Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to have KIS Futures as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. KIS Futures provides Oklahoma Farmers & Ranchers with futures & options hedging services in the livestock and grain markets- Click here for the free market quote page they provide us for our website or call them at 1-800-256-2555.

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Agriculture; relating to Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act- requested by Chairman Don Armes. This study will look at ways to blend animal husbandry practices with veterinary practices to better serve the animal agriculture industry in the state of Oklahoma.
Cervidae Industry, requested by Chairman Don Armes. This study will consider the impact of the Deer population of the state on rural Oklahoma.
Health Corner Store Initiative, requested by Seneca Scott and Jabar Shumate. This study will examine ways to incentivize the rural and urban grocers that offer healthy, affordable, locally grown produce and products. Groups that may be resources include the Oklahoma Grocers Association, OK Food Policy Council, Agriculture Department, and OK Dietetic Association.
Statewide Eastern Red Cedar Removal Program: Water Conservation and Wildlife Prevention Incentives Program, requested by Richard Morrissette.

Over in the Senate, two studies have been assigned to the Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. A study on Concerns of burn bans and fireworks has been requested by Senator Don Barrington, while Senator Mike Schulz of Altus is the lead lawmaker on the Senate's plans to study the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act. The Senate Energy Committee will be having an interim study on "Oklahoma's comprehensive water plan - investing today for Oklahoma's future."

We have more details on these and other Interim studies that will be of interest to rural Oklahoma- click on the link below to jump to our story on the front page of our website, www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

Click here for the rundown of Interim Studies Planned by Lawmakers between now and the start of the 2010 Legislative Session.

Their Mission Statement reads as follows: The United Sorghum Checkoff Program commits to efficiently invest checkoff dollars to increase producer profitability and enhance the sorghum industry.

The USCP has already funded three rounds of research projects that range from basic production handbooks to next-generation genomics. It has also hosted multiple buyers' missions that have forged working relationships.
We have the website for the Checkoff program linked below- you can go and see more of their strategic plan and first year successes of the program.

Click here for the Sorghum Checkoff Website for more on the First year Investments of the Program.

Ten of the items decreased in price - five increased and a 20-ounce loaf of bread remained the same compared to the first quarter. Consumers saw the biggest price declines in Russet potatoes - down 29- cents for a five-pound bag; boneless chicken breasts - down 28-cents per pound; and eggs - 16-cents less for a dozen. Prices for both sliced deli ham and whole milk are down 14-cents. Compared to a year ago - egg prices are down 26-percent - milk decreased 22- percent and the decline for chicken is 19-percent. Ground chuck, sirloin tip roast, flour, bacon and toasted oat cereal round out the items that decreased in price.

As for those products increasing in price - bagged salad will cost 13-cents more for a one-pound bag; shredded cheese is up seven-cents for one pound; apples will cost six-cents extra per pound; a 32-ounce of vegetable oil is six-cents more; and a half-gallon of orange juice will require a couple more pennies. Eighty-two volunteer shoppers in 33 states took part in AFBF's Marketbasket survey for the second quarter of 2009. The survey was conducted in May.

Comments made by Pacelle last week on AgriTalk that being featuring today on the Beef Buzz. Pacelle contends that it's not practical to say HSUS is trying to eliminate animal agriculture. He says it's time to drop the paranoia and look at the situation in an honest way.

Of course, not everyone believes the story being told by Pacelle. One who rejects most of what Pacelle is selling to the general public is David Martosko of the Center for Consumer Freedom.

Martosko says that he does not believe Pacelle when he says he does not want to do away with Animal Agriculture. And he adds ""This guy is an outsider. He's not a stakeholder in animal agriculture. He comes in and says he wants to improve animal agriculture, but he doesn't participate in it. He's a vegan. He wouldn't eat veal if you told him the animal was given a waterbed to sleep on, and three rubdowns a day, and its own iPod and Wii game. It doesn't matter how well you treat the animals.

You can read more of David Martosko's comments- and hear from Wayne Pacelle himself as we hear the pro and con of HSUS and their dealings with animal agriculture.

With the influx of distiller's grains into the cattle feeding industry and the regulatory push to monitor greenhouse gases and other air quality contaminants, it was necessary to build some new facilities that included a commodity barn and equipment that can measure gas production in cattle, said Dr. John Sweeten, AgriLife Research resident director in Amarillo.

"This is a perfect example of what comes from collaborative efforts," said Ross Wilson, Texas Cattle Feeders Association president. "There are more than a few billion dollars worth of feedstuffs purchased in this region," Wilson said. "The important research being done on ethanol byproducts will hopefully expand the options cattle feeders have for feedstuffs."

Here's the link of a lengthy news release on the Facility Designed to Help Improve Feedlot Rations Using Distiller's Grains

One count that we have seen mentioned in the national media is that 45 Democrats in the Senate are supporting Climate Change legislation, no Republicans with some 15 Democratic lawmakers either a solid no or a likely no. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has his work cut out for him to find enough votes this summer to make the goal of turning this into law before Halloween a tall order.

The Obama Administration will sing its praise of something similar to the House version of the concept- as three Cabinet Secretaries will sit before Senator Barbara Boxer and her Committee tomorrow morning. The Honorable Steven Chu Secretary United States Department of Energy, The Honorable Lisa Jackson Administrator United States Environmental Protection Agency and The Honorable Tom Vilsack Secretary United States Department of Agriculture will all be beating the drum of urgency for this deal to be done.

Click here for our calendar link which gives you particulars on the Tuesday hearing- webcast details should be available later today.

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

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.