Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- EPA Takes Action to Protect Integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, Support American Farmers
- RFA Pleased with EPA’s Official Denial of ‘Gap Year’ Waiver Petitions
- Latest USDA Crop Progress Report Shows Farmers Have Started Fall Harvest And Winter Wheat Planting
- CARES Act Stimulus Payments Could Be Helping Increase Beef Demand Says KSU's Dr. Glynn Tonsor
- NPPC Hosts Legislative Action Conference; COVID Relief, Foreign Animal Disease Prevention Among Top Issues
- Dr. Derrell Peel on How the Beef Trade Shock Waves Continue
- Robert E. McKnight on How Cow-Calf Producers Need better Price Discovery
- 2020 NFU Fall Legislative Fly-In – AFR/OFU Monday Briefing
- Check Our MarketLinks in the Lower Part of the Email- Including Our Monday Auction Barn Updates
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EPA Takes Action to Protect Integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, Support American Farmers |
Today, the Trump Administration reaffirmed its commitment to support America’s farmers by moving forward to review and adjudicate petitions for small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is denying petitions for small refinery exemptions for past compliance years, the so-called “gap-filling” petitions for the 2011-18 compliance years.
“This decision follows President Trump’s promise to promote domestic biofuel production, support our nation’s farmers, and in turn strengthen our energy independence,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “At the EPA, we are delivering on that promise by following the rule-of-law and ensuring 15 billion gallons are blended into the nation’s fuel supply.”
Time and time again, EPA has demonstrated through action its commitment to our nation’s farmers. As promised, EPA is ensuring a net of 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuel are blended into the nation’s fuel supply. EPA renewable fuel volume mandates have continued to rise in EPA’s annual rulemakings, and, with it, renewable transportation fuel use in the U.S. From 2016 to 2019 domestic ethanol production in increased by 2 percent. Additionally, as promised, EPA eliminated a significant barrier to E15 market access, and E15 is now used in 30 states at over 2,000 stations.
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RFA Pleased with EPA’s Official Denial of ‘Gap Year’ Waiver Petitions |
The Renewable Fuels Association today welcomed the official denial by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of 54 “gap-year” small refinery exemption petitions and thanked President Trump for taking an active role in helping to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In announcing its decision, EPA acknowledged that it would be completely inappropriate to grant a waiver to a refinery for a compliance obligation from many years ago, especially when the refinery had already fully complied with the obligation.
“We are pleased to see EPA is officially denying 54 so-called ‘gap-year’ small refinery exemption petitions, and we look forward to EPA similarly denying the remaining 14 petitions once they are received from DOE. Rejecting the petitions is simply the right thing to do, and today’s decision marks a big step forward toward fully restoring integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard. This should serve as the final nail in the coffin of these gap-year petitions, and we are eager to put this dark and sordid chapter in the history of the RFS behind us once and for all.
Growth Energy Also welcomed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to reject so-called ‘gap-year’ exemptions from the nation’s biofuel laws. In total, the agency had received 68 retroactive exemption requests from petroleum refiners seeking to skirt obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and today’s move denies the majority of pending requests.
“Today’s action lifts a cloud of uncertainty that has been hanging over America’s farmers and biofuel producers since June,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We’re grateful to farm state champions like Senator Ernst, who has led a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House and Senate and governors across the heartland in speaking out against oil-backed efforts to dodge the law, circumvent the courts, and upend markets.
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Latest USDA Crop Progress Report Shows Farmers Have Started Fall Harvest And Winter Wheat Planting |
Farmers across the country have started harvesting a once promising crop that has deteriorated in the past 30 days according to the latest USDA crop progress report.
Major crops now being harvested include corn, grain sorghum and cotton.
Texas has the most harvested corn acres at 67 percent complete. North Carolina is 47 percent harvested, Kentucky is at 13 percent and Tennessee has 12 percent of their corn harvested.
The remainder of the corn crop is rated at 60 percent good to excellent, down from 71 percent at this time in August. The balance of the corn acres is rated 25 percent fair and 15 percent poor to very poor.
Soybean harvest has not started yet as only about 37 percent of the crop has dropped leaves, 6 points ahead of the 5-year average.
The U.S. soybean crop is rated 63 percent good to excellent, down about 10 points from a month ago. The balance of the crop is rated 26 percent fair and 11 percent poor to very poor.
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Each Weekday- Listen to Cotton Talk!
For our farmers who have either- always have had cotton on their farms- or those who have more recently have added the fiber crop to their operations- we have a new daily report starting to be heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk- and we appreciate the Oklahoma Cotton Council for their support in making this a reality.
Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network weekdays-
if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click below for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays and KC Sheperd on RON.
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CARES Act Stimulus Payments Could Be Helping Increase Beef Demand Says KSU's Dr. Glynn Tonsor |
Coronavirus stimulus payments could be helping boost beef demand says Dr. Glynn Tonsor, K-State livestock market economist.
Dr. Tonsor studies meat demand with regular monthly consumer surveys. Half of the surveys focus on retail and half on food service.
Tonsor said his August study showed demand for six of the eight beef cuts with mixed results as demand of only four of the eight cuts were up.
Demand for ribeye steaks were down in the food service sector while ground beef was up in the retail, Tonsor said.
Interestingly, in the August survey Tonsor asked consumers if they have received a CARES Act payment and 85 percent said yes.
Many of the respondents said it did not impact their food and meat spending, but 23 percent said it did increase their meat consumption.
We’re a population of 33 million people so 23 percent is still a lot of people, Tonsor said.
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Sponsor Spotlight
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau - a grassroots organization that has for its Mission Statement- “Improving the Lives of Rural Oklahomans." Farm Bureau, as the state's largest general farm organization, is active at the State Capitol fighting for the best interests of its members and working with other groups to make certain that the interests of rural Oklahoma are protected. Click here for their website to learn more about the organization and how it can benefit you to be a part of Farm Bureau.
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The U.S. Census records data about people in out nation. It takes place every 10 years. Our hospitals, schools, senior centers, and police and fire departments get money based off the Census. More Oklahomans counted means more money for the things that help make our state great.
The Census affects voting as well. State and federal districts are set by the Census count. If everyone in our area isn’t counted, we won’t have as strong of a voice in the state and U.S. capitals for the next 10 years.
The Census takes less than 15 minutes online or by phone. It has 12 simple questions. By law, your data isn’t shared with anyone except the Census Bureau.
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NPPC Hosts Legislative Action Conference; COVID Relief, Foreign Animal Disease Prevention Among Top Issues |
A COVID-relief package that includes much-needed assistance to hog farmers in crisis and foreign animal disease prevention top the list of five critical issues at the National Pork Producers Council’s (NPPC) Legislative Action Conference (LAC) this week. Pork producers from across the country are gathering virtually to address these and other issues with lawmakers. Among LAC speakers will be House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.), and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Burke Healey.
“The considerable economic contributions of a highly competitive, innovative U.S. pork production system, as well as the livelihoods of thousands of hog farmers, are at risk without effective solutions to multiple challenges facing our producers,” said NPPC President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wis. “U.S. pork producers are already suffering considerable losses due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and cannot afford another catastrophic blow should African swine fever (ASF) or other foreign animal diseases enter our country.”
Last week, Germany reported its first case of ASF in a wild boar. The swine-only disease continues to spread in parts of Europe and Asia, and the United States needs to remain vigilant to ensure ASF and other animal and plant diseases don’t enter the country.
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Dr. Derrell Peel on How the Beef Trade Shock Waves Continue |
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 talks about how the beef trade shock wave continues.
The dramatic beef production disruptions in the second quarter continued to be reflected in the latest data for July. Beef exports, which dropped 31 percent year over year in May and 33 percent in June, increased sharply from June to July but remained 8 percent lower year over year. The weekly data suggests that exports continued to recover in August, likely up year over year.
July beef exports to Japan were down just 2.0 percent year over year and remain 4.3 percent higher for the year to date through July. Beef exports to South Korea were down 3.9 percent year over year in July and are down 6.8 percent for the year to date. Japan and South Korea are the two largest beef export markets and represent 54.4 percent of total beef exports for the first seven months of 2020. Canada is now the number three beef export market with July exports up 10.7 percent year over year and year to date exports up 11.8 percent. Mexico has dropped to number four with exports down 51.7 percent in July compared to last year and down 39.8 percent so far in 2020. Beef exports to Hong Kong were up 14.7 percent in July but are down 5.0 percent for the year to date. July exports to Taiwan were up 8.5 percent year over year but are down 4.7 percent for the year through July. Hong Kong and Taiwan each represent 6.7 percent shares of total year to date beef exports. Beef exports to China in July were up 125.9 percent over last year and are up 81.5 percent year over year for the year to date. China represents 1.6 percent of total beef exports so far in 2020.
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Robert E. McKnight on How Cow-Calf Producers Need better Price Discovery |
In an Editorial for the Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Robert E. McKnight writes about how Cow-calf producers need better price discovery. See below.
For too long, cow-calf producers across the nation have marketed our cattle with one hand tied behind our back. The culprit has been an ever-growing lack of price discovery.
In the free market, accurate pricing of a commodity depends upon the free flow of information up and down the supply chain. While beef consumers will always drive long-term demand, the economic reality is that packers drive the short-term demand for cattle.
The shift towards value-based marking has brought improvements in consumer demand and supply chain efficiency. However, it has also significantly hampered the process of price discovery. For many years, the industry has struggled to develop a solution that preserves the benefits of value-based marketing while generating enough negotiated trade to have robust price discovery.
NOTE- McKnight offers this editorial as his organization prepares to meet virtually today and tomorrow- details of that meeting are available here.
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2020 NFU Fall Legislative Fly-In – AFR/OFU Monday Briefing |
American Farmers & Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union (AFR/OFU) delegates experienced a successful first day of the 2020 National Farmers Union (NFU) Fall Legislative Fly-In Sept. 14. Participants lobbied virtually on behalf of the AFR/OFU membership.
AFR/OFU delegates met one-on-one with member of the House Ag Committee Rep. Trent Kelly’s (R-Miss.) legislative team via videoconference. During the call, they highlighted the challenges our nation’s farmers, ranchers and rural citizens face as they attempt to wade through and recover from Covid-19.
On the farming front, AFR/OFU delegates hit hard on Covid-19 funding issues. These included underwhelming or nonexistent CFAP (Coronavirus Food Assistance Program) payments and the great need for Small Business Administration (SBA) loan requirements to be loosened for agricultural producers who had experienced negative returns in recent years. Concerns were also voiced over a need to strengthen the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) system to ensure local FSA offices are truly local to the majority of agricultural producers.
Click on the Button below to read more of what the delegates were doing during their virtual travels to our Nation's Capitol.
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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.
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Today's First Look:
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
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Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices were mixed on Monday- Choice Beef down $2.68 per hundred while Select Beef was up 66 cents.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had 9,100 head on Monday-
Compared to the last sale 2 weeks ago: Feeder steers and heifers 4.00-8.00 higher. Demand good but many conditions are in the buyers favor. Weaned calves selling mostly steady to firm, however most of the un-weaned calves selling at a sharp discount. Supply did include some reputation brand un-weaned calves and these sold to very good demand. It is only mid September but we are already seeing temperatures more typical of October with warm days and cool damp nights.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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Joplin Regional Stockyards reported 6,075 cattle for their Monday sale-
No sale last week due to the Labor Day holiday, compared to two weeks ago, steers under 450 lbs steady to 3.00 higher, 450 to 700 lbs steady to 3.00 lower, heifers under 700 lbs steady to 5.00 lower, yearlings over 700 lbs steady to 3.00 higher.
Click below to check the full report.
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Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures - click below for the latest update on the Livestock and Grain Futures Trade..
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Okla Cash Grain:
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture- The report available after the close of the Futures Trade for that day.
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Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor
KC Sheperd, Associate Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
Sam Knipp, Farm News Editor
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
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Rural Oklahoma is full of some of the greatest success stories throughout the entire state and are a main reason Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity will dive into these stories each week bringing you insight into the great things happening in and to rural Oklahoma. We will bring you stories covering rural life, agriculture, energy, healthcare, tourism and politics all affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
It's fall and there is no better time than right now to check out the many venues in Oklahoma that offer great Agritourism adventures. KC Sheperd talks with Micaela Danker- who coordinates the AgriTourism efforts of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture- and they discuss the chances to enjoy Pumpkin Patches, horseback riding, and Corn Mazes and more across Oklahoma in the fall season of 2020.
Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by PSO- the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
To find out more about our full series of Podcasts on The Road to Rural Prosperity- click or tap here.
To hear this Podcast you can click here or tap below:
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, AFR/OFU, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma Cotton Council, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma 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 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.
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God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
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Tim West
President/General Manager
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
2401 Exchange Avenue,
Suite F
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
405.317.6361
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Ron Hays
Director of Farm Programming
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
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