Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Grand Champion Market Steer Selected as Cattlemen's Congress Concludes- With a Promise of 2023
- See How the Angus Link Program Puts Money Back into Your Pocket
- NCBA Backs WOTUS Recommendations from EPA Advisory Committee
- OSU Students Develop Sustainability Plan for New Frontiers Agricultural Hall
- American Farm Bureau Foundation Partners with Nationwide to Foster Ag Education
- Conservation Reserve Program SAFE - Bigger and Better for Butterflies and Bobwhites
- CoBank Quarterly: US Monetary Policy Poised to Replace COVID as Economic Wild Card
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Grand Champion Market Steer Selected as Second Cattlemen's Congress Concludes- With a Promise of 2023 |
The return trip to Oklahoma City for one young exhibitor turned out to be just perfect. A year ago- Tristan Himes brought a great steer to Cattlemen's Congress and the judge declared there was only one better that day- meaning Tristan had the Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer in the first ever Cattlemen's Congress. Fast forward to 2022- and Tristan returns to the second Cattlemen's Congress and this time- no one has a better steer than his Exotic Steer weighing 1392 pounds- Tristan Himes claims top money with his 2022 Grand Champion Market Steer in the final event of this year's Cattlemen's Congress. (Tristan is pictured above being congratulated by Steer Judge Shane Bedwell)
Himes, who hails from Sterling City, Texas, takes home $25,000 for his day's work.
The Market Steer Show brings down the curtain on the 2022 Cattlemen's Congress- with no uncertainty about the future of the show as the 2023 dates are already on the books- January 1-14, 2023. A year ago, as the first Congress ended- there was no guarantee that there would be a second event. But as winter ended and spring rolled into the heartland- the major beef breeds all voted to have major national shows again at a second Congress- based on the positive feedback about the concept of a major cattle show run by cattle people, Oklahoma's welcome to those that came in from all across the US, the easy access on the Interstate highway system into the City and the tremendous venue that awaited exhibitors at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds and oh yes- free parking and no long waits to unload and pen your cattle- year two was a reality.
The numbers are being added up, but early indicators are that more cattle and cattle people were on the fairgrounds in early January of this year versus 2021...2022 was a great follow up to year one- and plans are underway to make 2023 even better.
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Oklahoma Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization working to improve the lives of all Oklahomans by supporting our state’s agriculture community. As Oklahoma’s largest general farm organization, OKFB advocates for farmers and ranchers at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C., to ensure our way of life continues for generations to come.
With leadership events, supporting our state’s agricultural youth and connecting consumers with agriculture, Farm Bureau promotes and sustains Oklahoma agriculture in numerous ways. Join with OKFB today by becoming a member at okfarmbureau.org/join. Together, we are rural Oklahoma.
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See How the Angus Link Program Puts Money Back into Your Pocket |
There is nothing like the changing of the New Year to invigorate hope and help spirits rise. Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association, told us he is not lacking in the positivity department. Often looking at the glass half-full, he said he cannot predict how 2022 will treat beef cattle producers, but he has a feeling that it will be a successful year despite looming challenges.
“I am incredibly optimistic - I have been through all of this,” McCully said. “I see some pretty good times in the (future) cattle market. Now, we have a lot of inflation coming on the cost side of things, so we always have to keep that in mind.”
As the global supply chain recovers, McCully said producers have an opportunity to use the tools available today, like genetic data, to put themselves in a position to take advantage of booming beef demand.
“Our program is called Angus Link, which is a feeder-calf marketing program (that allows) a commercial (producer) who is using registered Angus bulls to capture the value of that (genetic) investment,” McCully said. “Angus Link allows them to document those genetics, document the value in those calves and provides more exposure when they get ready to sell.”
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NCBA Backs WOTUS Recommendations from EPA Advisory Committee |
Friday, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced support for a report issued by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC).
“The FRRCC represents a diverse group of stakeholders including academia, industry, non-governmental organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments,” Scott Yager, NCBA Chief Environmental Counsel, said. “NCBA strongly supports the committee’s recommendation to develop a clear and limited WOTUS definition and protect key exemptions for common agricultural features. With the EPA’s convoluted approach to soliciting public comments and stakeholder perspectives on WOTUS, NCBA encourages the EPA to listen to its own advisory committee’s recommendation, and the recommendation is clear: farmers and ranchers need clear rules and regulatory certainty to be successful.”
The FRRCC’s recommendations include:
- Ensuring EPA compliance with the Clean Water Act and Supreme Court precedent limiting federal jurisdiction over bodies of water.
- Developing a clear definition of WOTUS that is easily interpreted by farmers and ranchers.
- Protecting WOTUS exemptions for common agricultural features, including farm ditches, stock ponds, prairie potholes, prior converted cropland, and other small, isolated water features.
- Reconsidering the EPA roundtable process to ensure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to voice concerns on WOTUS rulemaking.
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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 daily report heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk!
Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report
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OSU Students Develop Sustainability Plan for New Frontiers Agricultural Hall |
Oklahoma State University student involvement is a priority for the construction of the new home for OSU Agriculture.
Two former OSU environmental science undergraduate students jumped at the chance to provide their input and develop a plan to identify potential sustainable solutions for New Frontiers Agricultural Hall, a state-of-the-art teaching, research and OSU Extension facility.
Ferguson College of Agriculture students Makenna Paniel and McKinly Dortch presented their recommendations to the New Frontiers design and architectural team as part of a recent capstone course led by Karen Hickman, professor and director of OSU’s environmental science undergraduate program.
The duo worked with another capstone class to survey current OSU students regarding their preferences about the design of the new building, and more than 70% of the respondents favored sustainable and eco-friendly implementations.
As a result of their research and findings, Paniel and Dortch developed recommendations for six areas to maximize the efficiency and sustainability of the new building: minimal waste dining services, composting, native pollinator planting, green roof, rainwater catchment, and recycling of construction and demolition debris.
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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
Dating back to 1891, Stillwater Milling Company has been supplying ranchers with the highest quality feeds made from the highest quality ingredients. Their full line of A & M Feeds can be delivered direct to your farm, found at their Agri-Center stores in Stillwater, Davis, Claremore and Perry or at more than 125 dealers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas. We appreciate Stillwater Milling Company’s long time support of the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and we encourage you to click here to learn more about their products and services.
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American Farm Bureau Foundation Partners with Nationwide to Foster Ag Education |
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is making agriculture education resources more accessible to classrooms across the country. Thanks to generous support from Nationwide, the Ag Foundation opened applications this week for education grants that will empower educators with more accurate information about agriculture.
Three hundred educators will be selected to receive educator packs that include one copy of the Ag Foundation’s 2022 Book of the Year, “How to Grow a Monster,” one copy of the accompanying educator guide, and a set of 30 school garden ag mags for educational use.
“The Foundation is excited to get more resources into the hands of educators across the country thanks to this partnership with Nationwide,” Daniel Meloy, executive director of the Ag Foundation, said. “We hope that these accurate ag lessons blossom into a lifelong love of learning about how food is grown.”
Educators can apply for the grants through the Ag Foundation’s website Applications are due by midnight on February 28, and all applicants will receive notification by March 4, 2022.
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Conservation Reserve Program SAFE - Bigger and Better for Butterflies and Bobwhites |
Few creatures attract as much attention today as the monarch butterfly and northern bobwhite quail. Both are highly desired, but some properties have but few. Thankfully, funding programs and habitat enhancement opportunities abound for landowners wishing to see more. Conservation Reserve Program State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement is a great example.
Through CRP SAFE, landowners are given the option to restore cropland to native grassland habitat to benefit wildlife. Expiring CRP acres may also be eligible, especially lands that meet native vegetation requirements.
New in 2021-22 are enhanced benefits to landowners including Signing Incentive Payments, Practice Incentive Payments, and one-time “inflationary” adjustments that are designed to increase program payments and encourage participation. CRP SAFE is also included within the Continuous Signup period, meaning applicants can enroll anytime.
Overall, enrolled producers receive 10-15 years of annual rental payments and up to 50% cost-share for practice establishment, including planting native grassland vegetation. Nearly every western Oklahoma county is included in the SAFE Area, with some eastern Oklahoma counties also included (see above map).
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CoBank Quarterly: US Monetary Policy Poised to Replace COVID as Economic Wild Card |
Despite the surge in COVID cases and the complications it brings, the U.S. economy continues to thrive. Workers are steadily returning to the labor force; the unemployment rate is currently under 4% and consumers are still spending confidently.
Until the omicron surge subsides, the biggest economic risk will be the millions of workers who report sick and hamper already beleaguered supply chains. The impacts for food and agriculture sectors will vary significantly by product but will generally be less severe than earlier in the pandemic, according to a new Quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange.
“Economic risks from new, high-impact coronavirus variants will remain throughout 2022,” Dan Kowalski, vice president of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division, said. “But Americans are increasingly making peace with the notion that the virus, in some form, will be with us for months if not years, and we must find a way to live more normally with it. This shifting mindset will de-risk the economy to some degree.”
As of late December, the U.S. has regained 84% of the jobs lost since the pandemic began, equating to a deficit of 3.6 million fewer workers compared to early 2020. The supply chain outlook has improved due to more workers in warehousing and transportation. Since May 2020, the U.S. has added 800,000 jobs in the two sectors, eclipsing the pre-COVID number of jobs by 3%.
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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 $1.45 and Select Beef was up $1.21 on Friday, 01/14/2022.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had 12,500 head on hand Sunday evening and ONSY President Kelli Payne says they will be starting the Monday morning sale with approximately 14,000 head on the yards- and expect a total of 15,000 for the Martin Luther King day run.
They are starting the sale at 6:30 AM
Compared to the last sale on January 3rd Feeder steers unevenly steady. Feeder heifers 2.00 - 4.00 higher. Steer and heifer calves steady to 3.00 higher. Demand remains very good for calves and stocker cattle despite the continued very dry weather.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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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/Ranch Broadcaster and Editor
KC Sheperd, Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
Chelsea Stanfield, Farm News and Email Editor
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Rural Oklahoma is full of some of the greatest success stories throughout the entire state and is a big reason why Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity dives into these stories, 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.
Our Latest RRP is an end of year conversation between Oklahoma Third District Congressman Frank Lucas and Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Senior Farm/Ranch Director Ron Hays.
They talk about the recently passed extension of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Measure as well as the Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021, the continued wait on the US Department of Justice investigation into the major meat packers, Congressman Lucas' work on the Science Committee, his continued intentions to return to the House Ag Committee in time to be a part of writing the next Farm Bill and a comparison of Congress when he first arrived in Washington in the mid 1990s and today.
Search for Road to Rural Prosperity and subscribe on your favorite Podcast platform.
To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, Union Mutual Insurance, the 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 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
Senior Farm/Ranch Broadcaster
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
OklahomaFarmReport.Com
405.473.6144
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