Howdy Neighbors!

Back in August of 2023, Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays sat down with Bob Funk in his ranch home in Yukon to talk about his life- from birth in the state of Washington to his rise in the world of Express Personnel, the Angus Breed and his love for 4-H and FFA youth that were a part of the Oklahoma Youth Expo.

As our state mourns the loss of Bob Funk, Sr this week- this conversation gives you the chance to hear his story- recorded August 11, 2023 and posted by the Oklahoma Youth Expo to provide everyone the chance to hear him tell you his life’s story in his words. Learn what has motivated him over the years to serve others and to succeed in his business dealings. Click on the play button in the video graphic below to hear the Hays and Funk conversation.

You can also look for this conversation where ever you get podcasts- search for Perspectives Podcasts from the Oklahoma Farm Report- this episode has just been uploaded with Ron Hays talking with Bob Funk About His Life and Passion to Help Others. Find it on our website by clicking here.

Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said, “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bob Funk Sr., a man whose generosity and vision touched countless lives, including my own. As an FFA member, I was honored to receive a college scholarship from him through his generosity with the Oklahoma Youth Expo, an investment in my future that I will never forget. Funk was passionate about education and workforce development, and he dedicated his life to connecting people with opportunity, helping families find stability and hope through meaningful work. Oklahoma is a better place today thanks to Bob Funk and he will be truly missed.”

AFR President Scott Blubaugh said, “Bob Funk made a positive difference in so many lives, but it was his unwavering commitment to the agricultural youth of Oklahoma that defines his legacy. He loved to watch our state’s young people develop and grow. His generosity has been felt by generations of Oklahomans and will continue to reverberate for years to come. He will be deeply missed.”

Tyler Norvell, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Youth Expo:

“Bob Funk Sr.’s connection to the Oklahoma Youth Expo was profound and transformative. His unwavering dedication and dynamic vision drove the Expo’s growth into the giant annual event it is today. His passion for empowering young Oklahomans from every county in our state was unparalleled and life-changing. Through their hard work, care and commitment, these young individuals displayed their livestock each year—a testament to their resilience and determination and a reflection of Bob’s belief in their potential. Witnessing over 7,500 4-H and FFA members come together every spring filled Bob with immense happiness. Bob was optimistic about Oklahoma’s future because he saw firsthand the potential in these fine young men and ladies participating in the Oklahoma Youth Expo. Bob’s spirit lives on through the countless lives touched by this event. We are not just indebted to him but committed to carrying forward his vision—to ensure that the Oklahoma Youth Expo remains a platform for growth, learning and community. We will continue to nurture dreams, reward hard work and foster the emergence of the next generation of leaders, just as Bob would have wanted.”

The House Natural Resources Committee held a full committee markup of several bills, including the Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) commends the House Natural Resources Committee for reporting this legislation out of committee favorably. This legislation addresses an issue that NCBA members have faced for years, as they have dealt with the devastating attacks on their livestock without the ability to protect their cattle from these predators.

“Cattle producers across much of the nation are facing the financial and emotional strain of livestock depredations due to overabundant black vultures. Populations have skyrocketed into the millions in recent years. The current take permit numbers are just not enough to properly manage the population while also protecting newborn calves that make easy targets for these predators,” said NCBA President-Elect and Virginia cattleman Gene Copenhaver.

Michael Kelsey with the Oklahoma Cattlemen is also happy with the measure “OCA strongly supports the passage of the Black Vulture Relief Act and greatly appreciates the House Natural Resources Committee advancing the bill. Oklahoma cattle producers have seen far too many black vultures kill baby calves and permanently injure mother cows. OCA looks forward to the bill advancing in the House and as well as the Senate companion bill. Also special thanks to the entire Oklahoma delegation in the both the House and Senate for supporting this legislation!”

At the recent Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego, Senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays spoke with the President and CEO of US Meat Export Federation Dan Halstrom. Our Coverage from San Diego is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater.

Dan Halstrom addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing U.S. beef exports: lack of access to China. “We continue to be challenged on the beef side, not only with a duty that’s relatively high, but more importantly, almost 400 [U.S.] beef establishments are not listed in the China system.” This exclusion from China’s CIFER system, which is required for importing, has created a major bottleneck. As Halstrom explained, “This is just a political deal of blockade we’re down 90% to China in the month of May.” The suspension began in early April, and the market has been struggling to adjust ever since.

Despite the setback, Halstrom emphasized that efforts are underway to work around the issue through diversification and flexibility. “We’re focused on moving this meat to all the most logical places, other than China, with the hopes that when China comes back, we’re that much better prepared.” He noted that the U.S. Meat Export Federation has become adept at adapting quickly: “We have the ability to move funding around between our offices we’re getting, unfortunately, very good at it.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau District Five State Director Gary Crawley was reinstated onto the Oklahoma Conservation Commission during the commission’s July 7 meeting.

Crawley will continue to serve as the area V commissioner through another five-year term, and he will also act as the district director on the Pittsburg County Conservation District board. Crawley was first appointed as area V commissioner in 2020.



Crawley will represent the conservation districts of Pittsburg, Okfuskee, Checotah, McIntosh, Hughes, Haskell, Latimer, LeFlore, Pontotoc, Coal, Johnston, Atoka, Talihina, Pushmataha, Marshall, Bryan, Kiamichi and Little River.

The president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and farmer leaders from 19 state-based corn grower groups sent a letter to President Trump today asking him to intervene as the Make America Healthy Again Commission prepares to release policy recommendations that question the safety of pesticides that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Our alarm stems from the initial assessment, released in May, which raised pesticide safety questions that have already been answered repeatedly over the decades by research and regulatory agencies,” the letter said. “If such language is included in the policy recommendations, it could significantly hamper the work of America’s farmers and raise prices on consumers without providing any additional layer of safety for the American public.”

The letter is notable because of the president’s popularity among farmers and rural Americans and comes as corn growers express concerns about the aggregate effects of tariffs, low corn prices and rising input costs. A loss of critical production tools would be another blow at an already difficult time.

In an Article by Melina Walling at the Associated Press, she writes about farmers beginning the cleanup process in Texas.

Across a wide swath of Texas, the inundated rivers that ravaged communities also tore through farms and ranches.

Small farms that offer experiences to visitors, don’t sell to wholesalers, or don’t have crop insurance are especially vulnerable, said Hannah Burrack, professor and chair of the entomology department at Michigan State University, who has worked with fruit farmers in the aftermath of floods. Burrack said that other crops for consumption, such as fruits and vegetables, become submerged, and they can no longer be sold. Unharvested plants in fields can accumulate, leading to pest issues or creating an unpleasant experience for visitors. And once submerged, “long-term echoes of these short-term stressors” can make trees more vulnerable to disease.

It will take some time for Texas farmers to fully recover, but some are already rebuilding stronger. Ketterman said he thinks they’re going to put up sturdier fence posts in the coming weeks as they secure the fence line. They’ll lean on each other, too. Many farmers described the tight-knit sense of community as they weathered the storm.

The 2025 Oklahoma Fumigation Workshop will be held on August 6 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Horticulture Education Center in The Botanic Garden at OSU in Stillwater.

 If you need ODAFF CEUs for Fumigation, Category 7C, several will be offered during this workshop. To keep your 7C certification active, you need 10 CEUs by Dec. 31, 2025, if you were certified for this entire cycle (2021-2025). Registration is only available online using a credit card and the deadline is July 30. You can register online by visiting this clicking the read more button below.

Checking the Markets...

OKC West in El Reno saw yearling prices soar Wednesday- just like calf prices did on Tuesday. Manager Bill Barnhart writes "Not much can be said about this week’s market except Wow! After weeks of sharply higher sales the market continues to soar higher. USDA called it 4.00-12.00 higher on feeders and 4.00-10.00 higher on calves."

Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices continue to plunge- National Beef Wire reports "Boxed Beef Down $23.64 From June 27 Peak. Boxed beef prices continued to soften, with Choice down $4.87 to $372.85/cwt and Select off $4.67 to $357.91/cwt, narrowing the spread to $14.94. This marks the eighth decline in the last 12 trading days, bringing Choice down $23.64 from the June 27 peak of $396.49.

OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.

Click here for our Markets Page on OklahomaFarmReport.Com- there you will find many of the reports we have linked on the right hand column found on the previous format of our email.

Our daily email is free because of our Sponsors!

© 2025 Oklahoma Farm Report - All rights reserved