Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 5/1/2017 6:39 AM
To: ron@ronhays.com



 
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network weekdays- if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click here for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays on RON.
 

  
Let's Check the Markets!  
 
   
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
  
  
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futuresclick or tap here for the report posted yesterday afternoon around 3:30 PM.
 
  
Okla Cash Grain:  
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture on Friday, April 28th.
  
  
Futures Wrap:  
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network - analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day.
  
Feeder Cattle Recap:  
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
  
Slaughter Cattle Recap: 
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by the USDA.
  
TCFA Feedlot Recap:  
Finally, here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.
  


  
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
  
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor

Carson Horn, Associate Farm Director and Editor
  
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
  
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production

Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News
 
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
   Monday, May 1, 2017
 
Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 
Featured Story:

Over the weekend, Jeff Jaronek, coordinator of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation, joined me on our In the Field segment to promote the Foundation's efforts to provide relief funding for ranchers in Northwest Oklahoma that suffered loss from the March wildfires. Jaronek says the Foundation wants to help as many people as possible and is encouraging anyone, regardless the size of loss, to apply for funding before the May 1 deadline. Click or tap here for a copy of the simple, one-page application, which can be submitted by email or by mail, if postmarked today.


In fact, the Foundation's fundraising efforts have greatly exceeded expectations, Jaronek says. 


"We were just ecstatic to get $100,00... $200,000 and it has just grown since then," he said. "Right now, we're setting between $1 and $1.1 million, but we have surpassed the $1 million mark and it's still growing."


Likewise, the in-kind donations of hay, feed, fencing supplies and volunteer help has come into the state in droves as well. Jaronek is hesitant to even assign a dollar value to the amount of supplies that has been donated. But even so, dealing with the sheer magnitude of the devastation, Jaronek says there is still a lot of work to be done.


"Everybody's loss is different and every loss is significant to that individual or family," Jaronek said. "A million dollars sounds like a lot but when we're considering the amount of damage, the amount of devastation - a million dollars just doesn't go very far."


Nonetheless, the generosity of our neighbors from in and out of state has continued to be a source of hope to these victims in this trying time.


You can read more about the ongoing work by the Foundation to aid the ranchers of Northwest Oklahoma, or listen to my off-camera interview with Jaronek, by clicking here.

Sponsor Spotlight
 

 
It's great to have the Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards as a sponsor for our daily email.  The eight Commission firms at the Stockyards make up the exchange- and they are committed to work hard to get you top dollar when you consign your cattle with them.  They will present your cattle to the buyers gathered each Monday or Tuesday at one of the largest stocker and feeder cattle auctions in the world.
 
Click here for a complete list of the Commission firms that make up the Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards- still the best place to sell your cattle- and at the heart of Stockyards City, where you can go around the corner enjoy a great steak and shop for the very best in western wear

WeatherFrom Blzzard to Record Flooding- Oklahoma's Weather Has Got You Covered
 
The Oklahoma Panhandle, along with western Kansas and parts of the Texas Panhandle have been slammed with as much as a foot of snow(recorded at Boise City) and blizzard like conditions- not good for either the feedlots in the region, the beef cattle herds or the winter wheat that was ahead of normal development.

From Sunday morning, here's the winter wonderland Tweet from Brad Lyle of Hitch Enterprises in the Oklahoma Panhandle.

Meanwhile, a bunch of the state got lots and lots of rain-




There is quite a line of rainfall totals over three inches from Bessie to Miami- and then the even heavier line of rains of four and five inches up to seven inches in eastern Oklahoma- two locations- Tahlequah and Webbers Falls- topped seven inches of rain since this past Friday morning.

Flooding is widespread in those eastern counties- the Illinois River may crest two feet above the previous record high- Michael Grogan of News on 6 tweeted this morning "The Illinois River near Tahlequah will crest late tonight just below the record level. It'll be a quick drop below flood stage by Tue AM."

You can catch up on the flood news in eastern Oklahoma by jumping over to News on 6 in Tulsa by clicking or tapping here.

Finally- we need to be praying for those who are picking up the pieces this morning in and around Canton, Texas- five are reported dead as tornadoes torn thru the town that is well known for one of the largest flea markets in the country- their First Monday Trade Days that are actually held on the weekend preceding the first Monday of each month. (which means the storms came in on the weekend of Trade Days)



The fires that burned across Oklahoma a few months ago, took a toll on everyone involved. Some of those often forgot in times of crisis are the people that step up to save the day. The firefighters that battled these fires for weeks should certainly not be forgotten for their work and sacrifice. American Farmers & Ranchers has made sure of this, pledging $200,000 to the rural fire departments that tirelessly worked to bring those devastating fires under control.


"Words cannot express the appreciation AFR Insurance has for fire departments' efforts in protecting lives and property during the tragic March wildfires," Justin Cowan, CEO, AFR Insurance, said.


"Funds for Fire Fighters - AFR Answers the Call," as the event is being called, will provide each of the fire departments with a $1,500 check with hopes of offsetting some of the expenses incurred during this incident.


The checks will be presented during an invitation only luncheon, held in honor and appreciation of the fire fighters.


"We want to honor the dedication and sacrifices made by these courageous fire fighters, many of whom had to leave their own property while fighting to protect their neighbor's property," Terry Detrick, AFR president, said.


Check out AFR's original announcement of this donation on our website, by clicking here.
BUZZMarket Economist Glynn Tonsor Explains How Social Pressures are Shaping Today's Beef Industry

Used to, the main concerns consumers had when it came to the beef products they purchased was having a consistently great eating experience and knowing they were serving their families a safe, wholesome meal. Today, that is still true but now consumers also are concerned about how beef is raised - organically or traditionally, is it grass fed? Is it all natural? The list goes on. Livestock Market Economist Glynn Tonsor told me that the industry needs to be paying attention to these concerns and making sure it is doing a good job responding to questions.


"Society in general is increasingly shaping how meat is produced," he said. "They're doing it in different ways. Anybody that's on the supply side of that story needs to be cognizant of that, because at the extreme, you can have mandates put upon you that you need to be aware of."


Tonsor says collectively, the public is making these mandates one of two ways. Either through the things they buy, or through the pressures put onto the consumer. He explains that society as a whole, as it develops with ideas and trends, influences the purchasing decisions of the consumer through this "relational pressure." Society has staged a recent trend to become aware of sustainability and production practices on farms and ranches, for example. In turn, this has caused consumers to question the way in which their food is raised and cared for, and how ranchers manage their operations. While many in this part of the country, here in the heartland may consider themselves traditionalists, probably opting to buy their meat based on the quality of taste, safety and price, Tonsor says the rest of the consumer base may not think the same way.


"While that can be very frustrating to livestock producers, and I fully appreciate that," Tonsor said, "that doesn't change the fact that's the way it is now in the US and you have got to keep in mind that the bulk of the product that is consumed is where the people are. And most of the people are on the coast."


Listen to Tonsor and I discuss the way society is shaping the beef industry today, on Friday's Beef Buzz - click here.

Over the last few weeks, we've brought you the contestants who are competing for the State Star awards, being awarded at the Oklahoma State FFA Convention. Today, in our final spotlight of the Oklahoma FFA District Stars, I'd like to present Colt Cunningham of the Locust Grove FFA Chapter, the Northwest District's Star Farmer.


With his father on the road more often than not, providing for his family as an auctioneer, Cunningham says he's had to pull his weight to help keep the family homestead running. In doing this, Cunningham has learned a great deal about life, work and what it takes to be successful with the LimFlex herd he has built.


"A lot of responsibility has fallen on me to become better at decision making and being more dependable on my own," he confided, describing his experience growing his operation. "I had to just learn how to take care of stuff on my own and handle situations and get it done right. I haven't always been able to turn to somebody else - I've had to learn to become pretty self-dependent."


Click or tap here to read more- and to have a chance to listen to our visit with Colt during the judging of the State Stars a couple of weeks ago.

Our salute of the 2017 District Stars of the Oklahoma FFA is brought to you by American Farmers & Ranchers, proud to support Oklahoma's youth. Visit the AFR website by clicking or tapping here to learn more on how AFR supports the young people of Oklahoma, and how AFR can provide you with quality insurance for your home, auto, farm, and life.

As we mentioned above- Colt is the 20th of the 20 District Stars that we have profiled for you- click here for our Blue Green Gazette Page to look back over these high achieving FFA members who will be recognized this week at the 2017 State Convention of the Oklahoma FFA.


Sponsor Spotlight

 
We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update. On both the state and national levels, full-time staff members serve as a "watchdog" for family agriculture producers, mutual insurance company members and life company members.

Click here to go to their AFR website to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

FarmCreditFarm Credit of Western Oklahoma Celebrates the Grand Opening of Its New Tuttle Branch Facility

On Friday, the agricultural community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma's new branch office facility in Tuttle. American Farmers & Rancher, Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association were among the organizations represented there, including too, State Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese, who offered greetings and congratulations to the association on its expansion. Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma President and CEO John Grunewald was on hand to speak with me about the event and the significance behind it.


"We're proud to be in the Tuttle area," he said. "This is our first branch in this area. We moved a branch in a temporary office down here three years ago, and since then we've grown almost $30 million. The board of directors of Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma made the decision to expand and build a new facility in this area."


Built with the community in mind with ample meeting space available to ag groups for meetings and teaching opportunities, this new location is a testament to the success Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma brings to its patrons. 


"When I first started working in Western Oklahoma, actually at Clinton, we had around $18 million in loan volume," Grunewald recounted. "Today, we have nearly $850 million in loan volume in Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma."


In total, he says the Farm Credit associations across the state have a collective $3 billion impact in Oklahoma.


Learn more about what Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma's new Tuttle branch facility has to offer, or listen in on my conversation with Grunewald at the grand opening, by clicking here.
Want to Have the Latest Energy News Delivered to Your Inbox Daily?
 

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

 


Last week, Farm Policy Facts authored an op-ed piece about a new website launched in partnership with several organizations from the ag industry. Described as a "clearinghouse of information," this website was designed to bring to light the important impact ag exportation has on the US economy.


With recent upsets regarding trade for the ag industry, like the near withdrawl from NAFTA by the Trump administration last week, this website was created with the hopes it will help foster an understanding of how imperative strong and ever-expanding trade relations are to the ag sector and how it contributes to the whole economic health of the country as well.


"All told, farm exports account for $340 billion in economic activity and support more than a million jobs, according to  Agexportscount.com, a new industry-sponsored clearinghouse of information on the value of U.S. agricultural goods abroad," Farm Policy Facts writes.


"The site offers resources including reports on the economic impact of USDA's Export Market Development Program. It also features success stories from across the world in an interactive map.


"Click on a pinpoint and you can learn about agricultural trade markets from Jakarta to Atlanta, Georgia.


"The site makes a case for supporting agricultural exports as American farmers continue to suffer from low commodity prices."


Continue reading and learn more about this new website built to educate the public on ag exportation, on our website, by clicking here
FFACongrats to State Champions Selected in Stillwater for Oklahoma FFA

 

 

We don't have all the winners from Friday and Saturday at the FFA Interscholastics Contests- but wanted to salute several of the teams that won their category and are State Champs- to be so honored this week in Oklahoma City at the 2017 State FFA Convention- Winners include:

 

Livestock Judging- Vinita FFA won by a single point over Kingfisher and El Reno who 2112 points- Kingfisher takes second and El Reno Third

 

Meats- Kingfisher

 

Ag Communications- Elgin

 

Ag Mechanics- Elgin

 

Agronomy- Kingfisher

 

Dairy- Perkins Tryon

 

Electricity- Spiro

 

Environmental Science- Natural Resources- Byng

 

Farm and Ag Business- Amber Pocasset

 

Floriculture- Kingfisher

 

Forestry- Fairland

 

Milk Quality- Seminole

 

Nursery- Byng

 

Poultry- Watts

 

Soil and Water Quality- Ok Union

 

Vet Sciences- Weatherford

 

Click here for the Judging Card details for all of the contests except Livestock and Meats (teams and indivduals) and click here for the Meats and Livestock Judging- which also has the Junior and Senior 4-H contest held over the weekend as well. 

 

Those top teams for 4-H Livestock and Meats judging include:

 

4-H Senior Livestock Judging- Mayes County

 

4-H Junior Livestock Judging- Grady County- Alex

 

4-H Senior Meats Judging- Porter

 

4-H Junior Meats Judging- Payne County

 

 

 

 

 

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentAmerican Farmers & Ranchers, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Oklahoma Farm BureauStillwater Milling CompanyOERBOklahoma AgCreditthe 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 also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.   

 Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com  

 


 

God Bless! You can reach us at the following:  

 

phone: 405-473-6144
 


 




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