Strange Cool, Wet July Weather Due to 'Unique Chain of Events,' DTN Meteorologist Bryce Anderson Says 

Significantly lower-than-normal temperatures and above-normal rainfall for this time of year are certainly welcomed by Oklahoma producers, but the conditions do raise a few questions about what this means for the future.

I spoke with DTN meteorologist and market analyst Bryce Anderson about the unusual weather pattern which brought rain and mild temperatures from the southeast.

"It is really a unique chain of events that led to the weather pattern that we have over the Southwestern Plains going on," Anderson said. "A lot of it has to do with the fact that there was upper atmosphere ridging or high pressure out of the Gulf Coast and the Southeastern U.S. that was, for a while, combining with another large high from southern California and Arizona to kind of bring some pretty hot weather to much of the southern half of the country here not too long ago, about a couple of weeks ago.

"And, actually, those two highs split. And we had a cool frontal boundary that slid through the Great Lakes the middle part of last week, the week after the 4th of July. There was a little ripple on that that formed an area of low pressure that, in a normal circumstance, would have just kept on working east. But, not only did the high pressure kind of tear apart a little bit, but then there was a portion of the Southeast U.S. high that located more right along the New Jersey coast. That then forced that disturbance from the old cold front from Pennsylvania and West Virginia southwest.

"And the result has been this kind of real welcome moisture that we've seen with the impetus of that low pressure as it worked out of the Ohio Valley and then into the Southwestern Plains there was an inflow of Gulf of Mexico moisture moving northwestward. So there was the opportunity, then, for the rain to form and it certainly has along with the milder temperatures."

You can hear my full interview with Bryce Anderson as well as read his forecast by clicking here.  

Farm Bill Follies- Stabenow Working on  Conference Request to House - Lucas Food Stamping First 

The middle of this week finds the Chairwoman of the Senate Ag Committee, Debbie Stabenow, working on paperwork that will lead to a Senate vote to send back to the US House requesting a formal conference with them on the 2013 Farm Bill. On Monday, Stabenow complained about the House not moving quickly enough, but her concerns were dealt with on Tuesday as the tect of HR 2642 arrived on the Senate side of the Capitol.


Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House Ag Committee, Frank Lucas of Oklahoma's Third District,  has been quoted in The Hill blog as saying that that a formal farm bill conference with the Senate will have to wait until the House decides what to do with a standalone food stamp measure.

Lucas said that he cannot "in good faith" press GOP leaders to appoint conferees until he works to craft a bill cutting food stamp funding. "It would be difficult for me to move for a formal conference unless we address the nutrition issue," Lucas said.


Lucas issued a two page memo to the GOP Members of the House Ag Committee that thanked them for helping pass the House version of Farm Policy, sans Nutrition, last Thursday. In that memo, Lucas admitted the House Farm Bill has veered into a lane not normally traveled by previous farm bills. "There certainly have been some bumps in the road over the last few months, and admittedly we have broken with recent tradition by sending the Senate a "Farm-Only Farm Bill." 

You can read more in our top ag web story about the Lucas memo- and we have a copy of it there for you to see as well- click here to jump there.

Smithsonian Seeks Farmers' Stories for New Exhibition

No one knows how much agriculture has evolved and transformed over time better than America's farmers. That's why the Smithsonian National Museum of American History is seeking farmers' help in telling stories of the innovation and experiences of farming and ranching across the United States.

Farmers are invited to share their personal stories about the ways innovation and technology have helped to continually improve the industry at www.americanhistory.si.edu. The museum is currently seeking stories, photographs and other memorabilia to feature in its upcoming "American Enterprise" exhibition, which will paint the picture of American business through agriculture, consumer finance, information technology/communication, manufacturing and retail/service.

"Agriculture continually evolves and has become extremely efficient and sustainable with the help of new technologies," says Sharon Covert, a farmer-leader on the United Soybean Board (USB), which recently committed a $1 million investment in support of the exhibition. "Sharing your stories and artifacts of agriculture's transformations will allow the public to see incredible strides the industry has made in order to provide food, feed, fuel and fiber for the rest of the world."

You can read more of this story by clicking here.

 

Pork Checkoff Updates Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) Information

Porcine Epidemic Virus was confirmed for the first time in U.S. swine herds mid-May. As of the week of July 8, there are more than 330 confirmed cases of PEDV in 15 states, with most of those in Iowa and Oklahoma.* 

While it's always wise to maintain good biosecurity, it's critical to do so at this time with PEDV confirmed in the United States. Researchers have already found the virus to present on the surfaces of truck and animal chutes, so having strict transportation biosecurity is one of the best ways to help stop the spread of the virus. Talking with your veterinarian about developing transport biosecurity recommendations specifically for your operation is always the best course of action. 

The National Pork Board through the Pork Checkoff has compiled a list of biosecurity recommendations for pork producers to prevent the spread of PEDV.  Click here to see their full list of recommendations and several helpful links.

 

Southern Plains Beef Symposium Set for Aug. 10 in Ardmore 

Cattle producers seeking ways to better manage their operations in ever more challenging business conditions should register now to attend the Aug. 10 Southern Plains Beef Symposium in Ardmore.

"Today's beef industry climate is perhaps unprecedented with stratospheric cattle markets and volatile input costs; cattle producers are challenged as never before to remain profitable in a sustainable way," said Leland McDaniel, Carter County Extension director and agricultural educator. "The symposium can provide valuable insights in that regard."

Celebrating its 23rd year, the 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. symposium will take place in the Ardmore Convention Center, located at 2401 N. Rockford Rd., just off Exit 33 from Interstate 35. Cost is $25 per participant if preregistering and $30 at the door, and includes all conference sessions, the trade show and the traditional prime rib lunch.

"The symposium has become one of the premier single-day beef events in the nation," McDaniel said. "A truly excellent trade show, complimentary boot shines and door prizes are longstanding traditions, adding to the opportunity of participants to learn from and interact with renowned experts who will be leading sessions about cutting-edge beef topics."

Click here for more information.

This N That- Big Iron Starts Auction Items Closing at 10 AM, Canola Conferences and Latest Rainfall Totals are Impressive! 

There's a total of 329 items listed for this week's Big Iron Equipment Auction that starts closing at 10 AM central time this morning- a couple of Oklahoma consignors are featured sellers this week- click here to jump over to Big Iron's website by clicking here and check out the wide range of items that you can check out and place bids on.

If you want to visit with District Sales Manager Mike Wolfe about the latest sale items and how Big Iron can work for you as either a buyer or a seller- give him a call at 580-320-2718.