While at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays got to talk with the Deputy Administrator for Compliance Francie Tolle with USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) about some of the new tools that USDA has to offer.

Tolle related that while producers everywhere are anxious for a farm bill, it is fortunate that RMA tools don’t fall under its jurisdiction but rather are authorized by the Crop Insurance Act.

“We continue with business as usual and the focus has been on getting as many crops and livestock insured as possible,” Tolle said. “We’ve had to move our focus from weaned calves to controlled environments to shellfish and everything in between, along with tweaks to the current programs. The ways those changes come along is basically us talking to producers: commodity groups, farm organizations, asking what is and isn’t working, then going back and making those changes.”

According to Tolle, the growth of LRP has been a great opportunity for producers to obtain protection for the exact number of calves they have, as opposed to the futures and options program most commonly used before. The program’s subsidiary helps producers with costs, and payment isn’t due until coverage expires.

Editor's Note- Most of you know- but Francie is truly one of our own- Along with her husband Chuck, and two married sons, she operates a farm in north central Oklahoma, growing wheat, row crops, and raising cattle. She applies that production ag knowledge to making RMA programs better.

As the premier John Deere dealer across Oklahoma & Arkansas, P&K Equipment is proud to serve our 20 communities and the surrounding areas. From residential, small ag & hay, large ag, & compact construction equipment- the P&K team makes it easy to buy & own your John Deere equipment.

You’ll find transparent pricing & easy financing options on the website & in stores. You’ll have technology, sales, parts, and service support long after the sale. So when you’re ready to experience the ease of operating John Deere equipment- you can trust the experts at P&K Equipment.

On Tuesday- Governor Kevin Stitt did not mince words. The Governor also wasted no time in firing Ken McQueen from his role as Secretary of Energy and Environment and Director of the Department of Energy.

Without missing a beat- the Governor then named Jeff Starling as McQueen's replacement.

According to Non-Doc-the Governor posted the statement above on X and they add "The “hearing” Stitt cited was an evidentiary review concerning the state of Oklahoma’s Illinois River watershed pollution lawsuit against poultry industry companies in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Abegail Cave, Stitt’s communications director, said the governor’s office was unaware of the hearing or that McQueen would be attending.

The hearing by District Judge Gregory Frizzell started on Tuesday in Tulsa after the judge rejected a request last week from poultry industry defendants to postpone it. In January 2023, Frizzell ruled in favor of the state of Oklahoma in a 19 year old federal lawsuit that alleged poultry industry practices were polluting the Illinois River watershed in eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.

Starling is an attorney who until September served as chief legal and administrative officer and corporate secretary at Lagoon Water Midstream, which was sold in June to Deep Blue Midland Basin LLC. Before joining Lagoon in 2019, Starling served as assistant general counsel at Devon Energy, where he managed litigation efforts and supported operational business units.

Starling said in a statement that he is “thrilled to serve Oklahoma in this new capacity.”

How Trump’s Tariff Strategies Could Affect U.S. Meat Exports

Yesterday’s BeefBuzz featured Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays talking with the president and CEO of the United States Meat Export Federation, Dan Halstrom, about the U.S. beef export market in 2024, and what he sees for 2025. Today, they are discussing what Trump’s second term in office might mean to the meat export industry.

President-elect Trump has spoken of plans to add significant tariffs to Canada, Mexico, China, and other countries around the world, in the name of negotiation to leverage the U.S. back to power in global markets.

While many in the export business cringe at the thought of tariffs, Halstrom observed a different outcome of Trump’s imposed tariffs during his first term in office citing three existing agreements.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) entered into force on July 1, 2020. The USMCA, which replaced the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), created more balanced, reciprocal trade supporting high-paying jobs for Americans and growing the North American economy.

Farmer Sentiment Following the U.S. Election Reaches Highest Levels Since May 2021

Farmer sentiment jumped again in November as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed 30 points to 145. Both the Current Conditions and Future Expectations indices increased in November, with the biggest improvement taking place in future expectations. The Future Expectations Index increased 37 points to 161, while the Current Conditions Index rose to 113, 18 points above October’s reading. November’s sentiment improvement pushed the barometer to its highest level since May 2021, with expectations for the future also reaching their highest level since April 2021. Some of the reasons behind the improvement in farmer sentiment include expectations for a future regulatory and tax environment for the agricultural sector that is more favorable than expected prior to the November elections. The November barometer survey took place from November 11-15, 2024.

Responses to the base questions used to compute the Ag Economy Barometer index were nearly all more positive in November than in October. One-third of November’s respondents said they expect their operation to be better off financially a year from now, compared to 19% who felt that way in October. Thirty-four percent of farmers in November said they expect good times financially for the U.S. agricultural sector in the next 12 months compared to just 15% of respondents in October. When asked to look ahead five years, over half (52%) of November’s respondents said they expect U.S. agriculture to experience widespread good times compared to 34% who felt that way in October. The increase in optimism spread to farmer’s investment outlook, with 22% of November respondents reporting it is a good time to make large investments compared to 15% of farmers surveyed who felt that way in October. 

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued the following statement on his meeting with Brooke Rollins, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary:

“I was pleased to meet with Brooke Rollins and discuss our shared interests in enhancing and advancing policies to help rural communities thrive. Having grown up with an understanding of the sacrifice, hard work and challenges facing agriculture producers, she is well-positioned to be a strong voice and advocate for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners so they can continue to feed, clothe and fuel the world. With a background in executive leadership, she is ready to hit the ground running and work with Congress to deliver a Farm Bill that addresses the needs of America’s agricultural producers. I am encouraged by her determination, commitment and resolve to help rural families thrive.”



It is expected that Senator Boozman will take over the Chairmanship of the Senate Ag Committee when the Republicans become the majority party in early January, which would have him chairing the confirmation hearing for Rollins in the new year.

Yesterday, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) shared a message in support of the Charitable Act on Giving Tuesday. The Charitable Act would expand and extend the expired non-itemized deduction for charitable giving that would ensure Americans who donate to charities, houses of worship, religious organizations, and other nonprofits of their choice are able to deduct that donation from their federal taxes at a higher level than the previous $300 deduction. 

The Charitable Giving Coalition sent a letter yesterday, signed by 470 organizations from all 50 states, urging Congress to pass the Charitable Act.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today are announcing a joint Request for Information (RFI) about food date labeling, which includes the usage of terms such as “Sell By,” “Use By” and “Best By.” The RFI seeks information on industry practices and preferences for date labeling, research results on consumer perceptions of date labeling, and any impact date labeling may have on food waste and grocery costs. For example, questions in the RFI include which products contain date labels and what criteria are used to decided what phrase to use and what date to include. The RFI also asks questions about how consumers interpret date label information, including whether consumers are confused by this information – especially if they believe the dates determine whether food is safe when in fact, they indicate quality – or whether it has impacts on decisions made while grocery shopping or discarding food. Finally, there are questions that explore any relationship between date labels, food waste, and household expenses.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the FDA jointly have broad jurisdiction and oversight over the U.S. food supply. They have a responsibility to ensure that food labels on products over which they each have jurisdiction are truthful and not misleading. The information collected from the RFI may be used to inform future policy decisions, guidance, or consumer education campaigns on food date labels intended to help reduce the premature discard of wholesome and safe food.