On Friday afternoon, the American Relief Act of 2025 passed the House 366-34-1. This was the third proposal advanced by House Speaker Mike Johnson this week and produced a measure that had GOP and Democratic support in the House and also had the blessing of President Elect Donald Trump. Oklahoma Congressman Josh Brecheen was one of the 38 Republicans that voted no, while the rest of the delegation voted aye.

The Senate missed the midnight deadline to fund the government but just barely- as the Senate quickly approved the measure 85 to 11.

The bill would fund the federal government to operate through mid-March. The legislation also includes more than $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in economic aid to farmers, as well as extension of the farm bill through Sept. 30, 2025. Overall, farmers have nearly $31 billion in aid spelled out in the package.

Dropped from the bill was a provision that would have allowed year-round sales of E15.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma said, “Disasters know no bounds- they impact cities and states across this nation, leaving communities with destruction and despair. It’s a dire reality faced by so many, including my own constituents in Oklahoma. In the face of recent disasters, Americans throughout the country stepped up to help their fellow Americans, and so must Congress.

“Today, the House acted to provide much-needed assistance in a unified and bipartisan voice as people across the country navigate a way forward. We also supported our farmers, ranchers, and producers to safeguard family farms and ensure food and agriculture security for our nation."

Former Chair of the House Ag Committee, Frank Lucas, also is pleased to get something done for farmers and ranchers- "“Extending government funding into early next year and the Farm Bill till September of 2025 allows Republicans and President-elect Trump to get to work on delivering results for the American people. Today’s vote provides economic assistance to American farmers and communities impacted by severe weather, extends the Farm Bill’s authorities, and keeps the government open.”

We also got reaction from Senator James Lankford, who is upset with the process- "Stopgap funding isn’t a real solution—it’s a sign of a broken Congress."

We have much of the ag community's initial reaction further down in the email.

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. 

They would like to thank all of you who participated in their 2024 Tulsa City Farm Show. 

Up next will be the Oklahoma City’s premier spring agricultural and ranching event with returns to the State Fair Park April 3-4-5, 2025.



Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2025 Oklahoma City Farm Show.  To learn more about the Oklahoma City Farm Show, click here. 

Ron Hays is talking again with Superior Livestock President Danny Jones, who says that 2024 has been a tremendous year for both Superior and for the cattle industry. This is the second in a two-part conversation with Jones. Yesterday, he was discussing the success Superior Livestock has seen in 2024. Today, he anticipates another great year in 2025 beginning with the January 8-10 Bellringer Sale.

According to Jones, the timing of the Bellringer is key to its success as the health of the cattle is superior at that time, most calves are weaned and yearlings have been backgrounded. Some cattle are sold off of wheat on contracts to be delivered anytime from March-May.

“It’s a great time for marketing cattle in January,” he said. “This year in particular, as we look at 2025, and these record prices that we are seeing, it is really important – in our minds – to put your cattle in front of everyone, because it is really easy to leave five or fifteen hundred dollars on the table that you didn’t know was there until you have a robust price discovery.”

Before COVID, the Bellringer had historically been held in Denver coinciding with the National Western Stock Show; however, when Denver forced the Stock Show to cancel in 2020, and Oklahoma City stepped in and started Cattlemen’s Congress, Superior moved the Bellringer to Oklahoma City which has proven to be a real success.

Mostly Thumbs Up by Ag Groups for CR that Delivers Ag Help & Farm Bill Extension

A government shutdown was averted on Friday night/Saturday as Congress passed and President Biden signed into law a CR that keeps the government operating until mid March.

Our two major general Farm Groups liked it but threw a gripe into their official reaction over the weekend.

In the case of American Farm Bureau- Zippy Duvall commented “Farm Bureau thanks the House and the Senate for finding common ground and passing legislation that will keep the government open and help farmers who are struggling with natural disasters, high supply costs and out-of-reach interest rates. For many farmers, the disaster relief provided through the CR will be the difference between planting for another year or going out of business.

“It’s unfortunate that the final measure did not include authorization for year-round E-15 sales, which benefits farmers, leads to lower fuel prices, and helps America reach its sustainability goals. We will continue to push for this in 2025."

National Farmers Union's Rob Larew said “After months of uncertainty, family farmers and ranchers across the country can finally take some solace in the passage of the end-of-year funding package. Congress has provided farmers with much-needed and long-overdue economic and disaster relief as they continue to grapple with mounting challenges from extreme weather, high input costs, and volatile markets. Farmers Union members fought hard for this relief. 

“However, family farmers and ranchers deserve better. There was a clear bipartisan agreement that would have gone further in addressing the pressing issues confronting agriculture today. The previously negotiated agreement included several important agriculture and food security provisions, such as granting nationwide year-round sales of E15 blends of ethanol. Higher-level blends would increase market opportunities for farmers, reduce emissions, and strengthen domestic energy production. Instead, Congress allowed dysfunction to stand in the way."

As for other Comments that we have posted on our website- click on the group's name to see their statement.

National Wheat Growers

National Corn Growers

Ag Retailers

American Soybean Association

National Association of Conservation Districts

American Farmland Trust

National Sorghum Producers

Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with New Leaf Symbiotics CEO/President Brent Smith to discuss the company’s unique class of microbes, also known as Pink-Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFMs).



The truly pink, naturally occurring microbes with a variety of jobs including bio-stimulation, bio-control, Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), and nitrogen use efficiency.

New Leaf Symbiotics’s library of microbes includes 12,000 different strains, 6,500 of which are sequenced, and work continues on about 100 varieties. Smith commented, “There are multiple modes of action that we are finding in this whole phylogeny of microbes.”

Technicians at New Leaf Symbiotics use the microbes’ natural abilities and improves them. “We launch individual strains for individual outcomes,” Smith said. “For example, we have one strain that is for corn, and another for soy, but also in biocontrol, we use individual strains for individual pests, crops, and those things.”

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Fox News’s Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino on America’s Newsroom to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, their paths to confirmation, and the role he and his Senate GOP colleagues play in the process. The senator unpacked his meeting with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shared the nominees’ success in meeting with lawmakers, and stressed the importance of President-elect Trump having his cabinet ready to go on day one.

On the role Sen. Mullin plays in the confirmation process:



“It’s my first time to go through this process, through the noms, and them actually coming in and meeting with me. I’ve enjoyed the process, but Article Two Section Two does give us the right to advise and consent, it’s impressive to see how many senators are taking this to heart, but at the same time we understand that President Trump has a cabinet that he’s wanting to get in place as soon as possible, and there hasn’t been a single ‘no’ on any of his noms saying they’re not gonna vote for them. I think they’re methodically going through the process, and let me tell you every one of these individuals that the president has nominated, they’re on Capitol Hill doing exactly what they’re supposed to do. It’s not about putting ‘yeses’ on the board it’s about keeping ‘noes’ off the board and they have done that.”

Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced shortly before today’s Board of Equalization meeting that he lacks confidence in the budget numbers provided by the Stitt Administration, calling instead for increased legislative involvement in the process.

“I come from the private sector, where you don’t play games with your budget,” Drummond said. “After sitting through several of these meetings, as well as briefings from the Governor’s chosen staff, I can tell you that I have no confidence in the accuracy or completeness of the Governor’s budget numbers.”

Drummond cited recent examples of discrepancies and inaccuracies that eroded his confidence. In December of 2023, the Board of Equalization was told there would be $8,976,523,862 available for appropriation in FY25. By February, 10 days after the Governor laid out his budget priorities, that number had increased to $9,037,537,501. This increase bolstered the Governor’s argument for a proposed income tax cut. Now those same February numbers are projected to be off by $390 million, while the Oklahoma Tax Commission is reporting that expected revenue will drop by $528 million.