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In a landmark ruling issued Friday, December 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell entered a judgment against several major poultry integrators, finding them liable for pollution in the Illinois River Watershed (IRW) and ordering a comprehensive, decades-long remediation plan.  

The judgment brings a pivotal conclusion to State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc. et al., a lawsuit originally filed in 2005. The court found in favor of the State of Oklahoma, ruling that the defendants—including Tyson Foods, Cargill, George’s, Simmons Foods, and others—are liable for public nuisance and trespass.  

Judge Frizzell’s ruling establishes that phosphorus runoff from land-applied poultry waste has caused significant injury to the IRW, including the eutrophication of Lake Tenkiller. The court determined that poultry waste is the “principal contributor” of elevated phosphorus levels in the watershed’s rivers and streams.  

Farm Director KC Sheperd recently caught up with Bob Rodenberger of Stockman’s Livestock Auction in Apache for a candid look at where the cattle industry stands right now. Despite experiencing a significant market correction recently, Rodenberger expressed optimism for sellers. “In general, the calf market has come back full tilt,” Rodenberger said.

He noted that while the feeder market has only recovered about half of its losses, the calf market recovery has been robust due to tight supply. “We’ve got the calves back where there’s very small margin for people like me that’s buying them… because the board has not corrected itself enough,” Rodenberger explained. “But in general, I mean if you’re a seller… it’s a good Christmas, it’s everything.”

A major topic of discussion was the industry chatter regarding herd rebuilding. While some reports suggest rebuilding is underway, Rodenberger remains skeptical about the timeline, predicting it could take until 2029 or 2030 to see significant changes.

“I’ve had people tell me that they’re rebuilding herds. We are seeing some of our ranchers hold some heifers over, but they’ve sold that many cows. So that’s not rebuilding,” he stated.

 Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays talked with Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University on Friday afternoon- shortly after the release of the December Cattle on Feed Report. Dr. Peel sees this final 2025 USDA report on feedlot numbers as another indication of tightening U.S. cattle supplies.

Peel says the December report showed November placements at 88.8% of last year and marketings at 88.2%, both sharply lower. The December 1 cattle on feed total came in at 97.9% of a year ago, marking the 13th consecutive month of year‑over‑year declines.

Peel said the numbers were largely in line with expectations, though placements landed on the low end of pre‑report estimates. That was the lowest number of placements since the series began in 1996. “This will likely be taken as at least a slightly bullish report when the market starts trading again,” he noted, pointing to the increasingly limited supply of cattle moving through feedlots.

Getting deep into the technical details of how and why U.S. wheat classes are valuable to South American millers and bakers is one of the favorite parts of working for U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) for Regional Director Miguel Galdos. Originally trained as an agricultural engineer, he now leads technical and trade promotional efforts across the six countries in the South American region – Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Galdos joined U.S. producers in November at the 2025 Joint USW/NAWG Fall Board Meeting in Austin, Texas. Following his presentation to the USW Board of Directors, he shared more about his career path and how his focus on technical assistance is helping expand markets for U.S. wheat exports.

galdos also said "I graduated as an agricultural engineer from Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile. After meeting Alvaro de la Fuente, then USW regional director, I was invited to a crop quality presentation at the U.S. Embassy and soon joined USW in Santiago as a markting specialist. Three years later, I became assistant regional director.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor spoke with Farm Director KC Sheperd, highlighting the strong momentum for E15 (a 15% ethanol blend) and the industry’s focus on securing permanent regulatory fixes and expanding global markets. The industry is seeing unprecedented momentum, making a push to update a 35-year-old regulation that currently limits year-round sales of the fuel:

National Reach: E15 is now legally able to be sold in all 50 states following recent legalization in California. Retail Expansion: The number of retailers selling E15 has increased by almost 25% this year, the largest growth since 2018. Legislative Priority: Securing a legislative fix to allow year-round E15 sales nationwide remains a top priority, with conversations ongoing on Capitol Hill and with the White House. This permanent fix would eliminate the current need for the EPA to issue emergency waivers each summer to allow E15 sales due to fuel volatility restrictions known as Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) limits.

Bipartisan Effort: The push has strong bipartisan support. For instance, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act has been introduced in Congress to permanently extend the RVP waiver to E15, eliminating seasonal restrictions. Current Status: While a permanent fix remains the goal, recent legislative attempts, such as including the fix in a broader short-term funding bill, have faced opposition from some House Republicans concerned about the impact on the U.S. refining sector.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association congratulated two Trump administration officials on receiving Senate confirmation, Dr. Julie Callahan to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Dr. Mindy Brashears to serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“NCBA congratulates Dr. Julie Callahan on her confirmation as Chief Agricultural Negotiator,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus. “President Trump has made it a priority to sign new trade deals and open new markets to high-quality American beef. We look forward to working with Ambassador Callahan to make good on those promises and strengthen America’s cattle and beef industry through new trade opportunities.”

“NCBA welcomes Dr. Mindy Brashears’ return to the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Under Secretary for Food Safety,” said NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes. “Dr. Brashears brings extensive knowledge of the cattle industry and the beef supply chain, as well as experience from President Trump’s first term."

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Water Resources Research Act to create a nationwide network of water research institutes at land-grant universities to address the nation’s water challenges. In response, the Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute was established at Oklahoma State University in July 1965.

Sixty years later, the institute – now known as the Oklahoma Water Resources Center – has collaborated with hundreds of entities to improve and sustain Oklahoma’s water resources, while supporting student education.

“We take a collaborative approach to addressing the key water issues in Oklahoma, and those evolve over time as new laws and regulations come into play or as new problems are discovered,” said Kevin Wagner, the water resources center director. “Currently, we focus a lot on drought-proofing the state and improving water quality.” 

Noble Research Institute shared data-backed management practices for land stewardship. By Briley Richard, freelance writer for Certified Angus Beef

Every grazing decision leaves a mark on the land and affects the herd that depends on it. Effective land stewardship goes beyond isolated practices, requiring an understanding of how each decision affects forage growth, cattle performance and long-term stocking rates.

When land is the foundation of the business, producers are more likely to invest time and resources into managing it intentionally. Certified Angus Beef’s Kirsten Nickles, Ph.D., and Hugh Aljoe, director of ranches, outreach and partnerships at Noble Research Institute, discussed land stewardship practices at the 2025 Angus Convention in Kansas City, Mo., in November.

“When we start thinking about land stewardship, think about the legacy of the land,” Aljoe said. “All of us want to be more profitable. All of us would like to see our land improve. But how do we go about intentionally making it happen?”

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