for the complete closing report.
|
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.
|
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior Farm/Ranch Broadcaster and Editor
KC Sheperd, Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
Reagan Calk, Farm News and Email Editor
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
|
|
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.
KC Sheperd visits with Dakota Moss of Livestock Risk Services. When the pandemic hit in 2020 the cattle markets along with the rest of the world suffered. Many farmers and ranchers altered their marketing plans on crops and livestock to try and prevent a loss in the down Covid markets. This led to cattle being held months longer than planned hoping for a better market. Unfortunately for many farmers and ranchers they had no choice but to sell much heavier cattle into a down market. Resulting in a lower $/cwt price and profits lost. Sheperd and Moss discuss some alternative options for producers with the Livestock Risk Protection program.
Search for Road to Rural Prosperity and subscribe on your favorite Podcast platform.
To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:
|
|
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.
|
|
God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
|
|
Tim West
President/General Manager
Rural Oklahoma Networks
405-317-6361
***************
Mike Henderson
Director of Sales
405-615-4922
|
|
KC Sheperd
Farm Director
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405-443-5717
|
|
Ron Hays
Senior Farm/Ranch Broadcaster
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
