From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 8:07 AM
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 Friday July 31, 2009
A service of Johnston Enterprises, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy and American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company!
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-- Houses Passes Food Safety Bill 283 to 142
-- Southern Plains Beef Symposium Coming Up August 8 in Ardmore
-- Til Next Time- the Life of AJ Smith Celebrated
-- Ag in the Classroom State Conference Underway Today
-- Report: No Nutrient Advantage to Organic Produce
-- Don't Pull the Trigger in August- Kim Anderson's Advice on Wheat Marketing
-- NSP to Hold ACRE Decision Workshops This Coming Week
-- 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!

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Houses Passes Food Safety Bill 283 to 142
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The House easily passed the Food Safety Bill, H.R. 2749, by a final count of 283 to 142- this after the House failed to come up with a 2/3 vote in favor on Wednesday. The Rules Committee then changed the rules under which the bill was to be considered- which included no amendments and a one hour debate maximum. The Democrats did allow a motion to recommit the bill with instructions on how the $500 fee was to be spent by FDA, as offered by Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas. That failed on almost a straight line party vote, 186 to 240.

The National Pork Producers, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the American Sheep Producers all sent a letter thanking the House Energy and Commerce Committee for their work on this measure- and the Pork Producers pretty summed up the major relief of the livestock groups- Louise Slaughter's measure that greatly limits antibiotic use by animals was not a part of the Food Safety measure. "NPPC is pleased that the bill passed today addressing our on-farm concerns," said NPPC President Don Butler. "We are thankful that the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009 (PAMTA), was not included in this food safety bill." PAMTA would ban from use in livestock and poultry animal health products that are used to prevent and control diseases. "America's pork producers support strengthening the nation's food safety system. The House bill moves us in the right direction, but work remains," added Butler.

The White House praised the work of the House and expressed optimism that the House and Senate would send him a Food Safety bill later this year for him to sign. President Obama said in a statement that "This action represents a major step forward in modernizing our food safety system and protecting Americans from foodborne illness."

Congressman Frank Lucas battled against passage of measure, saying the House Ag Committee could have perfected the bill beyond where it was as of Thursday afternoon. Lucas pointed to one part of the bill that worried him greatly- as he claimed there was language in there calling for FDA to "set on farm production performance standards." Click here to hear the Lucas arguments against the bill on Thursday. And use the link below to review some of the reactions that came in after passage of the measure.

Click here for reaction from the NPPC, President Obama and Congressman Lucas on the passage of HR 2749


Southern Plains Beef Symposium Coming Up August 8 in Ardmore
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It is perhaps one of the best one day beef industry meetings that can be found anywhere in the country. The 19th annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium is a joint effort of the OSU Cooperative Extension Service and the Noble Foundation. The theme for the 2009 edition of the all day event is "Beyond the Horizon- the Changing Environment Facing Today's Beef Industry."

Speakers at the 2009 event include the new head of the Ag Divison at the Noble Foundation, Billy Cook, NCBA's Daren Williams, market analyst Tommy Beall, OSU's David Lalman and OCA's Scott Dewald. The trade show is always excellent- and there's a wonderful beef lunch planned again for 2009.

Click on the link below to learn more about registration and to listen to some comments about the 2009 Southern Plains Beef Symposium from Shan Ingram of the Noble Foundation.

Click here to learn more about the Southern Plains Beef Symposium in Ardmore on August 8


Til Next Time- the Life of AJ Smith Celebrated
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It was a great day to honor A J Smith, Editor of the Oklahoma Cowman out at Express Ranches in Yukon. Their Sale and Show Barn was filled to the rafters with well wishers and friends and colleagues of Smith, who died this past Saturday as the 2009 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention was ending in Midwest City.

There was a lot of emotion and some great things said about this man's life. I happen to agree with Scott Dewald, AJ's boss at the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association in recent years that the most important thing that can be said is that he knew his Creator, had accepted His Son and that we all have the choice and the chance to join AJ at the end of our life in Heaven.

Kenneth Holloway was one of those who saluted AJ- and he offered up a bit of Cowboy poetry about his friend. Here's a portion of what he wrote:
He always enjoyed the smell of a fresh morning rain
And Needed nothing more to expand the brain

Was always excited at the arrival of a newborn calf
Was quick of wit and always enjoyed a good laugh

Believed in 4-H and FFA as an educational sport
And was quick and willing to give his full support

Traveling and helping sell cattle was his usual game
Being quick and witty, a bit redneck and daring, that was his fame

He worked by day and traveled into the night
And would bust his butt to do a man right"

Click on the link below for the Obit from our website- including how memorial donations may be made.

Click here for the obituary for AJ Smith and details about memorial donations


Ag in the Classroom State Conference Underway Today
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We got an email note from Dana Bessinger who is one of the coordinators of the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom efforts as facilitated by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

Dana reminds us that today is a big event for Ag in the Classroom. She writes "Also,Friday is our State Summer Conference, Back at the Ranch. We have over 350 teachers registered and about 35 agricultural experts coming. It will be at the Moore/Norman Career Tech Penn Campus. Audrey Harmon, our state teacher of the year, will be speaking at lunch. We are hoping to give teachers some innovative ideas as they are heading back to a new school year, ideas that will incorporate agricultural literacy into the core curriculum."


Report: No Nutrient Advantage to Organic Produce
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The most extensive systematic review ever conducted of literature published over 50 years finds no evidence of superior nutritional content of organic produce. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine report found organically and conventionally produced foods to be comparable in their nutrient content. They say there is no evidence that organically produced foods are nutritionally superior to conventionally produced foodstuffs. The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Over 50-thousand papers were searched - but only 55 were identified as being of satisfactory quality. Analysis was conducted comparing the content in organically and conventionally produced foods of the 13 most commonly reported nutrient categories. For 10 out of those 13 nutrient categories - there were no significant differences between production methods and nutrient content.

Differences that were detected were most likely due to differences in fertilizer use (nitrogen, phosphorus) and ripeness at harvest (acidity) - and it's unlikely consuming these nutrients at the levels reported in organic foods would provide any health benefit. The school's Alan Dangour says the review indicates there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority.


Don't Pull the Trigger in August- Kim Anderson's Advice on Wheat Marketing
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OSU Grain Marketing Economist Dr. Kim Anderson says that last spring ACRE made no sense for southern plains wheat producers- but now with cheaper wheat prices and many with a smaller than average wheat crop- ACRE looks much better. He advises producers to run the numbers themselves or get with someone who can help you run the numbers- and see if ACRE makes sense for your operation.

Dr. Anderson also talked wheat price outlook with Clinton Griffiths for this weekend's SUNUP program to be seen on the OETA HD 13.2 channel this weekend only- their fundraising campaign is taking up the main channel this weekend. Kim says that wheat prices are below the support level he has identified and could have as much as another fifty cents down from here. However, he is not a fan of selling wheat in August, and says if you can afford the downside risk, wait until September and October before moving more of the 2009 crop that you may have stored.

Click on the link below to hear Dr. Anderson's comments that will be seen this weekend on SUNUP- and you can get this weekend's show rundown there as well.

Click here for Kim Anderson's wheat marketing comments and this weekend's SUNUP program lineup


NSP to Hold ACRE Decision Workshops This Coming Week
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The signup deadline for the Average Crop Revenue Assistance Program (ACRE) is August 14th. Find out how it can work for your farming operation! The National Sorghum Producers' Strategic Business Director Chris Cogburn will host four information sessions around the country next week.

Each session will examine your individual farm records and determine if ACRE is right for you. 2009 wheat information will be used to calculate an estimated 2009 wheat ACRE payment while accounting for the interaction between ACRE and SURE. Learn whether your 2009 wheat ACRE payment will be large enough to offset the 20 percent reduction in direct payments on all your base acres.

Next Wednesday, Cogburn will be available to meet with farmers in Hobart, on Thursday in Enid and next Friday, he will be in Perryton, Tx. The following Monday, his mini tour about CRP will end up in Monrose, New Mexico. Click on the link below for details about where each of these meetings will be, times etc.

Click here for more on the ACRE informational meetings planned by the National Sorghum Producers


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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Stockman's Livestock in Apache had a total run of 1,617 for their Thursday sale this week, with yearlings prices steady to $2 lower. Calf trade was also weaker, steady to $1 down. Click here to check the prices from the Apache market that are available from USDA's market news office.

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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