There's Black Friday- and then Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday- and finally- Giving Tuesday!

It's a day that has risen up to help remind all of us of the groups that exist because we choose to support them- some of them may be a public-private partnership and others might be a totally private institution- but on GIVING TUESDAY- I would hope you would remember those groups that have mattered in your life or in the life of your family.

While there are literally dozens of groups that you can support with your financial resources- there are three in state I might point you to- and that I have supported in the past and plan to support here in 2017.

First- the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program.  OALP is closing in on five hundred graduates since Class One wrapped up in the early 1980s.  Class XVIII is in year two of their curriculum right now- and will be involved in their International Travel Experience in early 2018- traveling to Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

You can support OALP by jumping on the Oklahoma State University Foundation website- OSUGiving- and in the search box on the front page- type in either 21-35700 or "Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Fund" and follow the directions to submite your gift.  For alums- your gift will be matched by the Noble Research Institute up to a max of $20,000.

Second- Oklahoma FFA Foundation. Kendall Brashears has done a magnificent job in working with the agricultural community in building this Foundation into one of the best state level FFA Foundations found anywhere in the US- and he has handed the baton off to Holly Blakey here in 2017- and she has the passion and expertise to take it even higher.

Details about the Foundation can be found online here- and there is information there about how you can support Oklahoma FFA and the thousands of members that wear the Blue and Gold. I noticed on Facebook that there is also a match for those giving to the Oklahoma FFA Foundation right now- check out their Facebook page for more on that.

Next- Oklahoma 4-H Foundation.  I served on the Foundation board many years ago- and it is remarkable to me the amount of growth that has been seen for this support group- especially in the last few years.

In 2016- Blayne Arthur moved from the Oklahoma Department of Ag over to the 4-H Foundation in Stillwater- and she has already injected a healthy dose of excitement into the efforts to support 4-H clubs and members in all 77 Oklahoma Counties.

By clicking or tapping here, check out the webpage dedicated to the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation- and consider a gift here on Giving Tuesday or in the final days of 2017.

OBVIOUSLY- there are many other wonderful groups that support the Ag Industry and help tell our story- and I would encourage you to consider how you might support them on GIVING TUESDAY as well- but these three are special to my heart and wanted to share them with you on this day of giving.

In the latest crop progress report released Monday, November 27, 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture rated the US corn crop's harvest at 95 percent complete compared to 90 percent a week ago and last year's progress at this same time at 98 percent - and still lagging behind the average of 98. For the complete USDA Crop Progress report, click here.

Across the southern great plains- winter wheat crop ratings continue to slide as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas wheat conditions all fell in the latest reporting week. Oklahoma has seen the good to excellent score on the 2018 wheat crop drop from 41 percent two weeks ago to 30 percent this week; Kansas dropped five points from two weeks ago to 51% good to excellent and Texas dropped ten percentage points to 36 percent good with no score for excellent in this week's final weekly score of the season.

As for the state by state updates:

According to the weekly crop progress report from USDA, Oklahoma winter wheat emerged reached 95 percent, unchanged from normal. Winter wheat condition in Oklahoma rates this week at 30 percent good to excellent, 60 fair, and 10 poor to very poor. Sorghum harvested reached 95 percent, unchanged from normal. Cotton harvested reached 73 percent, up 2 points from the previous year and up 2 points from normal. To view the complete Oklahoma Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.


In Kansas, winter wheat condition rated 4 percent very poor, 10 poor, 35 fair, 47 good, and 4 excellent. Winter wheat emerged was 93 percent, near 96 last year, and behind 98 for the five-year average. Sorghum harvested was 94 percent, near 97 both last year and average. Meanwhile, cotton harvest is at 58 percent complete, behind 67 last year and 68 the average. To view the complete Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.


In Texas, winter wheat emerged has reached 84 percent, ahead of last year by 4 and the average by 2. Winter wheat condition is rated this week at 36 percent good to excellent, 47 fair and 17 poor to very poor. Cotton harvested is at 71 percent, ahead of the average by 2. Sorghum harvested in the state has reached 96 percent complete, ahead of last year by 2 and the average by 3. To view the complete Texas Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.

As the US Meat Export Federation says farewell to its longtime Chief Executive Officer Phil Seng, it is welcoming Seng's replacement, Dan Halstrom, a longtime employee of the Federation himself. However, Halstrom told our Associate Farm Director Carson Horn during a recent trip to Kansas City for the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Convention, that his promotion is not about replacing Seng, but rather complimenting his years of great work, which is made evident in the progress of beef exports here in 2017.


"Year to date, we're running about $280/head for every fed animal slaughtered that's accountable to the value of the export business. That's exciting," Halstrom said. "The other beauty of it is, we have a good base of established markets - Japan, Korea, Mexico - and that's great."


Halstrom says that while it is important to maintain those existing markets, he insists that it is equally important to nurture some emerging markets as well, like those seen in Central and South America, as well as Africa and Indonesia where the demand for beef variety meats is very high. He says having a diverse portfolio of markets to supply helps to add value back to producers. One highlight in 2017, is the huge amount of sales into Japan. But with Australia ramping up its production and holding a tariff advantage over the US in Japan as a member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Halstrom says 2018 is a bit of a worry. Especially with the added uncertainty of the ongoing NAFTA negotiations.


"As Australia comes out with more production in 2018, it's going to be a little tougher in terms of increased competition. We just need to be ready for that," he said. "Meanwhile, we're in the process of renegotiating NAFTA and quite honestly, the business between Canada and Mexico - it's been just phenomenal for the US beef industry. We have to maintain what we have today."


Listen to USMEF's new CEO Dan Halstrom's overview of the opportunities and challenges that exist in today's US beef export business, with me, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.

Travis Sherfick a town kid turned cattleman from WaKeeney, Kansas, always dreamed of having his own cattle operation for years. He got his chance as young man when a neighbor offered to let him take over his business through a lease.


"Once I did have my own, I wanted to take and do as much as possible to make it the best that I possibly could," Sherfick said. "That's probably what's driven me the most. You want to do as good as possible, to show people that you can have a lot of responsibility dumped on your shoulders and hopefully you'll be okay with it and grow with it, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do."

It helped that the Angus cows were already of high quality, but Sherfick moved ahead by A-I-ing his cows to the best Angus bulls.


"I decided that I wanted to get into the carcass side of cattle, and just get into good genetics of cattle period," Sherfick remarked. "As a commercial producer, the best possible thing anybody can do is to get into A-I."


The first calf crop from that beat 100 percent Choice, with 62 percent for the Certified Angus Beef brand, including 34 percent Prime. For the young producer, that was just an "OK" place to start.


"We never can be happy with the genetics that we have," he said. "There's always something new and better out there, and... Being able to supply the world with as good a quality beef as possible, that's what we're trying to do by finishing our own calves and hit primes and high choices and do all that kind of good things."


Continue reading Sherfick's story about the lessons he's learned through hard work and focus, and the wisdom he's borrowed from older generations, or watch a short video featuring Sherfick and his operation, by clicking over to our website .

The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is putting its best foot forward to start out the new year. In an statement released yesterday, the OCA announced it has scheduled its annual policy development meeting to coincide with its first quarter board meeting in late January 2018.

The meeting is an opportunity to allow members to engage in their organization and voice their opinions on matters important to them. As a grassroots association, the OCA welcomes its members' participation to help shape the group's policy for the year ahead, and offer direction for legislative issues that may arise.

According to the OCA's statement, the timing of the meeting allows OCA members a chance to discuss bills in the upcoming Legislative Session in February and proposed policies for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Annual Convention that kicks off the following week.

The meeting will be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 at the Reed Conference Center located in Midwest City, Okla. Early registration is encouraged. Details on how to register can be found by clicking here.