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The money continues to flow from Crop Insurers to farmers and ranchers as 2011 rapidly comes to a close. According to the latest statistics of indemnity payments that have been made nationally, $7.938 billion dollars has paid to farmers for losses to their 2011 crops- based on data through the close of business December 27, 2011.

More than a fourth of that money has been handed over to Texas farmers who have received $2.213 billion with likely more claims yet to be paid. For every dollar paid into crop insurance for the 2011 crops in Texas- $2.04 has been paid out to date.

According to Scott Bulling with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma's share of Crop Insurance payments now totals $381,789,941, with a loss ratio of $1.89 paid out for each dollar that was paid in. Bulling believes there are still a significant amount of claims to be paid to Oklahoma producers for the 2011 crop year, and that the final indeminity total for the state could approach or exceed $400 million.

At this point, fully one third of the national Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments have gone to farmers in these two states that faced exceptional drought a large portion of the growing season from spring into fall.

Click here to read more- and follow the link to the December 19th snapshot that provides county by county numbers. That snapshot shows Jackson County with the 11th most compensation from Crop Insurance thus far this crop year, with more than $62 million in claims that have been paid.    

MF Global Debacle- More Important in Farm Country Than the Farm Bill  

Kansas State University Professor Art Barnaby is calling the MF Global situation a significant development in 2011 for farmers and ranchers- stating in an paper he authored this past week that it could be more important in 2012 to the farm community than the writing of the next farm bill.  

Dr. Barnaby, in his paper, says "This MF Global debacle is really a big deal, and probably more important to farmers than the Farm Bill. If the regional banks (not too big to fail) and Farm Credit system lose confidence in the marketing system and view those hedge accounts as having risk from unauthorized use, then the whole marketing chain is in trouble. Elevators need margin money to manage the price risk for stored grain."

"If the collateral and interest rates increase to cover the perceived risk in margin accounts, then elevators (grain buyers) will need to widen their margins. Bottom line, higher marketing risk means lower cash bids than otherwise would be the case. Farmers who have never used futures will be affected in the cash market if this problem is not fixed. Many farmers are very angry about the fund losses in their hedge fund accounts and have stated they will never do business with the CME again! It is a little like loss of money from one's checking account; one just doesn't expect that to happen, so these farmers have a right to be mad. However, that will not fix the problem and the grain will be hedged by the elevators and other grain buyers, so all grain farmers will be doing business indirectly with the CME."

Click here to read more- we have Dr. Barnaby's complete article linked on our website.   

Corn Growers and Other Ag Groups Expect Environmental Case Decisions in 2012

Officials with the National Corn Growers Association is currently involved in two major pieces of environmental litigation that will likely be decided in federal court in 2012. They contend that this could have major implications for future environmental regulations.

Earlier this year, NCGA joined with the American Farm Bureau Federation and other agricultural organizations to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency's Total Maximum Daily Load for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment in the Chesapeake Bay. The farm groups stated the Chesapeake Bay TMDL goes beyond the scope of Clean Water Act authority, that the science used by the Agency is flawed and that the regulatory process lacked transparency. The case has been filed in a federal court in Pennsylvania.

The second lawsuit involves pesticide registrations and their potential impact on endangered species. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a suit against EPA in 2011 alleging that the agency failed to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service on hundreds of pesticide registrations potentially affecting hundreds of species.

The National Corn Growers are fearful that EPA may lose this case- and is working with other groups to make sure that agriculture gets a seat at the table if a Federal Court Judge orders the parties to sit down and develop a plan that could mean major disruptions in ag chemical use in this country.  

Click here to read more- and in our web article we have several links to more background on both of these cases.    

OSU Vet Dave Sparks Says- Don't Waste Your Vaccine Dollars

If you purchase vaccine for a disease and inject it into your animals you can rest assured that you won't have to worry about that disease. Right?   Wrong! At least, that's the opinion of Dr. Dave Sparks, Oklahoma State University Area Extension Veterinarian. Dr. Sparks offers the following thoughts about vaccines and how to utilize them to your maximum advantage.

To start with no vaccine is 100% effective at providing immunity to all animals it is administered to. Further, your techniques for purchasing, storage and use of vaccines can diminish their effectiveness tremendously. Although you can't expect perfect protection, there are some common sense things you can do to get the greatest possible benefit from your investment in animal health products.

Dr. Sparks adds that Proper vaccine management starts at the purchase. If you order vaccines online or via telephone, order them on Monday so they will not be held up over a weekend. Request extra cold packs. When the product arrives check it to see that it is still cold. If it is, store it correctly.

Read more of the advice that Dave Sparks has in making sure you get your money's worth when it comes to buying vaccines for your cattle herd- just click here.  

Speaking of Vaccines- Dealing Proactively in the Ongoing Battle with Bovine Respiratory Disease

With the winter season now officially here, any movement of cattle can raise the risk of respiratory disease. We talked about these risks with Scott Nordstrom with Merck Animal Health on today's Beef Buzz.

Nordstrom tells us that one of the best things we can do in dealing with beef animals is to be "proactive" in putting into place a preventative vaccine program before the animals go through any stressful situations.

Click here to jump over to the Beef Buzz section of our website and this edition of the Beef Buzz, as heard on great radio stations across Oklahoma and into our neighboring states.   

High Plains Irrigation Conference Coming January 19 in Amarillo

The annual High Plains Irrigation Conference and Trade Show hosted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service will be held Jan. 19 in the Regency Room of the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S. Buchanan St., Amarillo.

The program this year, which is jointly sponsored by AgriLife Extension and the Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association, addresses a wide variety of topics, said Nich Kenny, AgriLife Extension irrigation specialist. The registration fee will be $30, payable at the door only, and includes lunch.

Among those on the program is our buddy OSU Extension Area Agronomist Rick Kochenower who is based in Goodwell in the Panhandle. Click here for a look at the rest of the program for this important irrigation conference.

 

Terry Wyatt and Barbara Jacques Named to Cattlemen's Beef Board for Three Year Terms

Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack today announced 29 appointments to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board. All appointees will serve 3-year terms.


"These appointees represent a cross section of the beef industry and I am confident that beef producers and importers of cattle, beef and beef products will be well served by them," said Vilsack.


There are two new appointees that will represent Oklahoma- Terry L Wyatt of Hollister in Tillman County and Barbara Jacques of Shidler in Osage County. Jacques is a Past President of the Oklahoma Cattle Women- serving in that post from 2007 to 2009.


These two ranch ladies are taking the seats from retiring board members Bob Drake of Davis and Andrea Hutchison of Canton. 

Click here to see the full list of 29 appointees as named by Secretary Vilsack.