From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 8:52 AM
To: Hays, Ron
Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
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Oklahoma's latest farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON for Tuesday April 5, 2011
A service of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, Midwest Farm Shows and Big Iron OnLine Auctions!
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-- Latest Crop Weather Update Shows More of the Same
-- First Winter Wheat Crop Ratings of Major Producing States Reflects Major Decline in Crop Index Versus 2010
-- Beef Checkoff Contributes $200,000 for Japanese Relief Efforts
-- A "Mega-Drought" May Be in Our Future
-- Friday Night At the Movies
-- Herd Builder Sale a Part of the 2011 Southern Plains Farm Show
-- Our Apologies- Running Late Today
-- Let's Check the Markets!

Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to have KIS Futures as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. KIS Futures provides Oklahoma Farmers & Ranchers with futures & options hedging services in the livestock and grain markets- Click here for the free market quote page they provide us for our website or call them at 1-800-256-2555- and their IPHONE App, which provides all electronic futures quotes is available at the App Store- click here for the KIS Futures App for your Iphone.

We are also excited to have as one of our sponsors for the daily email Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, with 64 years of progress through producer ownership. Call Brandon Winters at 405-232-7555 for more information on the oilseed crops they handle, including sunflowers and canola- and remember they post closing market prices for canola and sunflowers on the PCOM website- go there by clicking here.

And we salute our longest running email sponsor- Midwest Farm Shows, producer of the recently concluded Tulsa Farm Show.. Click here for the Midwest Farm Show main website to learn more about their lineup of shows around the country, including the Southern Plains Farm Show this coming April 7-9, 2011 in Oklahoma City.

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.

If you have received this email by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.


Latest Crop Weather Update Shows More of the Same
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The latest Crop Weather Update shows that "Another dry and windy week in Oklahoma means continued concerns about the potential of the wheat crop as well as planting row crops into dry soil. According to the US Drought Monitor, as of March 29 all but the furthest northeastern counties are experiencing some level of drought conditions, with 92 percent of the state in a moderate to severe drought. Very little precipitation fell last week with a statewide average of 0.11 of an inch. For the period since March 1 the Southeast and South Central districts are the driest on record (since 1921) and the Southwest is having the second driest such period. Fire danger remains high with windy conditions and multiple fires reported across Oklahoma last week."

Condition ratings continued to decline as the drought progresses. Dryland wheat is especially affected and additional wheat acres are being adjusted by insurance. We now have 53% of the wheat crop rated in poor to very poor condition in Oklahoma.

"Seedbed preparations continue to progress, though planting may be delayed due to the extremely dry soil in some areas. Corn seedbeds prepared reached 75 percent complete by Sunday, and 14 percent of corn was planted. Sorghum seedbed preparation was 20 points ahead of normal at 47 percent complete. Soybean seedbed preparation was 27 percent complete. Peanut seedbeds prepared reached 55 percent complete by week's end, 14 points ahead of the five-year average. Cotton seedbed preparation was 39 percent complete by Sunday, 12 points behind normal."

Click on the LINK below for the complete Oklahoma crop weather report, which gives additional details on pasture and range conditions and weather details from this past week and how they stack up versus historical norms.

Click here for the latest Oklahoma Crop Weather Update


First Winter Wheat Crop Ratings of Major Producing States Reflects Major Decline in Crop Index Versus 2010
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USDA has provided the first Winter Wheat Condition Ratings of the spring in their Crop Progress Summary from Monday afternoon- and it shows a major downturn in the 2011 wheat crop versus the 2011 edition. In the 18 states they have details on- 2010 saw the wheat crop as being 65% in good to excellent condition, while the 2011 crop checks in at 37% good to excellent.

The poor to very poor ratings tell the story even better- the 2010 rating was 6% in poor to very poor condition- the 2011 rating as of the beginning of this week is at 32% poor to very poor.

Neither Texas not Colorado have any wheat rated in excellent condition-with Texas at 61% poor to very poor and Colorado at 43% poor to very poor. The largest wheat producing state, Kansas, checks in at 34% poor to very poor, 35% in fair shape and 31% good to excellent.

Click here for the complete Crop Progress Report- which includes some planting numbers for several southern crops.


Beef Checkoff Contributes $200,000 for Japanese Relief Efforts
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In a combined effort of the Cattlemen's Beef Board and the Federation of State Beef Councils, the Beef Checkoff Program is investing a total of $200,000 to help feed consumers in Japan who were injured, misplaced and left homeless and hungry by the devastating earthquake and tsunamis there.

The Beef Promotion Operating Committee last week approved an amended 2011 foreign-marketing proposal - or "Authorization Request" - that added $100,000 from the Beef Board budget to help fund a Japan Relief Program established through the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. Federation Chairman David Dick of Missouri said the Federation voted to send an additional $100,000 from its budget, for a combined checkoff investment of $200,000.

"It's just about impossible to imagine the challenges those folks in Japan are facing right now," said Beef Board Chairman Tom Jones, who also chairs the Operating Committee. "As human beings, we all feel a deep sense of sympathy for them and have that heartfelt desire to be able to help out in some small way. As producers, we want to provide some critical nutrition that the folks in Japan absolutely need to help them get through. And thanks to our checkoff program, we are going to be able to accomplish that."

Jones said the funding for the CBB portion of the relief fund will come from money released from Fiscal Year 2010 projects that were completed under-budget. At a recent meeting in Denver, USDA Marketing Specialist Craig Shackelford assured Operating Committee members that the measure would be in line with checkoff expenditures allowed through the Beef Act and Order, as long as it remains tied to the existing approved promotion program in Japan.

Click here for more on this Beef Checkoff Funded Effort- as heard about on today's Beef Buzz.


A "Mega-Drought" May Be in Our Future
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Talking about everything from global warming to biofuels to high yield agriculture and more- one very sobering thought was offered by Dennis Avery of the Hudson Institute at this past weekend's Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Convention in San Antonio- the concept of a Mega-Drought.

Dr. Avery says that historical evidence points to a decades long drought around the year 1,200 AD here in North America- stretching from the US southwest from southern California across Arizona and New Mexico and coming into parts of Texas and Oklahoma and further east. The last time this type of drought occurred, you walked to get away from it and hoped you were walking in the right direction.
This time, we would have to adapt- and perhaps at the extreme- might have to relocated thousands and maybe millions of people.

He is a critic of biofuels and we talked about that- and we talked about building pressure to produce more food- which he says is only possible with high yield agriculture.

Later today- we hope to have the video of Avery's speech made to the TSCRA up on our YouTube Channel- be looking for a webstory with a YouTube player in it coming on our website- www.OKlahomaFarmReport.Com.

Click here to listen to our conversation with Dennis Avery of the Hudson Institute


Friday Night At the Movies
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Filmmaker Michael DeTerra will host a screening of his documentary about raising beef from pasture to plate on Friday, April 8, at Oklahoma State University's Wes Watkins Center.

The screening will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. There is no cost to attend. The Wes Watkins Center is located on the corner of Hall of Fame Avenue and Washington Street, on the north side of OSU's Stillwater campus.

"It is an opportunity for consumers to learn about the people - a number of whom live and work right here in Oklahoma - who grow, cultivate and raise the food eaten by families across the nation and beyond," said Ron Kensinger, head of the OSU Department of Animal Science, who will be part of a panel discussion about topics raised in the film following the screening.
Joining Kensinger on the panel will be DeTerra and Oklahoma ranchers Susan Gebhart and Clay Burtrum.

The 20-minute documentary about raising beef is told through the eyes of student filmmakers from across the country, and was produced as part of the Close-Up on Raising Beef Program, funded by The Beef Checkoff.
Heather Buckmaster of the Oklahoma Beef Council said the documentary examines animal welfare methods and multigenerational aspirations of today's American beef producers among its topics.
"Food production has become one of the most publicized subjects of the past decade," she said. "The documentary grants a behind-the-scenes view of which the average consumer may not be aware, and provides a very real, very human face of people who put food on our tables."

The screening of DeTerra's documentary is being offered as part of the Wine Forum of Oklahoma, hosted by the OSU School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration and OSU College of Human Environmental Sciences.
Philippe Garmy, coordinator of wine, food and education for the Wine Forum of Oklahoma, said the Oklahoma Beef Council's participation fits right in with this year's event, which is titled "Cowboys and Gauchos."

Click here for more details about this special event going on this Friday late afternoon/evening on campus in Stillwater


Herd Builder Sale a Part of the 2011 Southern Plains Farm Show
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The Southern Plains Farm Show kicks off Thursday morning for a three day run at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.
Among the many returning attractions at the show will be the herd builder private treaty sale held in the Carriage Hall to the east of the Travel & Transportation building. The sale includes all breeds as well as - heifers, bred heifers, cow calf pairs and more. Sponsors are Oklahoma Farm Bureau and W-W livestock systems. The sale will be open to everyone attending the farm show for all three days of the show. Animals will have certification of good health from veterinarians. .

Anyone wishing to offer animals for sale can contact Thad Doye with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau at 405-523-2307. To have animals included in the sale you must provide health certification by a licensed veterinarian, and deliver the animal on Wednesday April 6, 2011 between the hours of 3 and 6 pm.

In addition to the Herd Builder Sale- this Thursday will feature the Commercial Cattle Grading School and Competition. the Grading School will begin at 9 AM and the contest follows- it will be held in Barn 3 this year which offers protection from the elements for both the participants as well as the animals.

Click here for the Midwest Farm Shows Website for the Southern Plains Farm Show.


Our Apologies- Running Late Today
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Sometimes computers will throw you curveballs- and we got a bushel basket of those today- so today's email a bit behind schedule.

Thanks for your patience.


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchersand 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- FREE!

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


Let's Check the Markets!
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We've had requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $10.10 per bushel, while the 2011 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $11.15 per bushel- delivered to local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
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.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.



God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
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phone: 405-473-6144
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