From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 07:42
To: ron@oklahomafarmreport.com
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 Wednesday July 11, 2007!
A service of Midwest Farm Shows
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-- How about a little double crop milo?
-- More Groups Weighing in on the Chairman's Mark for a 2007 Farm Bill.
-- Is the Fat Lady getting ready to sing when it comes to dropping the ceiling for payment limits?
-- Derrell Peel dishes up a Mama Cow Special!
-- US Wheat Associates Pumped Up about Brazilian purchases of US Wheat- They Believe More Sales Will Follow.
-- R Calf Says that the CDC is on their Side in Saying Canada Has Much Higher Level of Risk for BSE than the US.
-- Countdown to the 55th OCA Convention and Trade Show is two weeks and counting!

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 recently 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.


How about a little double crop milo?
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That's what Fred Wyatt was busy doing as I stopped and visited with this Tillman County producer on some land he farms on between Manitou and Frederick. I am hosting a pair of radio station managers from the West African nation of Mali in cooperation with Oklahoma State University- and everybody was really so gracious and willing to share some time to show these men a little about Oklahoma agriculture in the southwestern part of the state. One of the managers, Daoda, lives in rural southern Mali- where their farmers are mostly cotton producers and he was really smiling as we started seeing cotton fields in the southwestern corner of the state.

Vic Schoonover of NTOK helped line up some time with both Fred and Roger to talk about their farming operations. We didn't have a chance to see any of Fred's cotton, but caught him planting grain sorghum back into wheat stubble in an effort to get a short season milo harvest this fall. Both Daoda and Kjim were excited after getting to ride a round each with Fred in his air conditioned state of the art tractor cab as he pulled his 24 row planter behind.

Wyatt tells us that he still has 600 acres of wheat unharvested- half will be zeroed by the insurance folks and the other half will be harvested when the ground finally dries out. He's concerned about the level of sprout damage they will find when they roll the combine for those acres- he is a lot happier about his corn that "looks like Iowa!" We talked with him about his wheat, milo and corn and have it linked for you to check out below.

Click here to listen to Ron and Fred talk about his current crop situation.


More Groups Weighing in on the Chairman's Mark for a 2007 Farm Bill.
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The American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors has voted in support of the farm bill proposal released by House Ag Chair Collin Peterson last week. Farm Bureau says the Chairman's Mark provides a strong safety net for producers - but also funds critical conservation, rural development, nutrition and energy programs. Bob Stallman - the group's President - says Farm Bureau - like Congress - must balance the interest of all sectors of American agriculture. He says Farm Bureau recognizes that fact - and believes Peterson's proposal represents the largest measure of fairness to various interests represented in the bill. At the same time - Stallman says Farm Bureau realizes the farm bill debate is farm from over and that changes are likely coming. He says Farm Bureau will be particularly watchful of changes to payment limitations and adjusted gross income caps.

Meanwhile, the American Farmland Trust, a group that wants fewer dollars spent in the Commodity Title and more for Conservation, says that the Chairman's Mark does not make the grade. " The House Agriculture Committee recommendations for Title I commodity subsidies extend the outdated, broken system of the past-moving policy in the wrong direction and making bad policy worse." said Ralph Grossi, president of American Farmland Trust (AFT) and a third generation farmer. "We must create policies that provide producers with a safety net while also ensuring that farm and food policy keeps current with a changing world." Grossi says that his group wants to see a revenue based "safety net" for farmers. "Three simple changes would dramatically improve our counter cyclical programs: 1) protect revenue not just price; 2) link support prices to market indicators; and 3) integrate counter cyclical programs with crop insurance. We know a better policy can be created and we will work with the Committee and other organizations to develop a better safety net for farmers," challenged Grossi.

Kansas wheat producer and National Association of Wheat Growers President John Thaemert offered support for Peterson- even as he acknowledged that what they really wanted- a higher direct payment for wheat producers- seems more and more to be out of reach. "While we are disappointed that an effective increase in direct payments has not been possible, our members fully understand the current budget constraints the Chairman is facing. We commend and support his efforts to bring a more equitable safety net to wheat growers despite the budget climate."


Is the Fat Lady getting ready to sing when it comes to dropping the ceiling for payment limits?
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We seem to be hearing from more and more sources that payment limits as we currently have them in the 2002 farm bill will be tightened. Marion Berry, the Democratic Congressman from Eastern Arkansas who has lots of rice and cotton in his home district, seems to be preparing his folks that we are down to a point where "horse trading and poker playing" are underway to come up with a farm bill that still has a lot of what farmers have liked in the 2002 farm law- but will be changed enough to satisfy many of the supporters of a Ron Kind Farm21 approach to farm policy.

It's very interesting to note that the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Kent Conrad, has acknowledged the battle that may erupt on the floor of the House over farm policy because of Ron Kind and his supporters- and that has changed his thinking on what needs to be in farm policy here in 2007.

We have offered a quick audio overview of some of the things being said right now- including comments from Congressman Marion Berry and also from Scott Farber of Environmental Defense, one of those groups that wants few if any price supports left in place when the dust settles.

Click here for the latest on farm policy possibilities as we get ready for the House Ag Committee Mark Up next Tuesday- It's the top item on our Featured Audio page of our website that we have linked.


Derrell Peel dishes up a Mama Cow Special!
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What are calf prices going to do the balance of 2007? It's a good question and Dr. Derrell Peel of OSU talks with us about his belief that we don't have too much downside risk in these calves the at least the rest of 2007.

We also talk about strategy for cow-calf operators with Dr. Peel- and you can hear his ideas by clicking on and listening to today's Beef Buzz from the Radio Oklahoma Network. We have the link for you below.

Click here for today's Beef Buzz with Ron and Derrell talking the possibilities of herd rebuilding.


US Wheat Associates Pumped Up about Brazilian purchases of US Wheat- They Believe More Sales Will Follow.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced July 6 that Brazil recently bought 25,000 metric tons (MT) of U.S. hard red winter (HRW) wheat for delivery later this year and the stage may be set for additional purchases. Argentina continues to be Brazil's primary grain supplier because wheat trade is duty-free within the Mercosur bloc, but Reuters News Service quoted an unnamed Brazilian miller saying "The 25,000 tonnes are the tip of the iceberg- there will have to be more brought from [the U.S.] because Argentina doesn't have it."

The same story noted that some Brazilian millers expect the U.S. to see a significant share of the 600,000 MT of wheat the country may need to import every month until October when the Argentine harvest begins. Brazil imports an average of about 7 million MT of wheat each year making it the world's second largest importer. Only 2 to 3 percent of the total has been U.S. wheat. Overall, South and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico together represent 30 percent of all U.S. wheat exports and import all six wheat classes grown in the U.S. "This is a very important opportunity to demonstrate the delivered and functional quality of U.S. wheat in Brazil," said Miguel Galdós-Tanguis, USW assistant regional director for South America.

While the body of Oklahoma is short on export quality wheat, the Oklahoma Panhandle crop is great quality, as is the Texas Panhandle crop and the crop that is now being harvested or is harvested in western Kansas. They have filled their bins in western Kansas is the word we have gotten from places like Tribune where the yields were great and the quality just as great- so we have wheat to move that direction if they are willing to pay that currently very strong world price for wheat.


R Calf Says that the CDC is on their Side in Saying Canada Has Much Higher Level of Risk for BSE than the US.
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R-CALF attorneys present oral arguments to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Friday in the organization's litigation against USDA regarding the rule to allow imports of Canadian cattle under 30 months of age. The court date was announced just over a month ago.

R-CALF believes imports of Canadian cattle and beef should be halted until Canada gets its BSE problem under control. They note a recent publication by the Centers for Disease Control provides statistical analysis of BSE testing for Canada and the U.S. - concluding the prevalence of BSE in Canada is 26 times that of the U.S. R-CALF has requested that the 9th Circuit take that publication under consideration.

According to the group - Friday's hearing is just another step in the court process - but they're hopeful the court will remand the case back to the District Court of Montana.


Countdown to the 55th OCA Convention and Trade Show is two weeks and counting!
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The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association will hold their 55th annual Convention and Trade Show July 26-28, 2007 in a new home for the event- the Reed Center just off of I-40 in Midwest City.

There's several Hotels in the area, including the facility attached to the Reed Center, a Sheraton. There's plenty of room for all of the events connected to the convention, including their Trade Show and even the Friday night banquet, which has had to be held offsite the last few years as the Cattlemen gathered in northwest Oklahoma City.

James Link, Administrator of GIPSA will be a Friday morning speaker this year, and the group also has a slot reserved for Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas to provide a farm bill update, OSU's Cattlemans College is back for another run- and there will be plenty of time for networking. For details, contact the OCA office at 405-235-4391.


Our thanks to Midwest Farm Shows for their support of our daily Farm News Update. Go to their website at the link at the top of today's email and make plans to be an exhibitor at either the Tulsa Farm Show this December or the Southern Plains Farm Show next spring!

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



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