Oklahoma's Latest Farm

And Ranch News

Wednesday, December 20, 2023



Coming- The Cow That Stole Christmas- 20 Years Later

Howdy Neighbors!

Here is Your Daily Oklahoma Farm and Ranch News Update: 

 

  • Eat, Drink, and Be Merry? How U.S. Consumers Expect Inflation to Impact their Holiday Meals



  • 2024 Beef Industry Politics at Play with NCBA’s Ethan Lane


  • OSU introduces Oklahoma Hydronet to Improve Water Management


  • Help the OALP Meet Their Noble Grant Challenge


  • Southern Plains Perspective: Same old thing…another year, another set of broken records


  • Certified Ag Dealers Partner with Pro Rodeo Athletes and Deliver Value to Farmers and Ranchers


  • Large Cow Culling Continues


  • Anaplasmosis: An Ongoing Battle



Eat, Drink, and Be Merry? How U.S. Consumers Expect Inflation to Impact their Holiday Meals

Winter holidays are upon us, and consumers across the country are decking out their tables to celebrate. But will high food prices put a damper on all that merriment? In this post, we share results from the Gardner Food and Agricultural Policy Survey to unpack how consumers are keeping costs of their holiday meals down. Additionally, particularly relevant to farmers and ranchers, we also discuss consumers’ protein preferences for Christmas meals and whether inflation is affecting these choices.


The Gardner Food and Agriculture Policy Survey is an online survey conducted quarterly. Each quarter, a new panel of approximately 1,000 participants is recruited to match the US population in terms of gender, age, annual household income, and US census region. Results below are from the seventh wave of the survey, conducted in November 2023.


Results


‘Tis the season for inflation

Inflation has been a key topic for much of the last two years. We have explored inflation’s impact previously using results from this survey (e.g., farmdoc daily September 1, 2022January 19, 2023). The latest update from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that inflation continues to cool. For food prices, the report shows that prices rose 0.2% in the last month and are 2.9% higher now than 12 months ago (BLS, 2023). However, months of sticker shock combined with the increased demands of the holidays, means that not all consumers are feeling so jolly. In this survey, we asked participants who typically celebrate a winter holiday with a meal, whether they expected rising food prices to impact their meal plans. We find that over two-thirds thought their meals would be affected.


Editor's Note- this is an article picked up from the University of Illinois- and offers some great insights into what consumers are thinking as we end 2023.

Click here to read more findings based on the results from the Gardner Food and Agricultural Survey

Sponsor Spotlight



The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry. With headquarters in Oklahoma City, the OCA has a regular presence at the State Capitol to protect and defend the interests of cattlemen and cattlewomen.


Their Vision Statement explains the highest priority of the organization- "Leadership that serves, strengthens and advocates for the Oklahoma cattle industry."


To learn more about the OCA and how you can be a part of this forward-looking group of cattle producers, click here for their website. For more information- call 405-235-4391.


2024 Beef Industry Politics at Play with NCBA’s Ethan Lane

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with the Vice President of Governmental Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Ethan Lane, about politics impacting the beef industry.


“Everything is in play right now,” Lane said. “Obviously, everyone is watching the debates and watching those races shape up, speculating on the future of the president given his age and some of the ways he engages publicly…,”



During this time, Lane said there is a great deal of uncertainty.


“I don’t know that we are going to get that clarity any time soon,” Lane said. “I think from talking to some of the folks that are engaged in the election process on the ground, there is a lot of focus right now on reaching voters.”


Lane also talked about the election of the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, and the work he has been doing to help produce a Farm Bill.

“He didn’t deal this hand of cards,” Lane said. “He simply has to play them and navigate these circumstances.”



Lane said he is hopeful that Johnson’s “brand” of conservatism will settle the conference down and point them in the right direction.

Click here to read more and listen to Ethan Lane talk about politics impacting the beef industry

OSU introduces Oklahoma Hydronet to Improve Water Management

Oklahoma State University researchers have partnered with other state and federal entities to improve the management of water resources across the state.


“We’re trying to create a world-class water monitoring network for our state to complement what we already have, which is a world-class meteorological network with the Oklahoma Mesonet,” said Tyson Ochsner, professor of plant and soil sciences in the Ferguson College of Agriculture.


Branded the Oklahoma Hydronet, the monitoring system will measure water stored in soil, aquifers and reservoirs. OSU is partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Oklahoma Water Resources Center, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the University of Oklahoma for the project.


“Drought and flooding are always a problem in Oklahoma,” said Chris Adams, monitoring coordinator with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. “The Hydronet project is about being prepared for those things, so we can see where those water sources are at and plan accordingly. But it will also help us plan for the future.”


Ochsner said whether it is managing droughts and limited irrigation water or trying to predict floods, the state needs better water system monitoring. He said many reservoirs around the state are not currently monitored for water levels.

Click here to read more about how OSU is helping to improve the management of water resources across the state
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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




Help the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Meet Their Noble Grant Challenge

Over the great majority of the years that the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program has been in existence- alums of the program have been able to have their gifts to support the program matched by the Noble Foundation. That's once again the opportunity here in 2023- and OALP Director Edmond Bonjour has provided us the details on how you can make your donation here in the final days of 2023:


You may mail your donation by sending your check made payable to OSU Foundation/OALP to 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-3033. Credit cards may be used for your contribution by calling the OSU Foundation at 800-622-4678 and designate your gift for the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Fund 21-35700 or online at https://osugiving.com where you will: 1) click the “Give” button in the upper right-hand corner, 2) click the amount you would like to give or enter an amount under “Other” 3) click either “One-Time” or “Recurring”, 4) click the “Discover More Orange Passions” box if the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Fund does not show up, 5) type 21-35700 in the search box and click the search button, 6) click on Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Fund, and 7) click “Next” then enter the billing information


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 Wednesday morning farm and ranch news with KC Sheperd
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Sponsor Spotlight



The vision of the Oklahoma Beef Council is to be a positive difference for Oklahoma's farming and ranching families and the greater beef community, and its mission is to enhance beef demand by strengthening consumer trust and exceeding consumer expectations. 


To learn more, visit www.oklabeef.org. Also, don't forget to like its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oklabeef for stories on Oklahoma's ranching families and great beef recipes. 


And Check out this video below that helps you learn more about the Beef Checkoff- it's the latest Drive in Five update:

Southern Plains Perspective: Same Old Thing…Another Year, Another Set of Broken Records

There is a new blog post out at the Southern Plains Perspective. The Southern Plains Perspective is authored by Clay Pope- who farms with his wife Sarah.  Read Below!


They say history repeats itself—it sure seems that way when it comes to the end of the year and global temperature records. It’s become almost an annual right of passage that with the turning of the calendar we start to hear about how the year-that-was saw some of the highest global temperatures in recorded history and how these subtle changes in the climate resulted in more weather-related damage.


It seems that 2023 has kept this streak alive.

An example of this was the announcement last week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that 2023 has a an almost 100% chance of being the hottest year ever recorded.  This sounds very familiar to the news that came out last January about how the eight years prior to 2023 had themselves been the hottest on record.


Let’s see—2023 looks to be the hottest year that mankind has recorded so far and the last eight years all rank as the hottest we’ve ever seen. Yep..sure seems like there is a trend here.


Throw into the mix that NOAA announced back in August that 2023 had already set a record for the number of weather-related disasters with a price tag of $1 billion or more and you start to see that the slow, methodical effects of climate change are still marching on.

Click here to read the full Southern Plains Perspective blog post

Certified Ag Dealers Partner with Pro Rodeo Athletes and Deliver Value to Farmers and Ranchers

At the Certified Agriculture Dealership booth at the 2023 National Association of Farm Broadcasters Convention, Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, had the chance to talk with the team about how Certified Ag Dealers are filling the gap between the agricultural buyer and the commercial automotive industry.


Certified Ag Dealerships aim to provide farmers and ranchers with a business solution built around the vehicles they purchase. Knowing the “ins and outs” of farming and ranching, their staff has completed special agriculturally focused training to become a certified business. Only Certified Agriculture Dealerships offer AgPack: a special package of cost saving benefits and partnerships that deliver value only farmers and ranchers can truly appreciate. When buying from a Certified Ag Dealer, farmers and ranchers can realize more than $32,000 in supply savings through their pickup purchases.



The Certified Ag Dealers have teamed up with pro rodeo, creating the AgTruckTrader Pro Rodeo Team to harmonize the worlds of rodeo and agriculture. The team includes bareback rider Leighton Berry, barrel racer Jackie Ganter, bull rider Clayton Sellars, breakaway roper Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, and tie-down roper Taylor Santos.


Click here to read more and listen to Clayton Sellars and Jordan Jo Hollabaugh talk about Certified Ag Dealers

Large Cow Culling Continues

Beef cow culling normally peaks in the Fall and this year has been no exception to that.  The big surprise is just how big culling has been this Fall given a smaller cow herd.  Several reasons are probably combining to keep culling high.  Drought in many areas, including the South, high cull cow prices, and high hay costs.  Grabbing the high cull cow price today looks better than the future net returns from keeping her for another calf.  


For the year, U.S. beef cow slaughter is 11.6 percent, or 424,000 head, smaller than last year.  But, over the last 6 weeks beef cow slaughter has only been 2.4 percent below last year.  Culling for the week ending November 18th, at 83,200 head, was actually larger than the same week the year before and was the largest week in 2023.  Any week with slaughter over 80,000 head is a big week.  


The national slaughter data masks some regional differences over the last few weeks.  Beef cow slaughter in the South, Region 4 in the federally inspected slaughter data, was 2.6 percent larger than the year before. Drought is likely a factor in culling in this region.  Region 6 slaughter, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, was 8.5 percent smaller than last year over the same period.  Much of the Corn Belt region also had cow culling above a year ago. 


Reduced dairy cow slaughter has kept total slaughter well below last year over the last few weeks which has worked to boost cull cow prices.  The normal Fall decline in price appears to be over with auction prices increasing from about $70 per cwt to $87 per cwt into mid-December.  

Click here to read the full article from Southern Ag Today

Anaplasmosis: An Ongoing Battle

In this week's Cow-Calf Corner, Dr. Rosslyn Biggs talks about Anaplasmosis.


Bovine anaplasmosis is caused by the rickettsial bacteria, Anaplasma marginale. It invades the red blood cells leading to early signs such as fever, anemia, pale mucous membranes, weakness, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, excitement, jaundice, incoordination, and death may be seen. Abortions and retained placentas may also increase. It typically takes four to eight weeks following the date of infection for signs to become evident. Signs are most severe in animals greater than two years of age although cattle may be infected at any age. 


Cattle that recover from initial infection become carriers for life. Carrier animals typically do not show clinical signs and serve as a source of infection for unexposed cattle. However, carrier animals under times of significant stress, such as pregnancy, can revert to exhibiting clinical signs.  


Transmission primarily occurs through ticks and biting flies. Wildlife with infected ticks can also play a role in spreading the disease as they travel, transporting the ticks with them. Infected cows may also transmit the agent to their unborn calves. Equipment contaminated with infected blood, such as injection needles used on multiple animals is another common mechanism to transmit the bacteria. Diagnosis is through blood testing.  

Click here to read more about Anaplasmosis from Dr. Rosslyn Biggs
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 $2.10 and Select Beef was down 56 cents on Tuesday 12/19/2023.


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

Boxed Beef Report

Oklahoma National Stockyards had a final count of 5,064 head on Monday- their final stocker auction of the year.


ONSY will return with sales on Monday, January 8, 2024.


On Monday- Compared to last week: Feeder steers 2.00-5.00 higher. Feeder heifers mostly steady. Limited test of feeder steers over 800 lbs. and heifers over 650 lbs. Steer calves 4.00-8.00 higher. Heifer calves mostly steady. Demand moderate to good for feeder cattle; very good for calves. The price spread between a steer and heifer calf remains large as producers continue to buy for winter grazing. Nice rains fell last week and fall pastures are in pretty good condition. Quality average to attractive. Supply included: 100% Feeder Cattle (52% Steers, 45% Heifers, 3% Bulls). Feeder cattle supply over 600 lbs was 46%.


Click below for the complete closing report.

Oklahoma National Stockyards Market Report from 12/18/2023

OKC West in El Reno had a calf run of 2,000 on Tuesday of this week.


Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold 6.00-10.00 higher. Demand vey good for turn out grazing calves. Moisture fell across much of the trade area last week and weekend continuing to improve grazing fields. Supply included: 100% Feeder Cattle (52% Steers, 45% Heifers, 3% Bulls). Feeder cattle supply over 600 lbs was 19%.


Today's yearling cattle sale will be the last sale of the year at OKC West- they return on Monday, January 8, 2024.


Click on the button below for details of the trade as compiled by the USDA Market News Service.

OKC West in El Reno Calf Market Report from 12/19/2023
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 12/19/2023
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
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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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Radio Oklahoma Ag Network

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