From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Monday, August 01, 2011 6:17 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 Monday, August 1, 2011
A service of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, Midwest Farm Shows and KIS Futures!
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-- Don't Ever Expect a Corn Price with a 2 or 3 in Front of It Again- We Talk Markets with Steve Meyer
-- Mike Frey in the Saddle as New President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association
-- New OSU Institute for Agricultural Biosciences Helping in Bioenergy Advances
-- Drought Causing More Water Stress in Southwestern Oklahoma for Cotton Producers
-- Environmental Protection Agency Uses Oklahoma Watershed Based Plan as Model for Others
-- Coalition of Agricultural and Food Organizations Urges Congress for Action on Free Trade Agreements
-- Beef Industry Long Range Plan Influences Summer Conference Deliberations
-- 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 springtime Southern Plains Farm Show as well as the Tulsa Farm Show held each December. Click here for the Midwest Farm Show main website to learn more about their lineup of shows around the country!

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


Don't Ever Expect a Corn Price with a 2 or 3 in Front of It Again- We Talk Markets with Steve Meyer
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The final speaker at the 2011 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association was Steve Meyer, market analyst for Paragon Economics. Meyer co-writes the Daily Livestock Report published daily by the CME- and follows both the pork and beef markets very closely.

Before he made his presentation, we sat down and discussed the current record hog markets, the corn market as well as where the cattle markets may be headed, especially with the uncertainty being caused by the drought across the southern part of the United States.

As for the feed grain market- he says no one believes the June 30th corn acreage number that USDA released- and the general consensus is that we will see the yield per acre be two or three bushels less than what USDA projected in July. He sees corn prices with a "seven" in front of them- and he believes it will take several years of rebuilding stocks before you could see corn prices back down in the four or five dollar area- he does not think we will ever see corn prices with a "two" in front of them- and that a "three" is also highly unlikely. For those feeding corn to livestock- that's the new reality.

Meyer says that the current Drought Monitor shows that about 44% of the US Beef Cow herd is now under some level of drought- with a large percentage of those numbers found in Texas and Oklahoma. He adds that for those producers who are able to hang onto their beef cows- and produce a calf crop- that there will be a significant financial reward found at the end of the rainbow.

Click on the LINK below to jump to our website and hear our Podcast that we recorded with Steve at the OCA meeting- he has a lot of insight about our markets and it will be ten minutes well spent if you raise livestock- or grains.

Click here to jump to our podcast as found on www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com and take a listen to our visit with Steve Meyer of Paragon Economics.


Mike Frey in the Saddle as New President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association
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The new officer team was elected on Saturday morning at the 2011 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention held at the Reed Center in Midewest City. Terry Forst becomes the Immeidate Past President as Mike Frey promotes from President Elect to the new President of the OCA. Frey hails from Kingfisher.

The New President Elect for the organization is Robert Hughes of Bartlesville- and yes, he is John's son. John Hughes is a Past President of the orgnization. There was one new District Vice President installed- Charlie Swanson from the Lawton area steps in as the southwest District Veep- filling the slot vacated by Bob Howard.

Friday evening, the organization honored Kent Moore with the 2011 Cattleman of the Year award- Moore ranches just outside Lindsay in the central part of the state. Kent currently serves as the South Central District Vice President for the organization.


New OSU Institute for Agricultural Biosciences Helping in Bioenergy Advances
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The development of agricultural and bioenergy advances will be getting a high-octane boost, thanks to the new $15 million Oklahoma State University Institute for Agricultural Biosciences in Ardmore.

Oklahoma civic, commodity and government leaders joined OSU President Burns Hargis and members of the Board of Regents for Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR) for the official dedication and flag-raising on July 28.

"The institute will be a wonderful asset for Oklahoma and supports OSU's historic land-grant mission of teaching, research and extension," Hargis said. "It will be a key part of our efforts to enhance state and regional agricultural and energy interests, and strengthens our partnership with the Noble Foundation, which has been an ongoing collaboration since 1951."

Located at the corner of Mary Niblack Road and Sam Noble Parkway on State Highway 199, east of Ardmore, the institute is a 33,000 sq. ft. facility designed to enable scientists to solve challenges related to cellular and plant biology, plant and animal sciences, and biomass development for bioenergy. It includes a multimedia auditorium that seats 100 individuals, two conference rooms, two team meeting rooms, offices and state-of-the-art laboratories.

Robert E. Whitson, DASNR vice president, dean and director, said the institute will expand and improve programs associated with all three aspects of the division: the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the division's two state agencies, the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

Click here to read more on the new Institute for Agricultural Biosciences


Drought Causing More Water Stress in Southwestern Oklahoma for Cotton Producers
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According to the latest OSU Cotton Crop Comments Newsletter- In southwestern Oklahoma, the cotton crop is still struggling with the continuous drought of 2011. Mesonet data, as of July 27, shows that Altus has had about 50.5 inches of pan evaporation since May 15. Also, the consistently high temperatures have continued at over 100 degrees, with 61 days being at least 100 degrees or more in 2011. The OSU Extension Research team based in Altus- including our state cotton specialist Dr. Randy Boman, spent most of their time in this latest newsletter looking at the drought and how the cotton crop is responding to it.

The drought has put a strain on the cotton crop, irrigation systems, and even the groundwater supply. Many producers are reporting decreasing sources of groundwater because of pump stress and others are reporting increasing salinity in some areas. Because of the extreme heat, the cotton heat units have been well above normal.

Also, tracking cutout programs is especially important during these hot, summer months. The COTMAN program defines cutout as nodes above white flower = 5. To meet the COTMAN program criteria, "hard cutout" or "blooming out the top" of the plant must occur soon after white flower = 5 is encountered. This year, because of the heat, it is predicted that most plants will hit a "hard cutout."

Click here for the latest issue of Cotton Comments Newsletter


Environmental Protection Agency Uses Oklahoma Watershed Based Plan as Model for Others
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The U.S. Environmental Protection has offered Watershed Based Plans from Oklahoma, Kansas, Virginia and Maryland as models for other states to learn from. EPA stated that these are the best of 49 plans the agency reviewed during 2008-2010. Watershed based plans are developed to support implementation efforts leading to attainment of water quality standards in currently impaired waterbodies within a specific watershed. EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds sent the "Watershed Based Plan Review, Final Report, July 2011" to watershed groups across the nation as a guide with examples to help produce better plans.

The watershed based plan for the Lake Eucha/Spavinaw watershed, developed and submitted by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, was one of four selected by EPA as the best of the plans reviewed.

"We are proud that that the Oklahoma Conservation Commission's Water Quality division staff are once again being recognized nationally for the high quality of their work," said Mike Thralls, OCC executive director. "Last April Oklahoma was recognized as a national leader in documented water quality success stories. High quality planning combined with excellence in implementation and monitoring, and working with landowners, through conservation districts and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, in a voluntary and cooperative manner, are the keys to Oklahoma continuing to be a national leader in natural resource conservation," Thralls added.

EPA developed scoring criteria based on the nine essential components of a watershed based plan, with several critical elements for each criterion. In most cases, EPA stated, states have done well with identifying causes and sources of pollution, management measures needed, developing outreach components for the public and designing monitoring programs to measure change. Where most states struggle is with estimating load reductions expected for the management measures selected, and setting criteria that can be used to determine whether loading reductions are being achieved over time and if substantial progress is being made towards attaining water quality standards.

Click here for additional information on the Oklahoma Watershed Based Plan


Coalition of Agricultural and Food Organizations Urges Congress for Action on Free Trade Agreements
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A coalition of agricultural and food organizations and companies in an open letter to President Obama and members of Congress released today urged immediate action on the free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

The trade deals, each of which was signed more than four years ago, continue to languish. The coalition has been asking that they be considered before Congress begins its August recess, but it now appears that the FTAs won't be taken up until lawmakers return in September.

The groups pointed out that U.S. industries have been losing market share in Colombia and South Korea ever since those countries implemented trade agreements with other nations. In the first two weeks after the FTA between the European Union and South Korea became effective (July 1) trade volume between the two rose 17.4 percent. Exports from Korea to the EU rose 19 percent, and exports from the EU to Korea rose 16 percent, according to South Korean government figures.

Likewise, the U.S. share of Colombia's agricultural imports has fallen since 2008 because of the trade agreements Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay negotiated with Colombia. The U.S. share of Colombia's corn, wheat and soybeans markets, for example, has fallen to 28 percent from 78 percent over the past three years. U.S. agricultural products likely will take another hit Aug. 15 when Colombia's FTA with Canada takes effect.

Click here to read a copy of the letter recently sent to Congress


Beef Industry Long Range Plan Influences Summer Conference Deliberations
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The Beef Industry Long Range Plan is playing a key role in the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference here next week. Joint Committees and Subcommittees developing plans for the checkoff are being reminded of the strategic intent of the plan, and coming together to create synergy in achieving several of the core strategies outlined in it.

Finalized in early 2011, the Plan identifies six core strategies and goals in reaching its mission, which is To provide the safest, highest-quality, most consumer-friendly beef and beef products in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner. These strategies are: improving domestic consumer preference for beef; capitalizing on global growth opportunities; strengthening the image of beef and the beef industry; protecting and enhancing our freedom to operate; improving industry trust, openness and relationships; and positioning the U.S. cow herd for growth. Each of the core strategies either has a measurable goal or is in the process of establishing a benchmark so that a measurable goal can be set.

Proposed Beef Checkoff-funded plans are built around three of these strategies: Strengthening industry image, improving consumer preference for beef and capitalizing on global growth opportunities.

Keeping their eye on the ball, Beef Industry Long Range Plan Task Force members have already adjusted their strategic intent for the plan. Initially the plan had set out to achieve a Wholesale Beef Demand Index of 105 by year-end 2013, but due to a variety of market and economic factors the Index has already reached 110. As a result, Task Force members met by conference call July 21 and adjusted the strategic intent goal, which now is to maintain the Beef Demand Index at 110 throughout the duration of the plan.

Click here for to see a copy of the Beef Industry Long Range Plan by NCBA


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchers 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- 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 $12.75 per bushel, while the 2012 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $12.61 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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