Featured Story:

Not pretty enough, not tall enough, too much of a farm girl- Betty Thompson heard all of those reasons and more why she would never be Miss Oklahoma- but she overcame all of those negative comments and on her third try in the early summer of 2011- became Miss Oklahoma. She challenged the girls and ladies who participated in the annual "This One's For the Girls" event sponsored by the Diamond Hats at the Oklahoma Youth Expo to never allow people to tear them down with their words and opinions.


She spoke of her recent appearance at the Miss America contest, where she placed as the National Runnerup in the competition. She told the girls that "I arrived at the contest as Betty Thompson and left the contest at the end of the week as Betty Thompson and never changed who I was to suit a judge or try to place higher." She said it was not a defeat to be the Runnerup, but the greatest day or her life as she knew that she had done her very best- in her interview as well as in her talent- and in all of the other points of competition.


She spoke with pride about her farm upbringing, saying the work ethic established has helped make her who she is- and added that 4-H and FFA provided invaluable public speaking training and more which also shaped her and prepared her for where she is today- a beautful and dynamic Miss Oklahoma 2011.  

You can hear the full interview with Miss Oklahoma, just click here. 

Farm Truck Exemption Passes Senate Muster 

An exemption allowing farm trucks to travel within 150 miles of the farm without having to comply with the same regulations that apply to commercial vehicles passes the Senate.

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe supported the passage of Amendment No. 1814, a bi-partisan measure that exempts farm trucks from burdensome commercial vehicle regulations.

"The passage of this amendment is a victory for our nation's farmers and ranchers," said Inhofe. "Currently, many farm trucks across the nation are forced to comply with lengthy commercial vehicle regulations when transporting their crops from the farm to the marketplace. The burdensome red tape makes it all the more difficult when farm trucks cross state lines and are forced to comply with a new set of mandates. This amendment fixes this problem by supplying farm trucks with a limited commercial vehicle exemption from these federal regulations when they travel within 150 air-miles of their farm."

In response to the passage of this measure, Mike Spradling, president of Oklahoma Farm Bureau said, "Oklahoma Farm Bureau appreciates all of Sen. Inhofe's hard work to protect farmers and ranchers in this transportation bill. He is a true advocate for Oklahoma's agricultural producers."

Report Finds Corn Yield Growth Slowing

Key shifts in U.S. corn production are decelerating yield growth, according to a new report released today by researchers at the Rabobank International Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group. The report, titled "Can Corn Keep Up?" finds that yields are likely to grow at a much slower rate than historical and trend-line analysis would suggest and anticipate 2012 growth will be below current USDA estimates.


The Rabobank International Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group's "Can Corn Keep Up?" report notes that increased corn acres on less productive land, and reduced crop rotation make it unlikely that U.S. corn yield will increase significantly enough to move world grain stocks out of historically low levels. The report also notes only a 50 percent probability that U.S. corn production will keep up with worldwide demand.


"We've known for some time that corn yield increases will not be able to keep up with the surging global consumption," notes Sterling Liddell, Global Strategist with the Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory team. "In the next three to five years, there is very little room for error as ethanol, exporters and livestock feeders all compete for the available supply."  

You can read more about the Rabobank report by clicking here.

Ag Groups Say U.S. Agriculture Would be Gravely Harmed by LightSquared's Plans 

In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) International Bureau, the American Soybean Association (ASA) and other organizations representing farmers and agribusinesses in all 50 states today declared that "high-precision GPS technology is vitally important to American agriculture, and would be gravely harmed by LightSquared's plans."

In the petition, the groups urged the International Bureau "to adopt without delay" the bureau's proposals to withdraw the conditional waiver it granted LightSquared and prohibit it from building a ground-based wireless network.    

In addition to ASA, the petition was signed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Sugar Cane League, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Potato Council, National Sunflower Association, US Canola Association, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, and the USA Rice Federation.

Click here to read more about the petition and to access a link to the full petition itself. 

Record Choice-Select Spread Emphasizes Opportunity For Quality Beef Production

When one of the leading indicators of demand for quality in beef products doubles in a year's time, that's a pretty good indication the market is changing and signaling an opportunity. From the last half of 2010 to the last half of 2011, the difference between choice-grading beef and select, the choice-select spread, jumped from an average of $6.44 to more than $12.

Tom Brink of J&F Oklahoma Holdings says more retailers are increasing the quality of their beef offerings. The increased demand for quality cuts and the fact that fed cattle supplies are tight has driven the choice-select spread higher.

He says he expects the spread to remain in record territory in large measure due to export demand.

"Foreign demand emphasizes higher grading product. As exports grow they tend to grow more for the choice and higher grading product. So we're going to see a wider choice-select spread going forward."

Click here to read more from Tom Brink or to access a video with his comments. 

U.S. Dale Dewitt Wins OYE Legislative Showmanship as Oklahoma Lawmakers Learn From 4-H and FFA Exhibitors How It's Done Pricing

A large group of Oklahoma lawmakers and other state officials were inside the show ring in the Super Barn at State Fair Park on Wednesday evening- meeting some of their younger constituents. The 2012 OYE Legislative Show matched lawmakers with young people from their districts that have either a lamb, hog or calf at this year's statewide junior livestock show. The 4-H and FFA members turned into teachers for a few moments- introducing the lawmakers to their animals and giving them instruction how to show that animal to the judge with success.  

Each lawmaker got some exercise, a tutoral about showmanship as well as a lesson on the importance of the education these show projects provide to these young people. There were winners announced in each of the venues, with the overall showmanship winner being Dale Dewitt of Braman. Dewitt is the Majority Floor Leader in this current session of the State Legislature.


Lawmakers also got a bonus education on the importance of this training- as they heard a strong endorsement of growing up on a farm, raising livestock for the show ring, and being involved in first 4-H and then later FFA from the current Miss Oklahoma, Betty Thompson. Thompson told the lawmakers that all of her accomplishments this last year- being named Miss Oklahoma last summer and then being named First Runnerup in the Miss America competition in January- was a direct result of all that she learned down on the farm with her animals- and in the public speaking and other activities associated with 4-H and FFA. This was a repeat performance by Thompson- you can read about her Tuesday performance at the OYE in the top story in this morning's email.  

We talked with the "play by play" announcer for the evening- state lawmaker Don Armes.  He "gets" it when it comes to the value of the program- we talk about that as well as his priorities for the balance of the 2012 legislative session. Click here to jump to our story that features this audio you can listen to- check it out.  

Crop Insurance Deadline Arrives- As Does Senate Ag Committee Hearing- Peanut and Pork Confabs Set for Tomorrow 

Today is the deadline for entering into an agreement for Crop Insurance for most spring planted crops in the state of Oklahoma- we talked a few days back with Scott Bulling of Oklahoma Farm Bureau- click here for that earlier story for the details- bottom line is that you must have an agreement in place for crop insurance by the end of today for those spring planted crops.

Also happening today is the much anticipated Farm Bill hearing on farm policy and crop insurance by Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow- four panels of witnesses are lined up- click here for the agenda and click here for the link on the Senate Ag Committee website where you can see or hear the hearing that could take several hours.  

Coming up on Friday- the Oklahoma Peanut Expo is planned for Quartz Mountain Resort near Lone Wolf- and featured speaker at noon on Friday is Oklahoma's Senior Senator Jim Inhoff. Inhoff will be discussing the burden of regulations on agriculture with the peanut farmers- click here for details we have on our website of the meeting planned for Friday. 

Also happening Friday is the 2012 edition of the Oklahoma Pork Congress in Midwest City at the Reed Center. They will be honoring folks in the pork industry with several awards- and a couple of folks outside of the industry who have been major supporters of the business as well. For the agenda and more details- click here for our story earlier this month about the 2012 edition of the Pork Congress.