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 Ron Hays on RON.
Let's Check the Markets!
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures - click or tap here for the report posted yesterday afternoon around 3:30 PM.
Okla Cash Grain:
Futures Wrap:
Feeder Cattle Recap:
Slaughter Cattle Recap:
TCFA Feedlot Recap:
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 Macey Mueller, E-mail and Web Writer
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Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News
Presented by 
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Monday, August 8, 2016
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Howdy Neighbors!
Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
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 Featured Story:Temple Grandin Shares Her Vision for Transparency in Animal Agriculture
Renowned Colorado State University Professor of Livestock Behavior and Welfare Dr. Temple Grandin recently spoke at the statewide Women in Agriculture conference in Oklahoma City. During her presentation she asserted that animal agriculture must continue to work to be more transparent in everything the industry does for the general public."We need to be showing what we do," Grandin said, "because if we don't show what we do, other people will show it in a really nasty way."Although she believes there is still ample room for improvement in the industry, Grandin does acknowledge that people are handling animals better today than they have in recent years past. "That is the bright spot," Grandin said. "The last ten years or so it's really taken a big turn for improvement."Dr. Grandin says since she began pioneering in the field of animal welfare, she has discovered that people are very willing to use methods, tools and equipment like the corrals she has designed for years to lower the stress of their animals. She was very proud to report that in a recent study conducted by a student of hers, she found that the electric prod use score was down to only four percent from previously 500 percent.To illustrate her vision of transparency for the industry, Grandin referenced Fair Oaks Farm located outside of Chicago where the public is invited into their working dairy to view the normal operations and activities in an exhibition style environment. She says there is an indoor hog farm as well, that visitors can explore called Pig Adventure. Grandin believes there needs to be more of this sort of thing to help educate and expose those unfamiliar with agriculture."You can't totally get rid of large scale practices you have to use that," Grandin said, "but there's some things you have got to change and then open up the door and show the public."Listen to Dr. Temple Grandin talk more on her thoughts regarding transparency in animal agriculture during the latest Beef Buzz.
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Sponsor Spotlight
In Oklahoma, John Deere starts with P&K. They lead the way with equipment solutions, for everything from mowers to utility vehicles, tractors to hay and harvest equipment, and everything in between. P&K Equipment has ten locations across Oklahoma, and an additional nine locations in eastern Iowa. Inventory, resources, solutions that work: P&K's got it all for a wide range of John Deere equipment, and they make it their mission to do business with honesty, courtesy, and a sense of urgency. Visit P&K Equipment online, find the locations nearest you, meet your local John Deere experts, and experience the P&K/John Deere difference today.
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CME Announces Changes to Cattle Futures- Will Delay Listing Distant Contracts as Industry Ponders Cash Market Transparency
CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced it will take a number of actions designed to enhance Live Cattle futures markets. These new measures are based on continued collaboration with and feedback from the cattle industry as well as the results from an independent study conducted by Informa Economics.
"We greatly value our relationship with the cattle community and are committed to helping producers and commercial firms manage their price risk," said Tim Andriesen, CME Group Managing Director of Agricultural Products. "Since the start of the year, we have been working with the NCBA and the broader industry to enhance our cattle futures markets. While we are announcing these changes and will continue our ongoing work with the industry, we have concerns about the lack of transparency of cash cattle markets."
The actions to be taken are as follows:
- Seasonal discount at Worthing, SD delivery location
- Revised grading and quality specifications
- Delayed listing of additional contracts
Click here to read more about each of the steps taken by CME Group to address cattle market performance.
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USDA Announces $11.2 Million in Dairy Assistance to Offset Tightening Margins
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday approximately $11.2 million in financial assistance to American dairy producers enrolled in the 2016 Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). The payment rate for May/June 2016 will be the largest since the program began in 2014. The narrowing margin between milk prices and the cost of feed triggered the payments, as provided for by the 2014 Farm Bill.
"We understand the nation's dairy producers are experiencing challenges due to market conditions," said Vilsack. "MPP-Dairy payments are part of a robust, comprehensive farm safety net that help to provide dairy producing families with greater peace of mind during tough times. Dairy operations enrolled in the 2016 MPP-Dairy program will receive approximately $11.2 million this month. I want to urge dairy producers to use this opportunity to evaluate their enrollment options for 2017, as the enrollment period is currently scheduled to end Sept. 30, 2016. By supporting a strong farm safety net, expanding credit options and growing domestic and foreign markets, USDA is committed to helping America's dairy operations remain successful."
Dairy producers who enrolled at the $6 through $8 margin trigger coverage level will receive payments. MPP-Dairy payments are triggered when the national average margin (the difference between the price of milk and the cost of feed) falls below a level of coverage selected by the dairy producer, ranging from $4 to $8, for a specified consecutive two-month period. All final USDA prices for milk and feed components required to determine the national average margin for May/June 2016 were released on July 29, 2016.
The national average margin for the May/June 2016 two-month consecutive period is $5.76277 per hundred weight (cwt.).
Click here for a link to s tate specific payment amounts.
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Feeling Like You Missed the Boat on Canola? Jeff Scott Explains How to Avoid That
Veteran canola farmer and president of the Great Plains Canola Association and the US Canola Association Jeff Scott of Pond Creek, Oklahoma says with this year's crop doing so well in the shadow of some disappointing years past, some farmers are feeling like they've missed the boat."You have got to ride the ups and downs," Scott said. "A lot of guys last fall bailed out and didn't plant canola. They just said they couldn't grow it anymore. Now you're hearing "Gosh why didn't I plant it; why didn't you push me to plant it?'"Scott says that's exactly why he stresses for farmers to start a rotational system - and stick with it. He says that way, when a good year does come around, you can take advantage of it."You're going to have ups and downs with it just like you are with your wheat, your cattle or anything that you grow," Scott said, "but get an integrated system and stick with it."Canola comes with a checklist of additional benefits, Scott says."This is a very good method to clean those crops up, and the yield benefit, and the quality benefit... It is a very good integral part of a crop rotating system," Scott said and added that it will make your future crop, "more valuable, along with growing a valuable canola crop."Listen to Scott explain more on the benefits of planting canola.
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Sponsor Spotlight
Midwest Farm Shows is our longest running sponsor of the daily email- and they say thanks to all of you who participated in their 2016 Oklahoma City Farm Show.
Up next will be the Tulsa Farm Show in December 2016- the dates are December 8th, 9th and 10th. Now is the ideal time to contact Ron Bormaster at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2016 Tulsa Farm Show. To learn more about the Tulsa Farm Show, click here.
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Upcoming Northwest Oklahoma Beef Conference to Focus on Effects Beyond the Ranch
The Northwest Oklahoma Beef Conference on Aug. 11 will showcase how further processing, innovation, policy and marketing play significant roles in determining the ultimate value of beef and its effects on producers and the industry as a whole.
"While a producer has control over the quality of product that leaves his or her operation, many factors come into play that can affect the value, demand and consumer acceptability of beef once the cattle are marketed," said Dana Zook, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension area livestock specialist for the state's Northwest District.
The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Chisholm Trail Expo Center, located at 111 W. Purdue St. on the Garfield County Fairgrounds, situated on the north side of Enid.
"There is no cost to attend the conference but we do ask participants to RSVP ahead of time as it greatly aids our planning and helps ensure we have sufficient lunches, refreshments and conference materials on hand for everyone," Zook said. "Lunch is being provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of donors."
To RSVP, call 580-237-7677 or stop by the OSU Extension Center at 316 E. Oxford St. in Enid.
Click here to read more about the speakers scheduled for the Northwest Oklahoma Beef Conference.
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Want to Have the Latest Energy News Delivered to Your Inbox Daily?
Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.
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Brush Encroachment Provides Clues About Soil Health
Mike Proctor is a Senior Consultant - Wildlife and Fisheries - for the Noble Foundation and he offers the following information on brush in pasture and how it interacts with soil health:
"After a long, hot day out on the range, one may begin to reflect on the things on the landscape that change - and those that don't. Seeing a clump of brush that seems to move across the pasture on its own may have more to do with the air temperature, and one's current level of dehydration, than with pacing persimmons, strolling sumac or pedestrial plums. Still, there are changes occurring.
"After spending many hours sampling at the same spot multiple times per year, one develops an awareness of changes in the vegetation and some theories as to what is causing them.
"Fire, climate, herbivory and sometimes just bad luck explain most of the phenomena one might observe. Something that is harder to get a handle on is those things that don't change but should.
"Brush encroachment is a common problem across the landscape these days, and several sites that I visit regularly are undergoing significant encroachment. However, there are areas immediately adjacent to locations that brush doesn't seem to impact. The brush gets taller and denser but doesn't spread into new territory. Why would brush grow well in one area and not so well in another?
"I hadn't come up with an explanation until I started trying to push a soil probe into the ground to collect samples for a project. In areas with lots of brush, the probe goes right in; the soil has lots of organic matter, moisture and good structure. Several important forage grasses are associated with the brush. In areas not impacted by the brush, the soils often have a hardpan near the surface with little or no top soil, little moisture and organic matter, and poor structure. Vegetation on these areas is often dominated by Oldfield threeawn. So, the grasses most productive for livestock are found in the mostly inaccessible areas covered in brush, while the open, grazeable areas are covered in a species that livestock won't eat.
Click here to continue reading more about how brush in pasture interacts with soil health and find links to helpful information on controlling brush.
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This N That- In Case You Missed Farm Babe and Peterson Brothers Explain Dairy Life to Chipotle
On Saturday morning- I was proud to have one of the featured speakers from last week's Women in Ag Conference- Michelle Miller- join me for my In the Field Segment as seen on KWTV, News9 in Oklahoma City.
After the segment aired during the Saturday morning news block- the News9 folks added our conversation to their Video archives online.
We have captured that in a ICYMI update as found on OklahomaFarmReport.Com and we have in one story both the video with the Farm Babe as well as our off camera visit as well.
Click here to take a look- she was dynamic and did a great job in both interviews talking about how agriculture needs to be exposing some of the misinformation that is out that in the food community about some of our common farm/ranch practices.
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Over the weekend- the Peterson Brothers from Kansas posted an awesome response to Chipotle to a cup they are using in some of their stores that bashes the US Dairy industry- except for the limited number of dairy producers that choose to do it the way Chipotle thinks it should be done.
Posted on Facebook- the explanation that Greg Peterson offers has garnered over 10,000 shares and 13,000 likes.
Greg Peterson tells Chipotle what they are claiming about cows is baloney- and then explains what makes cows in this day and age happy.
And- he brings it around to the fear factor that the Mexican chain loves to use in their marketing more than anything else- Greg writes "Quit creating fear to sell your products! Quit making people think that animals on farms other than yours are abused, that cows are unhappy, that responsible use of antibiotics is a bad thing, that milk can be free of hormones. Quit making people think the farm families of America are somehow second rate if they don't operate their dairy like you want them to. We need farms of every type, size and structure to help feed the world and throwing select groups of farmers under the bus isn't doing anybody any good."
It's awesome!
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God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
phone: 405-473-6144
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