Farm Bill Anxieties, Advanced Biofuels Opportunities On Sorghum Growers Minds, Tim Lust Says 

Tim Lust of the National Sorghum producers says time is running out on getting a farm bill passed and signed before the end of the year. He spoke with us recently about a number of issues and says there are a lot of threads coming together in Washington at the present moment and it's unclear how the bill will fare before the end of the year.

If there is not farm bill before the current Congress adjourns, Lust says something will have to be done early next year. There are many provisions of the current legislation that are positive for sorghum producers and he hopes they will be carried forward.

He says one of the most important parts of any farm bill, in his eyes, is crop insurance. Changes to crop insurance in the 2008 bill meant over $30 million has gone out to sorghum growers who lost their crops. In the last two years, sorghum growers in Oklahoma received $3 million dollars for their losses.

"We hate that they had a crop loss, but we're glad that farm policy is able to help them with that loss and be able to continue to stay in business and do what they have to do and pay the bills that they have to pay around town. 

"As we look forward to 2013, particularly for the Oklahoma panhandle, the expansion of the sorghum silage insurance program there under irrigation is a very positive thing. And in some of those areas where we have water declines, there's a lot of interest by the feedyards and dairies of moving to sorghum silage and this will certainly give producers some insurance coverage there that will help them to continue to move in that direction."

He also says the recent approval of sorghum as a feed stock for advanced biofuels opens up greater marketing opportunities for sorghum producers.

You can read more and catch our lengthy conversation with Tim Lust by clicking here.  

Heath Sanders Advises Canola Producers to Have Patience, Canola is Resilient 

As this year's drought-stressed canola crop goes into winter dormancy, PCOM's Heath Sanders advises canola producers who saw a much hardier-looking crop at this time last year to avoid the temptation to throw in the towel. He spoke with us for the latest edition of Canola TV. He says in his survey of fields across the state he's seeing a mixed bag.

"We've got some big canola. We've got some smaller canola. We've got canola still coming up. Very erratic rainfall that we received. We're still seeing those same conditions. And so wherever we've had a little bit of moisture, the canola looks really good. We've been very mild this fall and so we've had a lot of growing conditions and we just need that moisture to get our canola to a bigger size."

He said that lack of moisture is a big, big concern. What the crop really needs right now, he says, is rain-just a little bit. Even a small amount of rain would be enough to improve chances of getting it through the winter in good shape, he said.

"If you could get the canola up to a good stage, a good size right now, really, this is an OK time for it to be dry because we need the moisture in the spring in order for reproduction.   When we have very small canola, it's extremely dry, and we get very cold, I'm a little concerned. But canola has that ability to thin itself out. The strongest survive. And we're just going to have to wait and see what we have."

Click here for more from Heath Sanders.

 

Peel Says 'Demographic Cliff' Brings Challenges and Opportunities to Rebuilding the Cow Herd

In the third part of a series on rebuilding the nation's cow herd, Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, writes in the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter about the demographic and economic forces that have to be considered in that process.  

Like farmers of all types, cattle producers have been aging as a group for many years. USDA data from 2011 indicates that among the 654,000 cattle farms in the country, 37 percent are operated by producers 65 years of age or older and another 29 percent are operated by producers aged 55-64. Together these two age groups operate 64 percent of land used for cattle production. This includes 118.4 million acres by the 65+ producers, 66 percent of which are the full owners of their farms. In many cases there are no family heirs interested or able to take over the operation.

These demographics suggest that a significant amount of asset turnover is inevitable in the next decade. In the meantime, older cattle producers, like many farmers, often don't really retire and exit the industry but rather tend to "retire in place" by remaining on the farm and gradually scaling back their operations. Older producers, on average more financially secure, can afford to cut back by reducing cattle numbers or switching to less labor intensive enterprises according to their health situation and labor ability. The latest USDA data confirms that cattle producers over 65 years of age have a per farm value of production that is 43 percent less (25 percent less on a per acre equivalent basis) compared to the average value of production of all cattle farms. In the most recent data, average farm size for these older producers has dropped to roughly 75 percent of the average of all cattle farms. Previous data had indicated that farm size for the older producers was only 8-10 percent less than average. It is possible that asset turnover in the cattle industry has accelerated recently.

Click here for more of Derrell Peel's analysis and for links to Parts 1 and 2 of this series on rebuilding the nation's cow herd.

EWG Calls for One-Year Farm Bill Extension, No 'Secret' Farm Bill

The Environmental Working Group joined with several groups to call on lawmakers to stop a secret farm bill from being attached to any legislation designed to straighten out the nation's finances. Scott Faber, EWG's vice president of government affairs released the following statement:

"Our groups may not agree on many things. But, we are united in our view that it would unconscionable for our nation's leaders to bypass the House and attach a $1 trillion farm bill to legislation designed to right the nation's finances.

"The time to pass a farm bill has come and gone. Congress should pass a fiscally responsible one-year extension of farm and food programs and allow the House to debate the future of farm subsidies.

You can read more of the EWG statement by clicking here.

 

Russia Demands US Meat Be Certified Ractopamine- Free Which Could Halt Meat Exports to That Country

Russia has notified Washington that all U.S. beef and pork exports must be certified as ractopamine-free, USDA officials confirmed to Meatingplace.

The move would effectively halt U.S. beef and pork exports to Russia because the agency does not have a testing and certification program in place for the leanness-enhancing feed additive.

United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk today issued the following statement in response to Russia's new requirements that U.S. beef and pork exports to Russia be tested and certified free of the feed additive ractopamine:

"The United States is very concerned that Russia has taken these actions, which appear to be inconsistent with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization. The United States calls on Russia to suspend these new measures and restore market access for U.S. beef and pork products. The United States sought, and Russia committed as part of its WTO accession package, to ensure that it adhered rigorously to WTO requirements and that it would use international standards unless it had a risk assessment to justify use of a more stringent standard. Especially in light of its commitment to use international standards, this is an important opportunity for Russia to demonstrate that it takes its WTO commitments seriously." 

Studies Reveal Proper Cow Nutrition Prior to Calving Pays Big Dividends

Don't put your cow herd on "coast." Nutrition in the months before calving can determine the calves' future performance.

Rick Rasby of the University of Nebraska says, "The idea behind fetal programming is:  Can you manipulate the fetus while it's still in utero in the cow by nutrition?"

Research at the University of Nebraska and other universities across the country says, "yes."

"Some of the early work we would have done here would indicate that when cows were grazing winter range and were supplemented, as compared to those cows that were grazing winter range and were not supplemented, those steer progeny, those male progeny, from those females that were supplemented, if you carry them on into the feedlot, is that they had a heavier hot-carcass weight as compared to those male progeny whose dams were not supplemented, to the tune of about 62 pounds."

That same study found that offspring of the supplemented cows graded 86 percent choice compared to 71 percent in the non-supplemented group. Premium-choice dropped 18 points without the added protein.

You can read more of this story or see a video version of it on our website.  Click here to go there.

 

Finally- A Big Thank You to Oklahoma Ag Educators

At the end of November, the National Association of Agricultural Educators held their annual meeting over in Atlanta- I had hoped to be there but family issues made that impossible. Earlier in the year- I was able to attend the state level conference in Oklahoma City- where Oklahoma Ag Ed teachers presented me with what they call their "Cooperation" award.  I was told at the time that they had submitted my name to be considered for a similar honor at the national level- and at that meeting in Atlanta on November 30- my name was called out as one of six national honorees for their 2012 "Outstanding Cooperation" award. 

I have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for what was once called the Vo-Ag teacher- my dad was one during part of my growing up years.  I am biased- but I believe they invest themselves into the lives of their students moreso than almost any other secondary education teacher. Besides the time in the classroom- they are there with them working on projects, preparing for judging and speech and show competitions- and teaching the value of hard work, being prepared and how to win with class and lose with dignity.  Hanging out with the guys (only guys way back then) at the State Fair in the show barn- I wanted to be just like those guys who wore the Blue and Gold jackets that were a part of my Dad's FFA chapter.  Later, two of the teachers I admired and loved the most were my Ag teachers- they worked us hard- got my butt busted more than once- and we had fun as we worked in the community, went to contests and oh those trips to Kansas City and the National Convention of the Future Farmers- they are etched forever in my memory bank. 

Ag Ed teachers are repeating that story over and over even today (minus the butt busting for the most part)- and I count this as one of my highest honors to be saluted by them. I offer my thanks to the men and ladies who aspire to inspire their students in Ag Ed and FFA. 

Click here for the news release which tells a little more about the award that was presented