Despite all the negatives being talked about in beef trade, there are still some silver linings. Jim Robb of the Livestock Market Information Center says the export marketplace and especially the drop credit market, is doing especially well. He attributes this to the fact that more total pounds of beef can enter the global market, frankly because of the low prices. 


"There's a little bit of demand improvement in the export markets and that's partly due to the Australian situation as they have really pulled back their slaughter levels," Robb said. "So their exports have dampened and - have really opened the door for more US exports. That's something we are getting some year-over-year increases."


Drought down under seems to be the reason behind Australia's pull back. For the US, though, it comes as a welcomed opportunity as an increasing beef supply will allow the US the ability to handle growing export demand. However, Brazil and India look to be positioning themselves as competitors in the wake of Australia's reversal, which is expected to continue into 2017.


"It's not a big bright spot, but it's important," Robb said. "We'll see if that trend can continue in that big picture of the export profile."


Listen to Jim Robb talk more about his observations of the cattle market and where the opportunities lie during the latest Beef Buzz.

An innovative workshop on climate-smart agriculture this week emphasized soil health as a key element in carbon sequestration efforts. Several powerhouse organizations and companies hosted the one-of-a-kind event in St. Louis, called "C-Quest: Charting a Course for Climate Research in Agriculture," and featured the Soil Health Partnership as a leader in helping farmers adopt progressive practices.


The ILSI Research Foundation, together with Monsanto Company, Soil Health Partnership, Washington University in St. Louis, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the United States Department of Agriculture, organized the Oct. 24 - 25 event. It focused on developing research targets for agricultural goals that:


- Support achievement of USDA's "building blocks" for climate-smart agriculture;

- Integrate existing U.S. Midwest field research networks (like SHP) for climate adaptation; and

- Develop a research agenda to achieve a "carbon-neutral" agri-food system in the U.S. through a focus on soil carbon and soil health, including validation of soil carbon protocols.


The Soil Health Partnership is a farmer-led initiative of the National Corn Growers Association established in 2014. SHP Director Nick Goeser presented at the event, and NCGA CEO Chris Novak also spoke to attendees.


"It's exciting to see agricultural improvements that impact soil health recognized as an emerging opportunity to optimize productivity, sequester carbon and improve protection of our natural resources, like water," Goeser said. "We're honored to participate in this discussion, and to see farmers recognized whole-heartedly as a part of the solution."

Click here to continue reading about C-Quest. 

 
The Advisor of the Oklahoma FFA, who also heads up the Ag Education efforts within Career Tech for the state of Oklahoma, is Jack Staats- and he was honored by his peers last week in Indy.

The National Association of Supervisors of Agricultural Education annually recognizes a member who has made outstanding contributions to agricultural education state supervision. Jack Staats was that honoree for 2016-

Jack is well respected by his peers nationally- and the FFA members he has worked with down through the years love and respect him as well- one of the state officers taking pics for us this year caught him in the hallways of the National Convention of the FFA in Indy- and I thought you might enjoy a smiling Jack Staats this morning:

All of our pictures from Indy are in our FLICKR album- which you can see by clicking or tapping here.

Several supporters of Oklahoma FFA received the Honorary American Degree from the National Organization-  and they include:




Our exclusive coverage of the 89th annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis has been a service of ITC, Your Energy Superhighway. Learn more about ITC Great Plains, LLC by  clicking here. We also appreciate the support of the Oklahoma FFA Association and the Oklahoma FFA Alumni Association. Click here for more information about one of the top states in the US in the FFA- the Oklahoma FFA Association. Oklahoma FFA impacts the lives of 27,154 members in 357 chapters across the state.

Edmond Bonjour, Director of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program (OALP) was recognized with the 2016 Outstanding International Leadership Program Director Award. Bonjour received the award during the recent annual gathering of the International Association of Programs for Agricultural Leadership (IAPAL) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The award was presented at the annual Conference by Marie Hvidsten, Rural Leadership Specialist and Rural Leadership North Dakota Program Director, last year's award recipient, and Dr. Joe Waldrum, Executive Secretary of IAPAL.


Waldrum said, "Bonjour received this honor for his innovations in leadership development in Oklahoma, being a mentor to directors of emerging agricultural leadership programs, and his dedicated support of the IAPAL organization. He is highly respected by his IAPAL peers in his work with leaders and leadership development. We are delighted and proud to acknowledge publicly his talent and impact with this prestigious award."


The Outstanding International Leadership Program Director Award was begun by Dr. Bill and Polly Pope in 1999. Dr. Pope began the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program in the late 1980s at Texas A&M University and was its first director. After his retirement at TAMU, he became the Executive Secretary of IAPAL and held this position until his death in 2010. He and his wife Polly felt that directors of statewide leadership development programs were not being recognized for their efforts in these unique positions. The Popes believed that innovative directors who were good teachers and whose programs were producing effective leaders for agriculture and rural areas should be showcased by this annual award.

 

The top two entries at the 2016 Oklahoma Junior Wheat show had a common denominator- the variety of wheat that both the FFA and 4-H Champion grew and entered into the contest.  Doublestop CL Plus is a Clearfield variety developed by Dr. Brett Carver and his OSU Wheat Breeding Team- with the variety earning high marks for both production and milling and baking characteristics.

Medford FFA's Dylan Chaney was awarded the overall grand champion award showing his Doublestop CL Plus variety in the 2016 Oklahoma 4-H/FFA Junior Wheat Show. Chaney placed 1st in production and milling and 2nd in baking, earning him the title of 1st place as the FFA champion, and overall grand champion of the 4-H and FFA Junior Wheat Show.

Aubree Geisler placed 1st overall in the 4-H division while showing her Doublestop CL Plus variety at the 2016 Oklahoma 4-H/FFA Junior Wheat Show.  Geisler placed 2nd in production and milling and 6th in the bake contest earning her the title of 1st place and 4-H champion overall.  Geisler is a member of the Lomega 4-H club in Kingfisher County. 

Chaney and Geisler accepted their awards at a recognition banquet held at the Oklahoma State University Alumni Center last night. Both received $3000 in scholarships and additional premiums from Oklahoma Genetics Inc- the group that markets OSU Wheat Varieties.

Click here for the full list of all winners in this year's contest.