Terry Stuart Forst, a fifth generation Oklahoman who owns and manages the state’s oldest and most continuous family-operated ranch, has been named the 2024 recipient of Governor Stitt’s Outstanding Achievement in Agriculture Award. Forst is the 27th inductee into the Oklahoma Agriculture Hall of Fame and becomes the first woman to earn the state’s most prestigious agricultural honor.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Terry Stuart Forst as a rancher, a leader and an Oklahoman,” said Sec. of Agriculture Blayne Arthur. “Having had the chance to visit her operation and watch Terry and her family work side-by-side to build and continue the success of their business, I know first-hand how deserving she is of this award. Terry is incredibly accomplished and has already received several accolades, so it’s very fitting that she is the latest inductee into the Oklahoma Agriculture Hall of Fame.”

Forst’s leadership of the 7S Stuart Ranch has left a profound impact on the agriculture industry in Oklahoma. The 45,000-acre cattle and horse operation represents a model of best management practices and has become one of the most elite ranches in the Southwest.

Forst strives to improve all facets of her ranch while maintaining practices designed to conserve resources and shares learned experiences with the community. Forst continually devotes her talent and time by consulting on beef production methods and volunteering her own assets for workshops and demonstrations.

Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April. 

THIS WEEK- the Oklahoma's premier spring agricultural and ranching event with returns to the OKC Fairgrounds April 4-5-6, 2024.

THERE ARE STILL A FEW BOOTH SPACES LEFT- contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2024 Oklahoma City Farm Show.  To learn more about the Oklahoma City Farm Show, click here. 

From the Big House to the New House- Which Now Has a Name- OG&E Coliseum

The official name of the arena that will turn sixty years old next year on the OKC Fairgrounds is the Jim Norick Arena- but most folks out across Oklahoma know it as the Big House. It has housed hundreds of horse shows, events annually at the State Fair, high school basketball and wrestling and of course, livestock events. For the past twenty years, it has been a key part of the “world’s largest livestock show” otherwise known as the Oklahoma Youth Expo. And it has been the main show arena for what was become the largest Purebred Beed Cattle Show in the US- Cattlemen’s Congress.

But it’s time will soon be done. The shows will continue here in 2024 and likely in the first few months of 2025 before the New House (what OYE’s Tyler Norvell called it when we talked about the transition back during the 2024 Cattlemen’s Congress) takes its place.

There will almost certainly be one more Cattlemen’s Congress in the Norick Arena and very likely one more OYE- but then it’s hello New House- which was given a name this past week. For the first ten years of it’s use starting later in 2025- the Maps 4 Arena at the OKC Fairgrounds will be known as the OG&E Coliseum.

After the Farm Bureau Target training in Columbus, Ohio, Oklahoma Farm Reporter Maci Carter recently had the chance to talk with Dr. Rodney Holcomb, an Oklahoma State University professor of Agricultural Economics. Holcomb discussed the research he has conducted using 3D eye-tracking technology with his graduate student, Nicholas Scribner.

“When it comes to any kind of food marketing, whether it is national, or regional or local, it really comes down to the concepts of supply and demand, and if there is no demand, supply is irrelevant,” Holcomb said. “No matter what you as a small producer may be growing, you really need to figure out what does the consumer want, what catches the consumers attention, and what makes them buy your product versus somebody else’s product.”

Using the Cowboy Meats Retail Store within OSU’s Food and Agricultural Products Center as an example, Holcomb said they looked into expansion by marketing more products on and off campus. The first step in this process, Holcomb said, is finding ways to set the product apart from others.

Cowboy Meats is an OSU product, so Holcomb said consumers are purchasing these products because of that marketing piece. Just as the target audience of Cowboy Meats is OSU supporters, Holcomb said for any product, it is critical to identify that target audience so the marketing can appeal to them.

With Temperatures warming up across the state and spring-like conditions, that always means a possibility of severe weather in Oklahoma. According to State Climatologist Gary McManus, storms on this April first could be a possibility: “Looks like we’ll see a classic springtime setup for Oklahoma, with a front and dryline, moisture return from the Gulf, and then it’s shake, rattle, and roll.”

Early this morning- Jed Castles with News9 in Oklahoma City confirms that the setup talked about by McManus before the Easter weekend began is still on track and is developing early this morning. There are already some rain showers happening out in western Oklahoma- with Gulf moisture flowing up into the state- and add to that a significant storm system out in the southwest heading straight at us- rain and hail chances jump higher by the afternoon into the early evening hours.

The graphic above says tomorrow but that was released last last night so it is all about Monday.

Check in with the weather provider of your choice as the day unfolds- this system looks like it could potent. And the cold front will drop our temps 20 to 30 degrees by overnight into Tuesday- northwestern Oklahoma could flirt with freezing temps by Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

NCBA’s Tanner Beymer Believes OFF Act Would Harm US Beef Industry

I am back talking with the Senior Director of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Tanner Beymer about the OFF Act, Farm Bill, changes to the Packers and Stockyards Act, and more.

“That OFF Act is something that just keeps getting introduced like a bad penny,” Beymer said. “Luckily for us, it has never been seriously considered for independent floor action in either the House or the Senate. It is usually an amendment to a Farm Bill.”

Beymer said he does not expect to see a Farm Bill for the remainder of this Congress. In fact, Beymer added he believes it will be 2025 before a completed Farm Bill is seen.

“At the time that happens, there is going to be floor action, and this (OFF Act) will be an amendment to the Farm Bill,” Beymer said. “We are going to have to work closely as all of agriculture to make sure we are pushing back against these false narratives about commodity checkoff programs so we can keep these harmful amendments at bay.”



One piece of the OFF Act is the prohibition of any lobbying ties to groups that may be associated with the Beef Checkoff.

“That is very transparently aimed at NCBA, since we do have the policy and federation divisions and that big firewall between them to make sure there is no co-mingling of funds and resources,” Beymer said. “We are not the only organization in agriculture that is structured like that. It is very narrow and short-sided because that would also apply to subcontractors as well.”

Robotics Industry to hit $218 billion in 2030; Will Help Agri Sector Tackle Climate Change and Labor Shortages

The global agriculture sector faces various challenges, including the impacts of climate change and labor shortages. Robotics can help agriculture companies tackle these challenges by automating machines and supporting vertical farming. Against this backdrop, the robotics industry is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% from $63 billion in 2022 to to $218 billion in 2030, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest Thematic Intelligence report, “Robotics in Agriculture,” reveals how robotics is helping to achieve precision agriculture and support workers in a new agricultural revolution. Precision agriculture involves using agrochemicals in a prescriptive manner to minimize waste and pollution. It is particularly important given the simultaneous issues of increased demand for food and rising labor and agricultural input prices.

Holly Anness-Bradshaw, Associate Thematic Intelligence Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Robots can carry out the strenuous and monotonous tasks that lead to injuries and fatigue. The agriculture industry is investing and innovating in many parts of the robotics industry, including drones, field robots, and robotics intelligence. Robots can be found on vineyards, with Burro’s robots helping workers carry up to 500 pounds of crops around fields and back to sorting houses.”

The future of agriculture will be underpinned by robots that augment the industry’s workforce. Robots will assist workers in the agriculture sector, not replace them.

ALO- the Alumni of Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Holding Blessings From the Field Event April 10th

Alumni of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program are hosting a special event this month to spotlight many of the products produced in Oklahoma- grown by our state's farmers and ranchers. Here's details from ALO President Maggie Adcock:

Agricultural Leadership of Oklahoma (ALO) is a nonprofit that is hosting our annual Blessings from the Field at the Capitol View Event Center in Oklahoma City on April 10, 2024 5:30 – 8 PM. We have an extraordinary chef, Aaron Ware, lined up for the evening as well as live music from Carly Nash and plenty of Oklahoma silent auction items to claim!

Key Motivational Speaker Barry Hinson former OSU Associate Athletic Director and current OSU Name Image and Likeness (NIL) Director, will also be addressing the gathering. You don’t want to miss out on the fun supporting ALO and Oklahoma! 

Tickets are still available- click on the blue button below for more info and to buy your tickets!!!