Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 4/28/2020, 6:13 AM
To: Ron Hays <ron.hays@radiooklahoma.net>



 
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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 Ron Hays on RON.
 

 
 
Let's Check the Markets!  
MarketLinks 
 
 
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.
 

Monday was another day and another record in smashing form for Boxed Beef Prices- Choice Beef as of end of day on Monday stood at $311.84- up $18 from Friday. Click here for the complete report on wholesale trade from USDA Market News.

 
The Oklahoma National Stockyards had their first run over 10,000 since all of the Pandemic Panic set in- and prices were moderately lower- Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 4.00 lower. Feeder heifers 1.00-2.00 lower, except 800-900 lbs 2.00-5.00 higher. Feeder market improved as the day progressed and cattle futures closed higher. Demand moderate to good for feeders. Steer calves 4.00-8.00 lower, but weights under 450 lbs lightly tested. Click or tap here for the complete report as compiled by USDA Market News.


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.


Joplin Regional Stockyards sold 7,093 head on Monday- Compared to last week, steer and heifer calves steady to 4.00 lower, yearlings steady. Click here for the complete report. 
 

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

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
  Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 





--   Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling for Beef, Pork and Dairy Petition Gets 26K Signatures in First 30








I  sat down in Stillwater with OSU Small Grains Extension Specialist Dr. Amanda Silva on Monday morning, as she was releasing her latest blog on the freeze damage that she and other OSU extension personnel have seen south of I-40 and west of I-35. Their complete conversation about the freeze damage as well as more details about the virtual wheat tours that have been released thus far can be heard by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.


According to Dr. Silva in her blog on the freeze damage that occurred on April 15th-

"As the weather warmed up last week the damage from the latest freeze event (on April 15) is starting to show in some areas of Oklahoma. A lot of wheat fields were at the flowering stage when the freeze came in, and the near the wheat is to flowering the more sensitive it is to freezing temperatures.

"Most of the damage we are seeing is death of the flower parts followed by head discoloration. Temperatures got cold enough to kill the flower parts but not the cells in the green tissue, so it is taking a little bit longer for the rest of the plant to start showing the damage. The male parts (anthers) have a pale color and are dead inside of the glume, they are supposed to be green and turgid. In cases where pollination had already occurred when the freeze came in, we could see berries being formed, but those berries are shriveled and dried out.  
 
ONE SILVER LINING- Dr. Silva did tell us that the damage within fields she scouted was highly variable and that was also the case from field to field in areas she traveled. There will be wheat that can be harvested from the region- how much is the great unknown at this point of the growing season.  

Listen to our conversation and read more from Amanda's Blog by clicking or tapping here.


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. 



Farmers made substantial progress in corn planting this past week as 27 percent of the crop is now in the ground in the 18 major corn states. This compares to just 7 percent last week and ahead of the 5-year average of 20 percent.


The Oklahoma wheat crop continues to rank ahead of neighboring wheat states, as it is rated 62 percent good to excellent this week, (down from 65 percent last week), 24 percent is rated fair and 14 percent is in the poor to very poor category (11 percent last week). Based on the report from OSU extension that we covered in the story above- the ratings will continue to come down in the next few weeks.


In Kansas, winter wheat conditions are rated 40 percent good to excellent, 40 percent is rated fair and 20 percent is rated poor to very poor, all showing a slightly worsening situation in the Sunflower State- again a lot of that coming from freeze damage.  


The Texas wheat crop is rated 57 percent good to excellent this week, 30 percent fair and 13 percent poor to very poor. 





Last Friday the Oklahoma agriculture community showed their appreciation for the great effort extended by the staff at the Oklahoma State University Animal Diagnostic Laboratory to help expand testing for COVID-19. The show of thanks was coordinated by Oklahoma Sec. of Agriculture Blayne Arthur whom I spoke with after the small gathering in Stillwater.


Arthur (far left) is shown in the photo accompanying this article thanking Dr. Jerry Ritchey, interim director of the lab.

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).

The OSU lab started COVID-19 testing March 31 and by April 24 had successfully handled over 12,000 tests, making them the largest testing capacity lab in the state.

To listen to our conversation with Secretary Arthur and to read more from the ODL, click here:

Earlier- we posted our conversation with Dr. Ritchey- click or tap here to jump back to that story and hear our conversation with the interim head of the state Diagnostic Lab.


A deep dive into the latest Cattle on Feed Report reveals some startling numbers.

The report shows cattle placed on feed down 23 percent from a year ago, cattle on feed down 5 percent and 180,000 fewer cattle were processed as of April 1 compared to a year ago.

Ross Wilson, president and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association (TCFA) says market ready cattle are being backed up and forced to wait for processing well into May and June.

The overall situation is as bad as it has ever been, Wilson said.

"We have never seen this type of market volatility," Wilson said.

The TCFA president told Farm Broadcast colleague Carey Martin said it is impacting all feed yards, especially those in the Midwest where they use cash trade rather than a formula or grid basis.

We want to increase the use of negotiated premium trade, Wilson said.

This has put a squeeze on the whole system as cattle from the north are being moved south and forcing a backlog and creating a ripple effect throughout the industry. 


Sponsor Spotlight
 

National Livestock was founded in 1932 in Oklahoma City. National's Marketing Division offers cattle for sale weekly at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City. The Finance Division lends money to ranchers across several states for cattle production. The Grazing Division works with producers to place cattle for grazing on wheat or grass pastures. National also owns and operates other livestock marketing subsidiaries including Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction in Ada, Oklahoma, OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the nation's premier livestock video sale, Superior Livestock Auction. National offers customers many services custom made for today's producer. To learn more, click here for the website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.



Mondays, Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, offers his economic analysis of the beef cattle industry. This analysis is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner" published electronically by Dr. Peel and Dr. Glenn Selk. Today, Dr. Peel says be careful for what you ask for.

COVID-19 has caused unparalleled and catastrophic impacts on cattle and beef markets along with every other part of the economy. Cattle and beef markets are experiencing devastating shocks and challenges resulting in price changes and market behavior that are, not only unprecedented, but also difficult to understand and confusing to many. The anger and frustration of some cattle producers has turned to accusations and proposals for change that will have long-term implications and unintended consequences for the cattle and beef industry.

The U.S. cattle and beef industry is probably the most complex set of markets on the planet. It is extremely difficult to understand with many levels of productions and an enormously complicated marketing chain. Cattle producers often feel - rightfully - that others do not understand the cattle business. They face many challenges and unique considerations of raising cattle in a vast array of climates and production environments; and they constantly fend off a never-ending set of calls to change how cattle are produced for this or that unrealistic demand or expectation of someone somewhere.


R-CALF USA along with some of its members launched a petition urging the President and Congress to immediately pass Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (MCOOL) for beef, pork and dairy products to strengthen national food security and help stimulate economic growth. The petition has gained an unprecedented number of signatures in a very short period of time and continues to gain new signatures rapidly. The petition can be viewed at
www.DemandUSABeef.com.

R-CALF USA member Kerry Cramton, a Kansas cattle producer who started the Facebook group U.S. Grassroots Cattlemen & Cattlewomen, worked with R-CALF USA to initiate the petition. Cramton met with Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin who is currently riding on horseback from his ranch in New Mexico to Washington, D.C. Griffin hopes to discuss MCOOL with President Trump.


To read more from R-Calf, click here: 




The Oklahoma Youth Expo's inaugural Ag Mechanics sale sold the top 30 projects in an online sale and totaled $52,119 with all proceeds going to the exhibitors.


All projects were built by 4-H and FFA students and were exhibited at the 2020 Oklahoma Youth Expo in March. The top 30 projects were then sold on Big Iron Auctions. The sale brought national and international interest and projects were sold to five states including Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas and New Mexico.

"It is extremely exciting to see the projects our Oklahoma exhibitors built were able to draw international attention," said Bray Haven, Vice President of Operations. "With all proceeds to the sale going directly back to the exhibitors, we cannot wait to see what they'll bring next year to the Ag Mechanics contest."

We covered the 2020 Ag Mechanics contest in a previous podcast for the Road to Rural Prosperity. I spoke to Jerry Renshaw, Superintendent of the first ever Ag Mechanics Contest at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, as well as with students Tracy Criner of Porter, Kody Munoz of Elgin and Wyatt Kappus of Union City. These young men talk about their projects- how they planned and built them and how the skills they have gained will help them in life. Renshaw gives a vision of growing this first Ag Mechanics contest at OYE to a comparable level seen at contests at major shows in Texas, where thousands of men and women compete for hundreds of thousands of dollars of scholarships annually. 

To hear that podcast click here: 


COVIDAND Your Tuesday Morning All Things COVID-19- Packer/Processor Update, Plant Worker Safety and More

As we look at all the reports that are coming in from across the country- the hot spot this morning seems to be in Indiana- according to a report from WBAA- "The Indiana Packers Corporation [IPC] will suspend operations Monday at its Delphi processing facility, according to a letter sent to farmers Friday. It says the move responds to "an increasing number of positive tests of COVID-19 in neighboring communities and reports that Indiana is closing in on the expected peak of infections."
"The action follows a similar decision by Tyson Foods, which closed its Logansport facility earlier this week after more than 100 employees tested positive for coronavirus.

"The Indiana Pork Producers estimates 44 percent of all Hoosier pork is processed by the two plants, while the Indiana Farm Bureau pegs the production at close to 70 percent.

"Indiana Packers says the closure is not expected to last longer than two weeks. Employees working directly with the plant will be paid, but many farmers will be left searching for a place to send their hogs."

*******************
Closer to home- while none of the packing/processing plants in Kansas, Oklahoma or Texas have reported any shutdowns to this point- the Kansas Livestock Association is actively working with the state of Kansas to provide safe housing for workers to help shield them from being exposed to COVID-19. 
Matt Teagarden of the Kansas Livestock Association confirmed on Farm Journal Live that the industry is working with state government leaders to identify housing, both to isolate infected workers and to offer protected housing and food for packing plant line workers who are not infected and who are needed to keep food lines running.

"That may include providing some alternative housing for some of those individuals, whether they're going through a quarantine period if they have tested positive, but perhaps even those that that aren't, that are that are healthy, that are not infected, having a safe place for them to go after work to hang out and keep them protected," Teagarden said.

**********************
Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Heath Administration (OSHA) issued guidelines aimed at helping protect workers from the spread of COVID-19 in packing plants in the United States. In response to the guidelines, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall issued the following statement today.

"We appreciate the additional guidance from CDC and OSHA to help keep workers safe in beef plants. This move will also provide state and local governments with the information they need to protect worker safety, while continuing to support the operation of beef processing plants. Cattle producers rely on the workers and the plants themselves to ensure a steady supply of beef to consumers and to be certain cattle continue to be able to move through the system."

Click here for the full statement from Woodall and a link to the guidelines as released on Monday by CDC and OSHA.

 
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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