On Tuesday, March 26, the Emergency Drought Commission met at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture and Food Forestry to discuss the progress of drought relief projects across the state funded by the legislature and plans for the fiscal year of 2024. Following the meeting, Associate Farm Editor caught up with Ag Secretary Blayne Arthur and talked about the highlights from the meeting.

The meeting began with remarks from Oklahoma State Forester Mark Goeller, who gave an update on fire statistics in the state. For the past few years, Goeller said Oklahoma has been a top-ten state in the U.S. for the number of wildfires, and the dry conditions haven’t helped. Goeller expressed the forestry department’s need for wildfire response funding, explaining that local fire departments are great for initial attack response. Still, the forestry department is essential in the extended attack, as some fires last for days.



Regarding projects funded through the Oklahoma Emergency Drought Commission, Oklahoma Conservation Commission’s Trey Lam gave the numbers for practices installed across the state, and the budget. With the funds allocated for drought relief, Lam said 5,694 practices have been installed so far, including projects such as water wells, pond cleanouts, cover crops, forest establishment, and more.

Six conservation districts have finished implementation of practices, and there are now 1,993 remaining projects to be completed. Of those remaining projects, Lam said 658 are pond cleanouts and 494 are water wells.

Dating back to 1891, Stillwater Milling Company has been supplying ranchers with the highest quality feeds made from the highest quality ingredients. Their full line of A & M Feeds can be delivered direct to your farm, found at their Agri-Center stores in Stillwater, Davis, Claremore and Perry or at more than 125 dealers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas. We appreciate Stillwater Milling Company’s long time support of the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and we encourage you to click here to learn more about their products and services.

Randy Blach of Cattle Fax Talks Beef Demand, Value-Added Programs and More

At the 2024 Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Convention, I had the chance to catch up with the President and CEO of CattleFax, Randy Blach, and talk about supply and demand in the beef industry.

“We have just got to stay focused and listen to the consumer,” Blach said. “They have rewarded us with some tremendous demand over the last decade or two decades now. Producers should be emboldened by seeing the way that consumers are acting toward the quality of product we are producing.”

While demand for high-end beef products has been slower due to price increases, Blach said other types of beef remain strongly sought after.

“If you look at a wholesale level, January and February demand numbers were excellent,” Blach said.

When significant declines in production are seen on an annual basis, Blach said the prices will reflect that. Therefore, Blach said it is no surprise when demand slows down due to higher prices.

“You have got to go all the way back since 2015 since these cow-calf producers really made any money,” Blach said. “They made a little money last fall, but it has been a grinder for these folks, and they need to make a run of three to four years of significant profitability to retire some debt that has accumulated and get some confidence that they can reinvest in these herds.”

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation Continues Battle to Derail State Question 832

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation continues to partner with the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce in filing a petition for a rehearing of a legal challenge to the initiative petition asking voters to put a state question on the ballot to raise the minimum wage in Oklahoma.

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Josh Cockroft set the start of signature gathering on State Question 832 as April 8. He pulled back on the start date due to the renewed legal challenge from Farm Bureau and the State Chamber.

According to the State Secretary of State's website- the current status is "Petition for rehearing filed with the Supreme Court, Monday, March 25, 2024 (Supreme Court case no. 121777); The signature circulation date previously assigned is no longer effective and cannot be reassigned until all challenges have been resolved with the Supreme Court."

Last fall, the Legal Foundation announced their concern over this drive to uncouple the Oklahoma minimum wage from the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Among other things- it would end the exemption from the minimum wage law for certain ag workers.

The Farm Bureau Legal Foundation says the initiative seeks to double the minimum wage by 2029 and increase it annually beginning in 2030 based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. This change would remove the responsibility of determining a minimum wage from the Oklahoma legislature and instead tie it to national economic projections that do not accurately reflect Oklahoma’s economy.

“Taking a closer look at the CPI reveals it excludes all of rural Oklahoma,” said Steve Thompson, OKFB vice president of public policy. “One of our primary concerns is how the buying power of rural Oklahomans could be affected by an index that does not consider the unique needs of rural life.”

KC Sheperd, Farm Director, is visiting with the Program Operations Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, Tillman White, talking about a few deadlines coming up for cotton producers.

“The enrollment period for 2024 U.S. cotton producers who want to enroll in the Trust Protocol is currently open, and the application for the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program is also available during the enrollment period.”

Growers who completed their enrollment during the 2023 period are able to reenroll this year, Tillman added.

Beginning in January, U.S. cotton growers can enroll in the Trust Protocol. Those who have completed data entry and bale uploads for the 2023 crop are also eligible to apply for the Climate Smart Cotton Program until midnight on April 30.

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is proud to lead the Climate Smart Cotton Program, which aims to improve the carbon footprint of the U.S. cotton industry. It is a five-year initiative that presents a transformative opportunity for U.S. cotton growers to enhance their profitability, operations, and environmental stewardship. For brands and retailers, the program will support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and allow reporting against Scope 3 emissions reductions for cotton used in products.

Producers who have completed enrollment in the Trust Protocol, which includes data entry and bale uploads, are eligible to apply for the Climate Smart Cotton Program.

USDA Okays CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire- Impacted Livestock Producers in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) authorizes the release of emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres nationwide, including CRP acres in Oklahoma, to livestock producers affected by the recent wildfires in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.  

“Many ranchers in Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma impacted by the recent, devastating wildfires are in need of grazing acres and hay resources to sustain their herds while they work over the coming months to restore their operations,” said Steve Kouplen, State Executive Director for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Oklahoma. “If you have Conservation Reserve Program acres that you are willing to donate to these livestock producers for the purpose of grazing and haying, please contact your local FSA office. Your donations are needed and greatly appreciated.” States and counties currently affected by wildfire include: 

• Nebraska: Custer, Lincoln and Logan
• Oklahoma: Beaver, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Kay, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods and Woodward.
• Texas: Armstrong, Carson, Gray, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Potter, Roberts and Wheeler.

Online Wildfire Recovery Resources  

On farmers.gov, the Wildfire Recovery Webpage, Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.  

45 Groups Press EPA to Strengthen Water Pollution Control Standards for Slaughterhouses and Animal Rendering Facilities

Forty-five community, environmental, and animal welfare organizations—together representing tens of millions of people across the United States—filed public comments yesterday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, pressing for strong protections against water pollution from slaughterhouses and animal rendering facilities. The EPA published a proposal to strengthen existing protections in January 2024, following lawsuits from several of the commenting organizations. Yesterday’s comments emphasized that the EPA must improve its proposal to address environmental injustice and reduce harm to people and the environment.

Food & Water Watch Attorney Dani Replogle said: “EPA’s preference for weak slaughterhouse regulations privileges the health of a polluting industry over that of frontline communities and our nation’s waters. To adopt anything less than the most stringent clean water protections in the agency’s final rule would be a missed opportunity and a big mistake.”

AFR's Youth Agriculture Achievement Contest Winners Announced

Ten agricultural youth from across Oklahoma have earned top placings in the 2024 American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) Agricultural Achievement Contest. The contest was conducted in conjunction with the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) in Oklahoma City March 13-22. This year, AFR presented $5,000 in prizes to contestants prior to the Oklahoma Youth Expo Grand Drive March 21.

The AFR Agricultural Achievement Contest recognizes outstanding youth in Oklahoma who display exceptional showmanship skills and possess extensive knowledge of the livestock industry, including production, management, processing and end product utilization.

The 2024 AFR Ag Achievement Top Ten are:

First Place: Ryne Crosthwait, Stillwater

Second Place: Addyson Schneberger, Hydro-Eakly

Third Place: Aubrie McEndoo, Stillwater

Fourth Place: Cooper Kline, North Rock Creek

Fifth Place: Kyriana Beard, Stillwater

Sixth Place: Emma Yates, Stillwater

Seventh Place: Paisley Beshear, Wister

Eighth Place: Kynseth Zubrod, Guthrie

Ninth Place: Dade DeLozier, Adair

Tenth Place: Breya Sargent, Norman