Yesterday, three executive orders were signed by our new President Donald Trump on his first full day in the Oval Office. Among those orders signed, one included Trump's command to formally withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. President Trump campaigned on the notion that under his administration, the US would no longer seek to negotiate bilateral trade agreements, but rather pursue deals that upheld the interest of American workers and stakeholders. His action on Monday is listed as the first step in his plan to secure better trade deals as outlined in an article about Trump's trade policy on the new White House website.

"For too long, Americans have been forced to accept trade deals that put the interests of insiders and the Washington elite over the hard-working men and women of this country. As a result, blue-collar towns and cities have watched their factories close and good-paying jobs move overseas, while Americans face a mounting trade deficit and a devastated manufacturing base.


"With a lifetime of negotiating experience, the President understands how critical it is to put American workers and businesses first when it comes to trade. With tough and fair agreements, international trade can be used to grow our economy, return millions of jobs to America's shores, and revitalize our nation's suffering communities.


"This strategy starts by withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and making certain that any new trade deals are in the interests of American workers. President Trump is committed to renegotiating NAFTA. If our partners refuse a renegotiation that gives American workers a fair deal, then the President will give notice of the United States' intent to withdraw from NAFTA.

While it has been said in the news media that Trump's policies are hard to nail down from the things he says, this outline seems to lay his thinking out rather obviously. He's checked off the first step, now we'll see how he progresses towards the next in his pursuit of the best deal for Americans.

"By fighting for fair but tough trade deals, we can bring jobs back to America's shores, increase wages, and support U.S. manufacturing," states the outline.

Click here to read more about President Trump's approach to negotiating the best trade deals for American enterprise.

As news broke yesterday of President Trump's executive order to scrap the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is seen as a vital trade agreement for the health of the US agricultural industry, members of the rural community spoke out voicing their concerns regarding this action.

Many are in agreement that Trump does not understand the importance of trade to the ag industry and the opportunities TPP presents for American producers, despite his insistence that this would be detrimental to US trade.

"Trade is something soybean farmers take very seriously. We export more than half the soy we grow here in the United States, and still more in the form of meat and other products that are produced with our meal and oil," said American Soybean Association President Ron Moore, who farms in Roseville, Ill. "The TPP held great promise for us, and has been a key priority for several years now. We're very disappointed to see the withdrawal today." Click here for his full statement.

"Sparking a trade war with Canada, Mexico, and Asia will only lead to higher prices for American-produced beef in those markets and put our American producers at a much steeper competitive disadvantage. The fact remains that 96 percent of the world's consumers live outside the United States, and expanding access to those consumers is the single best thing we can do to help American cattle-producing families be more successful," said NCBA President Tracy Brunner in a statement released yesterday. Click here to read the rest of it.

"While President Trump signed an executive order today withdrawing our nation from the Trans- Pacific Partnership, we viewed TPP as a positive agreement for agriculture - one that would have added $4.4 billion annually to our struggling agriculture economy. With this decision, it is critical that the new administration begin work immediately to do all it can to develop new markets for U.S. agricultural goods and to protect and advance U.S. agricultural interests in the critical Asia-Pacific region," said American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. Read his full remarks by clicking here.

In the latest edition of the Cow/Calf Corner newsletter, Dr. Derrell Peel of OSU, examines the various situations among leading beef exporting nations that he believes will contribute to a dynamic international marketplace for some time to come.

"Global beef exports are expected to increase year over year in 2017 with growth in several major beef exporting countries supported by growing production in most cases. However, the situations vary among beef exporting countries and market conditions will keep international markets dynamic for the foreseeable future. Beef exports from the top four exporting countries (Brazil, India, Australia and the U.S.) are projected in 2017 to account for 73 percent of total exports from the top ten beef exporting countries.

"Brazil and India, with roughly equal beef export totals, are projected to lead the world in beef exports in 2017. Both countries are experiencing growing production and growing international market demand and access.

"Australia has slipped to the number three beef exporting country as the extended herd liquidation through 2015 (which resulted in temporarily higher exports in 2014 and 2015) is now resulting in reduced beef production and exports. Low cattle inventories, combined with herd rebuilding on better forage conditions, will suppress beef production and exports in 2017 and beyond. Australia has enjoyed expanded beef market access in China and most recently began shipping live cattle to China as well.

"The U.S. will maintain its rank as the number four beef exporting country in 2017. Beef exports increased in 2016 (after dropping in 2015) as production increased and beef prices dropped from record levels. Improved beef exports are projected for 2017 despite the headwind of a continued strong dollar.

However, with Trump's decision to back out of TPP and perhaps NAFTA before too long, major disruption could happen, leaving the US at a disadvantage in the global marketplace until a different agreement has been reached.

Read more of Dr. Peel's thoughts on the dynamics of the 2017 global beef trade as described in his article, by clicking here.

Monday, HumaneWatch.org, a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, announced a national commercial targeting the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The ad, titled "Would You?," airs on the Fox News Channel and asks viewers whether they would give to a "humane society" that runs zero pet shelters or that paid millions of their donors contributions to settle a racketeering lawsuit.

The Humane Society of the United States is not affiliated with local humane societies that care for homeless pets. In fact, HSUS does not run a single pet shelter. In 2014, HSUS settled a racketeering lawsuit for nearly $11 million after it was caught paying a witness who lied in federal court. HSUS was also subject of a "consumer alert" and civil investigative demands issued by Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt that year.


"The Humane Society of the United States raises over $100 million a year. Surveys show much of that money is given based on the confusion that it's a legitimate, mainstream pet group," said Will Coggin, managing director of the Center for Consumer Freedom. "Animal lovers should send their donations to local shelters, not to a group that's gone to the dogs."

Fro your chance to watch the video exposing HSUS being launched by the CCF, click here.

For beef producers, this may be a year of potential profitability, so I have been told by Jim Robb of the Livestock Marketing Information Center.

"I think we're very close to black ink. We've had a very solid rally in the cash live cattle market," Robb remarked, adding that, "Calves and yearlings have followed along suit."


That rally, which has sustained since early December, has been very beneficial for the industry, says Robb. With prices in both feeder cattle and feed commodities down, he expects to see a consistent flow of "black ink" into the cattle feeding sector as early as February. He says modest year-over-year declines in prices will still likely occur in 2017 and into 2018, but assures barring any unforeseen complications, the markets should not experience the 30 percent drops like those that happened last year.

According to Robb, this will all happen as both pork and poultry markets deal with slower rates of growth in their industry this year, easing the pressures of competition from a beef standpoint.

Get more of Robb's insight on the beef market projections for this year by listening to our full conversation on yesterday's Beef Buzz. Click here.

Andy Bennett, a resource conservationist with USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service spoke with our own Carson Horn, RON associate farm director, last week at the Central Oklahoma Soil Heath seminar. Bennett was there to discuss some of the changes being made this year to the Conservation Stewardship Program which he says brings more flexibility to enrolled producers who can now customize their programs to fit their particular operation rather than trying to fit the national standard.

"This is one of the advantages that we have in the new CSP is we're able to both modify the enhancements that we use, to make them more applicable to Oklahoma conditions," Bennett said. "Now, we have a lot more flexibility to adapt that process to make sure it reflects Oklahoma conditions and what Oklahoma producers are doing."


Bennett advises those interested in enrolling, to consult with their district conservationist at their local NRCS office to walk them through the different options that best suit their operations in the application process. Those applications to enroll for the 2017 CSP are due February 3rd.

For more tips about the 2017 CSP and how to get enrolled, listen to Carson's full conversation with Bennett, or continue reading by clicking here.

The American Farmers & Ranchers Women's Cooperative is encouraging young rural women leaders to attend the Oklahoma Grow, an event for young women, Jan. 27, at the Oklahoma State University Student Union.


The one-day conference is hosted by FarmHer, which states on its website, the event will help young women to be informed, inspired and encouraged to pursue their passion for agriculture through their future careers as professionals and producers. 

Other speakers include Amberly Snyder, a barrel racer and inspirational speaker, who has been a role model for younger women in agriculture. The event begins with registration and breakfast at 7:30.

For more information on the meeting and how to get registered, click here.