On Saturday, February 24, at the 2024 American Farmers and Ranchers convention held in Norman, Oklahoma, Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to talk with AFR President Scott Blubaugh about topics discussed at this year’s convention.

Blubaugh said topics of conversation in policy meetings included a focus on agricultural markets, enforcing anti-monopoly and trust laws, farm bill, and more.

“We are a general farm organization, so our policy book is rather thick, and we touch a lot on different issues throughout the state,” Blubaugh said.

One issue Blubaugh said he foresees to be discussed heavily at the state level this year is water.

“We are running out of water in the Ogallala Aquafer, and we are seeing many of our farmers out in the Panhandle there that rely on that aquifer; those wells are drying up at least around the edges of the aquifer,” Blubaugh said. “They are having to change their cropping patterns and raise different crops that require less water than corn does.”

Blubaugh is especially proud of an announcement that has come from the National Farmers Union- they are planning their National Convention in 2025 in Oklahoma City. The dates that have been announced are March 9-11, 2025.



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Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel believes the February USDA Cattle on Feed Report is an indicator of smaller feedlot inventories ahead for the foreseeable future.

I talked with Dr. Peel on Friday afternoon after the release of that report.

According to USDA- The total number of cattle on feed as of February first was basically even with a year ago- 40,000 head larger. Placements were seven percent less than a year ago (versus a pre report guess of 12% under last year) and the marketings were 100% of a year ago.

Dr. Peel says “Starting last fall, we had three or four months of big placements that pulled the numbers back above year ago levels but that was a short term thing- I think that was a function of drought conditions and high prices that encouraged people to sell but the fact of the matter is the tighter numbers and the overall inventory situation says that these feedlot inventories are going to come down and we are starting to see that now.”

Peel adds that we have arrived at a point where “I think we are here now where we will see these numbers tighten up appreciably” and he believes “we are liable to pull down these feedlot inventories down a million head in the next few months.”

OSU’s Scott Senseman Emphasizes Value of OSU Field Days and Improvements to University Ag Facilities

At the OCIA/OGI Meeting in Oklahoma City, Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to talk with Dr. Scott Senseman, associate vice president of research for the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University. Senseman and Sheperd talk about upcoming OSU field days and more.

“It is a real chance for any producer to come and really talk with other producers, but also the key investigators that are really getting down to the key aspects of what it is that they are finding hot off the press,” Senseman said. “From our standpoint, it is a great opportunity to share information, gather together…”

These field events are not only for wheat, Senseman said, as multiple crops are covered. Senseman said along with producers and OSU researchers, these events are also a great place for state leadership to come and see what is going on with agriculture across the state.

Looking into 2024, Senseman said he is most excited about the New Frontiers Ag Hall building, which he believes will foster a collaborative spirit in both students and faculty. Secondly, Senseman said he is looking forward to enhancing programs for wheat improvements through a new agronomy farm.

On February 14th, a Fuel Savings Field Clinic was hosted by Firestone Ag in Enid, Oklahoma. The clinic discussed a variety of topics for farmers, including how to spend less time in the field, maximizing tire traction, how to cut fuel costs, and more. Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to visit with Firestone Ag Field Engineer Austin Fischer about the highlights from the clinic.

“What we are trying to do is to create these opportunities to interact directly with producers,” Fischer said.

The biggest way that agricultural producers can focus on saving money when it comes to tires is to keep the proper inflation pressure in the tire. To do this, Fischer said the producer must know what their axle loads are.

“That can be very difficult on the farm because, for the same tractor, you can use it for planting, you can use it to side-dress, you can use it to spray, or you can use it in running a grain cart,” Fischer said. “There are so many applications that we can use the tractor for that can make that difficult.”



Ideally, Fischer said a producer would know the weights that each implement applies on the tractor. This may not always be feasible, Fischer added, so setting the tire pressures according to the maximum weight that the tractor sees is another option.

Gain a New View of Your Pastures’ Forage Potential

Noble Research Institute regenerative ranching advisors Will Moseley and Steve Swaffar say a grazing exclosure – a small, fenced area inside a grazing unit that livestock cannot access that gives the rancher a direct view of what and how much was grazed around it – is perhaps the simplest method to help see the potential of our land’s production.  

Here, Swaffar and Moseley offer several ways to use an exclosure as a powerful assessment of your grazing potential:  

1. Potential forage production and animal consumption: At the end of the grazing event, measure the amount of forage standing in the exclosure against what’s left outside, and you’ll have a quick assessment of what your animals consumed. 

2. What your livestock actually eat: Count and note the number and types of plant species within the grazing exclosure, and compare that observation with what you see outside the exclosure after a grazing event. 

3. Regrowth potential in grazing versus haying: If one of your goals is to reduce fuel inputs and tractor time by allowing livestock to harvest more of what you grow rather than taking it for hay, a grazing exclosure could quantify varying rates of regrowth.

4. Compare the grazing habits of different livestock: Use an exclosure to help observe the differences in grazing patterns and preferences between species and classes of livestock in similar pasture conditions.  

The Oklahoma Panhandle State University's 72nd Annual Performance Bull Sale is coming up on February 27th in Goodwell, Oklahoma. There will be 54 performance tested bulls for sale, and of those bulls, 46 are registered Angus and 8 are registered Red Angus.

Click here for the sale catalog.

For more information:

Dr. Crystal Tolle – Assistant Professor of Animal Science/Bull Test Supervisor at 580.349.1507 or 580.273.5060.

Denton Ward – OPSU Farm Manager at 307.575.3276

Matt C Sims Auction, Inc. at 405.641.6081

Pic of the Week- FFA Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol

It was as great day at the State Capitol this past week for FFA day during National FFA week- the Governor, Ag Secretary Blayne Arthur and several lawmakers invested their time in interacting with FFA members from several chapters.