Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 9/18/2019, 5:56 AM
To: ron@ronhays.com



 
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network weekdays- if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click here for this morning's Farm news from Carson Horn on RON.
 

 
 
MarketLinksLet's Check the Markets!  



OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.

 
   
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.


At OKC West in El Reno steer and heifer calves sold 3.00-8.00 higher with a few trades as much as 10.00 higher - click here to view the full report from the USDA. 


FedCattleExchange.com has 1229 head of cattle on their showlist for the Wednesday, September 18th sale of finished cattle - click here to jump over to the website. 
 
 
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futuresclick or tap here for the report posted yesterday afternoon around 3:30 PM.
 
 
Okla Cash Grain:  
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture on Tuesday, September 17th. 
 
  
Futures Wrap:  
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network - analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day.
 
Feeder Cattle Recap:  
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
 
Slaughter Cattle Recap: 
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by the USDA.
 
TCFA Feedlot Recap:  
Finally, here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.
 


 
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
 
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor

Carson Horn, Associate Farm Director and Editor
 
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
 
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production

Kane Kinion, Web and Email Editorial Assistant

Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News

Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
   Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 










One Featured Story:

The Department of Agriculture Tuesday announced a final rule to modernize swine slaughter inspection. For the first time in more than five decades, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service is modernizing inspection at market hog slaughter establishments with a goal of protecting public health while allowing for food safety innovations, according to USDA.


Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says the final rule "allows us to ensure food safety while eliminating outdated rules."


In the final rule, FSIS amends the regulations to require all swine slaughter establishments to develop written sanitary dressing plans and implement microbial sampling to monitor process control for pathogens that can cause foodborne illness.


The final rule also allows market hog establishments to choose if they will operate under the rule or continue to operate under traditional inspection.


Click or tap here to read more about the final rule from the USDA regarding the modernization of swine slaughter inspection. 


Sponsor Spotlight
 
 
The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry. With headquarters in Oklahoma City, the OCA has a regular presence at the State Capitol to protect and defend the interests of cattlemen and cattlewomen.
 
Their Vision Statement explains the highest priority of the organization- "Leadership that serves, strengthens and advocates for the Oklahoma cattle industry."
 
To learn more about the OCA and how you can be a part of this forward-looking group of cattle producers, click here for their website. For more information- call 405-235-4391.
 

 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) finalized earlier this week, its New Swine Inspection System (NSIS).


The National Pork Producers Council welcomed this program to further modernize the production process, remarking in a statement about how it will improve the already stellar record of the US pork industry as a global leader in high-quality, safe and affordable pork production.



"We applaud the USDA for introducing a new inspection system that incentivizes investment in new technologies while ensuring a safe supply of wholesome American pork," said National Pork Producers Council President David Herring, a producer from Lillington, N.C. "The U.S. pork production system is the envy of the world because we continuously adopt new practices and technologies, while enhancing safety, quality and consistency. This new inspection system codifies the advancements we have made into law, reflecting a 21st century industry."


You can read more from Herring, regarding the announcement from the USDA, by jumping over to our website


Unlike the National Pork Producers Council, Shanna Devine, Worker Health and Safety Advocate with Public Citizen which denounced the rule in public comments earlier this year, took a much more critical view of USDA's swine slaughter inspection modernization announced yesterday.


Citing the rule's removal of current maximum limits on line speeds in hog slaughter plants, Devine remarked in a statement that, "Research demonstrates that increased line speeds lead to greater worker injuries and food safety breakdowns." In addition, she cites new polling results that suggest an overwhelming majority of Americans oppose this proposal.


According to Public Citizen, the USDA Inspector General is currently investigating accusations the agency withheld information and used flawed data during the rulemaking process. PC also indicates the U.S. House of Representatives is considering legislation to delay implementation of the rule. 



You can read more from Devine's comments, clicking or tapping here


In the winter of 1965, a Garfield County dairyman walked 110 of his milk cows two and a half miles down the road from his mother's property to the old barn his grandfather built a generation before. Since then, that barn has continued to operate, milking the same herd twice a day, every day. Now, managed by that dairyman's son, Brad Brainard, the last dairy farmer in Garfield County still in business. Brainard shared that story of his family's centennial farm with me during the recent 2019 DariyMax Ice Cream Contest at the Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City.


Fifty-four years later, Brainard continues to manage his father's dairy operation much in the same fashion he did all those years ago, with 110 milk cows rotated in and out from his larger herd of about 250 head. Marketed through Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), 99% of Brainard's milk goes into liquid milk production, processed and jugged by the Hiland Dairy plant in Chandler, Okla. with the occasional diversion to Blue Bell for ice cream production. That same barn his great-grandfather built is still in use too, remodeled now three times since its construction. While the day-to-day hasn't changed much on his farm, Brainard says the industry itself is a completely different story.


"The dairy industry has changed tremendously. Today's animals are much larger. They consume much more," he said, describing the economical conundrums that have evolved over the years and put so many like him out of business. "Our cows, being dairy cows, are fed like Olympic athletes - balanced to the micronutrient. We've really seen a lot of change in the dairy industry in the fact that years ago you had people who just milked cows and then you had 'dairymen.' Today, if you're in the dairy business, you're a dairyman because it's such a tight margin now... unless you're really managing for that milk production, you just cannot economically stay in it."


You can listen to the entire conversation between Brainard and I to learn more about his dairy operation, by jumping over to our website. 


Sponsor Spotlight

 
It's great to have one of the premiere businesses in the cattle business partner with us in helping bring you our daily Farm and Ranch News Email- National Livestock Credit Corporation.  National Livestock has been around since 1932- and they have worked with livestock producers to help them secure credit and to buy or sell cattle through the National Livestock Commission Company.  They also own and operate the Southern Oklahoma Livestock Market in Ada, Superior Livestock, which continues to operate independently and have a major stake in OKC West in El Reno. To learn more about how these folks can help you succeed in the cattle business, click here for their website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.



Dr. Janeen Salak-Johnson currently serves as part of the Oklahoma State University Animal Science faculty as the Temple Grandin Professorship in Animal Behavior and Well-being. She believes it is important for beef industry stakeholders to understand there are those folks out there that will never be satisfied with what we're doing when it comes to animal wellbeing. At the same time, though, she says those in the industry must also understand and address the concerns of the consumer and not be bullheaded when it comes to discussing how they handle animal welfare issues. She expounded on those thoughts in a recent interview with me.


"We have to recognize what they think is important is not what's important to the consumer," she said. "I don't like people telling me how to do research, so I get that part of it. But we also have to be conscientious that what is important to us may not necessarily be important to others. We still do need to improve on some of the painful management practices so that the consumer knows these animals had a good quality of life up until the end of their life."


The key to this problem, she says, is striking the right balance among all stakeholders involved. This means, finding ways to balance both producers' concerns and what Salak-Johnson refers to as "societal concerns." In addition, balance must be achieved in regard to what is ethical as well as what is ultimately practical - which she contends can be accomplished through sound science and seasoned expertise.


You can listen to the whole conversation between Salak-Johnson and I on Tuesday's Beef Buzz - here


Cheri Long, of Moore, was recently named the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Farm to School program coordinator.


"We knew Farm to School needed to be a priority in this state," said Meriruth Cohenour, ODAFF Market Development division director. "Because of this, we dedicated a full time employee to the Farm to School program in order to help our farmers reach more audiences and help our cafeteria administrations provide healthy food for Oklahoma students."


Long's passion of agricultural education runs deep. Before joining ODAFF in 2008, she taught at Moore Public Schools for 15 years. For the past eight years, she has worked as an Ag in the Classroom coordinator by helping educate teachers about agriculture and providing them with classroom curriculum for students. In August, Long transitioned into the state Farm to School coordinator.


"I am excited to maintain my partnership with Ag in the Classroom while rebuilding the Farm to School program back to what it used to be," said Long.


Click or tap here to read more about Long and her new position with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. 

RRPCheck Our Our Road to Rural Prosperity Episodes!
 
Later today- we will be releasing our third episode as we take you on the Road to Rural Prosperity- exploring the idea of making Oklahoma Top Ten in every positive way you can imagine!  Here are the links to our Episodes:

Episode One- Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt


Episode Two- Brent KislingDepartment of Commerce Executive Director 


Episode Three- Teresa Rose Crook, CEO of Communities Foundation of Oklahoma (to be released later today)


Click here for our website where you can find all episodes- and you can listen to our Podcast by subscribing to it on your favorite Podcast App- iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and more! 


Our thanks to our growing list of sponsors who are supporting the Road to Rural Prosperity- The Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Rural Water Association, BancFirst and the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.


Dan Basse, AgResource Company president, kicked off the presentations at this year's Feeding Quality Forum in Amarillo with an overview of financial factors in the ag markets. 


"The cattle industry is in a good spot to really help itself with numbers," Basse said. "Domestic demand will be record strong this year and for many years going forward. I see export demand is picking up even though we have this trade blockage with USMCA and even with our friends in China, we're still getting record amounts of beef out the door."


He says they are not worried too much about the supply of feed, grain and forage this year. The abundance of moisture in the plains, hay will be adequate and forage will be good heading into the winter months, he added. 


You can read more or watch the video from Basse, by clicking or tapping here

JapanAND FINALLY- the BEST News of the Week- NO CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL NEEDED

The White House has notified Congress it will sign a trade agreement with Japan. President Donald Trump notified lawmakers he will enter into "an initial trade agreement regarding tariff barriers" and then separately an Executive Agreement on digital trade with Japan, as the two sides wrap up the talks yet this month.

The White House published the notice Monday evening. The agreement is expected to be signed along the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Apparently, the agreement does not need approval from Congress and can go into effect immediately.

In the White House announcement, no specifics were given- but it is expected that the agreement will mostly lower tariffs on U.S. ag products, to levels granted to other exporters to Japan in the Comprehensive and Progress Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. These lower tariffs will allow U.S. farmers to better compete in the Japanese market.

I am guessing that most agricultural groups are waiting to see a few more details before celebrating or even issuing an official statement of their own- but for especially beef and pork folks- this is HUGE news and as I said in the headlines- NO CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL needed means no extended time to wait on playing catch up with the Aussies, Canadians, Europeans or others in the tariffs leveled against US products. 

With what is happening with USMCA and the slowness of Speaker Nancy Pelosi to allow a House Vote- that's a big deal- and in talking with folks like Kent Bacus of NCBA, it was not certain that a deal could be crafted to avoid the Congressional slow walk approval- but perhaps the President's USTR has figured out a way.

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, AFR Insurance,  Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit CorporationOklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, 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- at NO Charge!


We also appreciate our Market Links Sponsor - OKC West Livestock! 
 
 
We invite you to check out our website at the link below too that includes an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.   
 

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

 



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