Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 4/27/2020, 5:04 AM
To: ron@ronhays.com



 
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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 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.
 
  
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.
 


 
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Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor

KC Sheperd, Associate Farm Director and Editor

Sam Knipp, Farm Editor
 
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
 
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production

Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News

Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
   Monday, April 27, 2020

Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

-- And FINALLY- A Reminder to Apply for Class XX of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program


The staff at the Oklahoma State University Animal Diagnostic Laboratory are among the many unsung heroes in the continuing fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. Their efforts were on full display Friday as Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays was invited by Oklahoma Sec. of Agriculture Blayne Arthur to join a small group to tour the Stillwater facilities and show appreciation for the lab's rapid and extensive COVID-19 testing capacity.

The OSU lab is one of only three such animal disease diagnostic labs in the country to join the fight against COVID-19.

Ron talked with Dr. Jerry Ritchey, interim director of the lab, which is part of the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. Ritchey explained the lab's structure and how they were able to rapidly gear up for COVID-19 testing.

The lab, best known for conducting tests in agriculture and companion animals, is known as the state's flagship diagnostic laboratory, and is often referred to simply as ODL (Oklahoma Diagnostic Laboratory).

Ritchey emphasized their main mission is animal health.

We focus on diseases in animal production and diseases that can be transmitted to people (for example, rabies), Ritchey said.


Sponsor Spotlight
 
 
Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April. 
 
They would like to thank all of you who participated in their 2019 Tulsa City Farm Show. 
 
Up next will be the Oklahoma City's premier spring agricultural and ranching event with returns to the State Fair Park June 18-19-20, 2020.
 
Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2020 Oklahoma City Farm Show.  To learn more about the Oklahoma City Farm Show, click here



On Friday afternoon, the US Department of Agriculture's APHIS announced the establishment of what they are calling a National Incident Coordination Center. The Government is signaling that they are looking for ways to help livestock and poultry producers find alternative markets if the processing plant they normally use is incapable of accepting their animals because of a COVID- 19 disruption. If no alternative market is available- the USDA says they will help on the issues surrounding depopulation and disposal.

Apparently we have reached that point of depopulation- From Twitter user @nrdoz tweets "3,000 head of market ready hogs shot and buried by a larger producer...from a very reliable source...unreal" and then later sends out "Two friends confirmed Christensen Farms will euthanize 12,000 head of market ready hogs in renville county shortly...I'm not sure what to add here...the more this news spreads, perhaps a less barbaric and wasteful solution will be expedited." Christensen Farms is in Minnesota- near Redwood Falls and New Ulm.

While these tweets were challenged by some in the hog industry- a first person story was being told on Saturday from twitter user Lance Schiele who told his followers and more "It appears that on Monday my fat hogs will go on a stall diet and the next 1250 little pigs will get gassed. No place to go with either of them. And I won't give the little ones away. I'd rather have m off the market."

In the Q&A that followed- Lance says he is in eastern Iowa and the hogs were supposed to go to Tyson.

Click or tap here to read more about the Friday announcement from USDA on their efforts to help farmers found in this impossible situation.



Cattle feedlot operators are losing $2-250 for every market-ready calf sold today, said Ross Wilson, president and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association (TCFA) during a Beef Buzz interview I did this week.The economic loss is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TCFA represents feedlots in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. According to their website TCFA members annually market more than 6 million fed cattle or approximately 28 percent of the fed cattle produced in the United States.

Wilson is asking the USDA to wave the current payment limit of $125,000 included in the COVID-19 relief package.

"Our request for no limits is about maintaining economic viability for all sectors of the cattle industry," Wilson said.

"This is a one-time situation and so we're asking the USDA Secretary to wave the cap," Wilson said.

Three NPPC Says Producers Facing $5 Billion losses for the year 

U.S. pork producers, in dire straits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing a collective $5 billion loss for the remainder of the year, are now being denied access the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Payroll Protection Program (PPP) due to restrictive language preventing many pork producers from being eligible.

Specifically, PPP eligibility is determined by a positive farm profit in the calendar year 2019, or last 12 months. For many U.S. pork producers, 2019 was not profitable as they bore the brunt of trade retaliation in China and Mexico, among two of our largest export markets. Using SBA's restrictive language, an estimated one-quarter of the U.S. hog industry is automatically disqualified from applying to the program.

"Our hog farmers are underwater through no fault of their own," said National Pork Producers Council President Howard "A.V" Roth, a pork producer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin.

"Hog farmers were at the tip of the trade retaliation spear in 2018 and 2019, losing $20 off the price of every hog. In 2020, they were forecast to make a $10 profit on every hog, until the COVID-19 crisis hit. The virus has decimated our industry and for SBA to unfairly punish pork producers and deny them access to this program is adding insult to injury."


The USDA today laid out its plan to award contracts to the private sector to purchase meat, dairy and produce for distribution to the nation's food banks and other nonprofits addressing hunger. The USDA is authorized to spend $3 billion on hunger relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Farm Bureau Federation and Feeding America, the country's largest hunger relief organization, sent a letter to the USDA requesting a nimble approach to quickly and effectively get food from America's farms to the nation's food banks.

The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall:

"We applaud the USDA for empowering the private sector to help solve the challenges associated with harvesting, packaging and transporting millions of pounds of food from farms to food banks and other nonprofits working to ensure no one goes hungry.


Sponsor Spotlight

 
Established in 1905 as Oklahoma Farmers Union, AFR/OFU has been a champion for rural Oklahoma for more than 100 years. Today, the AFR/OFU Cooperative provides educational, legislative and cooperative programs across the state and AFR Insurance provides auto, home, farm and life insurance to both rural and urban Oklahomans.
 
AFR/OFU serves as a watchdog for our state's family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Join us at www.afrcoop.org or www.afrmic.com.



The National Ground Water Association has published an article outlining the potential risk of the COVID-19 virus contaminating private water well systems.

"Groundwater, Wells, and Coronavirus", authored by NGWA Director of Science and Technology William M. Alley, Ph.D., and NGWA Regulatory Affairs Manager Charles A. Job, reports private water wells are at low risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus.
While the risk to private water well systems is low, various viruses, including COVID-19, are still a potential threat to drinking water from private wells.

"There's more to be learned about the behavior of the COVID-19 virus in water and wastewater," said Bill Alley. "Based on knowledge to date, the risk to private wells is extremely low."

The most effective action to protect against viruses, including COVID-19, from contaminating a water supply is regular maintenance of well water systems and wastewater septic systems. "Groundwater, Wells, and Coronavirus" also highlights the importance of proper septic system maintenance as well as "set back".




Backyard poultry producers may find themselves able to offset increased prices for eggs as Oklahoma and the nation deal with COVID-19 concerns.

"Eggs in many stores have been going for about $3 per dozen, and in some places concerns about the coronavirus pandemic have led to a run on eggs resulting in bare shelves," said Dana Zook, Oklahoma State University Extension area livestock specialist for northwestern Oklahoma.

People who raise their own chickens already appreciate that they have easy access to a healthy, protein-rich food source that can be used in a wide range of dishes. Lately they have also been able to help with social distancing measures by cutting down on trips to the grocery store.

However, backyard poultry operators still need to practice best management protocols to ensure their flocks are healthy and remain productive. Spring is the perfect time to evaluate birds and coops. Hens typically molt when daylight hours are shorter during the winter months.

Wheat
On 2020 Wheat Crop- Kansas Releases Report on Freeze Damage- & OSU Offers Virtual Wheat Tour at Altus and Chickasha
 
According to K-State Agronomists- "The cold temperatures experienced in week of April 13-17 caused freeze injury to the 2020 wheat crop at varying degrees. The level of freeze damage depends on the region in the state, primarily because the wheat in different regions was at distinct growth stages (with varying levels of susceptibility to cold damage) and also because the different regions recorded minimum temperatures ranging from 8 to over 30 degrees F.

Perhaps the most significant damage occurred in central to west central Kansas- "Fields in the region between Saline and Ellis counties showed, again, varying degrees of freeze damage, with at least the same but potentially more freeze damage than in the north central region." 

The scouts highlighted damage they saw in Ellis County- saying in fields checked in Ellis County- "About 40-60% of the heads were showing damage. Favorable soil moisture conditions can help wheat recover and produce yield from the secondary tillers and remaining primary tillers."

Click here for the full report from our neighbors up north in Kansas for the 2020 wheat crop.

***********************
We reported to you in the Friday email that OSU Wheat Specialist Dr. Amanda da Silva is working hard to provide wheat growers in the state a lot of information from the Wheat Plots planted last fall and now nearing maturity- In our report on Friday, available here-

Well- her first Virtual Wheat Tour Stop is up and available on YouTube- click on the play button in the video box below to check out the wheat varieties that are growing in Altus and Chickasha,

I plan to meet with Dr. da Silva later today- and we will discuss the status of the crop and get more details for you about the plans for the 2020 Virtual Wheat Crop Tour.

Now- Enjoy checking out the varieties at Altus or Chickasha or both:


Altus Virtual Wheat Field Day (4/24/20)
Altus Virtual Wheat Field Tour



Chickasha Virtual Wheat Field Day (4/24/20)
Chickasha Virtual Wheat Field Tour


 ___________________________________________________
OALPA Reminder to Apply for Class XX of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program


You still have time to apply for the next class of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program that will kick off this fall- Class XX(Twenty) will feature 10 in state seminars, one regional seminar, travel to the Washington, DC area and an international capstone experience at the end of the 18 months. 

Over 500 have graduated from the program over the almost forty years for OALP- and those grads have stepped up to be leaders in our farm and ranch organizations, in Agribusiness, at the state capitol and more.  

Current State Secretary of Ag Blayne Arthur is an alum, so are Rodd Moesell and Scott Blubaugh, Presidents of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the American Farmers and Ranchers (our two major general farm groups) and the list goes on and on.

The most recent class, Number Nineteen, wrapped up with sessions back in February and got their international experience in before the Pandemic shut things down- traveling to South America to study the nation of Chile. 

Perhaps one of the best reads about the travels and learning that went on during Class XIX comes from class member Lindsay Henricks who offers a blog of every session that the class was involved in- click here and take some time to read how this program can change your perspective and understanding of not just Oklahoma agriculture- but of the world of agriculture as well. 

You can also get an additional feel about the Chile trip for the class from our conversation with cattle producer Dillon Sparks- click here to read and listen to our visit with Dillon. 

Application deadline is May first- you still have time and if you are serious about being a part of this life changing opportunity- it will be worth your time to start the process today. 

Click here to jump to the OALP website where there is a link to the application. If you have questions that I might be able to answer- I am an alum from Class One and serve as the Chairman of the Advisory Council to OSU for the program- email me your phone number and I will get back to you promptly.


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, AFR Insurance, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Great Plains Kubota, 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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