Oklahoma's Latest Farm

And Ranch News

Monday, July 31, 2023

Howdy Neighbors!

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 

 

  • Congress Leaves Town for August Recess- House Fails to Finish Ag Approps


  • Lucas and the House Vote to Repeal Endangered Listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken


  • Jake Nelson of Ralph’s Packing Co. Voices Concerns with Foreign Materials in Beef


  • USDA Releases Version 3.0 of Market News Mobile App


  • Pace of Cow Herd Expansion Will Be Something to Watch as Prices Increase


  • Oklahoma CattleWomen Distributes Annual Scholarships


  • Beaver County Fair-Cimarron Territory Celebration Schedule Jam-Packed with Activities and Events


  • Check Out Our New Rural to Rural Prosperity Podcast with Bob Drake of Davis, Oklahoma-at the Bottom of Today's Email!

Congress Leaves Town for August Recess- House Fails to Finish Ag Approps

While the US Senate was able to finish the National Defense Appropriations Bill before leaving for the August Congressional recess this past week- the House was unable to get the FY2024 Appropriations for agriculture complete before they left town at the end of this past week for six weeks for their version of an August recess.


House Conservatives wanted more cuts in HR 4368- the Fiscal Year 2024 Ag Appropriations Bill- titled the Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration Related Agencies Appropriation Act of 2024- and that along with 189 amendments that were filed by lawmakers and being considered by the House Rules Committee that is chaired by Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole prevented the Appropriations Committee from finishing their work before leaving town. Here’s the link from the Rules Committee that offers a quick review of all 189 amendments.


Among the 189 amendments was one spotlighted by multiple ag groups as being concerning- amendment 113 offered by Victoria Spartz of Indiana. We reported on it in our Beef Buzz from San Diego with NCBA’s Ethan Lane.


“At the beginning of this Congress, we watched the speaker fight where they were negotiating the rules, and some of the rules they negotiated were around how the amendment processes would work,” Lane said. “Open amendment process leads to the kind of appropriations process we are seeing now. They have got to pass an appropriations bill to find the government every year, but if you have that in a really open format, sometimes it draws some pretty wild stuff out of the woodwork in the form of last-minute, half-baked amendments, and certainly, we have seen a few of those this week, including this amendment from Victoria Spartz, this congresswoman from Indiana.”


Lane said Spartz is seeking to stop the use of federal funding in Beef Checkoff programs, and any checkoff programs in general.


“We don’t use any federal funds to implement the Checkoff programs, so it is sort of an odd amendment, but unfortunately not necessarily out of character for what we see during these kind of wild open amendment processes,” Lane said.


In our report found at Oklahoma Farm Report- we talk about the battle between GOP Leadership and the House Freedom Caucus that is making it hard to get an Ag Approps bill- and will make it very hard to get traction on producing a 2023 Farm Bill. Our story is linked in the blue button below.

Here's more on the battle over Ag Spending in the House Appropriations Committee and How That Impacts the 2023 Farm Bill Conversationn
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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.


The Tulsa Farm Show is Oklahoma’s premier agricultural and ranching event- and returns to the SageNet Center (Expo Square) December, 7-8-9, 2023. 


Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2022 Tulsa Farm Show.  To learn more about the Tulsa Farm Show, click here



Lucas Votes to Repeal Endangered Listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken

Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) released the following statement today after voting on a resolution which would repeal the lesser prairie chicken’s status as a threatened species, returning autonomy to local farmers, ranchers, and wildlife agencies in Oklahoma.


“Oklahomans are proud conservationists and great stewards of our land. We recognize that sustainable, healthy land serves as the lifeblood of our rural communities. However, listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species creates unnecessary burdens on our ability to not only provide for ourselves, but the entire world,” said Rep. Frank Lucas. “S.J. Res. 9 ensures these onerous and needless regulations do not infringe on our daily lives.”


BACKGROUND:

On November 25, 2022, the Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule that added the lesser prairie-chicken to the federal endangered species list and created two distinct population segments (DPS) with different levels of protections. The species would be listed as threatened in the Northern DPS, which covers areas in

Oklahoma. S.J. Res 9 would repeal the Service’s 2022 listing and return the lesser prairie chicken to being managed by state wildlife agencies within its range. A summary of the S.J. Res. 9 can be viewed here.


Click below to read reactions from NCBA and Josh Brecheen:



Click here to read more and watch Rep. Lucas Speaks on the FWS Lesser Prairie Chicken Listing

Jake Nelson of Ralph’s Packing Co. Voices Concerns with Foreign Materials in Beef

Maci Carter, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Intern, had the opportunity to talk with Jake Nelson, Food Safety Coordinator at Ralph’s Packing Co. after he presented at the 2023 Annual Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Convention and Trade Show. Nelson and Carter discussed issues with foreign materials in the packing industry as well as injection site lesions and how that impacts the food supply chain.


Nelson said he has been working at Ralph’s full-time since January of 2021. According to Nelson, the largest issue in the meat packing industry is foreign materials being found in the beef,

“The issue that seems to be creeping back up to us right now is the presence of lead shot, birdshot, buckshot, and things that come out of the shotgun out of a firearm,” Nelson said.


Nelson said that while this issue isn’t new, it is becoming a more prevalent topic of conversation in the packing industry.


“When I talk to colleagues across the industry, unfortunately, they’re starting to see an uptick in frequency as well,” Nelson said. “Whether it’s the beef production sector, whether it’s the hunting community, whether it’s kids out having fun, we don’t know, you know, things happen, and we see it, but we really need to stop because this is our food supply.”

Click here to read more and listen to Maci Carter talk with Jake Nelson of Ralph’s Packing Co.
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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


USDA Releases Version 3.0 of Market News Mobile App; Offers Easier Access to Organic, Retail, and International Reports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released Version 3.0 of its free USDA Market News Mobile Application (app) with new functionality that includes new tabs so that users can easily access price data for organic commodities, find consumer retail marketing reports and review international market reports.


The app, which was first launched in February 2022 and expanded in June 2022, provides agricultural producers and others in the supply chain with instant access to current market information. In addition, newly released reports will be identified within the app and will be visible as the first items in searches, commodity and report lists will be grouped and identified more clearly, and user subscription and favorite lists will be paired together to allow them to be managed more easily.


“The USDA Market News Mobile App allows producers and others in the ag supply chain to access market data effectively, efficiently and on demand when and where they need the information. USDA is focused on building new, fairer, and more resilient markets for our farmers, ranchers, and producers and this updated version of the app expands USDA’s tools and resources to ensure producers benefit from the vast amount of market information available,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt.

Click here to read more about the USDA Market News Mobile App

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 latest Farm and Ranch News for Monday with KC Sheperd
Subscribe To the Daily Email

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Union Mutual of Oklahoma Turns 85 Years Old


Back in July of 1938 when Union Mutual of Oklahoma was founded, FDR was in the White House, EW Marland was in the Governor’s Mansion, and the Soldiers of Gettysburg were gathering for a reunion on the old battlefield. Union Mutual was born out of necessity in Oklahoma and serves as one of the oldest rural insurance carriers serving only the people of Oklahoma. Union Mutual was created 85 years ago for one purpose, that was and is to serve and protect rural Oklahomans and their property. That mission has bever wavered.

 

Union Mutual Insurance of Oklahoma was chartered in 1938 to write property and casualty insurance in the state of Oklahoma. Over the years, Union Mutual has maintained the attitude that started the company, “Protection for Oklahomans by Oklahomans.” In poor economic times, in times when national insurance companies either stopped writing or completely left the state, Union Mutual has been there for Oklahomans. Today, Union Mutual writes insurance in all 77 counties of Oklahoma through almost 300 agency locations. These agents provide fast and reliable quotes for most lines of insurance.

 

Union Mutual of Oklahoma CEO Monica Collison had this to say on the company turning 85 years old. “I am humbled to lead such and extraordinary company and team with the history and legacy of Union Mutual. Union Mutual has stood with rural Oklahoma for 85 solid years and I look forward to helping it for the next 85 years.”

 

For the agent nearest you, go to unionmutualic.com or give them a call at 405 286-7703. 



Pace of Cow Herd Expansion Will Be Something to Watch as Prices Increase

At the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting, I caught up with the CEO of CattleFax, Randy Blach. Blach talks with Hays about rebuilding the U.S. cow herd.


Our coverage from the 2023 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego is being powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater.


Looking at the latest Cattle Inventory Report released by USDA, Blach said the July beef cow numbers are the smallest on record going back to around 1970.


“Beef cow slaughter is down about 700,000 head in 2023, but that is still a liquidation pace,” Blach said. “When you think about where we have gone and how much we have downsized, we have got to see beef cow slaughter drop further than that to actually get us back into expansion.”


As an industry, Black said cow liquidation and heifer retention have not begun in large fashion yet, but it is coming. Blach added that he could see producers retaining females from this current calf crop.

Click here to read more and listen to Ron and Randy Blach talk about cow herd expansion

Oklahoma CattleWomen Distributes Annual Scholarships

The Oklahoma CattleWomen, Inc. (OCW) distributed its 2023 scholarships at the Oklahoma Cattle Convention on July 21 and 22 in Norman, Okla. The second annual scholarship was awarded to Riley Luginbill of Orlando, Okla. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a full-time college student who is an active and productive member of the Oklahoma Collegiate CattleWomen (OCCW).  


This scholarship was created in honor of Oklahoma CattleWomen member and friend, Nancy Buckminster and her dedication to the beef community and to OCW, who passed away in late 2021. This scholarship was first awarded in 2022 to honor the memory of longtime OCW member. 


Luginbill is studying agricultural education at Oklahoma State University (OSU), where she will once again serve on the officer team for OCCW. This organization is for young women at Oklahoma State University who share an interest in supporting and promoting the beef industry.  

Click here to read about all the OCW Scholarships

Dairy MAX Celebrated National Dairy Month with Passion for Pints Blood Drives 

In celebration of National Dairy Month Dairy MAX hosted a series of blood drives across the region to emphasize the importance of blood donation and the role of dairy in maintaining overall health.


National Dairy Month is a time to recognize the significant contributions of the dairy industry and its products to our daily lives. In line with this, Dairy MAX takes a unique approach to celebrate by partnering with blood centers across the region to host Passion for Pints blood drives. These blood drives not only highlight the vital role of blood donation in saving lives, but also underscore the connection between dairy consumption and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.


In more than 400 drives across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Colorado, 13,465 units were donated which has the potential of impacting over 40,000 lives. By merging the act of blood donation with the celebration of dairy, Dairy MAX aims to raise awareness about both the importance of donating blood and the nutritional benefits of dairy products. Blood donors received giveaway items including a commemorative t-shirt, a squeeze cow, a recipe book featuring dairy foods, and dairy products for post-blood donation recovery (at select locations).

Click here to read more about National Dairy Month

Beaver County Fair-Cimarron Territory Celebration Schedule Jam-Packed with Activities and Events

Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, had the chance to visit with Mary Chris Barth about the Beaver County Fair and Cimarron Territory Celebration coming up on August 22 through 26 at the Beaver County Fairgrounds in Beaver, Oklahoma.


The five-day event will begin on Tuesday at 5 p.m., Barth said, with a farmers’ market and a Chuckwagon meal. Both will be in air-conditioned facilities, she added, and there will be an authentic chuckwagon present.


“Meat will be from locally sourced producers within Cimarron territory,” Barth said.


On Wednesday, the festivities will begin with the Cow Chip Parade Marshall and Queen reception at First Security Bank’s Pioneer room from 2 to 4 p.m., Barth said, then those individuals will be honored later in the day at the Old-Fashioned Church Service at the Presbyterian Church in Beaver.


“That is the oldest church in the panhandle, and it has operated continuously since construction,” Barth said.

Click here to read more and listen to Mary Chris Barth about the Beaver County Fair and Cimarron Territory Celebration
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 lower- Choice Beef was down 86 cents and Select Beef was down $2.22 on Friday 07/28/2023.


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

Boxed Beef Report

Oklahoma National Stockyards had 3,774 head as of 9 PM last night. Due to extreme heat the sale will start at 6:30 am. We are expecting to start with 4,000 - 4,200.


On July 24th- Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 4.00 lower but most decline over 800 lbs. Feeder heifers steady to 2.00 lower. Demand

moderate to good for feeder cattle. Several nice thin fleshed feeders on offer and headed to summer pasture. Steer calves 5.00-10.00 lower

with several un-weaned or short weaned calves on offer. Heifer calves 4.00-8.00 lower. Demand moderate to good for calves. Hot, humid

weather diminishing demand for short weaned calves. Grain futures traded sharply higher thus cattle futures were lower. Quality average to

attractive.


Click below for the complete closing report.

Oklahoma National Stockyards Market Report from July 24, 2023

Here's our regular feature that is a part of the Monday Daily Email- market commentary from Bob Rodenberger, a partner with Stockman Oklahoma Livestock Marketing.

 

Bob talks Fridays with our own KC Sheperd with his commentary and is posted on our website-   click here for this past Friday's story featuring Rodenberger's comments.

 

We share a link to it Mondays here in our market section of the daily email.

 

Learn more about Stockman Oklahoma by clicking here.

Listen to KC Sheperd talk with Bob Rodenberger talk about the cattle markets of this past week.
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 07/28/2023
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 07/28/2023
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.

Cattle Industry Leader Bob Drake sits down and talks with Ron Hays about his lifetime of service in the cattle business. Drake has served as the President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, the last President of the old National Cattlemen's Association and Vice President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau.


He loves politics and being a change agent for the cattle producer back up at the fork of the creek. Drake had a front row seat as the Beef Checkoff was approved by cattle producers and he believes it's way past time to find a way to get a second dollar at the national level.


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 86 with Ron Hays talking with one of the legends in the beef cattle business, Bob Drake of Davis, Oklahoma
Listen to Ron
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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.
Head to Our Website OklahomaFarmReport.Com
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Reach Out To Us:
Tim West
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Radio Oklahoma Ag Network

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Radio Oklahoma Ag Network

405.473.6144
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