More than 55,000 Oklahoma homes and businesses are one step closer to receiving high-speed internet service, thanks to votes Thursday by the Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board to authorize 142 broadband infrastructure expansion projects across 57 counties. The approved projects would provide broadband to nearly a quarter of locations without such service today.

In a first of its kind of investment in Oklahoma, the Legislature designated ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to create and administer the broadband investment grant program. Grant funds of $374 million will be coupled with more than $90 million in matching funds from 31 internet service providers (ISPs) that submitted approved proposals for service expansion.

Of the 41 companies that applied for the grants, 31 were approved. Those ten companies that were not selected either decided to pull back during the process or did not complete their entire application.

Following the meeting, Associate Farm Editor Reagan Calk had the chance to visit with the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office, Michael A. Sanders.

“I don’t know if there is enough time in the day to tell you all of the real benefits from an economic development aspect for our rural communities, and quite frankly, even some of our urban communities,” Sanders said. “I have always believed that a healthy rural Oklahoma means a healthy, vibrant urban Oklahoma, and vice versa.”



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 January 2024 Edition of the Drive in Five.

According to the latest Oklahoma drought monitor report, exceptional drought remains at zero percent, unchanged from the start of the calendar year.

Extreme drought or worse remains at zero percent, unchanged from the past four weeks.

Severe drought or worse remains at 1.67 percent, unchanged from the past two weeks.

Moderate drought or worse is now at 14.52 percent, down from last week’s 15.01 percent.

Abnormally dry conditions are now at 32.77 percent, down from last week’s 34.19 percent.

According to the 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook map, the majority of the state is leaning above a 40 to 50 percent chance of precipitation through February 3. A small portion of the northeast corner is leaning above a 33 to 40 percent chance of precipitation through that same date, and a small portion of the southwest border can expect a 50 to 60 percent chance of precipitation through February 3.

To view this week's Oklahoma drought numbers, click the image above the story.

Genomic Data is Becoming Increasingly More Valuable for Cattle Producers

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with Kansas State University’s Dr. Bob Weaber about genomic EPDs.

“I think one of the really important things for both seedstock and commercial producers to recognize is that we are well into the adoption and implementation phases of genomic technology in the beef space,” Weaber said.

Weaber said the more producers engaged in data collection across the range of traits evaluated, the better job genomic tools can do.

“Our current genomic technology is an association kind of marker approach, so we are not describing the exact genes that are influential in the genome of the cattle, but the markers let us identify those genomic regions kind of like an ear tag on a piece of DNA,” Weaber said. “The more information we supply to the evaluation in terms of phenotypes, across the range of performance characteristics of the animals, the better job our prediction models do.”

While a few producers may have been hesitant about using these tools early on, Weaber said the impacts of genomic tools can be extremely useful for cattle raisers.

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Market Analyst Tyllor Ledford compiles a comprehensive “World Wheat Supply and Demand” summary for three USW Board of Directors meetings each year. Using the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report as her primary source, Ledford prepared the attached market summary for the USW Winter Board Meeting in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23 to 26, 2024.

Following is the start of Ledford’s report. Continue reading the entire report here.

World Wheat Supply and Demand

Released on January 12, the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) had a bearish impact on the market, as the estimates quantified the sustained record export flows from the Black Sea and increased ending stock levels. The 2023/24 global wheat production is forecast at 784.9 MMT, up 1.9 MMT from December’s estimates. Meanwhile, world wheat demand remains at a record high of 796.4 MMT, outpacing world wheat production by 11.5 MMT.

Kim Anderson Discusses Price Declines in the Crop Markets and Predictions for 2024 Winter Wheat Prices

This Week on SUNUP is Oklahoma State University Extension grain market economist Kim Anderson. During this week’s edition, Anderson discusses movement in the crop markets from the past few weeks.

“If you look at wheat, corn, and beans, they have been going in the tank during January,” Anderson said.

Going back to December, Anderson said wheat was priced around $5.75 to $6.00. During January, Anderson said wheat has dropped to about $5.45, and is back up to about $5.70.

Corn in December was around $4.70 to $4.75 and fell to $4.27 in the month of January. It has risen about 10 cents as of now, he added.

Looking at soybeans in December, Anderson said they were close to $12.50 to $12.75 and fell to $11.53 for the month of January. Soybeans have picked up to around 30 cents now, he added.

The reason for these price declines, Anderson said, is because of supply and demand. Stocks-to-use ratios are predicted to be near last year’s averages, Anderson said, but there is more wheat now than can be put on the market.

Western Legacy Inspires New Stuart Ranch Furniture Collection

A furniture collection born from 156 years of history and tradition has come to life at Stuart Ranch, a family-owned Oklahoma legacy founded in Indian Territory in 1868.

As Oklahoma’s oldest ranch under continuous family ownership, Stuart Ranch has inspired a unique line of furnishings with the help of Arcadia-based interior design firm, Designer’s Brew and Co.

Stuart Ranch and Designer’s Brew first designed the collection for use in The Lodge at Stuart Ranch, where outdoor enthusiasts from across the region come for elite hunting experiences. The furniture has been so popular among guests that the collection is now available for purchase at designersbrew.com.

“Everything at Stuart Ranch is meaningful and built with purpose, and furnishings at The Lodge are no exception,” said Clay Forst, 6th generation Stuart Ranch family member. “They are laced with our family’s legacy and serve as a reminder of where we came from and what is driving us on. We are glad to be working with Designer’s Brew to share this piece of the Stuart Ranch legacy with others.”

While many interior designers are curators only, Designer’s Brew owner Brett McPherson is also a creator. She used Stuart Ranch’s legacy as a major influence in creating each unique piece of furniture designed exclusively for The Lodge at Stuart Ranch.

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