From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 6:17 AM
To: Hays, Ron
Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
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Oklahoma's latest farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON for Monday June 13, 2011
A service of Johnston Enterprises, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy and American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company!
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-- Ag Appropriations Vote on the House Floor This Week- Groups Position for GIPSA Battle
-- Senator Coburn says Eliminating Ethanol Tax Earmark Would Help Restore Fiscal Sanity
-- Growth Energy and Renewable Fuels Association Speak Out Against Senator Coburn's Amendment to Eliminate Ethanol Subsidies
-- April Beef and Pork Exports Lower But Still Holding Strong
-- Equine Herpesvirus Outbreak Contained
-- Wheat Marketing Year Proved Exceptional in Review
-- Wheat Harvest Slowed With Rains Over Last Few Days
-- Let's Check the Markets!

Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update- click here to go to their AFR web site to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

It is also great to have as an annual sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to be serving agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. One of the great success stories of the Johnston brand is Wrangler Bermudagrass- the most widely planted true cold-tolerant seeded forage bermudagrass in the United States. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website that features their grain, ports and seed business!

And we are proud to have P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy as one of our regular sponsors of our daily email update. P & K is the premiere John Deere dealer in Oklahoma, with ten locations to serve you, and the P & K team are excited about their new Wind Power program, as they offer Endurance Wind Power wind turbines. Click here for more from the P&K website.

We invite you to listen to us weekdays on the Radio Oklahoma Network for the latest farm news and markets- if you missed today's Morning Farm News (or in an area where you can't hear it) Click here to listen to today's Morning Farm News with Ron on RON.

If you have received this email by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.


Ag Appropriations Vote on the House Floor This Week- Groups Position for GIPSA Battle
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This Wednesday, June 15, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to take up and consider legislation to fund USDA, FDA and related agencies for fiscal year 2012. Several cattle industry groups- including the National Cattlemen's beef Association, the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association are working to ensure that many of the provisions that were approved by the House Appropriations Committee last week remain in the bill. Chief among them, the bill contains language that prevents GIPSA from spending funds to promulgate the proposed livestock and poultry marketing rule.

"This provision is an important application of our government's system of checks and balances. The proposed GIPSA rule is another example of this Administration's overreach and intrusion into the private market by telling producers when and how they can market their cattle. It goes well beyond the directive in the 2008 Farm Bill and even contradicts previous court rulings," said TCFA Chairman Bo Kizziar. "If anyone can sue just because he or she thinks something is unfair, price differentiation based on added value will go away, and a return to a commodity market is inevitable. The bottom line is that this rule has the potential to take the beef industry back 30 years by stifling the innovative efforts of U.S. cattle producers to add value and enhance the quality and safety of their products for consumers in the United States and abroad."

The three groups and others are urging their members to contact their Congressmen to support keeping GIPSA from spending any money after October 1 in finalizing and publishing the GIPSA rule.

There are groups out there actively working to scuttle the efforts against the GIPSA rule on the marketing of livestock. R-Calf USA issued an internal Member Alert last week, calling on those who are an "independent cattle producer to write a short letter in opposition to Section 721 of the Appropriations Bill that would kill the GIPSA Rule and fax or email it to your Representative." R-Calf is calling on their members to ask members of Congress to insert these letters into the "official record" so that supporters of moving the GIPSA rule forward in the Senate will be able to point to those comments as "widespread, producer support for allowing USDA to finalize the GIPSA Rule."

R-Calf seems to be telling their members they will lose on the House floor on this funding issue- but believe they can win by building a case for their supporters in the US Senate.

Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas- himself a cattle rancher from Roger Mills County- has weighed in on the current status of the rulemaking process on the GIPSA proposal- and you can read his comments by clicking on the LINK below.

Click here for comments from Congressman Frank Lucas- who believes the Rulemaking Process that USDA is using for the GIPSA Rule is Wrong.


Senator Coburn says Eliminating Ethanol Tax Earmark Would Help Restore Fiscal Sanity
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U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released the following statement today regarding the Senate's plan to vote this coming Tuesday(tomorrow) on his amendment (#436) to repeal the ethanol tax earmark and tariff. Dr. Coburn's amendment is identical to legislation (S. 871) he has introduced with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to end the ethanol tax earmark and tariff. If enacted, Dr. Coburn's amendment would save $3 billion for the remainder of this year and $6 billion annually.

"The days of placing spending programs in the tax code and giving them holy status are over," Dr. Coburn said. "Economic conservatives and leading free-market groups like the Club for Growth understand that using the tax code to pick winners and losers kills economic growth and job creation. Today's way of doing business is a tax increase on anyone who can't hire a tax lobbyist or make large donations to special interest groups in Washington. Taxpayers are tired of this game and expect us to eliminate wasteful special interest spending in all of its forms."

Click on the LINK below for the rest of Senator Tom Coburn's comments on the elimination of the ethanol tax earmark, as well as a copy of a letter signed by multiple organizations in support of this amendment.

Click here for more background information on this amendment


Growth Energy and Renewable Fuels Association Speak Out Against Senator Coburn's Amendment to Eliminate Ethanol Subsidies
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Growth Energy, the leading voice for U.S. ethanol supporters, released the following statement in response to a job-killing amendment introduced last week by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., that would permit hostile countries to exert influence over our economy by blocking American motorists from choosing the only viable alternative to foreign oil: domestic ethanol. The Coburn amendment would immediately repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and end the tariff on imported ethanol.

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis said:

"Sen. Coburn filed his legislation within 24 hours of OPEC's decision to let Americans suffer through high gas prices this summer. Sen. Coburn clearly doesn't see the danger of letting Iran, Venezuela and Libya control our economy, but there are other senators who do. Domestic ethanol is the only viable alternative we have to foreign oil. Ironically, Sen. Coburn proposes his legislation to repeal ethanol tax policy just weeks after he helped defeat an effort to cut tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer giveaways to global oil companies who recently received all time record profits at the expense of American motorists."

Click here to read the rest of Growth Energy's comments as well as the Renewable Fuels Association


April Beef and Pork Exports Lower But Still Holding Strong
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U.S. pork and beef exports slowed slightly in April when compared to the all-time record highs of the previous month, but still performed well above last year's pace. April pork exports reached 181,109 metric tons valued at $487.8 million - up 16 percent in volume and 22 percent in value over last year. April beef exports totaled 103,213 metric tons valued at $429.7 million - increases of 25 percent and 38 percent, respectively, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

On a cumulative basis through April, 2011 pork exports were 18 percent ahead of last year's pace in volume (735,294 metric tons) and 24 percent higher in value ($1.87 billion). Beef exports were up 30 percent in volume (399,748 metric tons) and 48 percent in value ($1.63 billion).

Demand for U.S. pork sizzling in North Asian markets

Japan remained the leading value market for U.S. pork by a wide margin, with year-to-date exports up 17 percent in both volume (163,775 metric tons) and value ($616.5 million). These increases are particularly impressive considering last year's full-year export value record to Japan of more than $1.65 billion.

Click here for more on the beef, pork and even lamb export markets


Equine Herpesvirus Outbreak Contained
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Oklahoma horse owners should take great relief that the EHV-1 outbreak has been contained. The entire horse industry should be commended for cooperative response in alleviating the disease threat. Due in part to the good communication between horse owners, facility and show managers, veterinarians and state health officials people were made aware of the situation and facilities were appropriately quarantined if necessary. One premise in Oklahoma is under quarantine from a confirmed EHV-1 positive horse that attended the Utah event. The horse is now normal and all remaining horses on the premise are healthy. No horses from this premise have attended an event in Oklahoma during the past few weeks and movement will be restricted until the situation is completely resolved.

Since the initial outbreak of EHV-1 at the National Cutting Horse Association's Western Nationals Show in Ogden, UT from April 29- May 8, 2011, the disease has been contained to the greatest extent possible. The numbers available indicate that the spread of the virus has been contained. During the first week there were 86 suspect/confirmed new cases, the second week showed 62 suspect/confirmed new cases, the third week showed 10 suspect/confirmed new cases and the fourth week after the occurrence showed 0 new cases.

Horse owners should still be cognizant of the situation but also be aware of the facts regarding the virus. The EHV outbreak has only affected horses attending two events and horses directly exposed to that group upon returning home. The two events are the NCHA Western National Championship in Utah and the Kern County Cutting Horse Event in California. Affected and exposed horses in all states are under state quarantine or movement restrictions

Click here for more from ODAFF on the outbreak as well as comments from acting State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Herrin


Wheat Marketing Year Proved Exceptional in Review
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Just one year ago, MY 2009/10 ended sluggishly for U.S. wheat demand. Commercial sales stood at 22.7 million metric tons (MMT), the lowest total in 29 years. With what appeared to be abundant supplies of lower priced Black Sea wheat, most analysts and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had similar expectations for 2010/11. USDA's initial 2010/11 estimates showed only a slight increase in U.S. wheat exports to 24.5 MMT.

News about dry conditions in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan first appeared in June 2010 and grew more ominous through July. Then, just as importers were absorbing the potential impact of the deepening drought, Russia's government shocked the markets by halting wheat and feed grain exports. Ukraine and Kazakhstan quickly implemented grain export quotas.

Because the importers that were counting on Black Sea supplies are kept informed through the 15 overseas offices for U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), they knew they could rely on the U.S. wheat supply to meet their needs immediately and throughout the marketing year. In just one month, USDA's U.S. export projection jumped more than 40 percent to 32.7 MMT.

That number continued to grow (see chart) as additional weather problems affected the Canadian, German and Australian wheat crops. Ultimately, U.S. commercial export sales reached 35.3 MMT in 2010/11, a 56 percent increase from 2009/10 and the highest level since 1992/93.

Click here for more results from the wheat marketing year


Wheat Harvest Slowed With Rains Over Last Few Days
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Some of the areas that received significant rainfall since last Thursday are the counties that still had wheat standing in the field- waiting to be cut. From Beaver County east to Osage County- the top two tiers of counties in the northwest and north central Oklahoma is where most of the precipitation fell- rainfall that could help with spring planted crops for farmers that have headed that direction.

We got one report over the weekend of one wheat producer who got his wheat harvested before the rains came in that part of the state. Click here to see the picture shared by Larry Eisenhauer of Newkirk who writes "Our harvest was completed last week before the rain started. Great test weights, and great yields. We had Sante Fe wheat planted this year. Test weights were 61 to 63.5. Yields were mostly 48 to 49, with our best field hitting 50. Best cutting conditions we've had in a long time. We thank our great and gracious Lord for all he has given us!"

Let us here from you about your harvest story this year- wheat or canola- tell us about variety, yield and quality data as you have it- and a picture or two is always appreciated! Send it to ron@oklahomafarmreport.com- you can just click on the email link at the very bottom of today's email as well.

There was no update since the middle of last week from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission- but the Kansas groups are updating as their harvest cranks up(they did have lots of rain over the weekend so things will be quiet for a day or so I suspect)- click on the LINK below for the Kansas Wheat harvest update.

Click here for the wheat harvest updates that are being provided weekdays by the Kansas Wheat Growers and Kansaas Wheat Commission.


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchers, KIS Futures and Oklahoma Mineral Buyers.Com for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- FREE!

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com


Let's Check the Markets!
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We've had requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $12.18 per bushel- as of the close of business yesterday, while the 2011 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $12.18 per bushel- delivered to local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices: As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.



God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
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phone: 405-473-6144
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