One year ago, at the 2023 NFU Comvention- the USDA unveiled their proposed rule to rework how "product of USA" could be used at the retail level on meat packages. Fast forward to this week in Scottsdale, Arizona and the 2024 NFU National Convention- and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the USDA’s final “Product of USA” rule which will the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. USDA is giving the industry an extended period to ramp this up- shooting for an implementation date of January 1, 2026.

USDA’s final “Product of USA” rule is supported by petitions, thousands of comments from stakeholders, and data from a nationwide consumer survey.

Under the final rule, the “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim will continue to be voluntary. It will also remain eligible for generic label approval, meaning it would not need to be pre-approved by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) before it can be used on regulated product, but would require the establishment to maintain documentation on file to support the claim.



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.

The picture above is from our archives dating back to 2013 when mandatory Country of Origin labeling was in effect. Trade sanctions and tariffs forced Congress to repeal COOL at that time.

Several groups reacted to the USDA announcement on Monday to move forward with a voluntary labeling plan to make any Product of USA label claim more accurate:

NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus says “NCBA has been committed to finding solutions to this problem ever since a producer-led NCBA working group raised the alarm, years ago, that imported beef could be mislabeled as a Product of the USA incorrectly at the end of the supply chain. We appreciate USDA’s effort to address this loophole. During the implementation period, NCBA’s focus will remain on ensuring that these changes result in the opportunity for producer premiums while remaining trade compliant.”

On Monday afternoon, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey provided his reaction to the voluntary labeling plan:

“Secretary Vilsack’s announcement of a final rule defining how the ‘Product of US’ label can be used is welcome news. It makes sense that a volunteer label should have clear definition in order to know when it can or cannot be used. OCA looks forward to studying the final rule and making comment to that end.”

The President of AFR- Scott Blubaugh- was on hand in Arizona, hearing firsthand the announcement from Secretary Vilsack- "We welcome and applaud the new voluntary USDA rule that will finally curb misuse of “Product of the USA” labeling. As an Oklahoma rancher, I believe I produce some of the best beef in the world. I know ranchers across the U.S. feel the same. We deserve a fair and transparent retail marketplace when competing with foreign-grown meat products. Likewise, consumers deserve to know where their food comes from; they want to know where their food comes from. It’s a win for all.”



RCalf's Bill Bullard also welcomed the announcement- but circled back to that group's demand for mandatory COOL to be reinstated- click here for his comments.

Winter Wheat Conditions See Minimal Changes in the Southern Plains Since Last Week

According to the latest Oklahoma Crop Progress and Condition Report released on March 11, 2024, winter wheat jointing reached 7 percent, down 2 points from the previous year and up one point from the five-year average. Conditions rated 65 percent good to excellent, 28 percent fair and 7 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 65 percent good to excellent, 27 percent fair and 8 percent poor to very poor. 

In Kansas:

Winter wheat conditions rated 53 percent good to excellent, 34 percent fair, and 13 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated the same.

In Texas:

Winter wheat headed reached 10 percent, down 10 percentage points from the previous year and down 5 points from the five-year average. Winter wheat conditions rated 44 percent good to excellent, 30 percent fair, and 26 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 43 percent good to excellent, 33 percent fair, and 24 percent poor to very poor.

Oklahoma Farm Reporter, Maci Carter, recently had the chance to talk with the founder of the global brand movement, Fancy Lady Cowgirl, Courtenay DeHoff about celebrating women from all walks of life and teaching them how to build courageous mindsets and pursue impossible results in order to live legendary.

“What was interesting was that when I was being the TV host, I was hiding the cowgirl side of me because it didn’t fit in,” DeHoff said. “A girl in a cowboy hat did not make sense on network television and they didn’t want it to make sense. It took me ten years to figure it out, but I was missing my ag background.”

Starting out as a hashtag, DeHoff said that her personal brand, Fancy Lady Cowgirl, blossomed into a community of women around the world who embody the cowgirl spirit in many different ways.

“It is women like me who grew up in it, left it, and now live in a big city; they are doctors, they are astronauts, they are entrepreneurs, they are writers, they are artists, and then it is also women who were not born into it and have stepped into it,” DeHoff said. “At the end of the day, Fancy Lady Cowgirl represents that being a cowgirl is a state of mind. It is not a job title. It is how you live your life and the values.”

You can find Courteney DeHoff on her website, https://www.courtenaydehoff.com/ or on Instagram and Facebook!

NACD Calls to Increase Funding for Conservation Priorities and Pass Funding Bills on Time

On Saturday, President Biden signed Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 appropriations legislation into law that provides funding for several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. NACD appreciates that the enactment of final federal spending legislation prevents a government shutdown and ends temporary funding measures but is disappointed that it reduces funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and several programs and accounts that are critical to conservation. 

“NACD appreciates that Congress has ended the cycle of passing temporary spending measures to narrowly avoid government shutdowns, but we must increase funding for conservation priorities and pass appropriations bills in a more timely manner,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. While NACD acknowledges the difficult budget environment, increasing funding for NRCS Conservation Operations is critical to supporting Conservation Technical Assistance and effectively administering voluntary, locally led conservation programs that enjoy strong bipartisan support.

As Congress begins to develop Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills, NACD urges lawmakers to increase funding for Conservation Operations and other important programs that allow our nation’s conservation delivery system to improve the health of land, water, and air in every part of the country. Congress must also pass federal funding bills on time to allow federal agencies to effectively budget, plan, and reach producers with this funding.

Congressman Frank Lucas Anticipates More Attempts at Regulation from SEC After Recent Win

Last week was seen as a victory for U.S. agriculture as the Security and Exchange Commission responded to concerns raised by the agriculture community and affirmed that regulations intended for Wall Street should not extend to America’s family farms. I am talking with Congressman Frank Lucas about the SEC’s efforts to monitor U.S. agriculture.

In its final voting of the rule, the SEC removed the Scope 3 reporting requirements, which would have required public companies to report the greenhouse gas emissions of their supply chain. Lucas says the SEC and corporate America may have more up their sleeves.

“They still are going forward with a rule that requires climate disclosure,” Lucas said. “This just means that we have won the first step, but we have to continue the battle.”

Lucas said this is a partial victory, as he expects more regulations from the SEC in the future. While they may not directly require regulations on producers, the regulations they impose on those who buy from producers may have a large impact.

“The Securities Exchange Commission may not require me as a farmer to report that, but if the people I am selling my products to demand it before they will give me a market, it is the same trap,” Lucas said.

OYE- Getting Ready....