The Commodity Classic is underway, during which Oklahoman, Keeff Felty has been elected as the president of the National Association of Wheat Growers. I had the chance to catch up with Felty and talk about his priorities for 2024 as NAWG president.

Felty has moved through the different chairs in NAWG leadership to reach this point, starting with his position as NAWG secretary in 2020.

“When I started my journey as secretary in March of 2020, it was two weeks before the big shutdown (COVID-19), so that allowed us another year; everybody stayed put for that year, so I got an extra year as secretary,” Felty said.

As NAWG president, Felty will be leading the effort to see a completed farm bill as soon as possible.

“It is so important that we get this farm bill finished, as we are in a one-year extension, which is good because it keeps everything going, provided they keep the appropriations process and keep the government funded, which is really the hold up on the whole thing on the farm bill at this point,” Felty said. “The primary parties on both sides of the aisle in Washington are extensively ready to go, is my understanding. We have to get his funding mechanism straightened out first.”

Felty said he is hopeful to see a farm bill completed in 2024, but that cannot happen until appropriations are taken care of.



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.

OCA is one of several groups accepting donations of cash, hay, feed, fencing and more for those ranchers that have faced damages and cattle deaths from this week's wildfires- click here for details about the OCF Wildfire Disaster Relief efforts.

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.

To view the latest Oklahoma drought map, CLICK HERE.

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 nine weeks.

Severe drought or worse is unchanged from the past two weeks at .19 percent.

Moderate drought or worse is unchanged from the past two weeks at 3.23 percent.

Abnormally dry or worse conditions have increased from last week’s 16.61 percent to 30.80 percent.

That yellow on the Drought Monitor Map has caught the eye of State Climatologist Gary McManus- he writes in his latest Ticker "Another unwelcome visitor...added color on the Drought Monitor map released this morning. A somewhat prolonged dry spell in SE OK has turned them yellow with Abnormally Dry conditions (D0).



"Remember, D0 is not drought but signifies areas

going into or out of drought. In this case, "into" if we don't see more rainfall there soon."

SmokeHouse Creek Fire Now a Million Acre Monster Spread Across Texas Panhandle Into Oklahoma

This week we have seen the largest wildfire in the history of Texas- the SmokeHouse Creek fire- spread east from a spot north of Amarillo to the Oklahoma State line and just a little more- with a small part of it that has reached into Oklahoma.

Fire Officials in Texas now say that the fire has burned a 1,079,053 acres with about 31,000 acres of that in Ellis and Roger Mills Counties in Oklahoma. As of last night- they continue to call this fire 3% contained.

Media from outside our region have overlaid the fire into areas on the east and west coasts- showing this fire stretches across areas equivalent of from San Diego up to LA on the west coast- and from Philadelphia to New York in the Northeast and from Tampa to Orlando in the southeast.

For agriculture- Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller estimated cattle deaths to be in the thousands, with more likely to come.

“There’ll be cattle that we’ll have to euthanize,” Miller said. “They’ll have burned hooves, burned udders.”

Understanding Generation Z Purchasing Patterns to Promote Sell of Beef

I had the chance to talk with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Senior Director for Market Research, David Freelander, about generational trends when it comes to purchasing beef.

“It is interesting because there is a lot in the media right now that talks about some of the younger generations, Gen Z specifically, avoiding beef proteins and staying away from that as a product,” Freelander said. “One thing we are very curious about is how much of that is marketplace, how much of that is media, and how much is reality. Our data is actually suggesting it is more a feature of pocketbook and where they are in terms of life-stage as opposed to a preference to some of the other meat proteins, specifically.”

Freelander said Generation Z is ages 18 to 26.

“We are seeing them not necessarily having a steak, but having ground (beef), or perhaps having chicken, or pork right now is a relatively inexpensive alternative if you are looking for a meat protein,” Freelander said.

As Generation Z grows older, Freelander said he expects them to purchase more beef products. As a group, Freelander said Generation Z is concerned with the sustainability of products they purchase, giving back to the marketplace, and they like diversity.

This Week on SUNUP is Oklahoma State University Extension grain market economist Kim Anderson. During this week’s edition, Anderson discusses prices in the grain markets.

Now that the impacts of COVID-19 and the Russian and Ukraine war are out of the picture, Anderson said the prices for wheat are back to normal- now at $5.80. Ending stocks are average as well, he added.

“Right now, you can forward contract in Pond Creek for $5.30,” Anderson said. “You can forward contract in southern Oklahoma for 40 cents less than that. They only put about a 15-cent risk factor in there, so that gets you up around $5.40 or $5.45.”

Dr. Anderson also offers his latest numbers on corn and soybean prices as well.

Listen to his comments by clicking on the Blue Button below.

72,000 lbs.: Multi-County Grand Jury indicts Oklahoma man for marijuana trafficking

The Multi-County Grand Jury has indicted a Tulsa County resident in connection to a large-scale marijuana seizure recently conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF).

Bobby Lee Hailey, 41, faces one count of aggravated manufacturing of a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana) and one count of aggravated trafficking of a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana) in connection to a November 2023 seizure of more than 72,000 pounds of black-market marijuana. OCTF agents uncovered the marijuana inside a metal barn in Wagoner County. The seizure was among the largest in state history. Hailey was arrested yesterday.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, Wagoner County Commissioners and the Wagoner County Emergency Management office assisted in the operation.

Aggravated manufacturing is punishable by no less than 20 years in prison and no more than life, as well as a $50,000 fine. Aggravated trafficking is punishable by no more than 20 years in prison and no less than a $100,000 fine.

Express Ranches, Blackjack Farms, McFerran Farms, Pfeiffer Angus Farms and Davis Angus All Holding Spring Sales

Express Ranches Spring Bull Sale

Express Ranches Spring Bull Sale will be held on Friday, 2202 N 11th Street, Yukon, OK 73099

View Sale Book

View Videos

For more information- call 405-350-0044

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Blackjack Farms, McFerran Farms and Pfeiffer Angus Farms Sales

Attend the sale in person or participate and bid on LiveAuctions.TV

Sale Day Phones-

(405) 997-9678

(405) 919-5194

(405) 641-6081

Sale Manager – Matt Sims 405.641.6081.

View the Catalog

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Davis Angus

VALUE GENETIC$ BULL & FEMALE SALE

March 2, 2024

New Location

11527 NS County RD 2150

Foss, Oklahoma

Sale Day Phone- Jim Davis 580-331-8036

View Sale Book

View Sale Videos

More stories for your weekend reading!