Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is talking with Congressman Josh Brecheen about his latest work in Washington, D.C., to allow the voices and needs of ag producers to be heard.

On Monday, Congressman Josh Brecheen and Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO) introduced the Stop Government Overreach in Ranching Act. This legislation would reverse FDA guidance, “GFI 263,” which restricts the use of commonly used livestock antibiotics, such as penicillin, LA 200/300 (oxytetracycline), sulfa-based antibiotics, gentamicin, and a host of other antibiotics that are often bought at local feed stores. This new FDA guidance will require a veterinarian to first issue livestock owners a prescription prior to use starting June 11, 2023.(meaning it's already in effect)

Reps. Brecheen and Burlison’s bill would repeal this FDA guidance and prohibit the agency from issuing a substantially similar guidance or rule.

Brecheen said this action by FDA will lead to situations where producers have the inability to administer mediation in a timely fashion in emergency situations if they run out of medication last minute.

“Tomorrow may be too late,” Brecheen said. “It is foolishness, it is overregulation, and we are filing a bill to stop it.”

The next step, Brecheen said, will be gaining support for this bill. Similar to climate-related issues, Brecheen added that this administration is aiming to place burdens on American ranchers that other parts of the world do not face.



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For more information on our services or to find a location near you, visit our website here.

 

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with the current Chief Executive Officer of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, Greg Hanes. Hanes and Hays talk about the latest Cattlemen’s Beef Board efforts.

With tighter supplies and higher prices due to lower stocks, and exchange rate headwinds, Hanes said demand has remained strong.

“If you look domestically, we have got some of the new marketing campaigns playing on the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. that are going to be launching here this summer as we are starting grilling season,” Hanes said.

Part of the marketing, Hanes said, involves linking a person’s daily eating experience as a special occasion each day.

“Demand is still at record levels even with tighter supplies and a little higher prices,” Hanes said.

As times are constantly changing, Hanes said there is an ongoing effort to research and stay ahead of consumer trends and wants.

“We have the National Beef Quality Audit that is just being wrapped up now, and we are getting those initial results,” Hanes said. “This is really useful information to help drive the industry on how we can improve the quality of the product for the consumers. On the quality side, it seems like we are doing pretty good, but it is interesting to see that some of the issues that are showing up are more on kind of the people side like the handling and things like that.”

Red Cedar Water Conservation Bill Signed into Law

Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, today praised the enactment of legislation that establishes a pilot program to explore solutions to the red cedar infestation throughout the state, beginning with a concentration on the North Canadian Watershed.

House Bill 2239 creates the Terry Peach North Canadian Watershed Restoration Act, named after former Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach who died last year. It was signed into law by the governor Friday.

“Eastern red cedars and other invasive trees are harming our environment and our economy,” Dobrinski said. “This program will help us determine solutions to protect our water supply, our grazing lands and wildlife habitats, and will help us reduce the risk of wildfires.”

Dobrinski credited and thanked other lawmakers for their help on the legislation including Reps. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, and Kenton Patzkowsky, R-Balko; Sens. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, and Casey Murdock, R-Felt; as well as former state Sen. Don Williams; and Trey Lam, executive director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

Lam said of the legislation, “Oklahoma has taken a big step in the long process of addressing invasive cedars with the passage of the Terry Peach North Canadian Watershed Restoration Act. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission appreciates the leadership of Representative Dobrinski and Senator Jech for taking real-world, on-the-ground, action to protect the lives and natural resources of Oklahomans.”

Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the “Cow Calf Corner” published electronically by Dr. Peel, Mark Johnson, and Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about things to keep in mind when handling and managing cattle.



For many spring calving herds, branding and working calves is soon approaching. Typical best management practices includes giving the first round of vaccinations when calves are 2 – 4 months of age. This is often when we think about facilities, either improving what we have or building something new because cattle handling can be time consuming and complicated. Because of this it is important that corrals and facilities are constructed to confine cattle safely and efficiently for close observation and to perform routine health and management procedures. To accomplish these goals, the corral and working facility design must be matched to the specific beef cattle operation. Detailed planning is important to ensure that the corral and working facility meet these needs as well as providing for efficient future expansion. As well, an important consideration during planning is to develop a design that accommodates your desired cattle working procedures while making efficient use of labor, reducing animal stress and minimizing the risk of injury to both humans and cattle.

AFBF's Advocacy Fly In- Farmers Take Action in Washington

More than 150 farmers and ranchers from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with lawmakers and discuss priorities for the 2023 farm bill. The American Farm Bureau Federation Advocacy Fly-In included remarks from Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.) and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.). House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-Ga.) sent a video message.

“It’s crucial that lawmakers hear directly from the people who are affected by farm policy,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “America’s farmers and ranchers are dedicated to growing the food, fuel and fiber families across the nation rely on. We know how important the farm bill is to maintaining a secure and sustainable food supply. I’m confident the personal stories shared by our members will help inspire lawmakers to support and swiftly pass a new farm bill.”

Agriculture Committee leaders spoke before the group fanned out across Capitol Hill. They discussed the challenges they’ll face in getting the farm bill passed this year and urged attendees to speak with as many elected leaders as they can, both in Washington and when members of Congress return home. They stressed the value of personal connections and stories of direct impact, including through the Advocacy Fly-In.

Eight Hundred Hereford Youth Prepare to Make a Mad Dash to the Hereford Bash in Wisconsin

The 2023 VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) is making the Mad Dash to Madison Wis., for a Hereford Bash, July 8-14. “Mad Dash to the Hereford Bash,” will be held at the Alliant Energy Center, and the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is excited to announce that 2,051 entries from 802 junior members are preparing to dash north for one of largest junior beef breed events of the year.

Excitement is at a high level as exhibitors from 38 states and Canada plan to participate in more than just another livestock show. NJHA members look forward to competing in educational and leadership programs throughout the week-long event, ranging from the future professionals contest, Hereford Bowl, speech and sales competitions to the Bridging the Gap College and Career Fair. Alongside these contests, the Hereford Youth Foundation of America awards $29,000 in scholarships to deserving junior members who applied and went through a rigorous interview process in May.

New to the Hereford Bash will be the selection of the top five females in the bred-and-owned show, made possible by the newly established GKB Cattle Youth Endowment. In addition to the top five selection, the grand champion bred-and-owned female will win a trailer courtesy of GKB Cattle and Gary and Kathy Buchholz, Desdemona, Texas.

“Thanks to our long-time industry partners like VitaFerm and the generosity of donors like GKB Cattle, the Junior National Hereford Expo gets more special with each passing year and memories from the event are treasured by Hereford families for a lifetime,” says Amy Cowan, American Hereford Association director of youth activities and foundation. “From the relationships to the leadership development and the champion handshakes, this year’s event is setting the stage to be remembered as the greatest Hereford Bash of all time.”

TallGrass Video Auction Happens Thursday at 9 AM on Superior Livestock

It's the best of the Flint Hills and the Osage on display on Thursday as Superior Livestock presents the Tallgrass Video Auction on SLA-TV (Dish Channel 997) and on SuperiorClickToBid.Com- starting at 9 AM.

The sale is on location at the Lyon County Fairgrounds in the Anderson Building in Emporia, Kansas- the heart of the Flint Hills.

21,400 head will be offered- including 14,000 feeder steers and 4,800 feeder heifers.

To learn more- click here for the Superior Video Livestock website.

To View the Video Catalog Click Here

To View the Estimated Time Schedule Click Here

For more information please call our Hudson Oaks Office at 800-422-2117