How will the various agencies within the US Department of Agriculture best serve farmers and ranchers in the near term after the Trump Administration has fired thousands of government workers as they plan to slash a significant part of the US government workforce. That includes the NRCS - The Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Specifically - the stakeholders who depend upon the agency are asking that with 1,700 NRCS employees that were terminated in the last few days nationally - which includes 37 employees in Oklahoma - how will conservation programs be delivered effectively?

Sarah Blaney, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Conversation Districts (she also serves as the President of the Association of Conservation Executive Directors), tells the Oklahoma Farm Report that in talking with her peers across the US - it appears that most have seen 30 to 50 employees terminated in each state.

Blaney tells us, “My understanding is that in the state of Oklahoma, 37 NRCS employees were fired per the Trump Administration’s request on Friday, February 14, 2025. These were across-the-board cuts that were not based on merit. This directly impacts the ability of remaining NRCS employees to complete their workload and directly affects conservation district employees as a partner of NRCS. My sources are telling me that these cuts were part of a larger nationwide decision where 1,700 NRCS employees were fired and over 290 FSA employees. Farmers and ranchers may be impacted by the reduction in this workforce and should plan accordingly. One simple piece of advice for producers would be to make electronic requests of your records from USDA so that you have those on file in case there are further reductions in the workforce.”

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The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is deeply concerned about the severe impacts recent federal layoffs are having on our nation’s ability to conserve the natural resources that sustain us all. 

“NACD is very concerned about the loss of local staff and technical capacity in conservation districts across the country due to recent executive actions,” said NACD Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Peters.

The recent terminations of over 1,000 federal employees and the termination of agreements that fund the staff of cooperating partner organizations are having a significant impact on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and conservation districts nationwide. These positions, many located in rural and remote communities, provide important services to farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards across the country.  

NRCS and conservation district offices are already operating leanly and efficiently, with staff covering multiple counties in some areas. The recent terminations disrupt the quality and timeliness of the technical assistance provided to farmers and ranchers. The loss of qualified employees is also exacerbating service backlogs. As USDA continues processing 2025 Farm Bill program applications, offices are facing growing queues for technical assistance and enrollment support. 

NACD also expressed worry over the freezing of conservation dollars that the previous administration and Congress placed under the IRA- the Inflation Reduction Act.(Editor's Note- Thursday evening- USDA announced that they have reviewed and are releasing $20 million in money earmarked for Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program- and that more will be released soon once reviewed by the Trump Administration) 

Preparing for the Future: Dr. Shannon Ferrell’s Insights on Farm Succession Planning

At CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio, Texas, Oklahoma State University’s Dr. Shannon Ferrell addressed cattle producers about the importance of getting their affairs in order earlier rather than later. Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays caught up with him to bring the details to you.

Coverage of CattleCon 2025 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

When asked to speak at the event, NCBA asked Ferrell to help position the industry for success in 2050. To Ferrell, that equates to one or two generational changes in many operations.

His presentation began with being ready for change with technological advancements happening so quickly. The next topic he covered was unifying the industry, our families, and communities to ensure that the message of environmental sustainability is getting out to consumers. Lastly, he discussed taking steps to ensure a smooth transition from current ownership to the hands of whoever is to run the operation next.

“We live in a world where we can put fifty billion transistors on a chip,” Ferrell detailed. “We have all sorts of AI innovations that we can apply even on our farms, but if you aren’t adept at adapting to technological change, either you need to get there or you need to start involving young people on your operation that can do that to help you stay ahead of that curve.”

OALP started their Thursday at another family farm producing wheat and numerous other crops, then headed to a rose producer, followed by an interesting farm operation that included roses, alstroemeria, a black soldier fly project, and a swine operation.

The Wheat seen by the class was ripe and almost ready for harvest- and at that first farm stop of the day- they also saw a large potato operation.

At the second farm stop the day- the group saw the Rose operation at the Uhuru Flowers. Edmond writes "Our group first visited the area where Damascus rose petals are distilled into rose water and rose oil. One container of petals weighs 200 pounds and will produce about 10 liters of rose water and a little oil. They process two containers daily. Rose water sells for $8-10 per liter, whereas rose oil sells for $8-10,000 per liter and is usually sold by the gram for export. This rose is supposedly the one in the crown of thorns of Jesus."

Two more farm stops were on the agenda for the day- read the highlights from each stop by clicking on the Blue Button below.

In Pawnee County, Kan., some farmers are rethinking their spring planting plans. With the sudden dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), sorghum farmers are worried there won’t be a market for their product. They’re not alone. At least 400 producers around the country rely on contracts with USAID, and many more rely on the agency without even knowing it.

“USAID often buys from grain elevators, so that impacts smaller farmers,” says Jordan Schermerhorn, a recently furloughed USAID contractor who worked with two countries in Asia. “Tons of small farmers provide USAID assistance without even knowing it.”

USAID spends about $2 billion annually on food for its international humanitarian relief work with about 7% of that provided by U.S. farmers.

According to a former deputy assistant administrator at USAID’s Feed the Future program, the agency purchased 1.1 million metric tons of food from U.S. farmers and ranchers last fiscal year, including sorghum, corn, beans, rice and vegetable oil, for distribution to 45 million people in need of emergency food and acute nutrition assistance in 35 countries.

Kansas State University is preparing to host its annual Cattlemen’s Day, a premier event for producers, industry representatives, and students. Farm Director KC Sheperd recently spoke with Justin Waggoner, Cattlemen’s Day Chair, about what attendees can expect.

This year’s event boasts a packed agenda, including educational sessions covering a range of topics relevant to the beef industry. Featured speakers include Dr. Glynn Tonsor of K-State with a market outlook as well as Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam of UC-Davis- who is considered one of the world's experts in Gene editing for beef cattle. Also on the program is Dr. Dale Woerner of Texas Tech speaking on the latest Yield Grade Technology.

Due to ongoing renovations at Weber Hall, this year’s Cattlemen’s Day will be held at a new location: the National Guard Armory at 721 Levy Drive in Manhattan. Waggoner emphasized the importance of noting the change in venue. “We want to make sure everyone knows where to go,” he stated.

Note- an early registration discount is available through NOON today- February 21st.

Oklahoma’s Big Thaw: A Rollercoaster Ride From Record Cold to Spring Drought Concerns

On this Friday morning- this may be the last of our single digit temps of the season- this map above is as of five am- it's linked to the Mesonet Air Temp map online so you can check temperatures across the state by clicking on it in real time.

Oklahoma has endured a brutal stretch of record-breaking cold, but relief is finally on the horizon. According to State Climatologist Gary McManus, the long-awaited thaw is set to begin today However, the journey to warmer temperatures has been a frigid one, marked by historic lows and a lingering concern for potential drought.

“Twenty-five degrees below normal, outside of summer, never looked so good!” McManus quipped, highlighting the extreme nature of the recent cold snap. But the road to that relief wasn’t without its final, icy hurdles. “But here we go again with another COLD record-breaking day. Or a record-breaking COLD day.(Referring to Thursday's weather)

The bone-chilling conditions resulted in record-low temperatures, with Foraker and Vinita hitting a staggering -7 degrees. “In fact, if not for a somewhat suspect -12 from Upper Spavinaw Port in 2021, that -7 at Foraker and Vinita would be the lowest temperature ever recorded on a Feb. 20 dating back to the 1880s,” McManus revealed.