Impact of Increased Beef Exports to Japan Will be Huge, USMEF's Phil Seng Says 

The United States beef producer has a strong advocate in Phil Seng. He is the president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. In his early years with the organization in the 1980s he was the country director for Japan. He is, perhaps, the most uniquely qualified expert to assess the impact of Japan's move from a 20-month standard to a 30-month standard in regards to beef imports.

"It's huge because the United States, number one, is going to have much more cattle eligible. Under the old system we had only about 20 to 25 percent of our cattle that are presented for slaughter that were eligible for Japan. This will bring about 90 to 95 percent of the cattle eligible which will offer a lot more product to be able to go to the Japanese market.

"We estimate right now that that will probably add about another $20 to the value of a fed steer. So, right now, about $215 is the export dividend. As a result of that, that could possibly go up by another $20. So it's huge what it means to the producer. It's huge what it means to the exporter and most of all it's very good for the Japanese. They have a shortage of product in the market. It's going to help them as far as kick-start their economy. Their government just contributed, under the new Abe administration, $150 billion dollars to stimulate the economy. So the fact that we can have more of our product going in there at that timing, the timing is perfect. It's almost like a gift from the government. They open their market. They stimulate their economy. Let's make some hay when the sun shines."

He says the infrastructure in Japan is primed and ready for the additional imports.

Phil Seng joins me on the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to go there.

 

NCBA President Outraged at Threats of Possible Food Safety Inspector Furloughs 

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association's membership is highly concerned by statements from United States Department of Agriculture's Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding the sequestration process and a possible fifteen day furlough of all Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) employees, including food safety inspectors. NCBA President and Wyoming cattle producer Scott George made the following comments in response to the situation:

"Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and other related legislation, Congress has charged the USDA with providing federal inspection of meat, poultry and egg products at government expense. This places a legal duty on the USDA and the administration to carry out this service, a duty which the USDA has recognized as 'essential' in the past. And while we understand the hardships placed on the agencies through the possibility of sequestration, we are severely disappointed Secretary Vilsack has chosen to take this path of threatening to halt FSIS inspections."

"Secretary Vilsack is using America's cattlemen and women as pawns in the agency's political wrangling with Congress. While we are certain the USDA contains other 'non-essential' employees, the Secretary has chosen to announce the consequences of sequestration in terms of a furlough of FSIS inspectors, essentially threatening to close down all production, processing and interstate distribution of meat. This action has already cost cattle producers significant amounts of money with the downward slide in the futures markets caused by rampant speculation, with untold effect on producers through further regulatory uncertainty."

Click here to read more.  

Oklahoma House Committee Approves Aerial Hog Hunting Bill

Legislation that would allow aerial hunting of feral hogs has been approved unanimously in a House committee.

House Bill 1920, as amended by state Rep. Dustin Roberts, would allow a permit for any landowner or any person who has contracted with a landowner to engage in the management of depredating animals by use of aircraft on the land of the landowner.

"Feral hogs are a huge problem in Southeastern Oklahoma and lawmakers have been working to create opportunities for individuals hunting them. I amended House Bill 1904 to allow aerial hunting of feral hogs, which is a efficient and effective way to manage the feral hog population," said Roberts, R-Durant.

House Bill 1920 was approved by a 13-0 vote by the Oklahoma House of Representatives Agriculture and Wildlife Committee. If approved by the House Calendar Committee, the measure will be available for a hearing on the House floor.  

Cover Crops Shouldn't Force Coverage Loss, Environmental Working Group Says

The following editorial was published on the webpage of the Environmental Working Group:

One of the better tools that conventional row crop farmers can use to increase the environmental health of their land is to plant "cover crops" of legumes and grasses. These help control erosion, sequester carbon, improve soil health, fight weeds, add nitrogen to the soil and make soil nutrients more available, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

But now it appears the arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that oversees the federal crop insurance program - the Risk Management Agency - is booting farmers out if they plant cover crops.

Progressive Farmer's Ag Policy Editor, Chris Clayton, recently described how Kansas farmer Gail Fuller's crop insurance coverage was cancelled for violating Agency's rules that don't allow cover crops to grow seed heads:

Fuller lost his policy on some of his fields because he planted soybeans and other cash crops on his 1,800-acre farm before terminating his mix of cover crops. RMA has required such cover-crop terminations. Fuller left cover crops growing, ranging from days to weeks, after he had planted the spring crops, before he could spray to kill the cover off.

You can read more of this story by clicking here.

Jody Campiche Advises Farmers to Enroll Early in ACRE or DCP

Writing in the latest edition of the Ag Policy News, Extension Economist Jody Campiche advocates a different strategy than she normally recommends for producers:

Starting on Feb. 19, producers can enroll in ACRE or DCP for the 2013 crop year. All eligible producers can enroll in ACRE or DCP regardless of whether or not they were previously enrolled in ACRE. With the current uncertainty in Congress, the best risk management strategy is to enroll early in DCP. At this point in time, it is too early to forecast potential 2013 ACRE payments. However, once we have more information on 2013 ACRE payments, producers do have the option to change their election from DCP to ACRE prior to the June 3rd deadline (if ACRE seems to be a better option for their farm).

In previous years, producers had an incentive to wait until mid-May to make the decision to enroll in ACRE or DCP since more information was available to estimate ACRE payments (and this wasn't a problem since funding was available for DCP and ACRE for the 2008 farm bill). However, things are different now and there is a lot of uncertainty in Congress. Some have discussed the possibility of passing a farm bill this year and not distributing 2013 direct payments in October.

Click here to read more of this story.

 

Wheat Diseases Absent in Oklahoma, Coming on Strong in Texas

Bob Hunger, Extension Wheat Pathologist with the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University makes his first report of the season:

There have been no reports of any foliar diseases in Oklahoma and no wheat samples have come to the diagnostic lab since last fall. The samples that came in last fall were diagnosed as having common root and/or problems associated with drought and drying soils after emergence. Dr. Art Klatt reported observing symptoms of wheat soilborne mosaic and/or wheat spindle streak mosaic in our virus screening nursery, which is typical for this time of year.

Dr. Amir Ibrahim, Professor of Small Grains Breeding and Genetics at Texas A&M University reports: "Leaf and stripe rusts might be off to an early start in South Texas. Heavy leaf rust, as high as 80S, was seen in a fungicide trial in Pearsall, Texas, 55 miles Southwest of San Antonio. Leaf rust was also uniform in the lower canopy in our trials at Uvalde, Texas. 

Click here for more of this story on our webpage.  

Coming Up- Senate Ag Hearing This Morning, Jhett Skaggs Benefit Tonight, Superior Auction Friday and Five State Women in Ag Conference on Saturday 

Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, will convene a committee hearing this morning at 8:30 AM central time in room 328 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The hearing, "Drought, Fire and Freeze: The Economics of Disasters for America's Agricultural Producers," will feature testimony from Dr. Joe Glauber, Chief Economist at the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Roger Pulwarty, Director of the National Integrated Drought Information System at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There will be a live internet steam of this event- so you can watch- might be a little early for popcorn so you may want to opt for some Blue and Gold Sausage instead- click here for details about the witnesses and how to jump onto the live stream.

**********

We have mentioned this important benefit auction several times- but this is a last call for you to get involved and bid and buy some of the great stuff that will be offered at the Jhett Skaggs Benefit Auction this evening in Lawton- details in our top ag story of the day on our website with a link there to jump to LiveAuctions.TV tonight to join in the bidding fun- click here and check things out. 

**********

Superior Livestock will have a special "web only" click to bid auction of feeder cattle on Friday morning- it starts at 9 AM central time and you can get more details by clicking here. 

**********

The 3rd annual 5-State Women in Agriculture Conference will take place Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Science and Agriculture Building on the campus of Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell.

Arleen James, Texas County Extension Educator, said the emphasis of the seminar is to provide information and insights useful to women who are involved in agriculture through either farming or ranching. Sessions will emphasize how women can better manage risk on the family farm, ranch, and/or small business. Both breakout and general sessions will be led by experts from industry and government agencies, including Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry, and Farm Service Agency.

On site registration is available- click here to read more about this top notch ladies program planned for this Saturday.