Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is visiting with Congresswomen Stephanie Bice about some updates on agricultural policy. Representative Bice serves Oklahoma’s 5th District.

As part of the Republican Mainstreet Conference, Bice said House Republicans agreed on a short-term government funding bill. This 30-day CR was put into place to help keep the government open with funding through October 31, providing more time for debate on appropriations bills.

“This continuing resolution would help protect the credit insurance fund program account, rural housing, the rental assistance program, the ag marketing account, and the federal wildland firefighter salaries,” Bice said.

There has been a tremendous amount of excess spending over the past two years, Bice said, so cutting that excess spending is a priority, but it is also important to keep adequate military and veteran funding. The proposal put forth for a 30-day CR will allow more focus on the most important issue in the country, Bice added, which she said is the border.

“This bill has a tremendous amount of border security initiatives in it, and we feel that even Democrats are now asking for something to be done on the Southern border with seven million folks crossing illegally into the country, this is a crisis, and this administration is ignoring it,” Bice said. “We feel positively optimistic that we can get this across the finish line later this week and avoid that.”



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Bovine Congestive Heart Failure Being Seen More Often in Beef Cattle Feedlots

Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to visit with with the Director of SimGenetic Development at the American Simmental Association, Luke Bowman, about highlights from the American Simental Association’s Fall Focus 2023 held in Denver, Colorado, at the end of August. In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am featuring comments from Bowman talking about Bovine Congestive Heart Failure.

“It was a watershed moment for the beef industry at Fall Focus,” Bowman said. “We always try to have a symposium based on science and current events in the cattle breeding world to give to our members and commercial cattlemen who can attend the national event held in different regions around the country every year.”

To be able to discuss the topics covered at Fall Focus 2023, Bowman said, and to have so many experts in the room was exceptional. One of the big topics covered at the event, Bowman added, was bovine congestive heart failure. 

“Cattlemen in general and probably all livestock breeders select for extremes rather than optimums, so we want to maximum the absolute number of pounds we sell at weaning time or sell at slaughter time because that yields more dollars,” Bowman said. “However, what we are doing is we are getting these cattle to perform like racehorses, and they absolutely outperform and grow like crazy, but are all of the rest of the organs keeping up with them? We don’t know. So, if their hearts can’t keep up with all this maximum growth and fat they are putting on at the late stages of the game at the feedlot, they literally have heart attacks and die.”

AG Gentner Drummond Creates Organized Crime Task Force to Combat Illegal Grow Operations

Attorney General Gentner Drummond has created an Organized Crime Task Force to combat the scourge of illegal marijuana grow operations across Oklahoma and added a resource for citizens to report suspicious activity related to unlicensed operations.

The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association was quick to praise the AG. "OCA supported the legislative creation of this task force and greatly appreciate General Drummond’s leadership in this important area," said OCA Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey. "From day one, he has made illegal operations a key issue for his administration which OCA greatly appreciates! OCA encourages our members to utilize the tip line to report issues." 

“Illegal marijuana grows are responsible for an alarming influx of organized crime into our communities, particularly from Mexican drug cartels and Chinese crime syndicates” Drummond noted. “I have made it a priority to wipe out these illicit operators and this task force is a crucial component to driving out criminals and ensuring public safety.”

The task force is working closely with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBN), the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority and other state agencies to investigate all crimes related to illegal grow operations, including human trafficking and the distribution of deadly drugs such as fentanyl.

Citizens with information about suspected illegal grow operations are encouraged to submit a tip to the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General. A complaint form is available at oag.ok.gov by clicking on the “Illegal Marijuana Tipline” tab. Tips also can be sent to illegalgrow@oag.ok.gov and reporters can remain anonymous.

Wheat Industry Applauds Senate Introduction Of American Farmers Feed The World Act

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are thanking Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) for introduction of the American Farmers Feed the World Act of 2023 in the U.S. Senate. The bi-partisan legislation would restore the original intent of the Food for Peace program without spending additional Farm Bill resources, while also safeguarding the interests of hard-working American farmers in providing food to those in need around the world.

USW and NAWG have joined the broader agriculture industry in backing the legislation, seeing it as an effort to use U.S.-grown commodities to fight global hunger rather than spending American taxpayers’ dollars to purchase food from competitors of the U.S. wheat industry.

The American Farmers Feed the World Act empowers American wheat farmers to share our harvest and contribute to the global battle against hunger," stated Brent Cheyne, President of the National Association of Wheat Growers and a wheat farmer from Oregon. "Wheat, a vital staple grain accounting for approximately 20 percent of global calorie consumption, receives its highest quality from U.S. wheat farmers, making it an essential resource in nourishing the world. We've observed a shift away from utilizing American commodities in food aid programs over the years, which has resulted in diminished transparency, accountability, and bipartisan backing. As Congress considers reauthorizing the Farm Bill later this year, this legislation provides an opportunity to revitalize the role of American agriculture in addressing global hunger. It underscores our dedication to providing food assistance to vulnerable populations while prioritizing our farmers ahead of foreign agricultural competitors."

According to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Heavy duty row crop tractor unit sales continued to increase in the U.S., while overall farm tractor unit sales in the U.S. and Canada declined in August. Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, had the chance to talk with the AEM Senior Vice President, Curt Blades, about the latest report.

In the U.S., 100+hp 2WD tractors, and 4WD tractors were the only segments to grow year-over-year. Both those segments, along with self-propelled combines remain positive for the year. The biggest overall growth among tractors happened in 4WD units, growing more than 20 percent in August.

“For the last 30 years or so, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers has been producing monthly sales reports where we track tractors and combine sales,” Blades said.

Overall unit sales of U.S. tractors are down 4.6 percent compared to sales in August 2022, while combine sales declined slightly by 2.4 percent. 

The decline in sales of U.S. tractors, Blades said, is due to the demand being met after strong markets for the last three years. While combine sales were down slightly in August, Blades said those sales are still up 30 percent for the year.

USDA Expands Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Food Loss and Waste

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an additional $25 million investment to expand efforts to prevent and reduce food loss and waste. The investment, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is part of a joint agency initiative between USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE).

In the United States, over one-third of all available food goes uneaten through loss or waste. When food is tossed aside, so too are opportunities for improved food security, economic growth and environmental prosperity.

“USDA NIFA is extensively engaged in research, Extension and educational activities to mitigate food loss and waste,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. “Several NIFA grant programs focusing on this issue align with USDA’s cross-cutting priorities to address the impacts of climate change, ensure food and nutrition security, strengthen rural economies, and ensure racial justice and equity.”

Since 2017, NIFA has committed $123.5 million across 527 projects relating to food loss and waste. This latest investment will expand several of NIFA’s core programs by $25 million.

Robotic Milker Litigation: Second Class Settlement Secured for U.S. Dairy Farmers

Following last year’s $55M settlement with DeLaval Holding AB, DeLaval International AB, DeLaval Inc., and West Agro, Inc., Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP, Cullenberg & Tensen PLLC, and Perrone Law PLLC have achieved another historic settlement against a manufacturer of allegedly defective milking robots.

Final approval of settlement worth approximately $122 million granted for Lely A4 dairy farmers. 

On September 1, 2023, the Court granted final approval of the settlement for the Lely A4. The settlement provided class members with the option to replace their existing robot with Lely’s newer A5 model or to receive cash relief. Nearly all of the approximately 400 class members participated, and the relief selected is worth approximately $121,956,000.

In approving the settlement, the Court called it an “excellent result,” noting that it provides “outstanding relief” and received “overwhelming,” “unprecedented” support from the class: “Participation in the claims process was unprecedented with nearly 100 percent participation, which far exceeds the average claims rate.”

Achieving this result on the heels of the DeLaval settlement last year, firm partner Patrick Stueve said:

“This is another historic nationwide class settlement that will provide extraordinary financial and operational relief to farmers who purchased the Lely A4.”