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Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Nutrition Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of Michigan urged the House Monday to begin the conference process of a five-year farm bill (H.R. 2642) with the Senate. Stabenow pointed fingers at House GOP Leaders for not moving as quickly as she says must happen in order for a five year farm bill to be done before the current extension of the 2008 law expires at the end of September.


Stabenow was referring to comments made at the end of last week by Eric Cantor in a floor conversation that he has with Minority whip Stenny Hoyer of Maryland. Cantor answered Hoyer's question about going to conference on the farm bill with a remark about working on a separate Nutrition bill and getting it to the floor at "sometime in the near future. It is our intention to do so." He added that the key players (including Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma) are in discussions about "how to expedite an agreement on the farm bill."

Click here to read more- and to hear comments from the teleconference held by Stabenow on Monday afternoon.

Wheat Harvest Draws to Close in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas- Meanwhile, Corn and Soybean Crop Conditions MUCH Better Than Year Ago

Wheat harvest in Oklahoma was virtually complete by the end of last week.  Weekend rains promised to help pasture and range conditions which closed out last week in mostly good to fair condition.  (To read the entire Oklahoma Crop Weather report, please click here.)

Temperatures heated up across Kansas last week, with most areas four to eight degrees above normal.  The state's winter wheat crop was listed as 98 percent harvested, compared with 100 percent last year and a five-year average of 97 percent.  Forty-seven percent of the state's range and pasture land was rate in poor or very poor condition, 31 percent was fair, 20 percent was in good shape, and two percent was listed as excellent.  (Click here for the full Kansas Crop Progress and Condition report.)

Derrell Peel Examines Rapid Changes Occurring in Mexico-U.S. Cattle and Beef Trade Flows

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, writes in the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter:

The latest livestock trade data provides additional indication that the Mexican cattle industry is undergoing rapid and dynamic change. Changes in cattle and beef flows between the U.S. and Mexico have significant implications for the cattle industries on both sides of the border. The newest component of the increasingly complex and integrated U.S.-Mexico cattle and beef industries is the rapidly growing imports of Mexican beef into the U.S.

U.S. imports of Mexican beef have increased rapidly the past four years resulting in Mexico becoming the fourth largest source of U.S. beef imports. However, imports of beef from Mexico for the month of May were down just over 4 percent year over year. This may not signify a new trend but it is significant as it represent the first decrease after 48 months of double digit year over year increases. It raises the question of whether imports are slowing because of demand limitations for Mexican beef in the U.S.; or because the supply of beef in Mexico is limited and high domestic prices are reducing the economic incentives to export beef? Data to answer the question is not complete but there are indications in the U.S. beef export and cattle import data. 

Click here to read more of Derrell's analysis. 

Happy Birthday to the Federation of State Beef Councils- Richard Gebhart Weighs in On The Future

The current chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils is Oklahoma Cattle Producer Richard Gebhart of Claremore. Here is a special op-ed piece that Gebhart has written to salute the Federation that is turning fifty years old this year:

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Federation of State Beef Councils has a proud history. As the beef industry plans for future industry-funded programs, it's a history worth studying.

At the heart of the effort have been state beef councils - in my opinion the best possible marriage of accomplishment and grassroots participation. Collectively through the Federation, these state beef councils have given national programs a true producer-directed nucleus and direct accountability to the producers paying into the programs.

Today more than 700 industry leaders serve on boards of 45 Qualified State Beef Councils directing state-based efforts, and more than 100 serve as directors for the Federation of State Beef Councils. The Federation and the Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB) each elect 10 representatives to sit on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, which helps direct funding of national and international Beef Checkoff Program-funded efforts.

You can read Richard's full article by clicking here.  

Patti Beth Anderson as 'Willamae' Brings Teachers Down to the Farm

Grove Oklahoma's Patti Beth Anderson, better known to many as "Willamae," brought her brand of country humor this past week to the Oklahoma Department of Education's Vision 2020 Teachers Conference in Oklahoma City on behalf of the Ag in the Classroom program. Anderson spoke with me about her message. 

Anderson grew up on a farm and employed her talent onstage to bring the rural message to teachers who may not be familiar with the rural lifestyle.

"I know a lot of these teachers are big city teachers and probably don't have things like we did out there on the farm. They don't understand that stuff. And I think that's why the program of Agriculture in the Classroom is kind of important. They're wanting to tell them kids and get them teachers to tell them kids about where their food comes from and where that cotton that their shirt's made out of comes from and when they crack them peanuts up there watching that ball game, you know, where that all might have started 'cause it didn't just show up down there at the grocery store."

As Willamae, Anderson is often known as "the Minnie Pearl of Grand Lake." Her humor helps her build a rapport with the audience. She has opened for such country legends as Ray Price, Porter Wagoner, Kitty Wells and others. Far from the "down-home" appearance of Willamae, Anderson has degrees from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Oklahoma City University, and Pittsburgh State University in Kansas.  

You can listen to my conversation with 'Willamae' by clicking here.

OSU Professor Dave Lalman Nationally Recognized for Extension Excellence

David Lalman, professor in Oklahoma State University's Department of Animal Science and OSU Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist, was recently recognized on a national stage for his work with Extension.

Named the 2013 American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Extension Award winner, Lalman is the sixth animal science faculty from OSU to receive this honor since its inception in 1959.

"One of the fundamental jobs of ASAS is to ensure that our members are recognized for outstanding achievement. ASAS is excited to recognize Dr. Lalman with the 2013 ASAS Extension Award," said Meghan Wulster-Radcliffe, ASAS CEO. "To receive the Extension Award, a nominee must have made outstanding and noteworthy contributions in animal science Extension." 

To read more about Dave Lalman and his contributions to Extension, please click here.

This N That- Canola Conferences, RON App and Midday Oklahoma

Just a quick reminder- the 9th annual Winter Canola Conferences happen tomorrow and Thursday in Enid and Altus- and we hope to see many of you on Wednesday at the Enid event in the new downtown Convention Center.  As we talked with Dr. Ron Sholar at the end of last week- this meeting is geared to appeal to the canola "rookies" to the veterans who have been growing the crop five or six years (or longer).  Click here for some of the details and hope to see you tomorrow.

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If you have not yet added our Oklahoma Farm Report APP to your smartphone- now is a great time to do so.  We have recently updated the APP and have made it better than ever- our audio reports are no longer separate from the News, Markets and Beef sections- on any story- you will see three tabs at the top- Audio, Web and Video.  If those tabs are dark- that means you can tap on them and either listen to the audio, jump within the APP to the relevant web page or watch the related video.   In addition, when we have a picture associated with the story- it doesn't stay and take up half the screen when you start reading the text- the text takes the full screen for an easier reading experience.    

We are working to post most stories on the APP- and we encourage you to load the app on your smartphone or tablet- and if you already have it- be sure to update the APP so these new features will work on your device.  

We have built up subscriber numbers- and are actively looking for some sponsors for the APP- if you are interested, give me a call at 405-473-6144.   

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A recent addition to our lineup of ways we try to deliver farm and ranch news to you daily is Midday Oklahoma, an hour long of great information that includes, farm and ranch news, markets, ag weather, ag calendar and more.  It can be heard on AM1640 KOAG in central and north central Oklahoma starting at 12:05 PM central time- click here to see the coverage area where you can listen to it. If you miss a show- or are outside of that area- we are placing the show up on our website and on our APP shortly after 1 PM weekdays.  In the near future, we plan on having the program streamed for you to hear it live where ever you are. Once you listen, let us know what you think- we want to make it a great hour of farm and ranch information that can help you in the middle of your business day.