Over the past twenty years- the Oklahoma Youth Expo have invited lawmakers to come to the Jim Norick Arena during the OYE and learn from a 4-H and FFA member from their area about how they show their animal- a pig, lamb, goat or Steer or Heifer. (The picture above shows a smiling State Rep John Pfeiffer winning the contest in 2024)

Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays talked just ahead of the 2025 Showmanship with Bray Haven, Vice President of Operations for the Oklahoma Youth Expo about the why and the value of this long standing part of the spring livestock show. The 2025 Showmanship is set for 6 PM Monday evening in the Norick Arena. He calls it a “can’t miss event” for legislators.

Haven tells Hays that the Legislative/Celebrity Showmanship is an event designed to showcase the 4-H and FFA youth who are the heart of the Oklahoma Youth Expo and remind lawmakers that many of them are Oklahoma’s leaders of tomorrow.

One of the keys is that pairing up of lawmakers with youth from their area- and Haven says its “really important not just for the Oklahoma Youth Expo and that interaction with that youth and their lawmaker on the importance of this program and their continued support of facilities and economic development dollars that they are choosing to invest…and the opportunity for those students to have direct interaction with their legislator- not a lot of activities get that type of interaction with their elected official and whether it’s education or agriculture issues- I think the agriculture community as a whole needs this type of opportunity.”

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 talking with the Senior Executive Director of Scientific Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Dr. Mandy Carr Johnson, about beef consumer market research.

“We monitor their changes in perceptions, their buying habits, and what is truly driving demand,” Carr-Johnson explained. The information is gathered through daily field surveys recording data from thousands of consumers each month.

Over the past couple of years, the data has indicated a shift towards a greater desire for health, nutrition, and wellness. Additionally, consumers are more curious about animal welfare and learning how their food is raised.

“We know that consumers like eating beef, and we don’t want to jeopardize that great eating experience, but we need to make sure they know that beef can be convenient and versatile and fit many different budgets,” Carr-Johnson explained.

House and Senate Pass the CR- President Trump Signs to Keep Government Operating

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins Friday applauded President Trump and Republican leadership in Congress for securing critical victories for American farmers, ranchers, and rural communities through the passage of a continuing resolution that keeps essential funding in place.

“This continuing resolution allows USDA to continue to uphold President Trump’s commitment to America’s farmers and ranchers while making sure the critical programs our customers rely on remain available,” said Secretary Rollins. “President Trump and Republicans in Congress have taken action to support agriculture by making smart policy fixes that protect farmers and strengthens markets. It also ensures that those who safeguard our land and resources are recognized for their heroic work through critical pay reform for our Forest Service wildland firefighters.”

Chuck Connor with the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives was pleased that the CR is now behind us- but says there is so much still to be done- sooner rather than later:

“With this critical step complete, Congress must now urgently focus on priorities essential to the success of American agriculture.

“As the budget reconciliation process advances, Congress must permanently extend the Section 199A tax provisions set to expire at year’s end. Ensuring tax fairness through a permanent extension is essential to maintaining stability and encouraging investment across rural America.

“Additionally, Congress must swiftly pass a new five-year farm bill. Since the last bill in 2018, rural economic conditions have significantly evolved, and emerging trade disputes present new hurdles for producers and farmer cooperatives. America’s farmers and ranchers need a farm bill tailored to the economic realities and challenges they currently face.”

Jason Harmon will serve as the new head of the Oklahoma State University Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. The Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents approved the hire on March 7.

Harmon, an insect ecologist, is a faculty member and researcher at the North Dakota State University School of Natural Resource Sciences, where he was the school’s associate director from 2019 to 2022.

His recent research involves multi-use projects on rangelands to support high productivity levels for producers while conserving wildlife and pollinators, maintaining high soil productivity, and supporting an active floral and plant community. He is experienced in virtual fence technology similar to research collaborations ongoing at OSU.

“The use of technology like virtual fencing, remote sensing, geographic information systems and drones are powerful tools that can gather more accurate information useful to people,” Harmon said. “They help our broad vision of supporting healthy environments in a working landscape model.”

Shattuck FFA’s Brett Reaser Wins Big at Oklahoma Youth Expo Ag Mechanics Show

The 6th Annual Ag Mechanics Show at the 110th Oklahoma Youth Expo proved to be a resounding success, showcasing the remarkable talent of young agricultural mechanics. With over 270 projects submitted and judged and more than $50,000 in awards and prizes at stake, the competition was fierce.

Ultimately, Brett Reaser of the Shattuck FFA Chapter emerged victorious, claiming the Grand Champion Overall prize with his 20 foot Hydraulic Tilt Trailer. It is the second year in a row that a student from Shattuck FFA won the overall Grand Championship for the OYE Ag Mechanics- 2024 saw Colton Jones of Shattuck FFA in the same spot that Reaser is in here in 2025.

Farm director KC Sheperd caught up with Reaser to discuss his winning project, a meticulously crafted 20-foot hydraulic tilt trailer. “So I built a 20-foot hydraulic tilt trailer,” Reaser explained, “so it has Bluetooth functionality to it so I can run the deck via my phone.” He detailed the trailer’s impressive features, including a one-piece gooseneck construction, independent 12,000-pound jacks, and two 8,000-pound axles, culminating in a 16,000-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). “They try to hold about 11,000 pounds of payload,” he added.

The competition was stiff, with Brody Bazor from the Marietta FFA Chapter taking Reserve Grand Champion with his Sheep Shearers, and Jackson Voyles of the Thackerville 4-H Club earning Bronze with his Stock Trailer.

Total beef cattle harvest last week was up 12,000 head from the prior week at 578,000 head, 6,000 head fewer than the same week last year. In the past three years, federally inspected cattle harvest has increased from March 1 through the middle of June. This corresponds with increasing beef demand as grilling season develops. As we’re just ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, there are a number of weeks ahead before spring demand begins in earnest. 

Spot fed cattle prices remained unchanged through most of the week but Friday’s trade sparked values higher. The summary for the week featured live prices in the north at $200 to $202/cwt. and $315/cwt. dressed. The southern market traded primarily at $197/cwt., culminating in a 5-area weighted average of $199.97/cwt. 

Carcass weights made a significant turnaround in the latest confirmed data for the week of February 17. Steer carcasses averaged 949 lb., a 9 lb. decline on the week, while heifers dropped 10 lb. to average 866 lb. Extreme cold and precipitation were likely the primary contributors to the decline. Combined steer and heifer carcass weights are down 37 lb. year to date. 

Price Gouging Statute in Effect for Counties Ravaged by Wildfires

Friday was a historic day across most of Oklahoma as high winds brought dust from Texas into the state- and wildfires roared across the landscape in what was literally for many locations- a firestorm.

After the firestorm- Attorney General Gentner Drummond is warning businesses that the Emergency Price Stabilization Act is in effect following today’s declaration of emergency for 12 counties devastated by yesterday’s wildfires. 

The law, also referred to as the price gouging statute, prohibits an increase of more than 10 percent for the price of goods and services and helps protect citizens from unfair price hikes. The statute is in effect for Cleveland, Creek, Dewey, Grady, Lincoln, Logan, Oklahoma, Pawnee, Payne, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills and Stephens Counties.

Drummond cautioned that anyone who violates the Act is subject to legal consequences.  

“Oklahoma consumers reeling from the wildfires can be assured they will be protected from unfair price hikes and fraud,” he said. 

More than 130 wildfires were reported across the state during yesterday’s windstorm, and some of those wildfires still are not contained.

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More from OYE- Purebred Gilt Results Ahead of Night of Stars- and Today's Schedule

Over 900 Purebred gilts were evaluated on Thursday and Friday of the 2025 Oklahoma Youth Expo- and when judges Ben Bobell and Blane Olsen had the nine breed champions all around them- they liked the top Durocs from earlier in the day- making the Champion Duroc owned by Maverick Mosteller of Ft. Gibson 4-H the Supreme Champion of the Show- earning Maverick the right to have the first Purebred gilt to sell this coming Tuesday night at the 21st annual OYE Night of Stars Gilt Sale.

More details from last Thursday and Friday from Barn 6 are available here as sixty gilts were selected for the Night of Stars Sale happening Tuesday evening

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It's another busy day at the 2025 OYE- as we transition from breeding animals to market animals- and end the day with the 21st Annual Legislative & Celebrity Showmanship that starts at 6 PM.

8 a.m. LNC Breeding Heifer Show - State

Fair Arena

8:30 a.m. Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby

Test - Barn 6 Performance Arena

10 a.m. Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby –

Barn 6 Performance Arena

Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby

Interview

Champions’ Tribute OYE Barrow Show

(immediately following Derby Show) –

Barn 6 Performance Arena - NSR, CPS,

Crossbred

Purebred Hampshire Barrow Show

Purebred Yorkshire Barrow Show

(immediately following Purebred

Hampshire Barrow Show) – Barn 6

Performance Arena

12 p.m. Supreme Heifer Drive - Order:

Supreme Influence Heifer, Supreme

Purebred Heifer, Supreme Bred and

Owned Heifer

1:30-4:30 p.m. Oklahoma Soybean Board

Skillathon – Barn 3 Sales Pavilion

5:00 p.m. Legislative & Celebrity

Showmanship Reception

6:00 p.m. Legislative & Celebrity

Showmanship – State Fair Arena

7:00 p.m. Oklahoma Soybean Board

Skillathon – Barn 3 Sales Pavilion