While at the Oklahoma State University Agronomy Research Station, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays got to talk with Oklahoma Wheat Commission Chairman Don Schieber and Oklahoma Genetics Chairman Joe Shirley to talk about plans to revamp the station and the generous contribution that both entities invested to jumpstart the efforts.

A $5 million gift from Oklahoma Genetics Inc. and a $1 million gift from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission will jumpstart a new Agronomy Discovery Center at Oklahoma State University.

The two lead donations help launch a new fundraising initiative to advance OSU’s mission to nourish the world. As part of a multiphase process, the Agronomy Discovery Center will be created through upgrades to the existing Agronomy Research Station, home to one of the world’s top wheat breeding programs.

Phase one work will replace the greenhouses that were originally built in the 1940s and 50s.

 “The work conducted at the Agronomy Research Station really matters, greatly affecting both producers and consumers throughout Oklahoma and beyond,” said Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “We are doing state-of-the-art research, but we are doing it in antiquated facilities. The Agronomy Discovery Center will provide the infrastructure we need to compete in the modern era and achieve our mission of feeding the world.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau works to improve the lives of all Oklahomans by supporting our state’s agriculture community. As Oklahoma’s largest general farm organization led by Oklahoma farmers and ranchers, OKFB takes grassroots values and advocates for agriculture at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C., to ensure our way of life continues for generations to come. Farm Bureau hosts leadership events, supports our state’s agricultural youth and connects consumers with agriculture in order to build a brighter future for our state. Become an OKFB member today online at okfarmbureau.org/join. Together, we are rural Oklahoma.

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, is featuring comments with Kansas State University Extension Livestock Market Economist, Dr. Glynn Tonsor about his most recent feedlot return study which doesn’t look good for the beef cattle industry into the fall through early 2025. He warned of red ink for the feedlot business beginning in September and continuing through next spring.

“Those returns are projected to be negative,” Dr. Tonsor said. “The main reason is, yes, fed cattle prices are expected to go up, but nowhere near the rate that the incoming feeder cattle prices have gone up.”

He explained that the main profit drivers for feedlots are what they pay for cattle coming in, how much it costs to feed them, and what they bring when they sell. If they pay more at a higher rate for incoming feeder cattle than they make from outgoing cattle, margins will be squeezed. This is the scenario that Dr. Tonsor forecasts for the period encompassed from this September through next March.

Tonsor said that people who designated their LRP to protect against the feeder cattle price increase, so their purchasing price was lower. “Most of the time when we have that discussion, people jump to the fed cattle sale price protection part. There is a role for that, too, that we can talk about, but here in this arena, the biggest source of change is the rally we’ve seen in lighter-weight cattle. So, someone that was protecting against that upward move is definitely in a position to do better than what I’ve seen for the rest of the year.”

Maximizing Beef Cattle Nutrition Through High-Quality Forage

At the Women in Agriculture Conference, Stevie White visited with Dana Zook, OSU Area Livestock Specialist, about the importance of providing quality forage for beef cattle.

“Because cows are grazers, they rely on forage for the basis of their nutrition, so it is important to know if the forage you are providing is high quality or low quality,” Zook said.

She explained that if it is high quality, producers may not have to feed as much of it, and perhaps could get away with complimenting it with a lower quality forage to save money. Alternately, if the forage is low quality, adding supplements may be necessary to avoid negative impacts to production efficiency, such as weight gain, maintaining condition for calving, breed back proficiency, and calving efficiency.

She said that a simple hay test is a great way to check the quality of your hay. “When you get an energy and protein analysis done, it gives insight into what other nutrients your cattle might need, in terms of supplementation.”

After this past week's Drought Monitor showing 44% of Oklahoma in Moderate Drought- the August rain that has swept across the state is truly a Godsend. The map above is an interactive map that gives you the chance to look at specific rainfall amounts for each Mesonet station since this past Friday.

Today, leaders of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) issued statements in response to news of the indictment of Charles and Heather Maude, multi-generational family ranchers in western South Dakota, by U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota:

“I am deeply disgusted by the Forest Service’s persecution of family ranchers Charles and Heather Maude,” said NCBA President and rancher Mark Eisele. “The Maude family has been ranching in South Dakota for five generations and Charles and Heather have spent their lives protecting natural resources, investing in their land, and raising their children. The U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office have maliciously targeted and prosecuted these family ranchers, and it’s clear that if this can happen in South Dakota, government overreach can happen anywhere.”

“The Forest Service’s actions in this case—especially the deference they’ve given to a heavy-handed special agent with a long history of abusing permittees—is absolutely unconscionable,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “NCBA is actively engaged with Congress to address this situation and find an outcome that protects this family. The Forest Service has a long, shameful history of creating confrontations with ranchers in South Dakota, and their escalation to imprisonment over a century-old fence line has shaken the confidence of permittees nationwide. Secretary Vilsack and the White House must engage now to get control of the Forest Service and the Department of Justice.”

The U.S. peanut industry today donated more than 15 tons of peanut butter to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Contributions came from the American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES), the American Peanut Council’s Peanut Butter for the Hungry, and Peanut Proud. In total, the organizations donated 21 pallets (30,240 one-pound jars) of peanut butter. The donation was made as part of the 56th APRES Annual Meeting, which took place July 9-11 in Oklahoma City. 

“Peanut butter is one of the most requested items by food banks in the U.S. because it’s shelf stable and protein packed, plus kids and adults love it,” said Darlene Cowart, chair of the APRES public relations committee and vice president of food safety and quality at Birdsong Peanuts. “The peanut industry feels it’s important to give back to communities that bring us together, such as Oklahoma City for the recent APRES meeting, so we are excited to make this donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to help those who are most vulnerable.”   

Founded in 1980, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma distributes food through a network of more than 1,300 community-based partner agencies and schools in 53 counties in central and western Oklahoma. The Regional Food Bank not only distributes food, but it is also a leader in educating the public on hunger, advocating for those living with hunger and providing access to additional resources.

“Not only is peanut butter an incredible source of protein for Oklahoma families in need of food assistance, but it is also one of our most requested items,” said Stacy Dykstra, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank. “We are so thankful to the American Peanut Research and Education Society, Peanut Butter for the Hungry, and Peanut Proud for this generous donation.”

Shelley Peper Legg Inducted Into the Ag Publications Council Hall of Fame

Shelly Peper Legg, professor in the OSU Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership, was inducted into the Ag Publications Council Hall of Fame at the 2024 Ag Media Summit in Kansas City.

Dr. Legg joined the faculty as an agricultural communications instructor in February 1992 and is now a professor. She teaches three classes, oversees internships, and serves as an academic adviser for the discipline. She is managing editor for the Cowboy Journal magazine, the publication produced by students each semester in her AGCM 4413 Agricultural Communications Capstone course. Legg is actively involved in the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture organization. 

We have watched and interacted with Shelly since those first days of coming to OSU as the instructor and advisor for Ag Communications- and she has always been a class act- and has supported and inspired so many students that have helped tell the story of agriculture- congratulations Shelly- you are the best!!!!