During AFR (American Farmers and Ranchers) Day at Oklahoma’s Capitol, Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to catch up with AFR President Scott Blubaugh. Sheperd and Blubaugh talk about a few bills that AFR has focused on recently that impact agriculture in the state. Talking points for AFR members included responsible water policy, farm to school, House Bill 1860, Processing capacity, House Bill 3801 and more.

“Today is our big day here at AFR; we bring our membership in to learn how to lobby basically and to meet with our Senators or Representatives, talk about issues that are important to them, issues that our policy process developed over the last year, and just remind these folks up here that we have a large membership of about 61,000 members here in Oklahoma that we represent.”

First and foremost, Blubaugh said AFR is excited for the chance to congratulate the legislature on the passage of House Bill 1006, which grants 4-H students an excused school absence when participating in an approved activity.

Blubaugh said the discussion on water metering throughout Oklahoma is also a big topic, and he is looking forward to hearing from legislators about finding solutions to water issues around the state.

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. 

NCBA, Oklahoma Cattlemen and OSU’s Derrell Peel Agree- USDA Made a Mistake

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that due to budget constraints- they have made the decision to cancel the July Cattle Report and discontinue the County Estimates for Crops and Livestock, among other changes.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Ethan Lane quickly denounced the move saying “It is disingenuous for the same agency which touts its commitment to transparency in livestock markets to arbitrarily cease publication of reports which provide just that. While it may be politically expedient to blame appropriators in Congress for today’s decision, cattle producers know better than to believe discontinuing a handful of reports will result in substantive cost savings for the Department.”

The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association are also upset- They offer this statement: “OCA is in full agreement with NCBA calling for USDA to reinstate these important reports. The cattle industry needs robust information in order to understand accurate feeder cattle numbers and movement. Of critical importance right now is heifer retention as we grapple with how and when herd rebuilding will take place.”

Oklahoma Farm Report also reached out to Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel, who says that OCA’s statement is a worry. Dr. Peel texted us that this decision means “no indication of heifer retention until January. Likewise, no estimate of feeder supplies. Seems kind of important in the current situation.”

2024 Cattlemen’s Conference to Discuss Next Chapter of Technology and Innovation to Boost American Cattle Industry

I am back talking with Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, about the 2024 Cattlemen’s Conference, which will be held on May 22nd and 23rd in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

After the success of last year’s conference, Johnson said this year the objective is to follow up on a few of the topics that did not receive enough attention last year due to available time.

One of those topics that will be a large part of the second conference, Johnson said, is gene editing.

“This is a fascinating and interesting area that is going to impact all of us, not only in meat animals but in humans,” Johnson said. “There are going to be decisions to be made; it is important to be informed. We are going to have a great set of panelists to come in, and we are going to talk about the evolution of technology.”

Johnson said there would be two different panel discussions on gene editing, each consisting of around ten industry leaders who are knowledgeable about the topic. Another important component of the discussion, Johnson mentioned, is the consumer’s perspective on gene editing.

To learn more about the conference and register, CLICK HERE!

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. 

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional. 

Impacted Area: Oklahoma

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track) 

Application Deadline: November 25, 2024 

Primary Counties Eligible: Atoka, Beckham, Choctaw, Coal, Greer, Harmon, Hughes, Jackson, Osage, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, and Washington

Texas: Childress, Collingsworth, Hardeman, Lamar, Red River, Wheeler, and Wilbarger 

 Kansas: Chautauqua, Cowley, and Montgomery

OSU Partners with U.S. Pork Center of Excellence

The Oklahoma Pork Council is excited about a recent partnership established between the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence (USPCE) and Oklahoma State University to continue connecting OSU Animal and Food Sciences degree seeking students with the pork industry.

Following a recent visit to Oklahoma by USPCE representatives Dr. Maynard Hogberg and Bill Winkelman, OSU Animal and Food Sciences Department has become a new USPCE university sponsor. This partnership focuses on talent development, education, and scholarship programs for the pork industry to help identify and train new and existing needs at all levels – including production, research, education and extension.

“The opportunity to work with the Oklahoma Pork Council and Oklahoma State University for undergraduate and postgraduate students is a great benefit for the youth and the industry in developing awareness and interest in career opportunities,” Winkelman said.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Announces Multi-Year Commitment to the National FFA Organization

Nutrien Ag Solutions recently announced a multi-year commitment of nearly $850,000 to the National FFA Organization in support of its commitment to shape future agriculture leaders.

The yearly donation of $282,500 supports a variety of National FFA Organization programs and events during the three years (from 2024 to 2026), including supporting Future Farmers of America (FFA) members in competitive events, assisting FFA advisors in their professional development, as well as providing National FFA Officers with a $10,000 scholarship at the end of their year of service. In addition, the donations will also support alumni chapter grants.

National FFA and Nutrien Ag Solutions look forward to continued collaboration to ensure an even greater impact in the upcoming years.

“Nutrien Ag Solutions has been a proud sponsor of the National FFA Organization for 45 years, and we are excited to continue our support for this integral organization for agricultural education,” said Spencer Harris, senior vice president at Nutrien Ag Solutions. “As an FFA alumni, I am excited to be part of this investment that will help give students the same opportunities that shaped my career in agriculture today. There are over 300 different career possibilities in agriculture, and FFA provides students with critical skills such as public speaking, hands-on research experience, collaboration with a team, as well as many other skills that they will carry with them for the rest of their academic and professional careers.”