Agricultural News
Oklahoma National Stockyard's First Female General Manager Kelli Payne Showcases Market's Historical Significance
Tue, 25 Jun 2019 10:54:24 CDT
Kelli Payne was recently named the new general manager of the Oklahoma National Stockyards, the sixth person and first female to assume that position in the world's largest stockyard's 109-year history. Earlier this week, Payne welcomed a visit from Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur and other state secretaries, commissioners and directors of agriculture from across the region who have gathered in Oklahoma City for a meeting of the Midwestern Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays is covering the event this week and took the opportunity to speak with Payne about the stockyard and the influence it has on the cattle industry.
"I'm still humbled. I can't believe I've been asked to be in this position," Payne remarked before pointing out how the stockyard has managed to not only endure for more than a century as the industry has evolved over that time but also position itself as a leader in price discovery. "I think a lot of that is a testament to just the volume of cattle we have coming through here. Being a Monday sale, we open an hour before the board - and so something may happen on a Friday or toward the end of the week and affect the board. But we can get in there and hustle on Monday morning and maybe get that thing headed in a better direction."
As June sales wrap up this week, Payne reflected on the first half of this year. Although it has proven a challenge with the abundance of moisture this spring and summer, Payne says she is hopeful that the resulting grass and hay will help the market pick back up for producers. In the meantime, she says she will remain focused on promoting prosperity for both the stockyard and Stockyard City which she feels is important to the district's vitality and future commercial success and is also committed to preserving its historical significance. Compared to other markets that have been forced to adapt to the Digital Age, Payne Oklahoma National Stockyards continues to remain a viable brick and mortar operation that offers its valued buyers a range of options in which to conduct business but maintains that live auctions are the purest path to true price discovery and generates the most dollars for producers.
Listen to the full discussion between Payne and Hays to hear more about the historical influence of the Oklahoma National Stockyards and how it is helping to shape the future of the cattle industry, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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