USDA Program Payments Will NOT Be Reduced Due to Sequestration and Will Resume Immediately

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced on Wednesday that farm payments, which had been temporarily suspended due to sequestration, are scheduled to resume immediately. This includes payments for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).


"I'm pleased to announce that farmers and ranchers can expect to begin receiving their payments beginning May 8," said Garcia. "We appreciate the producers' patience during the delay. We're working diligently to get these payments out as quickly as possible."


On March 4, 2013, FSA began a temporary suspension of FSA program payments in order to assess the impact of sequestration and determine the least-disruptive process possible for carrying out required cuts.

Buried down in the third paragraph of the news release from USDA came the real kicker on this story- "The Department will use the Secretary's limited authority to transfer funds to avoid reducing these program payments."

So- as the onion is peeled back on the Sequestration- the impact to the federal government is certainly something less than hurricane force. Earlier there had been talk of up to a ten percent reduction in farm program payments because of the sequestration- now, as noted in this statement, there is no reduction in these payments to producers.

Click here to read the rest of the release from USDA issued late Wednesday afternooon.

USDA Announces Final Call for 2012 Census of Agriculture; Oklahoma Ag Secretary Thanks Respondents

With the window to respond to the 2012 Census of Agriculture officially closing on May 31, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is urging farmers and ranchers not to miss this opportunity to be counted and help determine the future of farming in America. USDA has already received more than 2 million completed Census forms.

"Our nation needs your help to ensure that decisions about U.S. agriculture accurately represent you, your communities, and your industry," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "For every 158 people in America there is one farm. I urge you to take action today and respond to the Census - your country is counting on the information to help ensure a continued supply of food, fiber and fuel for generations to come."

The Census of Agriculture, conducted only once every five years, is the only source of consistent and comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation. It looks at farms, value of land, market value of agricultural production, farm practices, expenditures, and other factors that affect the way farmers and ranchers do business. The information is used by agribusinesses, town planners, local governments, and policy makers, as well as farmers, ranchers, growers and others to shape farm programs, boost rural services and grow the future of farming.  (Click here to read more about the Census of Agriculture.)

Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese complimented agricultural producers for responding to the 2012 Census of Agriculture. He said the information collected is essential in his work.

"I rely on data from the US Census of Agriculture to help me make the best possible decisions on behalf of Oklahoma agriculture," said Reese. "It's extremely important that the most accurate and up-to-date information is available to other policymakers and industry stakeholders as well. That's why I encourage all Oklahoma agriculturalists to make sure their voices are heard with this census." 

You can read more from Jim Reese by clicking here. 

Peel Calls Pent Up Demand in Beef Business the 'Urge to Grill' 

Across much of the country there has been more winter than spring since the official start of spring and we're moving closer and closer to Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer. Still, people have not been able to get out and grill even once. According to Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel, there's pent up demand out there when it comes to consumers and an "urge to grill."

"I really think the weather had a bigger impact than we might have realized at some point. If you look at population centers, particularly the northeast part of the U.S., they've just been hammered all the way back to the hurricane last fall with one adverse weather event after another. And we're still having some cold-weather things happen here, but I think we're reaching that point where now we're seeing that demand come together. It's combined with other things that are helping demand: gas prices have eased a bit and those things help a little bit as well. And so I think we're just generally set here for some improving beef demand."

Beef production has declined and will continue to decline in the days to come, Peel says.

"Carcass weights are falling. It's a seasonal trend at this time of the year, but what's important is that we're not nearly as much of an increase year over year this year compared to what we were seeing a year ago. We didn't really expect to see that, but it's another one of those factors that we've been watching.

Derrell joins me on the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen or to read more of this story.  

Eastern Redcedar Landowner Workshop Slated May 18th

Eastern redcedar trees are everywhere in Oklahoma. Left uncontrolled, the species can quickly take over. However, once trees are established, landowners have an opportunity to provide quality wood products utilized for furniture, fences, cabinets, decking and much more. Because the eastern redcedar market tends to be quite sporadic, landowners often have a hard time connecting with the logging contractors.

To assist in bridging this gap, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension and Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) have teamed up to host the Eastern Redcedar Landowner Workshop May 18 in Stillwater at the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center (FAPC).

"This will be a great opportunity for landowners with eastern redcedar to network with other landowners, harvesters and producers interested in utilizing the redcedar wood they have available on their lands," said Craig McKinley, OSU Cooperative Extension forestry specialist. 

Click here for more.

 

Farm Bureau Leader Karen Krehbiel Appointed to Agriculture Board

Caddo County Farm Bureau leader Karen Krehbiel is the newest member of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry's Board of Directors. Krehbiel will serve a four year term and represent district four which consists of 20 counties, mostly in southwest Oklahoma.

Krehbiel has more than 20 years of accounting and production experience working on her family farm near Hydro.   

"I plan to use my experience and knowledge to make the best possible decisions and move forward," Krehbiel said.

Krehbiel has the unique distinction of being the first woman to serve on the agriculture board.

You can read more of this story by clicking here.  

EWG Says Conservation Reforms Needed to Protect Environment and Drinking Water

A new analysis by Environmental Working Group underscores the need to reform the nation's primary land restoration program for long-term protection of wetlands, prairies and other lands that protect drinking water and wildlife habitat.

Much of the land that had been protected under the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is being plowed under when short-term rental contracts with the government expire, the EWG analysis shows.

"The reality is that the nation's primary prairie and wetlands protection program was not designed to meet the environmental challenges being created by record prices for farm commodities," said Craig Cox, EWG's Senior Vice President of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "Cropland that had been 'restored' with grasses and trees is increasingly being plowed under again to grow crops as soon as the rental agreements expire." 

You can read more of this story on our website by clicking here.

 

Oklahoma Wheat Commission to Hold District III Election

The Oklahoma Wheat Commission will hold an election to fill the District III opening. The election will be held Wednesday, May 15, 2013, commencing at 2 p.m. at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds, Exhibit Building; Kingfisher, Oklahoma. District III consists of Beckham, Blaine, Canadian, Custer, Dewey, Kingfisher, Roger Mills and Washita counties.

All wheat producers within District III boundaries who are actively engaged in wheat production, have marketed wheat, and have paid a check-off fee and left that fee with the Commission for the current year are eligible to vote. It will be the responsibility of the producer to prove their eligibility to vote by providing a dated grain elevator receipt including the producer's name and amount of wheat sold, and a driver's license or some other form of identification.

Three nominations will be made at the election, from which the Governor of Oklahoma will appoint one person to serve a five year term with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission.

Click here for more information.

 

This N That- Lahoma Wheat Field Day Set for Tomorrow, Oklahoma Hereford Springtime Sale and Ipad Mini

The Oklahoma Agriculture Experiment Station and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service are inviting the public to attend the 2013 Lahoma Wheat Tour on May 10th(Tomorrow!). The tour will be held on the North Central Oklahoma Research Station located just west of Lahoma on Highway 412.

The program will lead off with the Chairman of the House Ag Committee, Oklahoma's 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas. Congressman Lucas will open the tour with comments beginning at 9:00 am. With Mr. Lucas on hand, registration for the tour will begin at 8:40 am and coffee and doughnuts will be available compliments of the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association.

The trailers will roll out of the station at 9:25 to the first tour stops beginning at 9:30. The tour will be menu driven as in the past with participants being able to pick from 5 different presentations during each stop.  

As of early Thursday morning- the station had received about seven tenths of an inch of rain in the last 24 hours- with more rains in the forecast- at this point- that's not enough to stop the tour from proceeding as scheduled- so make your plans to attend.  Click here for more about the 2013 program planned by the OSU folks.

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The Oklahoma Hereford Association is pleased to announce their Spring Time Registered and Commercial Female and Bull Sale witll be happening this Saturday, May 11th at high noon.  The location for the sale will be the Hartley H2 Ranch and Cattle Company in Perkins- that's the old Limestone Angus location.

It looks like a great set of service age bulls, bred females and more will be offered on Saturday- our friend Eddie Sims is handling the sale for OHA- give him a call for details at 580-595-1626- click here for the National Cattle Services website where you can find the catalog to download.

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We will announce the winner of the Ipad Mini later this morning on our Oklahoma Farm Report App- in the News and Markets Sections. We will place a story there with the winner's name and they will have 24 hours to email us from the email address they provided when they registered.  Thanks for those of you that entered via email the last two days- had a bunch of folks sign up- we appreciate you reading the daily email!  Remember- you can always download our App for your Iphone or your Android based smartphone- click here for that links to where you can do so.