Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. Our email this morning is a service of Midwest Farm Shows, featuring the just concluded Southern Plains Farm Show in Oklahoma City, as well as the Tulsa Farm Show held each December. Check out details of both of these exciting shows at the official website of Midwest Farm Shows by clicking here.

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

The word "Bi-partisan" was used quite a bit by Governor Henry and the lawmakers in describing this measure- and indeed, it looks like a lot of interests got stuff they wanted. Those that wanted tax cuts can claim a win in this budget outline- those that wanted a lot of money for teachers and some money for education were covered- and there were several rural priorities that were mentioned in the news briefing. Those highlights included $10 million for a state Bioenergy Center, $2.5 million for rural fire equipment needs and $6.5 million that goes to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to be the state's match against a 2 to 1 deal with the Feds for flood control structures here in the state- both repairs to old structures as well as building some new ones as well.

Ag lobbyists that we talked to on Tuesday afternoon wanted to go over some of the specifics of the package before saying much- but the expectation is that most of what was proposed for the Department of Agriculture earlier for various specific projects remains in the deal- and that earmarked monies to the OSU Division of Agriculture's Extension and Research efforts are a part of the deal as well. We will be able to provide more specifics as the week goes on and some of the dust from the Tuesday celebration settles.

According to Yonhap news reports, South Korea's agricultural quarantine service said it's detected no bone chips or illegal levels of dioxins in beef imported from the United States since late April.

After the problems of three shipments in a row that were found with problems- the shipments thus far this spring have had no issues as the South Koreans, using an automated import information system that follows internationally accepted guidelines, have seen all shipments passing X-ray machine checks for bone fragments and chemical compounds like dioxins and antibiotics, according to local importers. South Korea expects to receive more than 100 tons of U.S. beef by the end of May. Authorities expect to receive 5,000 tons of U.S. beef each month beginning in June.

For our complete calendar of these events and more- go tour website and click on the calendar button on the left hand side of the page. Many of our events do have links you can follow for yet more information- and we do have the link below to take you directly to the Calendar page of our website.

Click here for the Calendar page at www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

On today's Beef Buzz, we have comments with Dr. Jim Mintert of K-State with what he sees for the report that will be out after the close of business at the end of the week. You can hear the Beef Buzz on radio stations across the state on the Radio Oklahoma Network- as well as checking out this daily feature on our website. AND- we have today's show with Dr. Mintert on the upcoming Cattle on Feed numbers linked for your listening below.

Click here for today's Beef Buzz with Ron and Jim Mintert with a Cattle on Feed preview.

Along with a look at the budget deal from a rural perspective, those were the key stories we reported on today's Radio Oklahoma Network morning farm news report.

You can click below for a listen to that report.

Click here for today's Farm News with Ron on RON

Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe - is ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. He sided with liberal Chairwoman Barbara Boxer of California in opposing Coburn's amendment - and any others that threaten the bill crafted by the top Democrats and Republicans on the committee. Inhofe is pushing for a provision that will provide authorization to finish the cleanup at the Super Fund site at Tar Creek in northeast Oklahoma. He has been told by Democratic leadership that their intention is to have that in the final bill.

A host of other amendments have been filed - ranging from rebuilding the Gulf of Mexico coast - to requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to consider the impacts of global warming when planning water projects. It's unclear how many of those will actually be voted on in the Senate.

Besides Matt Muller, who farms in southwest Oklahoma near Altus, participants for 2007 include Glenn Brunkow, Kansas; John Buck, Ohio; Carrie Dalton, South Carolina; Justin Ellis, Wyoming; Suzanne Holcomb, New York; Russell Meade, Iowa; Matt Rush, New Mexico; Megan Seibel, Virginia; and C. Wesley Ulmer, South Carolina.

Farm Bureau's PAL program is carried out with support from the Monsanto Company, the Farm Credit Foundation and AFBF. Upon completion, graduates serve as "advocates for agriculture," promoting awareness on issues important to those in the farm- to-consumer food chain.

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