Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 2/8/2018 6:58 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!  



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.
 
 
   
On Wednesday the FedCattleExchange.com offered 829 head total, 148 head sold, with a weighted average price $ 126.00. Click here to see their complete market 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 on Wednesday, February 7th.
  
  
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, February 8, 2018
 
Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 








Featured Story:
USMEFUSMEF December Report Out - New Records for US Beef Export Value, Pork Export Volume in 2017

2017 was a record-breaking year for U.S. red meat exports, with beef export value exceeding $7 billion for only the second time. Pork exports, meanwhile, easily surpassed the previous year's volume record.
 
 
The U.S. Meat Export Federation reports beef exports totaled 1.26 million metric tons, up six percent from 2016.
 
 
This was the fourth-largest volume on record and the second-largest of the post-BSE, or mad cow disease, era. Beef export value reached $7.27 billion, up 15 percent year-over-year and two percent above the previous high achieved in 2014 of $7.13 billion.
 
 
Pork exports totaled 2.45 million metric tons in 2017, breaking the 2016 record by six percent. Export value was $6.49 billion, up nine percent year-over-year, and the second-highest on record, trailing only 2014's $6.65 billion.
 
 
Pork exports accounted for 26.6 percent of total production in 2017 and 22.3 percent for muscle cuts only, each up nearly a full percentage point from a year ago.
 
 
Click here for more highlights from this report compiled by the USMEF and released by the USDA.


Sponsor Spotlight
 

It's great to have one of the premiere businesses in the cattle business partner with us in helping bring you our daily Farm and Ranch News Email- National Livestock Credit Corporation.  National Livestock has been around since 1932- and they have worked with livestock producers to help them secure credit and to buy or sell cattle through the National Livestock Commission Company.  

They also own and operate the Southern Oklahoma Livestock Market in Ada, Superior Livestock, which continues to operate independently and have a major stake in OKC West in El Reno. To learn more about how these folks can help you succeed in the cattle business, click here for their website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.
  
BUZZDan Halstrom of USMEF Says US Beef Exports on Track to Surpass Its Own Record Year in 2018 

Before the release of their year-end report yesterday detailed in the story above, Dan Halstrom, President and CEO of the US Meat Export Federation, shared his thoughts with me about this past year, which he describes as "phenomenal." Not only is Halstrom pleased with 2017's performance, he is also excited with the anticipation that growth in our global markets will continue into 2018.


"It was a phenomenal year in Japan last year. We're up about 20 percent with a lot of growth in a lot of different segments," he said. "Really, the importance of that is that this has happened despite the fact that we're at a disadvantage there in the inbound duty."


Halstrom explained that the US is currently dealing with a duty gap between our main competitor in that market, Australia, which through their involvement in a trade treaty have managed to secure a 27 percent duty on beef imports to Japan while the US has a 38.5 percent duty. This spread will also widen over the years, as Australia's agreement with Japan includes a gradual decrease of their duty requirements. Beginning April 1st, Australia's rate will be lowered from 27 to 25.5 percent. However, Halstrom says that despite nearly a 12 percent disadvantage, Japan's business with the US has grown substantially. Part of that growth comes from new access into China's marketplace after a 14 year ban on US beef. While volumes to China have started out small, Halstrom says they will continue to grow, slow but steady - and he believes China will eventually become a very important market for the US beef industry.


"It's been a long time since they've had beef coming in on a direct basis," Halstrom said. "So, we're doing a lot of work on the educational front and on the exporter side, there's a lot of due diligence going on. This is the market working. Give it a little bit of time and we're going to continue to see these volumes increase."


Click here to hear Halstrom and I discuss this more on yesterday's Beef Buzz.

MarburgerFarmers Distressed Over Underperforming Wheat Crop Still Have Hope Yet - If It Rains Says David 
Marburger

I caught up with Dave Marburger, our state small grains specialist, who injected a bit of optimism into the current mood of farmers lamenting the rather poor performance of their wheat crops across Oklahoma.


According to Marburger, the case of thin stands and less than desired plant growth is rampant throughout the state. Those issues are compounded with the fact that it has rained in months and isn't likely to for several more months.


"The good news is, we're still in winter dormancy, so we're not doing a whole lot of growing right now," Marburger said. "Whether you believe me or not, there's still potential out there - if we could just get a rain."
 
 
While Marburger is still holding onto hope, recent long-term forecasts are working against him. He insists though that there is still time to wait and see how this situation plays out before farmers make up their minds on what to do about their crops this year - either grain or graze it. In the meantime, farmers can wrestle with the decision of whether or not to topdress and invest in inputs with little chance of rain in the future.
 
 
For Marburger's advice on how to go about this challenge - click here to listen to my complete interview with him.



The National Pork Producers Council Wednesday asked Congress for a legislative fix to a law that now requires farmers to report emissions from the natural breakdown of manure to the U.S. Coast Guard.



Dr. Howard Hill told members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that routine agricultural emissions from manure does not constitute the type of emergency or crisis the law was intended to address.



Last April, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected a 2008 EPA rule that exempted farmers from reporting routine farm emissions under the CERCLA and EPCRA acts, laws meant primarily for the cleanup of hazardous waste.



Hill pointed out that while the pork industry is prepared to comply with this mandate - state and local emergency response authorities have said they don't want or need the information, which could interfere with their legitimate emergency functions.
 
 
Read more about Hill's testimony on behalf of the NPPC, by clicking here.
SorghumNSP's Tim Lust Advises Patience as China Grain Sorghum Dumping Charges Will Take Up to a Year to Resolve


In a followup to our story in the Wednesday email on the Chinese picking US Grain Sorghum as their club to beat back on the Trump Administration for hitting Washing Machines and other items with tariffs a few weeks back- we caught up with Tim Lust of the National Sorghum Producers between meetings while he is in Washington, DC. 

Lust  was expecting to spend most of his time talking to members of Congress about the writing of the 2018 Farm Bill- instead he has been meeting with USDA and USTR officials in an attempt to work through what this means for the sorghum exports to China, sorghum prices and the impact on sorghum producers.


Click here to read more- and to also listen to our conversation with Tim about this nightmare become real for the grain sorghum industry- your major export market accusing you of playing dirty- which resulted in a big drop in sorghum prices because of expectations that this could hurt sales at some point in the future. 
 

Sponsor Spotlight

 
Dating back to 1891, Stillwater Milling Company has been supplying ranchers with the highest quality feeds made from the highest quality ingredients.  Their full line of A & M Feeds can be delivered direct to your farm, found at their Agri-Center stores in Stillwater, Davis, Claremore and Perry or at more than 125 dealers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas.  We appreciate Stillwater Milling Company's long time support of the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and we encourage you to click here to learn more about their products and services.



Our Associate Farm Director Carson Horn spoke recently with Russ Jackson, a no-till farmer from Mountain View, Okla., about his operation and how implementing a no-till system on his farm after decades of practicing conventional methods, has benefited him and his business. He started the process in 2016 with the decision to plant cover crops after attending his first No-Till on the Plains conference where he learned about conservation and rebuilding soil health.


Once Jackson overcame his anxieties of breaking old habits, he said he came to realize how efficient his new system really is. By implementing a no-till system, Jackson says he has stopped erosion on his land, improved his soil's health and rejuvenated its biological activity. But, he says perhaps the best thing he has seen that's improved as a result of no-till farming, is his bottom line.


"We're still in the beginning phases of it, but yes, that was the goal," he said. "We're here to cut costs. That's the only way I can actually make money is to take something away. I can't create yield but I can cut cost."


Jackson's advice for farmers dealing with similar issues, is to certainly consider no-till as an option. However, he says before you "jump off the bridge, have a plan." He warns that without one, a farmer may be unprepared for the growing pains that will inevitably occur. The worst thing he says is to put in all the work, only to get scared enough to go back to the plow.
 
 
Click here to read the full story behind Jackson's decision to go no-till and listen to his full conversation with Carson.
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.

 

SirloinClubSirloin Club Auction of Presenting Rights for Champion Chalices Tops $55,000 for 2018 OYE

A major fundraiser ahead of the annual Oklahoma Youth Expo was held on Wednesday evening- the 2018 Sirloin Club Banquet raised several thousand dollars to support the 4-H and FFA members who show their livestock each March at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Dates for the 2018 Oklahoma Youth Expo are March 6 through the 16th.

The group also saluted two of the key honorees for the 2018 show- Brett Ramsey of Blue and Gold Sausage named the Show Honoree and CSTK Custom Trailers- receiving the President's Award. Here's Brett:





Back to the Chalice Auction- just over $55,000 was raised to support the show- with $24,000 of that for the four Grand Champion Chalices- they were bought by the following traditional supporters of OYE:

Grand Champion Steer Chalice- Oklahoma Farm Bureau

Grand Champion Barrow Chalice- American Farmers & Ranchers

Grand Champion Lamb Chalice- National Livestock Credit

Grand Champion Goat Chalice- Farm Credit of Western Okla

Click here to read more- and to listen to our conversation with Tyler Norvell previewing the 2018 show with us. 



Superior Livestock will host its next video auction this morning starting at 8 AM. The auction will be broadcast Live from the Superior Livestock Auction's Office & Studio in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas.


Superior will be offering a total 22,300 head, featuring 700 Holsteins, 5,400 yearling steers, 3,600 yearling heifers, 9,950 weaned calves - 200 calves on cows and 850 bred stock.


You can watch the sale broadcast on the COWBOY Channel- DISH NETWORK - CHANNEL 232; on DIRECT TV - CHANNEL 603 or log on to www.superiorclicktobid.com.


For more information on the sale including an estimated time a lot will sell, to preview the video of a specific lot, or to register for a buyer number, you may visit www.superiorlivestock.com or call (800) 422-2117.

Also coming up - Superior will host their next regular video auction on February 22nd, broadcast from the Embassy Suites  in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Consignment Deadline is February 12th. Last year Superior sold approximately 35,000 head at this sale and this year they anticipate they will exceed that number. Vendors interested in setting up a booth, running an ad in the catalog or participating in anyway, may contact Nancy Gill-Pardue at 806-777-9193.


For more information on these sales, click over to our website.

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentAmerican Farmers & RanchersOklahoma Beef Council, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma AgCredit,  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 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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