Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News

Friday, May 26, 2023


Happy Memorial Day- Our Next Email Will be

Tuesday May 30th

Howdy Neighbors!

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 


  • Supreme Court WOTUS Decision is HUGE for Oklahoma and US Agriculture


  • Some Drought Categories Improve This Week While Others Worsen


  • The Cattle Industry is not the Villain When It Comes to Climate Change


  • Oklahoma Farm Bureau Celebrates Thursday Votes at the State Capitol


  • Cattlemen’s Conference Day Two Spotlights Show Ring Ethics and More


  • Producers- It’s Not Too Late to Fill out the 2022 Census of Agriculture


  • Wheat Market Most Volatile of Commodities Due to Tight Stocks


  • More Stories for Your Memorial Day Weekend Reading

Supreme Court WOTUS Decision Huge for US and Oklahoma Agriculture

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday ruled in favor of landowner rights in their Sackett v. EPA ruling over the scope of the EPA’s regulatory authority regarding what waters constitute a Waters of the United States.


This ruling is a long time in the making- the picture above shows then EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in 2017 on the side of ag as he holds a Ditch the Rule sign in a meeting with Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. The ruling on Thursday effectively ditches a major element of the WOTUS rule- the significant nexus test.


“Oklahoma Farm Bureau members are encouraged that today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes the need to consider landowners when the federal government makes rules regarding water use,” said Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Rodd Moesel. “We are pleased the ruling places limits on the EPA’s administrative reach regarding Waters of the U.S., which we hope will ensure more reasonable and realistic rules and actions by the agency in the future.”


The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation joined with 20 other state Farm Bureaus to file an amicus curiae – or “friend of the court” – brief in the Sackett v. EPA case review. The court’s majority decision referenced the brief, recognizing the ability of states to regulate water within their boundaries.


Opponents of federal government overreach argued the over-regulation stems from “the absence of a clear and definitive test” to determine what constitutes a WOTUS. The court ruled in favor of the Sacketts, stating the Clean Water Act does not allow the agency to regulate wetlands that are isolated from other bodies of water, protecting the private property rights of landowners.


The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association also commented on the ruling:


"The SCOTUS unanimous ruling in Sackett v. EPA is perhaps one of the most significant rulings POSITIVE to the beef industry in some time. This is so very important! 


"OCA is very pleased and very honored to be a small supportive part of NCBA’s leadership against egregious WOTUS rules since the Obama Administration. Today is a good day."


There's a lot more reaction to the SCOTUS ruling- click on the buttons below to sample some of them- our Friday Beef Buzz will look closer at the ruling thru the eyes of our guest Mary Thomas Hart of NCBA- we will feature that in our next email on Tuesday.

Read Comments from Congressman Frank Lucas on the WOTUS Decision
Oklahoma Ag Secretary Blayne Arthur Statement on SCOTUS Decision in Sackett v EPA
Read Comments from House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson on the WOTUS Decision
Read Comments from NCBA on the WOTUS Decision
Read Comments from NASDA on the WOTUS Decision
Sponsor Spotlight



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.



Some Drought Categories Improve This Week While Others Worsen

According to the latest Oklahoma Drought Map, Exceptional drought has improved from last week, decreasing from last week’s 8.88 percent to this week’s 5.68 percent.


Extreme drought or worse has improved significantly, decreasing from last week’s 30.67 percent to this week’s 25.09 percent.


Severe drought or worse has decreased slightly from last week’s 43.81 percent to this week’s 43.18 percent.


Moderate drought or worse conditions have worsened slightly, moving from last week’s 50.19 percent to this week’s 50.44 percent.


Abnormally dry or worse conditions have also worsened, moving from last week’s 55.79 percent to this week’s 60.14 percent.


According to the 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook map, the majority of the state, aside from the northeast corner, down into the southeast corner, is leaning above a 40 to 50 percent chance of precipitation through June 3. The remaining part of the state is leaning above a 33 to 40 percent chance of precipitation through that date.


Click the Oklahoma drought map above the story to view this week's drought numbers for Oklahoma.

Click here to read a national drought summary and access this week's graphs and charts 

The Cattle Industry is not the Villain When It Comes to Climate Change

At Cattlemen’s Conference, I talked with Dr. Frank Mitloehner of the University of California, Davis, about the value of the cattle industry as it relates to climate change.


The most concerning greenhouse gas when it comes to animal agriculture, Mitloehner said, is methane.


“Methane is interesting because it is really a different beast compared to the other ones,” Mitloehner said.


Cattle, swamps, and more produce methane, Mitloehner said, but it is naturally destroyed within about ten years.


While there is a constant source of methane emitted by cow herds, Mitloehner said it is not contributing to additional global warming because a similar amount of what is produced is also destroyed.


“The same is not true for other greenhouse gases, and so vehicle emissions, for example, just accumulate in the atmosphere,” Mitloehner said.


Decreasing methane emissions, Mitloehner said, will decrease global warming.


“That is something that can help the livestock sector become part of a climate solution, because there are ways we can reduce methane that are cost-effective and have a really good impact on climate,” Mitloehner said.

Click here to read more and listen to Ron and Dr. Frank Mitloehner on the cattle industry’s part in climate change
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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
Click here for our Latest Cotton Talk- Hosted by KC Sheperd


Oklahoma Farm Bureau Celebrates Thursday Votes at the State Capitol

As the Oklahoma State Legislature is rushing to the end of the 2023 regular session that is mandated by the end of today(final Friday in May)- two passed measures were being celebrated by several of the Ag groups in the state- including the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Rodd Moesel, President of OkFB, issued these statements Thursday evening:


HB 2053 – Groundwater Permitting:

 

“HB 2053 is a victory for Oklahoma landowners, and especially for farmers and ranchers who rely heavily on groundwater water permits for a wide array of production practices. Oklahoma Farm Bureau members support responsible water use, and HB 2053 will ensure that Oklahomans who have been issued water permits can continue using permitted water during any protest process. We recognize the need to have a mechanism to protest water permits, and now there will be safeguards to ensure permit holders are not targeted simply due to the industry that they use their water in.”

 

HB 2863 – OSU Vet Med Authority:

 

“Oklahoma Farm Bureau members appreciate the action the state legislature took this week to establish the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medicine Authority to bolster the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. Oklahoma’s agriculture community relies heavily on our state’s veterinarians as partners in animal care, and our state has a critical need for the large-animal veterinarians the college produces. This investment will help build an even stronger school to train veterinary students in our state, and we know it will pay dividends for future generations.”


(Note- both the Senate and House voted to override the veto of the Governor of HB 2863- allowing it to become state law)

 


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.
Listen to our Friday Farm and Ranch News with KC Sheperd
Subscribe To the Daily Email

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.



Cattlemen’s Conference Day Two Hits on Show Ring Ethics and More

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am back talking more about Cattlemen’s Conference with the CEO of the American Angus Association, Mark McCully. The event began on May 24 at Oklahoma State University’s Totusek Arena and ended on Thursday afternoon.


One of the topics discussed at the conference, McCully said, was show ring ethics.


“The show ring has changed over the years,” McCully said. “It used to be an incredibly powerful marketing tool for registered breeders to bring their cattle out and exhibit and market. It has largely gone in the direction, today, to our junior projects.”


The economy around these youth shows is enormous, McCully said, and they have become increasingly competitive. It is important to remember those youth, McCully said, as the level of competition has the potential to overwhelm the bigger goal of making sure the next generation of cattlemen and stockmen are raised well, and willing to come back into the business.


Ethics and judging are difficult topics to tackle, McCully said, but the goal is to have open-ended conversations about these topics to identify issues in the industry and find some ways to improve.


McCully said that when it comes to judging, it is always good to focus on “form and function, not fashion and fad.” There is variability, he added, as all judges will have a different preference.

Click here to read more and listen to Mark McCully talk about Cattlemen's Conference Day Two

Producers- It’s Not Too Late to Fill out the 2022 Census of Agriculture

KC Sheperd, Farm Director, is visiting with Troy Marshall with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, talking about the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Producers are urged to respond by May 31st.


“We are at that last home stretch, and I am sure all of those producers that responded back in January and February are tired of the broken record of us bringing this up, but we’re still appealing to those ones that still haven’t filled it out,” Marshall said.


At this point in the process, producers have already received information about how to fill out the census through the mail and other methods, Marshall said, and USDA is now making phone calls and visiting with some of those producers who have yet to fill out their census information in person.


While there are a number of producers who have not filled out their census, Marshall said he is pleased with the number of producers who have taken the initiative.


“We’re just a tick behind where we were in 2017, so we’re tracking along right with what we have done in the past,” Marshall said. “But one thing I did notice when we kind of looked through the data, you know, we are a tick down on the return rate. However, those that have returned it have been those that are actually producing, so we’re probably up just a tick on those that are actually farming. So, I say that we have better data because we have more that actually are in ag that have responded so far.”

Click here to read more and listen to KC Sheperd talk with Troy Marshall about the 2022 Census of Agriculture

Wheat Market Most Volatile of Commodities Due to Tight Stocks

This Week on SUNUP is Oklahoma State University Extension grain market economist Kim Anderson. During this week’s edition, Anderson talks about the latest movement in the commodity markets and the factors contributing to those movements.


“In the wheat market, there is a lot going on, a little less in corn, and not much going on in soybeans and, of course, cotton,” Anderson said.


Going back about two and a half weeks on wheat prices, Anderson said they have moved back and forth quite a bit.



“They fell off about $1.30 to $1.35, then they increased $1.60 to $1.65 and fell off 77 cents, then increased 20 cents and decreased 20 cents,” Anderson said. “A lot of volatility going on in that wheat market.”


In the last couple of weeks, Anderson said corn prices have dropped 70 cents and gained 20 cents back. Forward contracting prices for corn are around five dollars now, he added.


“Soybeans knocked off a dollar in the last two and a half weeks,” Anderson said. “Down to around 11 for the forward contract for harvest delivery and is stabilized down there.”


In hard red winter wheat, Anderson said the volatility is due to the tight stocks.

Click here to listen to Kim Anderson talk about the grain markets and see the lineup for this week on SUNUP

More Stories for Your Weekend Reading

Rainfall famine to feast…will the 2023-24 El Niño be a strong one?
USMEF Conference Examines Industry Challenges, Opportunities for U.S. Market Share Gains
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Cattle Industry Groups Strongly Support the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act
Congressman Lucas’ National Drone & Advanced Air Mobility Act Passed Out of Science Committee
State Rep JohnTalley Comments on New Oil Refinery in Cushing
Farmer Co-ops Applaud Supreme Court Ruling on Clean Water Act Jurisdiction
USDA Previews Emergency Relief Assistance for Agricultural Producers Who Incurred Losses Due to 2022 Natural Disaster Events
Dairy MAX to Celebrate June as National Dairy Month
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:
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.
Hear Today's First Look

Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices were higher- Choice Beef was up $1.64 and Select Beef was up 75 cents on Thursday 05/25/2023.


Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News

Boxed Beef Report for 5/25/2023

Weekly Cattle Auction Reports


The buttons below allow you to check out the weekly Cattle Auctions in the region that we post on our website and here in our daily email update.


NOTE- Because of Memorial Day this coming Monday- there will be no sales at next week at the Oklahoma National Stockyards-

No Monday Cow and Bull Sale at OKC West, and No Monday sales at Joplin or Tulsa.

Oklahoma National Stockyards Market Report from May 22, 2023
Oklahoma National Stockyards Replacement Cow and Bull Sale on 5/23/2023
Tulsa Stockyards Auction from Monday May 22, 2023
Joplin Regional Stockyards Market from Monday 05/22/2023
OKC West in El Reno Market Report from 5/23 and 5/24/2023
Woodward Livestock Market from Thursday 5/25/2023
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futuresclick below for the latest update on the Livestock and Grain Futures Trade..
Click Here to Listen to Justin's Commentary From 05/25/2023
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.
Read  Cash Grains Report from 05/25/2023
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network - analyzing the Futures Markets for that trading day- as reported by KC Sheperd.
Click to Listen to Our Weekday Wrap with KC
Slaughter Cattle Recap: 
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by the USDA Market News
Read Report
TCFA Feedlot Recap:  
Finally, here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.
Read Report
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.

Since the legalization of Medical Marijuana in Oklahoma with State Question 788- criminals have flocked to the state to set up illegal grow houses because of cheap permits, cheap land and lax rules allowing them to get into the business of growing marijuana in Oklahoma- supposedly for the in state Medical Marijuana market.


Ron Hays talks with Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics spokesman Mark Woodward about how these enterprises have invaded Oklahoma- the magnitude of the current problem and how the state is pushing back on thousands of bad people who have set up shop in the state- with the hope to reduce the number of these operations dramatically in the days to come. It's a huge problem all across rural Oklahoma but Woodward believes progress is being made to reign in these illegal marijuana farms.


Search for Road to Rural Prosperity and subscribe on your favorite Podcast platform.


To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:

Listen to Episode 85 with Ron Hays talking Criminals in Oklahoma Growing Marijuana with Mark Woodward of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics
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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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Radio Oklahoma Ag Network

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