Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Michael Kesley joined me in studio yesterday to talk about the association's ongoing efforts to help cattlemen that have suffered damages to their operations as a result of the fires that have scorched much of the Northwestern part of the state. Kelsey pledged the full and unrelenting support of the OCA to these victims as they pick up the pieces. He promises that within 90 days, OCA will begin paying out 100 percent of the relief funds they've collected.

"We're going to get that done so they can start recovering their lives," Kelsey insisted. "This is a yearlong recovery process and we're committed to be there with them through the entire process in whatever way we can."

The outpouring of folks donating their time, money and resources to help the victims of these fires has been quite incredible, Kesley contends.

"That's so typical of the cattle and agricultural community," Kelsey remarked. "You take it for granted until you see it in action."

Be sure to catch Kelsey and I this weekend on KWTV News9 in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m. for our In the Field segment, or you can listen to my off-camera interview with Kelsey right now, by clicking or tapping here.


MEANWHILE- we got word through Michael Kelsey that the Woodward Livestock Auction raised $91,000 for the wildfire relief effort- this on their regular auction sale day(Yesterday)

 
The four species shown at the Oklahoma Youth Expo converged on the floor of the State Fair Arena last night- and after a limo ride, a red carpet to walk, names called and fireworks seen- the breed and division champions competed for the right to lead off the Sale of Champions that happens at 4:00 PM today.

The Grand Champion Steer is a Chianina by the name of Yogi- his young owner is Tommy Glover of the Elgin 4-H- who told me after Yogi was picked as the top steer and won the right to be the first critter to sell at 4 PM today that he has been showing all his life- 12 years.



Here is Tommy Glover shaking hands as he is congratulated by Steer Judge Shane Bedwell of the American Hereford Association.

The Reserve Grand Champion Steer was the Crossbred- shown by Seth Tucker of Lindsay FFA.

The other Grands and Reserves:

Grand Champion Barrow- Hampshire Champ shown by Adison Thompson of Noble 4-H
Reserve- Reserve Hamp shown by Faith Palmer of McCurtain County 4-H

Grand Champion Lamb- the top Crossbred shown by Lydia Straka of Yukon FFA
Reserve- Champion Natural Color- Shown by Kamden Urban of Mt. View- Gotebo FFA

Grand Champion Market Goat- Bree Taylor of Kingfisher FFA
Reserve Grand Champion Goat- Coda Oiler of Garber FFA

Our coverage of the OYE is a service of ITC, your Ernegy Superhighway!

LATE BREAKING!!!!!  Here is the link to the Sale of Champions Sale Order PDF- Click or tap here.

I have been told by OYE staff that the steer donated by the Senator Eddie Fields Family will be sold to raise funds for ranchers who have youth that are a part of the OYE Show Family will be sold right after the Bronze Medalion Goat.- that steer could raise upwards of fifty thousand dollars to help youth in those wildfire impacted areas have the funds to have a livestock project this coming year.

Stories on the Grand Champions will be on our website later today as well.

 
Longtime Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) Board Member Bob Funk announced during the grand drive at of the Oklahoma Youth Expo, held Thursday evening, that he and his family would be donating $5 million to help establish an endowment for the organization, to help generate operating expenses for the show to continue on into the future.

Once fully funded at ten million dollars, the endowment is expected to generate $500,000 to $600,000 a year in interest and will be used to help meet the organization's expenses throughout the year. A fund raising campaign is now in the early planning stages to raise a matching five million dollars that has been pledged by the Funk family.

I talked with Mr. Funk about his hopes that would result in an income stream that would assure the future of the OYE for the next 100 years- click or tap here to read more and to listen to our visit right after the Grand Drive last night at State Fair Park.

President Donald Trump and his administration received the praise of executives from 11 of the major organizations in the agribusiness sector after engaging in a substantive and productive meeting earlier this week. The focus of this meeting rested on talks to preserve the major benefits of NAFTA to the sector while seeking further improvements to modernize the 23-year-old accord, as well as to reinvigorate trade negotiations with important U.S. agricultural trading partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

"It is clear from this meeting and other interactions that the Trump administration understands and intends to pursue expansion of U.S. food and agriculture exports which contribute to U.S. manufacturing, job creation and economic growth," the groups said following the meeting. "We are committed to offering substantive proposals and ideas, and look forward to further opportunities to work with the administration and its trade team as they develop specific strategies for engaging in trade negotiations with our most important trading partners."

It's worth noting that 95 percent of agriculture's potential customers live beyond US borders, and creates more than $423 billion in annual economic activity for the US. Click here for details highlighted in the complete version of this story.

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is extremely disappointed that President Donald Trump's Fiscal Year 2018 budget request includes a 21 percent cut to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Many of USDA's voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs are crucial to promoting the wise and responsible use of natural resources in this country.

"Without USDA conservation programs, America's farmers, ranchers, and communities won't have the resources or assistance they need to keep our soils healthy, our water clean, and our wildlife abundant," said NACD President Brent Van Dyke. "We look forward to the president releasing a more thorough budget in the coming weeks and will continue to work with Congress to ensure strong funding."

The president's budget calls for "reducing staffing in USDA's Service Center Agencies" - a cut that would prevent thousands of rural communities across America from accessing services like conservation planning assistance.

Click here to read more on the NACD reaction to President Trump's first federal budget proposal.

Beef is looking pretty good right now, with a strong rally recently in boxed beef wholesale trade, plus export numbers are in for January and Jim Robb of the Livestock Marketing Information Center, tells me this year has kicked off to a great start.


With cattle slaughter up 6.3 percent for the week and beef production up 8.1 percent, "We're very current in our feedlot situation, but it is a bit of a surprise. That last fall was really a struggle for the markets to adapt."


Nonetheless, Robb contends that the demand profile, both domestic and foreign, has been very positive.


"But we have to remember that this is the time of the year," he hesitated, "typically March, April and May is the peak of the fed cattle market."


Still, Robb cites macro-economic data from consumers remains robust and people are buying lots of steaks, a good indication of strength in the markets, which are currently riding a rally spurred by positive attitudes toward Trump.


Listen to Robb and I discuss the meat market's strong demand for beef and what's contributing to this rally, on yesterday's Beef Buzz- click here.

The 2017 Legislative Showmanship was already a success before the Governor of Oklahoma walked down the ramp into the State Fair Arena- but an extra measure of excitment came in with Governor Mary Fallin as she mixed with the crowd, brought greetings and in general, gushed and bragged about the tremendous young people that surrounded her.

I had the chance to speak with the Governor during her visit to the show which I can quote her describing OYE as "one of the state's most impressive and important programs for our youth in the state of Oklahoma."

The Governor acknowledged the impact ag youth programs have in our farming communities statewide saying, "We're teaching our young folks how to carry on the family tradition."

Touching briefly on the wildfire situation that has seemed to be more under control now, Fallin praised the efforts of the firefighters and the citizens of Oklahoma who have come together to help out our neighbors near the Panhandle.

"It's been a devastating time for a lot our farmers and ranchers," Fallin empathized. "But, I'm always proud of the response that Oklahomans give to families who are in need."

You can listen to the Governor's full remarks about both OYE and the fire situation wrapping up in Northwest Oklahoma, by clicking here.