Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Congressman Frank Lucas Optimistic The 117th Congressional Session Will Have Some Good In It
- One Year Later-- Phase One Trade Deal with China Producing Results for U.S. Wheat
- Latest Cattle on Feed Report Shows Higher Than Expected Placements
- Beef Alliance Announces First-Ever Startup Challenge
- OCA Follows an Old Adage I Heard Paul Hitch Say More Than Once- Policy is Made By Those Who Show Up
- Alfalfa Best Practices Survey Available Now from OSU
- Thompson Welcomes Ag GOP Committee Members Recommended by Steering Committee for the 117th Congress
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Growth Energy CEO at IRFA Summit: New Opportunities on the Horizon for Biofuels
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Congressman Lucas Optimistic The 117th Congressional Session Will Have Some Good in it |
U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) is brimming with optimism as the new Congressional session gets underway.
Maybe that’s because his other job as a farmer and rancher requires a healthy dose of optimism!
I interviewed Lucas yesterday afternoon about his optimistic approach despite the myriad of sometimes negative news and events coming out of Washington, D.C.
After what we went through in the final part of the last session of Congress, Covid-19, storming the Capitol, an inaugural with an audience of 25,000 National Guard troops, it is hard to imagine how the rest of 2021-22 could be any more complicated, Lucas said.
Like every wheat farmer, I put seed in the ground hoping for a good crop and I am optimistic we’re going to do something good in the 117th session of Congress, Lucas said.
A closely divided U.S. House and Senate has created a whole new set of dynamics, Lucas said.
The only reason that Chuck Schumer of New York is the majority leader of the Senate now instead of Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is because the Vice President of the U.S. will have to come to the Senate every morning and decides there are 51 Democrat votes as opposed to 50 Republican votes, Lucas said.
We talk politics and policies- including several items that impact the cattle producers of our state and nation- we spent about 20 minutes with the Roger Mills County Rancher- and I think you'll enjoy taking a listen- it's available by clicking on the button below.
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Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April. (held in June 2020 earlier this year- due to COVID 19)
After a lot of deliberation, Midwest has decided to also reschedule the Tulsa Farm Show from December to February 25, 26 and 27, 2021.
Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the upcoming Tulsa Farm Show. To learn more about the Tulsa Farm Show, click here.
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One Year Later-- Phase One Trade Deal with China Producing Results for U.S. Wheat |
Dalton Henry, USW Vice President of Policy writes in the latest article of USWHEAT.org about the Phase one Trade Deal with China.
Just over a year ago, on Jan. 15, 2020, the U.S.-China “Phase One” agreement was signed, leading to the eventual waiver of China’s retaliatory tariffs against U.S. agricultural products. Those actions opened the door again to the largest wheat consumer in the world after nearly two years in which U.S. wheat producers were all but shut out. While the final results of the Phase One agreement will not be written for several months, early returns show the agreement paid off in a big way for U.S. wheat producers and their Chinese customers.
The Phase One agreement contained both specific purchase targets for agricultural commodities, and structural changes to China’s import systems. To date, much of the celebration and criticism has centered on the purchase targets — with very little attention paid to the structural changes that in some instance resolved disputes decades in the making.
One dispute of relevance to wheat had been at the center of a WTO case dating back to 2015 on China’s administration of their grain tariff rate quotas (TRQ). In a case the U.S. won in mid-2019, the WTO panel found that China had not administered the quota in such as way as to be “transparent, fair or predictable.” With the WTO case entering compliance at roughly the same time as Phase One agreement was being negotiated, U.S. negotiators included additional language in the agreement to build on the WTO case win and ensure eventual Chinese compliance. That language included stipulations making clear that Chinese “State Trading Enterprises” are subject to the same rules as private companies and specific transparency requirements to make it possible to evaluate Chinese compliance with the allocation and reallocation provisions that are so important to the proper functioning of their TRQ.
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Latest Cattle on Feed Report Shows Higher Than Expected Placements |
The latest USDA Cattle on Feed report shows slightly higher than expected placements but with little market impact, said Dr. Derrell Peel, OSU Extension livestock market economist.
The January report came in with placements in December at 101 percent of last year, Peel said.
Marketings were also 101 percent of last year. This leaves us with a January 1 on feed total that is exactly 101 percent of a year ago, he said.
This report was a little bit of a surprise as the placements number came in a little bigger than expected, Peel said. The average pre report for placements was 97 percent.
The market didn’t really react much to this report, Peel said.
The OSU economist said the report indicates we’re still on tract.
We know the feeder cattle pipeline is slowly getting smaller, he noted.
We’re not backed up though the carcass weights are a little bigger than normal, Peel said.
The upcoming cattle inventory report due out later this week could give more evidence for the direction of the cattle cycle, Peel said.
We’re trying to get an idea longer term where we are in the cattle cycle, Peel said, regarding what is happening to the beef cow herd.
This report will provide a state by state breakdown of the cow herd numbers.
State level impacts particularly in states where the drought has been a factor, will be part of our thought process going forward in coming months, he said.
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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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Beef Alliance Announces First-Ever Startup Challenge |
The Beef Alliance announces a new initiative, Feeding Innovation: The 2021 Startup Challenge. The Startup Challenge is a virtual pitch competition for innovators with solutions related to the cattle feeding industry.
The Beef Alliance is an organization of innovative, progressive and relevant cattle feeding companies. Through collaborative innovation, scientific exploration and value chain engagement, the Beef Alliance is committed to being a leader and catalyst for positive change in the beef supply chain. Beef Alliance members include Adams Land & Cattle, AgriBeef, Beef Marketing Group, Beef Northwest, Biegert Group, Cactus Feeders, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, Friona Industries and LaVaca Cattle Co.
“Central to the vision of the Beef Alliance is to be a trusted leader that drives positive change in the cattle feeding industry. We can’t achieve that vision sitting on the sidelines, and the Startup Challenge is an opportunity to step up and be a leader in our industry through supporting and driving innovation in cattle feeding,” said incoming Beef Alliance Chairman Scott Whitefoot. “This event aligns commitments to continuous improvement and enhanced transparency and stewardship in cattle feeding with an openness to new technologies that improve our ability to deliver a high-quality product to our customers and ultimately enable consumers to access high-quality beef.”
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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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Sponsor Spotlight
Established in 1905 as Oklahoma Farmers Union, AFR/OFU has been a champion for rural Oklahoma for more than 100 years. Today, the AFR/OFU Cooperative provides educational, legislative and cooperative programs across the state and AFR Insurance provides auto, home, farm and life insurance to both rural and urban Oklahomans.
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OCA Follows an Old Adage I Heard Paul Hitch Say More Than Once- Policy is Made By Those Who Show Up |
An old location but new venue greeted cattle producers as the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association met for their annual Winter Policy Conference on Tuesday at the Embassy Suites on Northwest Expressway in Oklahoma City. Hallway talk among those gathered had several long time members thinking back to the last time that the OCA had their annual meeting in the same building when it was the Marriott almost two decades ago.
Members heard from OCA staff on just a few of the thousands of bills that have been filed for the 2021 state legislative session that officially gets underway Monday February first. Among the bills that cattlemen will be watching is HB1970, which would allow cities and towns to collect Ad Valorem taxes and Senate Resolution 1 that could put the Senate on record saying that it's a food thing for the government to own land.
The group considered expiring resolutions from their policy list- and voted on several new policies as well- including Government Owned Land. OCA members approved language that puts the organization on record opposing state or federal agencies from acquiring additional land in Oklahoma- and to seek legislation or regulatory methods of making sure that government owned land is managed with accepted stewardship practices.
OCA also approved language that supports the development of local and regional beef packing facilities, working with private and/or public entities to get that accomplished.
It's my plan to sit down with OCA's Michael Kelsey to review these measures and more as a preview of the 2021 Legislative Session- hopefully later today.
We'll keep you advised..
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Alfalfa Best Practices Survey Available Now from OSU |
The Oklahoma State University Forage Group is conducting a survey to better identify the lack of educational and production tools for alfalfa producers across the state. To better identify these areas, they have designed a survey that asks producers basic production questions, such as typical yield and quality, common pest and weed issues, longevity of the stand, and other similar questions.
Producers' names and responses will remain anonymous but will aid in the development of extension materials and future research. All producers will receive the results of the survey, as well as an Oklahoma alfalfa cap, allowing them to see how their production compares to producers across the state.
Surveys can be completed over phone, through email, or online, depending on the producers' preference. The link to the survey can be found online at beef.okstate.edu. If you have any questions, please feel free to email alfalfasurvey@okstate.edu or call 405-744-9648.
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Thompson Welcomes Ag GOP Committee Members Recommended by Steering Committee for the 117th Congress |
Today, the Republican Steering Committee announced its recommendations of members to serve on the House Agriculture Committee. Following the announcement, Republican Leader Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement:
Any farm or ranch operation requires a strong and highly effective farm team, and agriculture policy is no different. I’m honored to welcome these fearless and qualified advocates to the House Agriculture Committee. The diverse expertise, backgrounds, and districts of our new and returning members will be a valuable asset as we work to restore a robust rural economy and begin crafting the next Farm Bill.”
The new Republican House Agriculture Committee Members are as follows:
Rep. Michelle Fischbach, MN
Rep. Tracey Mann, KS
Rep. Randy Feenstra, IA
Rep. Micheal Cloud, TX
Rep. Kat Cammack, FL
Rep. Barry Moore, AL
Rep. Mary Miller, IL
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Growth Energy CEO at IRFA Summit: New Opportunities on the Horizon for Biofuels |
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor delivered the keynote address at Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s Annual Iowa Renewable Fuel Virtual Summit. In her speech, Skor reviewed the successes and challenges faced by the ethanol industry over the last year and outlined the opportunities ahead in 2021 for the biofuels industry to work with a new Administration in Washington as a key voice on President Biden’s climate initiatives and rebuilding the rural economy.
Highlights from Skor’s remarks are available below, and her full speech as prepared for delivery is available here
On Working with the Biden Administration:
"...We look forward to working with this White House to ensure they keep those promises, and restore strength to the rural economy, while addressing our country’s climate goals. But President Biden will need to act swiftly and boldly to meet the current challenges facing rural communities. If he is successful, it will send an unmistakable signal that we have a sincere partner in the White House.”
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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 continue to go higher- Choice Beef was up $2.33 and Select Beef was up $1.12 on Tuesday January 26th
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had 12,000 head on Monday- their first day of trade for 2021..
Compared to the last sale on 12/14/20: Feeder steers 1.00-4.00 lower. Feeder heifers steady to 3.00 lower. Steer calves steady to 2.00 lower. Heifer calves steady to 3.00 higher. Demand light to moderate as cattle futures traded sharply lower today. Record snowfall hit on New Years and many wheat fields are extremely muddy as a result.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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OKC West in El Reno reported 2,000 head on Tuesday for their weekly calf run.
Compared to last Tuesday: Steer and heifer calves traded mostly steady. Demand moderate. Quality plain to average, few attractive. Moisture is in the forecast for the later in the week bringing either snow or rain.
Click on the button below for details of the trade as compiled by the USDA Market News Service.
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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 is the 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 affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
Oklahoma State University Junior Amarie Griffeth has a heart for people- and she tells Host KC Sheperd about a need she saw on campus in Stillwater to combat food insecurity. She was a part of a Task force- and out of that students came up with Pete’s Pantry, an anonymous way to help other students on campus needing a helping hand.
Amarie grew up in Cushing, Oklahoma- her dad is in the livestock marketing business, so she has grown up loving being involved in producing food- and she has discovered the joy of providing food to those in need as well. Today's Road Podcast is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and You.
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.
We also welcome Entz Auction as our Presenting Sponsor- check out their current listings by clicking here for their website.
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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