Howdy Neighbors!

Robert “Bob” Funk has died, as announced by his son Bob Funk, Jr. on Facebook. He wrote of his dad “Dad was a true original in every sense of the word. A bold entrepreneur, a tireless advocate for people, and a man who embodied the spirit of the American West. With his signature cowboy hat and unshakable determination, he helped build Express into what it is today: a beacon of hope.

“More than a business leader, he was a man of deep faith, unwavering integrity, and clear vision. He believed in the dignity of work and the potential in every person. His passion for helping people find purpose through employment defined our mission from the very beginning and continues to inspire all we do.”

Oklahoma State Secretary of Ag Blayne Arthur responded to our request for her thoughts on the life of Bob Funk. “I was incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Bob Funk and share my heartfelt condolences with his family. Oklahoma has lost a true champion for both agriculture and youth development. There are few people who have been as philanthropic and influential to Oklahoma. Mr. Funk had an undeniable passion for young people and supported them in a variety of ways, most notably through his financial support of the Oklahoma Youth Expo. I believe we can all learn a lesson from Mr. Funk’s incredible generosity, kindness, and passion for making the world a better place. He will be missed in so many ways and by so many people, but the legacy he built will last for generations.”

Oklahoma agricultural producers are navigating a critical period with several important deadlines approaching and changes stemming from recent “Big Beautiful Bill” legislation. Farm Director KC Sheperd recently spoke with Dr. Amy Hagerman of Oklahoma State University to break down what farmers need to know.

Looking further ahead, the end of the fiscal year on September 30 brings another wave of important dates. Programs like CRP (Conservation Reserve Program), which may see renewed activity due to new legislation, will likely have deadlines rolling out from late July through August and into late September.

As fall approaches, producers should prepare for elections for ARC and PLC (Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage) programs. Additionally, Dr. Hagerman highlighted the varied nature of disaster programs across Oklahoma, which will address everything from flooding and tornadoes to lightning strikes. She strongly advised producers to “definitely sign up for those text message announcements from your local Farm Service Agency office, because those are going to give you the latest deadlines in your county.”

At the recent Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego, Senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays spoke with Executive Director of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Kent Bacus. Our Coverage from San Diego is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater.

Kent Bacus opened by explaining the trade landscape under President Trump, describing how the administration hit the ground running with an aggressive trade agenda. “On day one, President Trump came in and said, ‘Look, here’s my executive order on the America First trade policy. This is what we’re going to do.’” Bacus emphasized that tariffs were the President’s “tool of choice,” and while controversial, the cattle industry saw an opportunity. “We’ve really tried to find out, how can we direct that action in a way that’s going to benefit the cattle industry, benefit cattle producers.”

He acknowledged the complexity of the global beef trade, noting that the U.S. still faces “outstanding trade issues with Australia, with Brazil,” and emphasized the importance of holding trade partners accountable. Still, there have been victories: “What’s the first trade deal that’s announced? It’s with the UK. What’s part of that announcement? Beef.” He framed this as a direct result of persistent advocacy and a win for producers. “This is part of the bigger initiative for the President to really make our beef and our cattle producers more competitive.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The sign-up runs from today, July 14, to Aug. 8, 2025. Grassland CRP, offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands while also continuing most grazing and haying practices. 

Grassland CRP emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity, and grasslands and land with shrubs and forbs under the greatest threat of conversion. 

“Through the conservation of America’s essential grasslands, Grassland CRP supports continued agricultural productivity while at the same time prioritizing private lands stewardship,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “By offering landowners the best of both worlds — economic viability and working lands preservation — Grassland CRP provisions support USDA’s commitment to Farmers First.” 

On Tuesdays, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays visits with Ben Hale of Western Livestock Auctions as he talks about the latest in the markets and more.Hale reflected on an unusually strong week in the cattle markets. “The numbers at the Oklahoma National Stockyards this week went 7000 head—and higher, higher,” Hale remarked, comparing it to 6,200 a year ago. He noted the explosive impact of recent trade disruptions, saying, “With that third time closing the southern border and the Brazil deal, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the futures take off like they did last week.” Despite some board fluctuation, he added, “Most of the buyers are disregarding it and still bidding those feeder cattle up.”

Hale emphasized just how exceptional the price action was in local markets. “Woodward was an absolute runaway on Thursday,” he said. “It was an absolute… runaway—$10 to $20 higher on steers and $15 to $25 higher on heifers.” While Hale acknowledged occasional smaller price runs earlier in the spring, last week’s surge stood out.

The calf trade also remained unusually firm. “Usually them soft calves will get a little cheaper this time of year, but it don’t seem to be at all,” Hale explained. “The bulls just keep staying stout.” He suggested that abundant green pasture was pushing demand higher. “For what all you got to do to them to get them ready to graze these guys are saying, ‘Hey, we got to have something to put on this green pasture.’”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today at the opening of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new, modernized Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory, launched a comprehensive plan to bolster USDA’s efforts to combat foodborne illness.

This plan better positions USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is responsible for ensuring meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled, to protect the nation’s food supply. FSIS will continue to work in close collaboration with partners like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure the safety of the entire food supply chain. 

“President Trump is committed to ensuring American consumers have the safest, most abundant, and affordable food supply in the world. When it comes to food safety, USDA is charting a bold new course in giving consumers confidence their meat, poultry, and egg products meet our best-in-class food safety standards,” said Secretary Rollins. “I look forward to continued collaboration across the Trump administration, with states, and with food producers from farm to table, to reduce foodborne illness and protect public health.”  

Hilliary Communications, a family-owned telecommunications company serving customers across rural Oklahoma, Texas, and Iowa, has announced the acquisition of TDS Telecom’s Oklahoma network operations.

“Hilliary Communications is dedicated to building a stronger, more connected future for rural communities across Oklahoma,” said Dustin Hilliary, co-CEO of Hilliary Communications. “This acquisition positions us to bring fiber internet and modern communications services to more areas of Oklahoma.”

The acquisition adds nearly 35,000 new locations to Hilliary Communications’ service footprint, including communities across Oklahoma—many in growing rural regions from Elgin and Jones to Adair—marking a major step in the company’s mission to connect every Oklahoman to reliable, high-speed internet.

As Texas agricultural lands contend with the significant impact of recent floods, our focus turns to supporting the farmers, ranchers, and rural communities directly affected. When one segment of our farming community faces adversity, the broader network is called upon to assist. Several folks have been asking how you can help, so we are providing a list of ways you can help.

Kerr County Flood Relief Fund

Managed by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. Funds are distributed directly to vetted local relief groups in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Center Point, and Comfort.

Donate online via their official portal

Mail a check to:

Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country

241 Earl Garrett St., Kerrville, TX 78028

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Blind Faith Foundation – GoFundMe

A local nonprofit deploying food trucks and emergency services directly in Kerr County. 100% of donations go to victims—not individuals.

Support via → Help Kerr County Flood Victims on GoFundMe

Texas Department of Agriculture:

TDA supports communities that have been adversely impacted by natural disasters. Help Texans in need by making a donation to the STAR Fund today.

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Austin Pets Alive!

Handling animal rescue in Kerr & Williamson counties—provides shelter, transport, veterinary care, and foster services.

Donate online to support their flood response

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Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR)

Volunteer-led swift-water response teams currently active in Kerr County. Seeking funds to sustain search and rescue operations.

Can donate directly via TEXSAR’s site, fundraising goal: $250K

Please continue to keep the central Texas communities in your prayers.

(list courtesy of Kelly Atwood, Austin Texas)

Checking the Markets...

The week of July 14th sees all the livestock auction markets back with their regular schedules. OKC West had their calf market on Tuesday- they had 2,000 caves-  Steer calves $6.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves $4.00-9.00 higher. They expect 3,000 head of yearlings today.

Cassie Fish writes about the fat market- "Last week’s 5-area negotiated fed steer price topped $237/cwt, over $7/cwt higher, with the cheapest cattle in the south at trading just over $229. Though seasonal weakness is widely anticipated for fed cattle prices, the old dilemma of time and price are a factor. Much of the time the Q3 seasonal low occurs in September, and that’s a ways off. Expectations for this week’s cash price are generally steady after the big jump last week."

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.

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