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!

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According to Don Schieber, current Chairman of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and also the Vice Chairman of US Wheat Associates, the discussion was healthy and he suspects that the company will have a lot of these behind closed door meetings with growers in the months ahead as they try to sort through all the questions and issues that have to be dealt with. We have our full conversation with Don Schieber in our story on the web- click on the link below to get to the story to hear our Q&A.

Schieber believes that some of the big issues still to be dealt with include which class of wheat will Monsanto start with in developing a trait or traits for wheat, how will they multiply the seed to get enough supply for the market and how they will price the technology, especially in the southern plains where farmers will often decide the economics don't justify harvesting for grain, so they graze out many fields with stocker cattle.

Click here for more on wheat producers from Oklahoma meeting with Monsanto officials on how GM wheat may unfold.

Despite a modest reduction in the size of the proposed cuts between the first and second drafts, the Senators expressed their continuing concerns with RMA's proposals that may undermine the crop insurance program, reduce the quality of service and availability of the program, and harm rural America through job loss. The Senators also noted concern with RMA's approach of proposing significant cuts to the program prior to the completion of a study of program delivery costs.

We have the full text of the letter sent to the RMA from the 28 Senators regarding the ongoing negotiations with Crop Insurers regarding the Standard Reinsurance Agreement- negotiations where the Obama Administration is trying to cut costs by about seven billion dollars to use for projects they feel are more deserving of the money. Click on the link to read the full letter that was been sent.

Click here for more on the Standard Reinsurance Agreement discussions that continue- and how a large group of Senators are weighing in.

Modernizing USDA's business and information technology is part of Vilsack's goal to transform USDA into a premier organization of highly motivated, collaborative and mutually-supportive employees who are committed to creating an inclusive, diverse workplace environment that achieves high standards of performance and exceptional customer service. "USDA is committed to improving service delivery and addressing outdated technology issues to meet the needs of our customers," said Vilsack. "We also must provide our dedicated state and county office employees with the tools, information and training to administer FSA farm programs. This contract award is a major step toward reaching these goals."

The Farm Service Agency will be one of the first agencies within USDA and the Federal Government to use this new software package- it's being paid for from Stimulus Monies approved in the first year of the Obama Administration by Congress. Click on the link below to read more about the implementation that is expected by USDA officials.

Click here for more on the FSA getting new technology to help deliver farm and conservation programs to producers.

The bone of contention that these four Vets are screaming "RAPE" over is how Vets will handle dispensing of prescription drugs to horse owners for a teeth floater to use on their horse. The bill's language seems to be pretty clear- it says "If prescription drugs are to be used in nonveterinary equine dental care procedures, the equine owner shall contact a veterinarian licensed by the state. If the veterinarian deems that prescription drugs are necessary, the veterinarian may assemble the prescription drugs and may allow the owner or the owner's agent, who can be a nonveterinary equine dental care provider, to pick up the prescription drugs and deliver them to the equine owner. No prescription drugs shall be prescribed, dispensed, or administered without the establishment of a valid client-patient relationship between the equine owner and the veterinarian. Prescription drugs must be used in accordance with United States Food and Drug Administration regulations." The newspaper ad says that a horse owner can have anyone- including a sex offender- go pick up those drugs for them with zero oversight.

The four Vets who paid for this ad claim that we are talking about dangerous drugs. In addition, we have been told by a PR firm that has been hired by the Oklahoma Vet Medical Association that this language is not what was agreed to by the lobbying firm that represented the Vets on this issue up til this past Friday- the McSpadden Group. They apparently no longer work for the Vets. Based on the contents of the Monday ad- there is a frantic effort to get the Senate to either back off of voting at all- to accept some amendments which would mean another hearing in the House- or if a straight vote is held on the current bill as passed by the House- get Senators to vote no.
We are hoping to touch base with both sides again today and will have perhaps more to report to you tomorrow.

For our small grain producers- "Small grain conditions continue to rate mostly in the good to fair range, with 14 percent of wheat and 10 percent of rye rated excellent. Sunshine and warmer temperatures are needed to further development. Nearly half of the wheat was jointing by Sunday, up 11 points from last week but still eight points behind normal. Rye jointing reached 54 percent complete, 24 points behind last year and 13 points behind the five-year average. Oat seedings are nearing completion as 95 percent were planted by week's end, two points ahead of normal."

On the spring planted row crops- the report tells us "Rain and wet fields continue to delay field work in many parts of the State, although some progress was made in a few areas. Corn seedbed preparations have reached 41 percent complete, up ten points from the week prior but 16 points behind the five-year average. Sorghum and soybean seedbed preparations are running well behind normal at 14 percent and 12 percent complete, respectively. Peanut seedbed preparations continue to run ahead of normal at 42 percent complete. Seedbed preparations for cotton reached 30 percent complete, 31 points behind last year and 15 points behind the five-year average."

To review the full report- click here and we will jump you to the Crop Weather Update for Oklahoma.

The release states "Deere & Company has announced that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law will adversely impact its expenses for fiscal 2010. As a result of the legislation, the company's expenses are expected to be about $150 million higher on an after-tax basis, primarily in the second quarter. This impact was not included in the 2010 outlook for net income attributable to Deere & Company of approximately $1.3 billion disclosed in the company's first-quarter earnings report on February 17th."

If this becomes a trend- and it likely will- expect most inputs for your farm operation to be more expensive in the not too distant future.

Ranch Manager Walt Emory writes in the sale catalog that they will be "offering 50 big, growthy fall and spring yearling bulls with complete production and ultrasound evaluation data. These bulls have been bred with a strong emphasis on positive carcass traits while maintaining moderate birth weights and rapid growth to produce progeny that will excel in today's value added programs. All bulls have passed a breeding soundness exam and are fully guaranteed."

For more information, contact the ranch at 405-598-3757. You can also contact Matt Sims, the Sale Manager at MCS Auctions in Edmond at 405-840-5461. Click on the link below for our auction listing on www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com where we have a link to the sale catalog electronically.

Click here for the BLC Angus Bull sale on Thursday in Tecumseh.

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.