Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 2/9/2018 6:59 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 Ron Hays 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.

 
   
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 Thursday, February 8th.
  
  
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
   Friday, February 9, 2018

Day One of the Federal Government Shutdown- all 5 1/2 Hours of It!
Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

Coming Monday- Talking Ag Advocacy with Ryan Goodman- and a Forward Look at Extension with New OSU Director of Extension Damona Doye
ToddLambFeatured Story:
Candidate Todd Lamb Pledges to Farm Leaders that He Will Work to Protect the Oklahoma Ag Sales Tax Exemption 

A room full of agricultural leaders spent their Thursday morning with Lt Governor Todd Lamb, who is running for Governor- seeking first the GOP Nomination in a crowded field that face an initial vote in June. After the meeting, the Lt Governor talked briefly me about the meeting, the priorities outlined by the farmers and ranchers in the room in Oklahoma City and what he believes he as Governor could do to the lives of people living in Oklahoma a better place. 

At the top of the list discussed by many of those in the meeting was the need to protect the Agricultural Sales Tax Exemption. The Lt Governor said to the farmers and ranchers present and to yours truly afterwards that a "Lamb Governorship would do everything possible to protect the Ag Sales Tax Exemption." With the ongoing state government budget shortfall- some urban lawmakers eye the hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue that could result with the taking of that exemption- which would only require a simply majority vote instead of the super majority 75% needed to pass a revenue raising bill through the state legislature. 

Lamb and the farmers and ranchers in the room also talked the need to find a way to strengthen rural schools, promote Oklahoma grown farm and ranch products beyond our borders, deal with native Americans on water and be certain to get federal dollars as they are handed out to improve rural broadband. 

Click or tap here to read more- and to listen to comments we got from Todd Lamb and the Ag Advisory Committee Chair Tom Fanning that are a part of our Top Ag Story this morning. 


Sponsor Spotlight
 

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As of yesterday, we passed the 130 day mark with no significant rainfall to speak of. Oklahoma State Climatologist Gary McManus reported on the latest Drought Monitor this week which indicates that 38 percent of the state has been consumed by extreme drought. Virtually the entire state is in at least moderate drought currently, with 88 percent categorized as severe.


While we haven't yet succumb to any cases of exceptional drought, McManus says we were very close to seeing it appear this week.


Given recent forecasts, we probably have plenty of time to perhaps see that happen, but the good news is, according to McManus, the La Nina episode we are currently in will start to die down as we get closer to spring.


For a look at this week's Drought Monitor or to review McManus' Mesonet Ticker report for this week, you can click here.
BUZZAustralia's Recovering Beef Industry Poses a Threat as US Continues to Grow Its Asian Market Share  

Probably some of the best news to come out of 2017 for the beef industry, according to US Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom, was China's reopening of its marketplace to US beef products after a 14-year ban. He told me in a recent interview that while that is great news for producers, the bad news is all the restrictive protocols dictated by the Chinese that must be in place in order to export to their markets - which makes things difficult on the producer.


"It's non-hormone treated, it's beta-agonist free, there's a traceability component. But, I think honestly, it's a good deal in the sense that we've started getting US beef back in there and the reception has been phenomenal," he said. "We'll give it a little time with the hopes that someday we can normalize these requirements a bit more, that's definitely the long-term goal."


China, though, is only one aspect of the growing Asian marketplace. Halstrom reports that there has been a lot of success for the US this past year in the Asia Pacific Rim, most notably with growth in Japan despite recently imposed tariffs and a duty disadvantage. Halstrom also says it was a homerun year for exports to South Korea which had a major retailer, Costco, opt to switch all its chilled beef product business from Australia to the US. This has spurred Korea's largest retailer, E-Mart's interest in US beef again which may strengthen their commitment to purchasing from the US. However, Halstrom cautions that with Australia coming back online after suffering from severe drought that forced large liquidations in its beef herd, the US's Asian interests could be at risk of increased competition.


"We're going to start to see that rebuilding herd hitting the marketplace in 2018, so we're really trying to get more aggressive knowing we're going to have more supply competing against us in Australia," Halstrom said. "We need to be ready to hit them head on so that's what we're focusing on this year."
Listen to Halstrom and I discuss more of the challenges and opportunities that continue to develop in the Asia Pacific Rim for the US, on yesterday's Beef Buzz show by clicking here.


This week on SUNUP - Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Market Economist Dr. Kim Anderson joins host Lyndall Stout again to offer some perspective on what alternative summer crops farmers in Oklahoma might benefit from as they grow concerned over the viability and success of their wheat crops, currently underperforming in the many farmers' minds as extreme drought persists in the state.


According to Anderson, many farmers are currently considering corn, milo, soybeans and/or cotton. But, based on the market's current offering on these crops - Anderson says the most profit rests with soybeans.


Given the breakeven price of $8.50 for the variable cost of soybeans at a production rate of 25 bu./ac. stacked against a harvest delivery price now reported at approximately $9.10, Anderson says a producer stands to profit nearly $0.60 a bushel. That's a better deal, he says, than one would get for either corn or milo - both currently at their breakeven price of $3.35 a bushel.


The price of wheat being offered right now falls just a penny under the breakeven for variable cost based on a 35 bu./ac. estimate of $4.31, plus or minus $0.20 depending on your location. However, Anderson says producers may be able to command a price of up to $5.00 if they are able to deliver a quality product with high test weight and protein.


You can watch their visit tomorrow or Sunday on SUNUP- but you can hear Kim's comments right now and see what else is on the lineup for this week's episode by clicking here.

Sponsor Spotlight

 
Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April.
 
Now is the time to put on your 2018 calendar the date for the 2018 Oklahoma City Farm Show, coming April 19, 20 and 21, 2018.  Contact Ron Bormaster at (507) 437-7969 for more details about how your business or organization can be a part of the 2018 Oklahoma City Farm Show!  
 
Click here for more details about the 2018 Oklahoma City Farm Show- presented by Midwest Farm Shows.  



Cattle and Forage Manager Yates Adcock sat down with Associate Farm Director Carson Horn recently at the No-Till on the Plains Winter Conference in Wichita to discuss the various successes he has enjoyed on his operation after transitioning from conventional farming methods to no-till and conservation - a process that has been years in the making and involved a lot of trial and error.
 
 
"We have a series of goals on our operation - sustainability being one, but being good stewards of what God has entrusted to our care is another," Adcock said. "Some things have just been rather beneficial to us and some things we just absolutely don't want to do again. But definitely implementing no-till into our program has been a blessing. We've lowered our costs, retained our moisture and we don't have to do all the conventional tillage that we did."


Adcock says he can remember a time years ago when there wasn't anyone with whom to discuss how to go about managing your farm with conservation in mind. But he says over time it has caught on and now he values his ability to share with other producers his knowledge so they can learn from his mistakes and skip the hard parts, to hopefully find what works for them a bit more quickly.
 
 
His take-away message to farmers starting out in conservation is to not get discouraged when implementing your own system. He insists there is no one size fits all solution to conservation and that farmers must experiment to find what systems work for them.


Click here to read more about Adcock's operation and the system he has in place, then tap the LISTEN BAR to hear him talk with Carson about how he worked to get to that point.
 
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.

 



Numerous senators urged Sen. Ted Cruz to remove his hold on Bill Northey's nomination for USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. Cruz placed the hold on Northey last October in an effort to reach a deal on biofuel credit prices under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen, thanked those senators for their failed attempt in a statement released yesterday, in which he claimed Cruz's actions to be "unconscionable." Dinneen stated that the ethanol industry has made every attempt to resolve the Senator's issues, to no avail.


"It is unconscionable that Sen. Cruz is holding up the nomination of Bill Northey to be Under Secretary of USDA in dogged pursuit of his very parochial agenda. Bill Northey, by all accounts, is the right man for the job. Senator Cruz should drop his hold on Mr. Northey, allow the President and Secretary Perdue to complete their team, and look beyond the talking points of a few mismanaged refineries to assure a more sustainable all of the above energy policy for all Americans."


North Dakota farmer Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association, echoed Dinneen's comments, expressing his own displeasure with Cruz's hold on Northey's nomination and summed up ethanol's argument rather concisely.


"Whether it's EPA, financial analysts or university experts, all confirm refiners are not facing a RIN price impact because they recover any costs through the price they receive for their refined products. Senator Cruz is trying to upend the RFS to address a non-existent problem and bail out refiners who have made poor business decisions. Unlike farmers - who USDA projects will face the lowest net farm income since 2006 this year - most refiners are reporting surging profits."
 
 
Click here to read the full remarks of both Dinneen and Skunes on the matter, up on our website.

The National Pork Producers Council joined a diverse coalition of agricultural and business groups late yesterday in filing a request in federal court for a nationwide preliminary injunction against enforcement of the Obama administration's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule.


A U.S. Court of Appeals in October 2015 blocked the rule's implementation, but a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that lawsuits against the WOTUS Rule should be heard at the federal District Court level technically lifted that stay.


NPPC and other coalition member organizations consider this injunction to be imperative claiming that the EPA's known intentions of repealing and replacing the existing rule will be subject to legal challenges throughout the process.


A statement released by NPPC explained that, "The risk is that the WOTUS Rule might come in and out of effect repeatedly over the coming years..."

The coalition also contends, if the current WOTUS Rule were to go into effect, it would subject farmers and business owners to citizen enforcement suits, which, if successful, carry heavy civil and potentially criminal penalties.

Get full story on this development in the fight to repeal and replace the existing version of the WOTUS rule, by clicking or tapping here.
Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentAmerican Farmers & Ranchers, Oklahoma Beef Council, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National StockyardsOklahoma Farm BureauStillwater 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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