USDA Releases Annual Report of Foreign Investors' Holdings of U.S. Agricultural Land 

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) has released its annual publication regarding foreign investors' holdings of United States agricultural land. The publication contains statistics that are current through Dec. 31, 2011. 

The report, titled "Foreign Holdings of U.S. Agricultural Land Through December 31, 2011," is now available on the FSA website by clicking here.

The data gathered through Dec. 31, 2011, indicate that foreign investors hold an interest in 25,715,588 acres of U.S. agricultural land, which is approximately 2 percent of all privately held U.S. agricultural land, and 1 percent of all land in the U.S. The total foreign-held U.S. agricultural acres as of the last report, dated Dec. 31, 2010, were 24,224,807, resulting in an increase of 1,490,781 acres.

The annual publication includes a wide variety of both annual and cumulative activity reports. 

Oklahoma School Land Auctions Rapidly Approaching

October is just around the corner and, in Oklahoma, October is the time for the auctions which will grant school land leases. Harry Birdwell, Secretary of the Commissioners of the Land Office, recently spoke with ,me about the management of the state's school lands and the upcoming auctions.

He says the last couple years have been difficult for land owners due to the drought. The state owns 750,000 surface acres and owns mineral rights on 1,100,000. Though the drought in western Oklahoma has been tough, he said the land office hasn't been hit nearly as hard. He said prudent management has been very helpful in lessening the impact.

"Despite the fact that there has been drought over the last couple of years, our income from leases hasn't really diminished. As a matter of fact, in some areas, it's gone up because much of our land has associated water. And when there's a shortage of water people are looking for it. And where there is grass people are looking to lease it to graze.  

Birdwell says about 1/5 of the school lands are leased each year on a rotating basis. Auctions will be held at nine different locations. Those locations can be found online at www.clo.ok.gov or by calling 1-888-35LANDS. The auctions begin October 14th and end October 29th. This year, 574 tracts of land will be offered in 34 counties. 

Click here to read more of this story or to listen to my full conversation with Harry Birdwell.

Federal Judge Issues Ruling in Gulf Restoration Network Lawsuit

Late last week a federal judge ruled in the Gulf Restoration Network vs. EPA lawsuit which sought to force the Environmental Protection Agency to establish strict water quality standards for nutrient runoff for all states in the Mississippi River Basin. The National Corn Growers Association intervened in the suit with the American Farm Bureau Federation, The Fertilizer Institute, National Pork Producers Council and other farm groups in 2012. 

In a win for the plaintiffs, the judge ruled that the EPA failed to answer the central question in the environmentalists' 2008 petition about whether federal Numeric Nutrient Criteria are "necessary" under the Clean Water Act. The agency must now craft a new response within six months. However, in a win for agriculture, the judge also stated that nothing in the Clean Water Act prohibits EPA from allowing states to take the lead in responding to nutrient challenges.

 "We were pleased that the court agreed with EPA's rationale for giving states the flexibility to craft their own nutrient reduction strategies," NCGA President Pam Johnson said.

Click here to read more of this story. 

USDA Data Shows Need For National Sodsaver Provision, Says Rural Policy Group

Recently released USDA Farm Service Agency data demonstrates a rapid conversion of non-cropland to cropland. Center for Rural Affairs analysis of the 2012 data reveals the importance of inclusion of a national Sodsaver provision in the Farm Bill that would help address the significant loss of grasslands by ratcheting down subsidized crop insurance on cropland converted from native prairie.

"This data shows grassland and other newly broken land converted to cropland in 2012 totals nearly 400,000 acres across the country. Nebraska led the way with over 54,000 acres of new land broken out for cropland," Traci Bruckner, Assistant Director of Rural Policy, Center for Rural Affairs.

According to Bruckner, the Senate version of the Farm Bill includes a national Sodsaver provision. The House version includes a Sodsaver provision as well, but it is limited to the portions of five states that are in the Prairie Pothole Region of the Northern Great Plains.

You can read more of this story on our website.  Please click here to go there.

Bonds to Serve as Cattle Raisers President; Thorpe to Serve as First Vice President

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) installed Pete Bonds, Saginaw, as the new TSCRA President today during the closing session of the 2013 Fall Board Meeting. Bonds served as the TSCRA first vice president prior to the death of former TSCRA President Clay Birdwell.  

Richard Thorpe, Winters, will serve as the first vice president. 

"This association has been crucial to the strength and stability of the Texas cattle industry for well over a century," said Bonds. "It's an honor to serve and lead this organization as president."

Click here for more.

OSU Names Three as Distinguished Ag Alums- Butch Meibergen, Bob Sherrer and Randy Davis

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University has announced Randy Davis, Robert "Bob" Sherrer and J.L. "Butch" Meibergen as the CASNR 2013 Distinguished Alumni.

"The outstanding achievements of each one of these DASNR alums are testaments to the impact our graduates can and do have in their career fields and in their communities," said Mike Woods, interim dean and vice president for agricultural programs. "They are all wonderful examples of sustained excellence in their industries."

Meibergen, Enid, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from OSU in agricultural economics in 1979 and quickly joined what is now Johnston Enterprises to eventually become the fourth generation of his family to operate the company as president and CEO. Johnson Enterprises includes the foundational W.B. Johnston Grain, Johnston Seed, Johnston's Ports and bulk handling.


The company has 24 country elevator locations in Oklahoma and Texas and handles approximately 20 percent of Oklahoma's annual wheat crop. Established in 1893 in Enid as W.B. Johnston Grain Company, Johnston Enterprises is now the oldest and largest privately owned grain company in the state.   

Click here to read more about the other CASNR Distinguished Alums for 2013- and for details about the receptions to honor all three during the month of October.