From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 11:04 PM
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 Tuesday September 15, 2009
A service of Johnston Enterprises, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy and American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company!
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-- Livestock Disaster Assistance Unveiled by USDA's Vilsack on Monday
-- Heavy Rains Slow Planting
-- Cattle Producers Have a Good Story to Tell- They Just Need to Learn to Push Back With That Story Against Those Who Hate Animal Agriculture
-- Most Consumers Were "Home-Schooled" On Hamburger Preparation
-- Wheat Planting Percentages Outside of Oklahoma- plus the rest of the Crop Update Report
-- Hope Pjesky in Europe as a McCloy Fellow
-- Sesame Looks Good As Harvest Nears
-- Let's Check the Markets!

Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update- click here to go to their AFR web site to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

It is also great to have as an annual sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to be serving agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website!

And we are proud to have P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy as our newest regular sponsor of our daily email update. P & K is the premiere John Deere dealer in Oklahoma, with nine locations to serve you, and the P & K team are excited about their new Wind Power program, as they offer Endurance Wind Power wind turbines. Click here for more from the P&K website.

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Livestock Disaster Assistance Unveiled by USDA's Vilsack on Monday
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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Monday that producers may begin applying for benefits under the provisions of the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). These permanent disaster programs, authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, replace previous ad-hoc disaster assistance programs and are funded through the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund.
"President Obama and I are committed to meeting the needs of those producers who have suffered devastating losses from natural disasters," said Vilsack. "These programs ensure that producers who have suffered agriculture losses receive the critical disaster assistance needed to remain financially solvent and help them continue on in their operations."

LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers who have suffered livestock grazing losses due to qualifying drought or fire. For drought, the losses must have occurred on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or a crop planted specifically for grazing for covered livestock due to a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land in the county. For fire, LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses on rangeland managed by a federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire.

Eligible livestock under LFP include beef cattle, alpacas, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep and swine. For losses due to drought, qualifying drought ratings are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor- Click here to jump to their website for the Drought Monitor.

For either program, producers must have suffered losses that occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011. There is a total $100,000 limitation per crop year that applies to payments received under ELAP, LFP, LIP or SURE. For the 2008 crop year, the $100,000 limitation is per "person" as defined and determined under payment limitation rules in effect for 2008. For crop years 2009 through 2011, the $100,000 limitation applies to payments received, both directly and indirectly, by a person or legal entity. Furthermore, individuals or entities are ineligible for payment under ELAP or LFP for 2008 if their average Adjusted Gross Income for 2005, 2006 and 2007 exceeds $2.5 million. Click on the link below for more information to be found at the Farm Service Agency website- or call your local FSA office to get your questions answered about this program.

Click here for more on the LFP from the FSA cyberspace location under the USDA web umbrella.


Heavy Rains Slow Planting
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The latest Oklahoma Crop Weather Update shows we made some progress of getting the 2010 winter wheat crop into the ground- but it had to be done around scattered rain showers. "Scattered showers during the week and heavy weekend rains boosted summer crop and pasture conditions but delayed planting of small grains. Cool temperatures and cloudy days were experienced Statewide. All nine districts received measurable rainfall, with six of the districts receiving more than two inches of precipitation. The Panhandle experienced continued dry weather, receiving less than half an inch of rainfall during the week. Soil moisture conditions are much improved from the previous week, as over two-thirds were rated in the surplus to adequate range for both topsoil and subsoil."

Checking on our small grains- "Several days of wet weather delayed small grain planting in many areas. Wheat seedbed preparation reached 74 percent, while nine percent of the 2010 wheat crop was planted by week's end, both behind normal. Rye seedbed preparations were 76 percent complete while plantings were 22 percent complete. Oat seedbed preparation reached 58 percent complete and a small portion of the 2010 oat crop had been planted by Sunday."

For our row crops- "Widespread precipitation and cooler temperatures provided a boost to row crop conditions, continuing to rate mostly in the good to fair range. Ninety-one percent of the State's corn crop had reached the dent stage by Sunday, while 58 percent of the crop had reached maturity, eight points behind the five-year average. Corn harvest continues, although the wet weather halted combines over the weekend. Many producers are seeing high levels of aflatoxin in harvested corn. By week's end, nearly a quarter of the corn had been harvested, up two points from the previous week but 20 points behind normal. Sorghum headed is nearing completion at 96 percent, while 62 percent of the sorghum was coloring by Sunday, up 12 points from the previous week. Sixteen percent of the sorghum had reached maturity by week's end, 11 points behind normal, while a small portion of the crop was harvested. Nearly all of the State's soybean crop was setting pods by week's end, while 13 percent of the crop had reached maturity, 16 points behind the five-year average. Seventeen percent of the soybean crop is rated in excellent condition. Peanuts setting pods was virtually complete while peanuts reaching maturity was at 21 percent, 25 points behind normal. Bolls were opening on 35 percent of the State's cotton acreage, up nine points from last week but three points behind the five-year average. More sunshine is needed to help mature the bolls."

Click on the link below for a look at the full report from USDA- including details on pasture conditions and more.

Click here for the complete Weekly Crop Weather Update Issued on Monday afternoon by USDA


Cattle Producers Have a Good Story to Tell- They Just Need to Learn to Push Back With That Story Against Those Who Hate Animal Agriculture
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Ben Wileman is a beef cattle clinician in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University- and he believes that cattle producers have "credibility" with consumers that we have failed to take full advantage of in answering critics of animal agriculture.

We talk with Wileman about how to be proactive in telling our story to today's consumers about how we care for our animals. He says that we have nothing to fear- and we need to understand that critics of animal agriculture are not going to leave our business alone- and that we must learn to answer them aggressively.

Wileman adds that we are doing the "right" things in taking care of our animals- how we feed them, care for them when they are sick and watch carefully when our mama cows are giving birth to their calves. It's a matter of letting consumers have a glimpse of the fact we do these things and more in raising beef. Click on the link below for our Beef Buzz segment with Ben Wileman of K-State.

Click here for our Tuesday Beef Buzz with Ben Wileman from the College of Vet Medicine at Kansas State University.


Most Consumers Were "Home-Schooled" On Hamburger Preparation
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A recent national study funded by the Beef Checkoff shows that a majority of consumers say that their skills in cooking hamburgers was a family affair. According to surveys, 57% of consumers say a parent taught them how to cook burgers. Another 29% said their hamburger-making skills were self-taught.

Hamburgers and other ground beef products should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160°F, as measured by an instant-read meat thermometer. However, only 13% of consumers in this latest survey correctly identified 160°F as the proper cooking temperature for ground beef to ensure safety, and only 9% said they learned to use a meat thermometer to determine when a hamburger is done.
"In the beef industry, we know that 'the way it has always been done' is not good enough when it comes to food safety. That's why we invest in a wide range of initiatives to ensure we continue to produce the safest food possible," said Mandy Carr, Ph.D., executive director of beef safety research for the NCBA. "Consumers can be part of the food safety innovation process by following proper in-home food safety practices, including cooking ground beef to 160° F."

The survey also showed retail establishments are getting the word out about the best in-home food safety practices. Half of survey respondents mentioned seeing information in a supermarket about proper handling and cooking of fresh meat. The top two tips or techniques consumers said they saw in supermarkets were related to hand washing and cooking meats to recommended temperatures using a meat thermometer.
The survey of 1,007 American adults included 971 beef eaters and had a margin of error of 3.2%.


Wheat Planting Percentages Outside of Oklahoma- plus the rest of the Crop Update Report
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The latest USDA Crop Update shows good progress in getting the 2010 winter wheat crop in the ground- for example, Nebraska is ahead of the five year average with 30% of their crop now in the ground. Kansas wheat planting is still just getting started, with just 4% seeded as of the weekend- versus five percent last year and the five year average of 7%.

Our neighbors in Texas have moved forward in getting the crop in the ground with 16% complete- even with the five year average. Oklahoma's numbers are now at 9%, slowed by heavy rains which puts us behind last year's planting figure by mid September of 11%, and the five year average of 14%.

Nationally, the corn crop continues to lag normal progress at 12% of the crop now mature versus a national five year average of 37% by this date. For soybeans, a signal of maturity is the dropping of leaves- which is now pegged nationally at 17% versus the five year average of 36%.
We have the full Crop Update linked below- click and take a look at how overall crop conditions are shaping up as we near the official beginning of fall.

Click here for the September 14 Crop Update from USDA


Hope Pjesky in Europe as a McCloy Fellow
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The McCloy Fellowship in Agriculture is an exchange program for promising American and German leaders. The program enables four Fellows from each country to swap sides of the Atlantic for 21 days to broaden their sights and build transatlantic relationships. Fellows meet with fellowship alumni, policy makers and agricultural experts while acquainting themselves with the practices, challenges and solutions of their peers.

Hope Pjesky of Goltry, Oklahoma is in Germany as we write this and will be in Germany and Belgium over the next three weeks in this study program. This north central Oklahoma farmer is blogging as she goes- and you can read her posts by going to the link we have below.

Click here for more on Hope Pjesky's Travels this month as a McCloy Fellowship Winner


Sesame Looks Good As Harvest Nears
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We got an email from Danny Peeper who now works for Sesaco and is very excited about the harvest ahead for the acres that were planted this spring to Sesame. Danny says there are meetings planned ahead of harvest- "We have scheduled a pre harvest combine clinic in Enid at the Hoover Building for September 30 at 9:30 AM. We will have a production meeting to start the day, followed by industry specialists to talk about their specific combines and optimized settings for sesame. The afternoon agenda will cover planting equipment, followed by the announcement of the 2010 contract release. We ask that interested parties RSVP to 580-623-1017 so that we are sure to have enough meals."

Sesame has gained a lot of interest this season based on the acreage numbers that Danny Peeper reports. "Sesame production in Oklahoma this year reached 30,000 planted acres, and proved itself once again in some very tough conditions. Many of the fields received no rainfall for 60 days. However, we anticipate yields to be the highest state average that we have seen, with many fields exceeding 1000# per acre. Forecasted growth for Oklahoma in 2010 is projected to be around 100,000 acres."

Of course that acreage number projected for this coming season is similar to the acreage numbers being talked about for winter canola for this fall. We have heard projections of 100,000 acres or more being planted to winter canola as a substitute for winter wheat- to help with problem weeds in wheat as well as in some cases being rotated into because it may be the more profitable crop.


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, AFR and KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis!

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


Let's Check the Markets!
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The estimated Monday run at the Oklahoma National Stockyards was 7,500 with prices called steady for both calves and yearlings compared to two weeks ago. Five to six hundred pound steer calves sold for $106 to $110, while seven to 850 pound steers priced in from $96.25 to $102. Click here for the complete rundown of the Oklahoma City cattle market as reported by USDA market news.

We've had requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $7.15 per bushel, while the 2010 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $7.30 per bushel- delivered to local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture.
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.



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