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At 9 AM this morning, the 2013 Southern Plains Farm Show will officially kick off its three day run, with several hundred vendors ready to show off the latest for your farm or ranch operation.  As always, admission and parking remain free- and this year's show is jampacked with lots of demonstrations and special events- and a multitude of giveaways.

If you come to the Radio Oklahoma Network booth in the Cox Pavillion, you will have the chance to sign up for a pair of great prizes.  Once again, RON is proud to be working with the Midwest Farm Show foks and Scott Daily as we will be taking entries all three days to be eligible to win the Priefert Round Pen used by Scott Daily during his horse training sessions at the Show. You can register before or after the horse training sessions out at the Scott Daily tent- or you can register inside at the Radio Oklahoma Network booth( in the Cox Pavillion).  We will announce the winner on Saturday afternoon after the final horse show training session- you don't have to be present to win- but we have to be able to reach you within thirty minutes to declare you the lucky prize winner. And- you will need to be able to pick up the pen this weekend- preferably on Saturday afternoon-evening. 

We also have a special drawing just for folks who have downloaded our app- or will allow us to help them download our app on their smartphone- Show us your smarphone or Ipad with our App downloaded and you will be entered to win an Ipad Mini from the Oklahoma Farm Report. Those that download the app during the show will also be eligible to win as well.

One programming change from the printed materials you may have seen about this year's Farm Show- The 2013 Commercial Cattle Grading Contest for FFA and 4-H Youth will be starting at 9:00 AM Friday, April 19, 2013 at the SOUTHERN PLAINS FARM SHOW- to be held in Barn 6.  Registration begins at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning. 

Over $6,000 in scholarships will be handed out to top finishers of this contest. 

This is a date change for the contest- the date originally circulated was Thursday April 18- but due to conflicts with several district speech contests- the contest moves to Friday April 19.

Emergency Drought Relief Fund Measure Heads to Conference Committee 

On Monday, the Senate gave unanimous approval to a measure that will help provide financial assistance around the state during severe droughts. House Bill 1923, authored by Rep. Dale DeWitt and Ron Justice, would create the Emergency Drought Relief Fund and an Emergency Drought Commission.

"Our state is going through one of the worst droughts in its history. Water plays a critical role in our daily lives, and we've seen how devastating not having it can be for our agricultural community, municipalities, counties, and private citizens," said Justice, R-Chickasha. "We tend to take for granted that water will always be available but we've learned that isn't always the case. It's imperative that we have a fund for emergency drought relief activities to protect our state from the devastating effects of a severe drought."

The commission will recommend fund expenditures to the governor in the event of an emergency drought declaration. The commission is comprised of the executive director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the executive director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. 

Click here for more.   

EWG Says Store-Bought Meat Contained Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

This news release was produced by the Environmental Working Group:

The latest round of tests by federal scientists, quietly published in February, has documented startlingly high percentages of supermarket meat containing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a new Environmental Working Group analysis.

EWG's analysis of data buried in the federal government's National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System has found that store-bought meat tested in 2011 contained antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 81 percent of raw ground turkey, 69 percent of raw pork chops, 55 percent of raw ground beef and 39 percent of raw chicken parts.

"Consumers should be very concerned that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are now common in the meat aisles of most American supermarkets," said EWG nutritionist Dawn Undurraga, the report's principal author. "These organisms can cause foodborne illnesses and other infections. Worse, they spread antibiotic-resistance, which threatens to bring on a post-antibiotic era where important medicines critical to treating people could become ineffective."

You can read more of EWG's story by clicking here.  

Dr. Nevil Speer Rebuts Excessive EWG Claims on Antibiotic Resistence Dangers in Meat

The Environmental Working Group on Tuesday issued a news release which claims that consumers are endangered by meats which tested positive for certain forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The release then went on to point the finger at animal agriculture as somehow being responsible, claiming that producers use antibiotics unnecessarily.

I spoke with Dr. Nevil Speer from Western Kentucky University at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture's Annual Conference about the use of such scare tactics to stampede the public. 

"When we talk about super bugs and antibiotic resistance, it's an important issue to all of us and that's whether we're in public health or animal health," Speer said.

"What we have to be mindful of is that this is a highly-complex issue. There are still a lot of things that we are discovering that we still don't understand, but the key in all of this is we need to differentiate between concern and what's actual risk. There might be a concern out there that does not necessarily represent true risk and if we chase down a rabbit that doesn't really represent what's going on, then it becomes a false solution."

You can listen to our full conversation or read more of this story by clicking here. 

U.S. Agriculture Benefits From Japan In TPP Talks

Increased pork exports resulting from a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement would create more than 20,000 direct and indirect U.S. pork-related jobs, with the vast majority generated by Japan alone, said the National Pork Producers Council at a press conference held today.

The TPP is a regional trade negotiation that includes the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, which account for a combined 30 percent of global GDP. Japan already has free trade agreements with seven of the 11 TPP countries: Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The Obama administration on Friday agreed to accept Japan into the trade negotiations.

"Increasing pork exports are important to many more Americans than just pork producers," said NPPC Vice President and International Trade Counsel Nick Giordano, who pointed out that more than 110,000 U.S. jobs are generated by U.S. pork exports. "We expect having Japan join the TPP will likewise provide increased market opportunities and more jobs for us." 

You can read more of this article by clicking here.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Leaders Lobby Congress

The new farm bill, immigration reform, estate taxes and federal budget cuts were key issues discussed this week by Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders during a five-day lobbying effort in the nation's capitol.

"It's extremely important to discuss these issues not only with our own congressional delegation but other officials as well," said Mike Spradling, OFB president.   "Even though we are in frequent contact with our delegation, they need our support as they work on these issues in Washington, D.C."

A new farm bill proposal from the American Farm Bureau focusing on a strong crop insurance program was recently sent to Capitol Hill. Spradling said an effective crop insurance program is needed when agricultural crises arise, such as the recent drought that severely damaged crops in the southern High Plains. 

You can read more of this story by clicking here.

This N That- Cattle on Feed, Drought Impacted Cattle Selling Friday on Superior Auction and Wes Studi to be Honored

Our next regular Cattle on Feed report is scheduled to be released this Friday afternoon at 2 PM central time.  Rich Nelson with Allendale has provided his thoughts to us via email about what he believes this report may tell us-

"March Placements are expected to be 0.5% lower than last year. Feedlot margins remain negative. Cash cattle prices averaged $127 in March compared with February's $125. March placements appear large as they are compared with the low March 2012 placement (which was 6.4% less than 2011). Cattle placed in March will be marketed from August through October.
 
"Allendale anticipates a Marketing total 4.9% lower than March of 2012. This is made after a 4.4% decrease due to a calendar adjustment, one less weekday in 2013 vs. 2012, for this month.
 
"Total Cattle on Feed as of April 1 will be 6.3% lower than last year. This would be slightly larger than the March 1 survey which showed 7.0% fewer cattle. Months of lower placements, and tightening feedlot numbers, are now translating into lower slaughter levels."

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Today and tomorrow- the every other weekly auction for Superior Video Livestock will be underway on DISH Network, DIRECTV and on the internet- and we have word from Jim Odle and his team about several groups of bred cows, cow-calf pairs and more that will be offered during the Friday sale- among the reputation cattle that will be offered are females from Solvangen Farms, southwest of Raton, NM with 89 First Calf Heifer Pairs and68 Cow Calf Pairs 

Also selling due to drought -
High Desert Ranch, southeast of Vaughn, NM
74 Cow Calf Pairs 

Middle Creek Ranch, Dustin, OK
160 First Calf Heifer Pairs 

Marcum Farms, Alva, OK
80 First Calf Heifer Pairs
40 Cow Calf Pairs 

Hat Springs Ranch, Standrod, ID
Complete Dispersal
80 1st Calf Heifer Pairs
175 Cow Calf Pairs 

Little Goose Ranch, Sheridan, WY
145 Cow Calf Pairs 

Paul and Marianne Kaiser, Stoneham, CO
64 Cow Calf Pairs 

Dennis Wyckoff, Brewster, NE

120 Cow Calf Pairs

Call Superior Auction at 1-800-422-2117 for more information and approximate time that these sets of cattle will sell.

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Celebrated Native American Actor Wes Studi will be inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum's Hall of Great Western Performers April 20, 2013, in Oklahoma City. Only the second Native American to receive the honor, Studi is best known for his roles in "The Last of the Mohicans," "Dances with Wolves," "Heat," and James Cameron's "Avatar."


Studi will be inducted during the museum's annual black-tie Western Heritage Awards, honoring artists in 16 categories of Western music, literature, television and film. Other 2013 inductees include the late Robert Mitchum, Leo Carillo and Duncan Renaldo. 

Click here for more details about this celebration planned this weekend.