Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is visiting with Oklahoma State University’s Brian Whitacre, about an update on broadband in Oklahoma. Whitacre is on the state’s Broadband Expansion Council, which provides recommendations to the newly formed Oklahoma Broadband Office.  

Whitacre said the state recently received some additional broadband funding through the USDA ReConnect Program.

“That went to a couple of cooperatives, really all across the state, but I think the bigger news is that there is a big chunk of money coming late this year into early 2024, and our State Oklahoma Broadband Office just released a map of what they are calling the unserved and underserved locations- the places that really need that broadband infrastructure,” Whitacre said.

Almost 400 million dollars should be released by the end of this year through the Oklahoma broadband office, Whitacre said, and another 800 million is expected to be available in 2024.

“We really are hopeful that all these places without good broadband are going to get them in the coming three to five years,” Whitacre said. “If you look at the actual data on this, it shows that we have about 1.6 million buildings, either residential or business buildings across Oklahoma, and of those, the data shows there are about 150,000 that have no official broadband provider at all, and another 150,000 where the maximum speed is something like 30 megabits per second or 50 megabits per second which is officially ‘broadband,’ but not as good as the 100 megabits per second that we are targeting.”



Oklahoma Farm Bureau works to improve the lives of all Oklahomans by supporting our state’s agriculture community. As Oklahoma’s largest general farm organization led by Oklahoma farmers and ranchers, OKFB takes grassroots values and advocates for agriculture at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C., to ensure our way of life continues for generations to come. Farm Bureau hosts leadership events, supports our state’s agricultural youth and connects consumers with agriculture in order to build a brighter future for our state. Become an OKFB member today online at okfarmbureau.org/join. Together, we are rural Oklahoma.



State-of-the-Art National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Takes the Stage in Manhattan, Kansas

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with the Chief Veterinarian of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Dr. Kathy Simmons, about the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.

Located in Manhattan, Kansas, the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is a state-of-the-art animal disease laboratory to be operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help protect the nation’s agriculture, farmers, and citizens against the threat and potential impact of serious animal diseases.

NBAF will replace the 68-year-old Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), where USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) currently conduct foreign animal disease research, training and diagnostics. ARS and APHIS will transfer their research and diagnostic missions from PIADC to NBAF and will operate the facility jointly.

“This facility has a BSL-3 level lab, and then the most threatening pathogen lab, the BSL-4 level lab within the nucleus of the building,” Simmons said. “We were able to tour NBAF and it looks like a wonderful facility. It seems to be very well staffed, and I think the transition is going to be made here this fall of all of the scientists and the pathogens to come over from Plum Island.”

The Department of Homeland Security has already given USDA APHIS (Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service) and ARS (Agricultural Retail Service) the keys to the facility, Simmons said, and USDA is now working to facilitate the start of the work to be done.

Humane Society Campaign to Stop EATS Act Adds 30 Senators to Its Roster of Lawmakers in Opposition

The efforts to include language that would negate California's Prop 12 as a part of the 2023 Farm Bill are meeting lots of headwinds. The HSUS led campaign to derail the EATS act that has been introduced by Kansas Senator Roger Marshall (and friends) now has 30 Senators and 172 House members saying they will vote against any Farm Bill that includes the EATS act if it reaches the floor of their respective body.

According to a news release from the Human Society Legislation Fund(The lobbying arm of HSUS)- "“It’s not one state that’s trying to foist its standards on the rest of the country,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “It’s the pork industry’s trade association that’s trying to force every state to accept the terms of any other state that chooses not to ensure standards for agricultural products related to humane treatment, food safety, environmental protection or child labor within its borders.

On the Senate side- it's Senator (and Vegan)Cory Booker of New Jersey who is leading the charge against EATS.

By the way- no one from the Oklahoma Congressional delegation has signed onto either of the letters. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is one of 16 State Attorney Generals who has urged Congress to pass EATS.

House Ag Committee Chairman GT Thompson has expressed a desire to have language in the Farm Bill that would address Prop 12- but we have yet to see any details of the Chairman's Mark (his Farm Bill proposal) so it's unknown how committed he is to the concept that has been discussed by some in farm country.

Since 1963, the Federation of State Beef Councils has been committed to building beef demand by inspiring, unifying and supporting an effective and coordinated state and national Checkoff partnership. By working together with one unified vision and plan, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, and state beef councils continue to set a positive course for beef’s future. 

Here are a few examples of recent program successes:

Nutrition Research

Research continues to serve as the foundation for all Beef Checkoff-funded initiatives. Nutrition research provides proof that beef has a role in a healthy, sustainable diet. Current projects focus on human clinical trials investigating healthy diets, across the lifespan, where beef is the primary source of dietary protein, and focuses on the impact of cardiometabolic health, strength, and performance, and the benefits of beef in the diets of children and adolescents.

National Beef Quality Audit

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA), conducted approximately every five years since 1991, is foundational research that provides an understanding of what quality means to the various industry sectors, and the value of those quality attributes. This research helps the industry make modifications necessary to increase the value of its products. The findings from the 2022 NBQA serve to improve quality, minimize economic loss, and aid in advancements in producer education for the U.S. beef industry. 

Dry Conditions Enhance Fire Danger Across the State

Statewide Discussion: Overall dry conditions and the persistence of the heat dome through August has resulted in notable stress on both herbaceous and woody fuels and increasing fuels availability. Flash drought development resulting from above normal temperatures and the absence of moisture, most notably across the southern counties, has enhanced fire danger noted by increasing new wildfire occurrence. While initial attack efforts have been largely successful to date, recent fire behavior is exhibiting increased resistance to control efforts and large fire potential is expected to increase in the southern third of Oklahoma where mounting precipitation deficits, lack of soil moisture and enhanced fuels availability have become concerning. Energy Release Component values in this area have eclipsed the 90th percentile where resistance to control and heavier resource commitment is expected as an upper level ridge builds back in over the area later this week ushering in a return to above normal temperatures and expectation of dry conditions.

CAB Insider: Short Supplies, Higher Beef Prices

The fed cattle market has stagnated since mid-July, encumbered primarily by exceptionally small slaughter head counts. Last week’s $183/cwt. fed steer price was the smallest since mid-July.

In the meantime packing sector margins are solidly in the black again after dipping below breakeven levels from late July through most of August.  Three weeks ago fed cattle slaughter reached the smallest non-holiday weekly total (471K head) since January. The two following weeks brought on increases of 13,000 head and 10,000 head, respectively.

With slaughter productivity depressed, carcass cutout values responded as expected. The comprehensive boxed beef cutout value increased from the early August low of $297.17/cwt. to last week’s $310.79/cwt., a 4.6% move. The CAB cutout touched a seasonal low the first week of August at $312.49/cwt. before rallying 3.5% through last week to average $323.33/cwt.

Besides the inflationary impact of restricted steer and heifer slaughter, the uptick in prices is within seasonal expectations as well. Just ahead of Labor Day the market typically experiences price increases as spot market fill-in orders from end users pulls prices up from early August lows.