For Many in Oklahoma Wheat Country- We Wait

Our friend Allen Entz of Hydro shared this picture with us last night- the email subject was "HARVEST"

The message with the picture showing lots of sky and a line of equipment that needs to be busy with 2024 wheat harvest was short and sweet:

Allen writes:

The cow pastures look great, but for the wheat we wait!

We are sitting on go, just watching the clouds every day."

For Hydro and a lot of other communities from southern Oklahoma to well into Kansas- once the ground dries enough to support a combine- they will roll- as they are all sitting on GO!

Thanks Allen!

Applications are now open for Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s fall 2024 Oklahoma Grassroots Rural and Ag Business Accelerators Activate Oklahoma cohort.

The Activate Oklahoma rural innovation pipeline provides resources and assistance for innovative rural Oklahoma businesses that have an innovation or product that will bring economic opportunities to rural Oklahoma.

Activate Oklahoma cohort members will have the opportunity to participate in multiple training sessions that begin in September. The trainings include boot camps that connect entrepreneurs with Oklahoma-focused business resources and curriculum to grow and expand their businesses. Additional training will follow the initial boot camps to provide a well-rounded experience for innovators.

Graduates of the program will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas for an opportunity to receive equity investment from the program’s partnering organizations. The Activate Oklahoma pipeline will also prepare innovators for additional funding opportunities such as grants, loans and creative funding mechanisms.

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. 

One of the newest additions 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.

Strategic Crossbreeding Yields Opportunity to Improve Genetics Utilizing Multiple Beef Breeds

On this episode of Beef Buzz, I am back talking with Bob Weaber of Kansas State University about strategic crossbreeding in beef cattle operations. Whether a producer’s herd is large or small, Weaber emphasized there is a great opportunity to improve genetics by utilizing multiple breeds.

To listen to part one of the conversation with Bob Weaber talking about heterosis, click here!

“In some cases, the sophistication comes in the planning and physical organization of the ranch,” Weaber said.

As every ranch is different in terms of size, build, and number of head, Weaber said strategic crossbreeding is all about thinking through managing breeding pastures effectively. Through focused coordination, Weaber said an operation can zero in on desired traits.

Bolen, Burtrum Reappointed to State Board of Agriculture

The Oklahoma State Senate approved and confirmed the reappointment of Brent Bolen and Clay Burtrum as members of the State Board of Agriculture last Wednesday. Bolen and Burtrum have served on the State Board of Agriculture since 2020 following an appointment by Governor Kevin Stitt and confirmation by the Oklahoma Senate.

They will each serve a new four-year term.

“I’m very glad to know Brent Bolen and Clay Burtrum are set to serve another term on the State Board of Agriculture,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur. “These gentlemen have represented the state exceptionally well and have brought a valuable perspective to the Board. I look forward to continuing our work to strengthen Oklahoma agriculture.”

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is governed by the State Board of Agriculture. The Board consists of five members appointed by the Governor with approval of the Oklahoma Senate.

The Red Dirt Agronomy Podcast produces new episodes close to every other week that focus on what is happening in the world of crops, soils, and whatever else Oklahoma producers should be thinking about when it comes to getting the most out of their land. The show’s hosts, Brian Arnall Ph.D., Dave Deken, Jason Warren Ph.D. and Josh Lofton Ph.D grew up in Oklahoma and understand what it is like to work hard to grow crops in the red dirt.

On this featured episode, the group had the privilege of visiting the Rendell Farm in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, where they sat down with Brian Pugh, the OSU Northeast Area Agronomist. Brian’s insights into forage management and wheat production were truly enlightening.

Brian Pugh talks about his Graze 365 program in Perkins, Oklahoma, where he focuses on growing forage to meet a cow’s dry matter intake requirements and nutritional requirements.

Also featured is Dr. Amanda Silva, OSU Extension Small Grain Specialist, who offers a comprehensive wrap-up of the 2024 wheat season. Dr. Silva shares her insights from her extensive travels across the state, discussing the challenges and successes of this year’s crop. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that shaped the wheat harvest and what lessons can be learned for future growing seasons!

USDA Proposes Next Steps to Promote Fairer Poultry Markets, Protect Producers, and Enhance Transparency

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced next steps it is proposing to address the many, complex competition issues in agricultural markets and create a fairer playing field for poultry growers and farmers. USDA is proposing the rule Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems, to address a range of abuses that have occurred in relation to grower ranking (commonly known as “tournament”) payment systems and additional capital investment requirements that poultry companies commonly ask of their contract growers for broiler chicken. This rule is the third in a suite of Packers and Stockyards Act rules that USDA has undertaken to create fairer markets, which ultimately can lead to lower grocery prices for hardworking families. USDA is also announcing new publicly available cattle market transparency tools. These and previous actions are intended to enhance transparency, stop retaliation and discrimination, reduce costs, and support market fairness in a range of circumstances, furthering the Department’s efforts as part of President Biden’s historic Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.

“Under the direction of President Biden, USDA has sought to utilize every tool at its disposal to uphold fair competition, protect producers, lower costs for consumers, and combat unfair, deceptive, and discriminatory practices,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As part of this effort, USDA committed to issuing new, stronger rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act, to provide greater clarity and strengthen enforcement under the Act. And, by continuing to provide more market transparency tools, we are also continuing to pull back the curtain to ensure every producer has access to the market information they need. With these actions, USDA is holding steadfast to this commitment, and is building ever more momentum towards delivering the fairer markets that those who raise America’s livestock and poultry deserve.”

For more than 50 years, thousands of FFA members from across the country have converged in our nation’s capital each summer to engage with legislators, hone civic engagement and leadership skills, and create community impact projects to take back to their cities and towns. 

The National FFA Organization’s Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) will take place from June 4-July 20 at the Omni Shoreham, with six, week-long sessions for FFA members to choose from. More than 1,700 FFA members from across the country are expected to attend the 2024 conference, the second-largest student experience that the National FFA Organization hosts each year, only behind the National FFA Convention & Expo which draws more than 70,000 attendees. 

FFA members will spend the week under the guidance of agricultural and leadership professionals, facilitators, and FFA staff who will guide them through workshops, seminars, and small group activities, with the goal of leaving feeling equipped and empowered to impact their local communities and beyond. Students will also visit national landmarks such as the National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Museums, and the U.S. Capitol. Each day of the conference focuses on a different principle taught through the context of our nation’s capital: exploration, encouragement, advocacy and service.