Oklahoma Hosts Trade Team From Number One Buyer of HRW Wheat- Nigeria   

The Oklahoma Wheat Commission has hosted a trade delegation from Nigeria as wheat harvest is beginning across the state, with the goal to maintain and grow this significant international market for hard red winter wheat. In fact, Mike Schulte, Execuitive Director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, told us that Nigeria is the number one destination for HRW wheat in the world, and have already bought over a hundred million bushels this calendar year. (That's likely MORE than the entire Oklahoma wheat crop for 2013)


Schulte has worked with US Wheat Associates in giving the millers and bakers that make up the trade team a real taste of what the Oklahoma wheat industry is all about, as well as a great feel for central and western Oklahoma. The team has spent time in a combine cab as wheat harvest was getting underway in southwestern Oklahoma, has visited and talked with local elevator operators, has toured the Value Added Processing facility in Alva, spent time with grain merchandisers at Johnston Grain in Enid and heard a milling and baking update from Dr. Patricia Rayas of Oklahoma State University.

You can hear our conversation with Mike Schulte about the trade team and what they have seen and how they view the Oklahoma wheat industry- click here for our story found on our website, OklahomaFarmReport.Com. 

Ag Secretary, Ag Groups Continue to Praise Senate's Passage of Farm Bill 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and a host of agriculture organizations continued to heap praise on the Senate for its passage Monday of their version of the 2013 farm bill.

"Rural America has been too long without a comprehensive, multiyear Food, Farm and Jobs Bill. Passage of this legislation by the Senate is a promising development and an important one for rural communities and families. It provides a strong safety net for agriculture, while making needed reforms by eliminating the direct payment system and tightening payment and eligibility requirements," Vilsack said.  (Click here for the rest of his statement.)

Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association said, "It has been a long process, but a very worthwhile one. After much thoughtful dialogue, the Senate passed a Farm Bill that is forward-looking and positive for America's renewable fuels industry. We believe the House, like the Senate, will also recognize the job-creating, value-added economic engine that the ethanol industry has become."  (You can read his full remarks here.)

National Cotton Council Chairman, Jimmy Dodson, a South Texas cotton producer, said, "The Senate approval of this farm bill is an important step toward providing producers with critically important predictability and tools to manage risk. Producers and their lenders need sound, long-term farm programs to sustain investments and to make market oriented decisions." (Click here for more from Jimmy Dodson.) 

American Farmland Trust and the National Farmers Union were also supportive of the Senate's work.  Click on their names to read their statements.

Vilsack Announces Additional Emergency Watershed Protection Funding to States Affected by Natural Disasters

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday that USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service will send an additional $66.8 million in Emergency Watershed Protection Program funds to help disaster recovery efforts in 15 states.

"This funding will help communities implement much needed recovery projects to address watershed damage caused by floods, drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters that occurred in 2012 and 2013," Vilsack said. "President Obama and USDA are committed to helping repair and rebuild rural communities so hardworking farmers and ranchers can ensure American agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation's economy."

NRCS's Emergency Watershed Program has successfully helped many communities recover from previous natural disasters across the country by providing on-site technical and financial assistance. This money will help implement all requested recovery projects that were in presidentially declared disaster areas. Examples of conditions qualifying for assistance include: debris-clogged stream channels, undermined and unstable stream banks, jeopardized water control structures and public infrastructures, and wind-borne debris removal.

Click here for more.

 

World Bank Study Identifies Crude Oil as Biggest Influencer of World Food Prices

According to a recent study by the World Bank, crude oil prices bear the lion's share of responsibility for most of past decade's jump in food prices. Oil prices, not stocks to-use, exchange rates, interest rates or income, were the most important driver of food prices since 2004-a time period where dramatic and devastating spikes in global food prices occurred, and one that also coincides with record profits for the oil industry.

Following the release of this new study, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis said: "Not only has the oil industry been responsible for the sky-rocketing gas prices each time you fill up your car, now it turns out they are responsible for the price increases you face at the grocery store. While they enjoy record profits, populations around the world suffer at their expense and struggle to pay for the basic staples of life."

You'll find the rest of this story and a link to the World Bank study on our website by clicking here.

 

Fenceline Weaning Fall-Born Calves Produces Measurable Results

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist, writes in the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter:

Many cow/calf operations with fall-born calves will wean the calves in mid to late June. Weaning during very hot summer weather is stressful enough to the calves. Therefore any management strategy that can reduce stress to the calves should be utilized. "Fenceline weaning" is such a strategy that should be applied.

California researchers weaned calves with only a fence (fenceline) separating them from their dams. These were compared to calves weaned totally separate from dams. Calf behaviors were monitored for five days following weaning. Fenceline calves and cows spent approximately 60% and 40% of their time, respectively within 10 feet of the fence during the first two days. During the first three days, fenceline calves bawled and walked less, and ate and rested more, but these differences disappeared by the fourth day. All calves were managed together starting seven days after weaning. After two weeks, fenceline calves had gained 23 pounds more than separate calves. This difference persisted since, after 10 weeks, fenceline calves had gained 110 pounds (1.57 lb/day), compared to 84 pounds(1.20 lb/day) for separate calves. There was no report of any differences in sickness, but calves that eat more during the first days after weaning should stay healthier.  

You can read more of this story by clicking here.

Farm Service Agency County Committee Nomination Period Begins June 17

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins on Monday, June 17.

"I encourage all eligible farmers and ranchers to participate in this year's county committee elections by nominating candidates by the August 1 deadline," said Vilsack. "County committees are a vital link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provide an opportunity to farmers and ranchers for their opinions and ideas to be heard. We have been seeing an increase in the number of nominations of women and minority candidates and I hope that trend continues."

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate. 

Click here for more information.  

 

This-n-That: A Field of TEAMS Audio-Video Update,  Steny is Skeptical and Big Iron Sale Day

The Field of Teams clean up effort hit road gear on Tuesday, with the help of the El Reno FFA, the AFR-OFU and numerous out of state individuals and groups. A couple of hundred folks picked up metral, fiberglass, wood and other items that ended up in Oklahoma wheat fields that were in or near the path of the May 31st killer tornadoes that chugged across portions of Canadian County. A little over 400 acres were cleaned up, which will allow a combine to pull into those fields and harvest the 2013 crop.


"It can be easy to overlook tornado damage to agricultural areas because a field is not a home," said AFR/OFU President Terry Detrick. "But what people don't realize is that these fields are a 'place of business.' Without a wheat crop, farmers lose a major portion of their income."

We have more from Detrick, an audio conversation we had with Oklahoma Ag Secretary Jim Reese who visited the clean up site and video from the News9 in Oklahoma City TV story that aired last night- click here for our story that has all of that plus a link over to our FLICKR page of Field of TEAMS pictures.  

Levi Clifton reminds us that you can still volunteer- there are still fields to be walked before a combine can roll- call her at 405-301-1626 to get details on how you can get in on the blessing.

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A report from Roll Call last night casts some doubt on whether we will have a farm bill debate on the House floor next week or not.  The Democratic whip in the House, Steny Hoyer of Maryland is saying "the farm bill remains too controversial within the Republican Conference to be cleared for floor action, despite the fact that Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, on Monday pledged his support - along with that of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va. - for bringing up the measure later this month under an open rule."

Hoyer says the bugaboo is how the House will deal with nutrition cuts in the bill.  Click here to read more. 

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It's Wednesday- and that means its time for us to remind you of the closing of the auction- a few items at a time- for Big Iron.  This week- there are 232 items (with 329 items to be closing next on June 19)- and  you can learn more about Big Iron by clicking here- read some of the tips on how to use Big Iron and then proceed on at the link on that page to this week's auction items.  Our page includes an interview we did recently with Mike Wolfe about how Big Iron can work for both the buyer and the seller.