OSU’s Josh Bushong Says Opportunity for Oklahoma Canola is still here

Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to catch up with Oklahoma State University Extension Area Agronomist Specialist Josh Bushong about growing canola in Oklahoma.

Bushong said 10 to 20 thousand acres of Canola could be planted in Oklahoma this year. In Oklahoma, Bushong said canola makes a great wheat management tool and does well in crop rotation.

“We have seen anywhere from a five to 20 percent increase in wheat yield, 20 to 25 percent more wheat forage following those canola crops, so it is kind of a game changer for someone who has always been continuous wheat,” Bushong said.

Because in Oklahoma, winter canola is grown, Bushong said the harvest is earlier than up north, where the bulk of canola is grown in the U.S.

“We usually get the best price at harvest, but when we are looking at it to decide whether or not we want to plant this fall… the price is at its lowest,” Bushong said.

The interest is there for canola in Oklahoma, Bushong said, and as long as the price is there, it may be worth considering.

“Some guys are still growing it as a change for a cover crop, to maybe be a cash crop if it does produce something,” Bushong said.



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Bob Drake Sees Opportunity to Move Beef Checkoff to the Next Level

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am back talking with Bob Drake about the Beef Checkoff. 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.

(Above- the pic comes from our archives in 2010 when Drake was on the CBB and helping shape investment decisions of the Beef Checkoff)

In the most recent episode of the Road to Rural Prosperity podcast hosted by Ron Hays, Drake is featured talking about his lifetime of service in the cattle industry.

Drake played a big role in the efforts to have the dollar head Beef Checkoff approved by a vote of cattle producers in the mid-1980s. While Drake said he is a strong supporter of the dollar head Beef Checkoff, it is time to move to the next level.

“We need desperately to increase the Checkoff,” Drake said. “The dollar of 1987, and that is when this was passed- the dollar was worth a dollar. Today that same dollar is worth 35 cents.”

This solution, Drake said, must come from the producer side of the equation.

“The majority of producers that I deal with are for an increase, but that is the people that understand how important it is,” Drake said.

NPPC Calls on Congress to Find Solution to States Regulating Outside of Their Borders

At the Oklahoma Pork Congress in Oklahoma City, Farm Director, KC Sheperd had the chance to talk with the CEO of the National Pork Producer’s Council, Bryan Humphreys, about NPPC’s priorities regarding the 2023 Farm Bill and more.

“As we talk about the Farm Bill, our priorities wrap around the need for foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness,” Humphreys said. “A lot of that goes toward funding for the national veterinary stockpile that goes towards funding for the disease labs and the vaccine banks out there. It also goes out to things like feral swine eradication, which is certainly an issue right here in Oklahoma.”

Humphreys said there is also the need for a Proposition 12 and Question 3 solution.

“As we look at what states are now doing, looking at the Supreme Court’s ruling and their ability to legislate outside of their state borders and the challenges that it is going to create not just for the swine industry but candidly for our entire economy- we would call on Congress to find a solution to that through federal preemption of some sort,” Humphreys said.



Proposition 12 is being implemented in California, Humphreys said, and as of July 1^st, those products moving into the state will have to be compliant with Proposition 12.

“That means farms are going to have made that conversion; they are going to have to have those pigs in the system to be able to get that product into California,” Humphreys said. “We are also dealing with the challenge in Massachusetts on Question 3. There has been a delay of that until August 23.”

Noble Research Institute’s inaugural two-day training event, Essentials of Regenerative Ranching, brought together farmers and ranchers who are eager to improve the health of their land, livestock, and livelihood. This first delivery of the course, held July 11-12, 2023, at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, provided producers with an immersive experience that combined facilitator-led classroom learning with hands-on activities in the field, as well as ample opportunities for ranchers to connect and problem-solve with their peers. 

“I gained some real practical, hands-on knowledge that I’ll definitely be going back and implementing,” said Brendan Bennett, a rancher from San Augustine, Texas. “Also, there’s a wealth of information and experience from the other producers here. I look forward to being able to go back home to the farm and know that I have them as a resource if I have questions.”

Through classroom sessions and engaging field demonstrations, Noble’s facilitators guided ranchers to a deeper understanding of regenerative principles and how to effectively implement regenerative practices in their own operations.

“We’ve designed Essentials of Regenerative Ranching to offer farmers and ranchers guidance in using core principles and proven monitoring methods,” said Hugh Aljoe, director of ranches, outreach and partnerships at Noble Research Institute. “This program allows them to overcome obstacles, become more informed problem-solvers and be more resilient to the highs and lows of the industry.” 

NCBA Slams Presidential Overreach in Latest Antiquities Act Designation

Yesterday, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) slammed President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to put sweeping federal designations on over a million additional acres of land in Arizona, amounting to yet another presidential land grab.

“This kind of use of the Antiquities Act is one of the most appallingly political moves to lock up millions of acres of land across the country. Today’s latest designation follows a concerning trend of Washington politicians trampling local communities, land managers, farmers, and ranchers with the stroke of a pen,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer. “NCBA is strongly opposed to the continued abuse of the Antiquities Act, and we urge President Biden to listen to the local communities that will be hurt by this designation.”

This designation adds insult to injury for communities that are unheard and intentionally removed from land management conversations. Additionally, the Biden administration failed to communicate with the affected landowners prior to the designation and their so-called public opinion meeting and poll failed to gather perspective from the people most impacted by this decision.

The Antiquities Act gives the President of the United States broad power establish national monuments from existing federal lands. These designations are especially harmful to rural communities that rely on federal lands for their livelihood, such as public lands ranchers. Public lands ranching has existed since the early days of exploration in the West and is governed today by the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934. Nearly 40 percent of cattle spend their time on public lands and public lands ranchers protect water sources, safeguard open space, promote forage growth, limit invasive species, and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Dr. Mark Johnson: Retained Ownership?

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 holding onto weaned calves for yearlings.

The August 1, 2023 Oklahoma Market Report indicates 525 lb. steer calves are currently worth $1,475/head, 861 lb. yearling steers are worth $2,040/head and with fed cattle worth $185/cwt, a 1,400 lb. finished steer has a live value of $2,600. I have seen headlines this week of “Historically Strong Profit Opportunities” and “Strong Cattle Prices.” Recently my colleague, Dr. Derrell Peel predicted $4/lb. weaned calves, $3/lb. yearlings and $2/lb. fed cattle in the future. Overall, 2023 looks to be a very profitable year for all segments of the beef industry (cow-calf producers, stockers operations and cattle feeders). Low cattle inventories indicate high value of cattle of all classes for the next several years. Wow! This is great news and it leads to the question: Is retained ownership right for your operation?

To a commercial cow-calf operation retained ownership simply means holding onto your weaned calves and turning them into yearlings and/or fed cattle that will be marketed at a later date. When all industry segments are profitable (which is rare), it makes economic sense to capture more value and profit potential from your calf crop through retained ownership. As is so often the case, your answer to this question should be based on answering several other questions and financial analysis of what’s going on in your operation.