Recently, Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to visit with the Co-Founder of the Farmers Business Network, Charles Baron, about how FBN can help farmers increase their profits and more.

“FBN is a network of over 75,000 farms across the U.S. and Canada, and a little bit in Brazil,” Baron said. “We effectively help growers get more information, more power, and more transparency in the market by being online so they can connect with one another through our community or analytics. They can buy inputs online, get loans through FBN, do their grain marketing, get sustainability premiums…”

Baron was also able to give an outlook on the chemical market. Baron said chemical prices skyrocketed in 2021 and 2022, then came down at a fast rate in 2023.

“There has been tremendous volatility in the chemical market in the last couple of years,” Baron said. “It really started with Covid, and then the various impacts the supply chain ran into with the ports shut down, manufacturing shut down in China, the hurricanes that hit the United States, which took plants offline in 2021…”

While chemical prices were still at historical highs in 2023, Baron said producers had to learn to find balance in that area. Now, Baron said after some capacity was built into the system, as more products came into the market, prices have come down dramatically, putting some of the larger products at historic lows.



The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program knows this is a hard time for farmers and ranchers. We want you to know we are still open, and we are still here for you. The Ag Mediation program is a free service that provides mediation to agriculture producers who may need help with ag-related disputes.

At Oklahoma Ag Mediation, we have been helping people in agriculture resolve conflicts since 1987. We know firsthand about working together to resolve conflicts, so you don’t have to go through the court systems. Let our professional mediators help you. Mediation is allowed for lease issues, farmer/neighbor disputes, family farm transitions, and more. These services are available at no cost for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers in all 77 counties. For more information, you can go to ok.gov/mediation, or give us a call at 800 248 5465.



Lance Zimmerman Sees Next Calf Crop to Be Aggressively Efficient

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am visiting with senior beef and cattle market research analyst at Rabo AgriFinance, Lance Zimmerman, about beef cow numbers and what the January 2024 Cattle Inventory report may have in store.

The January of 2023, the Cattle Inventory number was 28.9 million head of beef cows. A number to be watching is the beef cow replacement number, as in 2021 that number was at 5.8 million head. In January 2023, the beef cow replacement number was 5.1 million head.

Because of how many heifers are being liquidated during this time, Zimmerman said the replacement number will be trending softer. There is an incentive to rebuild the herd with conditions improved from last year, Zimmerman added, so the replacement numbers should start to bottom out earlier than the beef cow number.

Zimmerman said there is still a long way to go before that replacement number starts trending in a positive direction.

With high calf prices, Zimmerman said he is encouraging producers to stay positive and make it through this next calf crop because drought conditions may improve significantly next year.

USDA RMA Announces Continued Improvements to Sorghum Crop Insurance

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA) released several important updates to sorghum crop insurance that will continue to expand sorghum production and empower farmers across the nation. Effective in 2024, the price election factor for sorghum will be at its highest level ever relative to corn; simplifications made to the sorghum silage policy will offer more support to sorghum farmers; and a key barrier to insuring irrigated double crop sorghum was removed in certain areas.

The sorghum price election is determined by applying a multiplier to the corn crop insurance price. For 2024, this multiplier is 100.2%, the highest level ever for sorghum and surpassing corn for the first time in history.

“As sorghum prices continue to strengthen, this development is poised to bring substantial benefits to sorghum farmers by enhancing the financial protection of their sorghum crop,” NSP CEO Tim Lust said. “The higher sorghum crop insurance price will serve as a significant incentive for growers to expand grain sorghum production, ultimately boosting the sorghum industry’s vitality and profitability.”

Recognizing the substantial growth in irrigated sorghum silage and forage acreage on the High Plains and around the U.S., RMA is simplifying the process for insuring irrigated sorghum silage. The previous requirement of having two years of history growing irrigated silage as a condition of insuring irrigated sorghum silage under the sorghum silage policy has been eliminated in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Living in rural America should never hinder the outcome of your health and well-being.

However, for many individuals in rural Oklahoma and Tribal communities, access to reliable high-speed internet is a necessity they have gone too long without.

Reliable broadband increases access to telehealth opportunities – including mental health and behavioral health care, and improvements in overall wellness. Instead of driving miles into town for care, patients can meet with medical professionals from the comfort of their homes.

For others, connectivity will open new doors for educational tools such as online schooling, coaching, and additional employment opportunities. The sky is the limit.



Rural Americans should enjoy and utilize the same affordable, high-speed access as those living in urban areas. According to the Department of the Interior, about 99 percent of Americans in urban areas have access to reliable internet. However, less than 50 percent of rural Oklahomans and 65 percent of individuals on Tribal lands have access to this same resource.

U.S. Custom Harvesters Continues to Service Farmers with Top-of-the-Line Equipment and Staff

At the U.S. Custom Harvesters booth at the 2023 NAFB Convention, Farm Director KC Sheperd talked with custom forage harvester Mark Anderson.

“We take the whole crop and chop it into pieces to make cattle feed for feedlots, dairies, and farms and ranches,” Anderson said.

Anderson talked about why utilizing custom harvesting can aid farmers in numerous ways.

“We have the equipment, the staff, and the people to be able to handle the harvest demands in a timely manner,” Andreson said.



With professional harvesters paired with the latest equipment, Anderson said the turnaround time on the harvest is generally quick. Anderson said that the U.S. Custom Harvesters serve many repeat customers each year, but they are also available to aid farmers who may not be able to harvest their crops due to health reasons, family emergencies, and more.

Using Genetic Testing to Make Profitable Marketing Decisions

On today’s Cow-Calf Corner, Jacee De Vries and Chris Johnson, Graduate Research Assistants at Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Sciences, talk about turning a profit with genetics in consideration.

The goal of any cow/calf operation is to raise calves that generate the highest payout. Traditionally, cattle are evaluated based on physical traits that have worked for the producer in the past. With the help of genomic testing, producers can see each animal’s genetic potential as soon as it hits the ground. Genomic testing is especially useful for selecting calves for retained ownership through finishing. When selecting cattle to finish, knowing their potential for gain and quality can be very beneficial in maximizing profitability. 

Genomic tests are a tool that can be used to create strategic marketing plans by taking a small ear tissue sample to compare genome traits of a calf to others in their breed. Tests can range from $15-39, depending on the level of detail desired. These test results will provide producers with maternal, production, and carcass trait scores on a scale of 1-10. Some of the traits analyzed are milk yield, weaning weight, average daily gain (ADG), marbling score, ribeye area, and many more. Additionally, many testing companies compile performance and carcass scores into a terminal index. These indices identify calves with the highest potential for profit when sold on the grid. Values assigned to these economic traits along with maternal traits can give the producer a new perspective on their herd.