Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to catch up with Congressman Josh Brecheen and talk about legislative highlights from his past year in office and more.

Despite headwinds, Brecheen said he is proud to be part of a group that can sit down and decide what is best for the country and the state of Oklahoma.

“It has not been easy,” Brecheen said. “It has been quite a ride the past year.”

Brecheen said that he and others on the budget committee are looking forward to putting together a budget that is solid and will balance within ten years, including sizeable cuts.

“I am on the budget committee, and I am disappointed in the final numbers that we ended up with, but we are now starting the process of looking ahead for next year,” Brecheen said.

Mayorkas has been empowered for too long.”



National Livestock was founded in 1932 in Oklahoma City. National’s Marketing Division offers cattle for sale weekly at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City. The Finance Division lends money to ranchers across several states for cattle production. The Grazing Division works with producers to place cattle for grazing on wheat or grass pastures. 

The newest addition to the National Family is Dakota Moss- and Livestock Risk Services.

National also owns and operates other livestock marketing subsidiaries including Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction in Ada, Oklahoma, OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the nation’s premier livestock video sale, Superior Livestock Auction. National offers customers many services custom made for today’s producer. To learn more, click here for the website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am visiting with the President of Certified Angus Beef, John Stika, about an outlook on CAB for 2024. Stika said it all starts with demand for the brand.

“As an industry, we probably all are very pleased with the consumer’s willingness to continue to pay for high quality products, and that is what we are seeing with Certified Angus Beef,” Stika said.

Even with inflation and more factors at play, Stika said the value consumers see within the CAB brand speaks volumes to the work that has been done in the industry.

“The consumer just continues to come forward with the desire to pay for products that bring them satisfaction,” Stika said. “As cattle producers, we are no different. We just don’t oftentimes think of ourselves as consumers.”

Today’s market is supply-driven, Stika said, as the prices seen today reflect the smaller cow herd numbers.

“It is putting dollars back into the pockets of farming and ranching families in rural America that we really depend on as an industry, and they have earned the right to prosper during this period of time, especially while they are having to pay higher prices for inputs, and so forth,” Stika said. “We need these market prices to be high.”

2024 Oklahoma Wheat Crop at 63% Good to Excellent as We End January

While the weekly Crop Condition reports don’t begin by USDA until the first week of March- states release periodic reports over the winter- and the latest reports for Oklahoma and Texas were dropped on Monday, January 29th.

For Oklahoma- it was a monthly summary for January– showing the 2024 winter wheat crop is in 63 percent in good to excellent condition- up from 53% good to excellent that was reported in the last weekly report of 2023 at the end of November. USDA reports that 55% of the wheat acreage in the state is being grazed which is 19 points higher than the number of one year ago.

The pasture and range ratings for the January summary showed a 31% good to excellent rating- up from 22% good to excellent for the December summary that concluded 2023 but little changed from the end of November report of 30% good to excellent that was in the final weekly report of 2023 at the end of November.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Monday that most farm loan borrowers will be able to make payments to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer self-service tools; and expand credit access to assist more producers.

“Farmers and ranchers have responded to some difficult challenges over the last few years and their time is a precious commodity,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Having the option to conduct business online is essential, and the Pay My Loan feature allows customers to take care of business seamlessly. The online payment feature is just one of many ways the Farm Service Agency is modernizing its Farm Loan Programs and enhancing the customer experience for this incredibly hardworking group.”

On average, local USDA Service Centers process more than 225,000 farm loan payments each year. Pay My Loan gives most borrowers an online repayment option and relieves them from needing to call, mail, or visit a Service Center to pay their loan installment. Farm loan payments can now be made at the borrower’s convenience, on their schedule and outside of FSA office hours.

TELL FTC: Protect Farmers’ Right to Repair

National Farmers Union (NFU) urges the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to write regulations that ensure farmers and ranchers can repair their own equipment. Major farm equipment manufacturers refuse to provide farmers with full access to repair tools and information, leaving them no choice but to take their broken equipment to the manufacturer’s dealer. This has led to inflated repair costs and service delays for farmers.

Right to Repair is a pillar of NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign to address the monopoly crisis in agriculture. Just three manufacturers control the majority of farm equipment production, sales, and repairs, and use software locks to prevent farmers and independent mechanics from completing certain repairs.

Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts Gears Up for State Meeting in February

The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) is delighted to announce the upcoming State Meeting, scheduled to take place from February 25th to 27th, 2024, at the Embassy Suites located at 3233 Northwest Expressway

in Oklahoma City, OK.

This year’s state meeting has been meticulously planned, with a focus on addressing the needs and interests of our valued members. Responding to the requests for training, networking, and insights into regenerative agriculture, the event promises an enriching experience for all attendees.

Key Highlights of the State Meeting Include:

• Expert Insights: Renowned experts from across the United States will share their knowledge on crucial topics, including creating drought-free operations, climate and justice issues, and the significance of working with soil microbes.
• Comprehensive Training Sessions: The meeting will feature a range of informative sessions, covering planning for the future, “how to” guides for new employees and directors, watershed basics, and effective communication strategies to showcase the impactful work done by districts.
• Networking Opportunities: Attendees can look forward to excellent networking opportunities, providing a platform to connect with local, state, and national leaders in conservation.