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The Tulsa State Fair's Market Animal Show wrapped up on Thursday evening with the selection of the Grand Champions in four divisions. Those Grand Champions- and about 180 of the other top winners from the market animal show will be sold in a Premium Auction at 11:00 AM on Friday. We have got a great picture of Baylor Bonham, watching in amazement as judge Dr. Dan Shike slaps his steer- naming the Champion Chianina as the Grand Champion Market Steer of the Tulsa State Fair, which means he will have the honor of leading the first animal into the sale ring at 11:00 am on Friday morning. (Click here to see the pictures of all four Grand Champions!) 

The Grand and Reserve Grand Champions in the four divisions include:

Grand Champion Steer: Baylor Bonham, Newcastle FFA (Chianina Champion)

Reserve Grand Champion Steer: Bailey Carter, Sentinel FFA (Crossbred Champion)


Grand Champion Market Barrow: Jayme McMasters, DePew FFA (Crossbred Champion)

Reserve Grand Chamoion Market Barrow: Garrison Straka, Canadian County 4-H (Reserve Crossbred)


Grand Champion Market Lamb: Tyler Rhodes, Mulhall-Orlando FFA (Champion Crossbred)

Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb: Chad McGolden, Fairview FFA (Champion Hampshire)


Grand Champion Meat Goat: Kami Oller, Garber FFA (Division 5 Champion)

Reserve Grand Champion Meat Goat: Morgan Craig, Fort Gibson FFA (Division 4 Champion)

As we send this email out- we are continuing to work on stories on all four species- click here for our Blue Green Gazette Youth page where you can see the listing of the breed champions and more.
 

And- we are posting as fast as our internet will allow us picutres to our FLICKR set for the 2013 Tulsa State Fair- Click here to check those pictures out.  We will add even more pictures from the Premium auction that happens Friday morning at 11 AM.

Government Shutdown Has Minimal Impact on Grain Markets So Far, Anderson Says 

The talk among grain traders is the same as the talk across most of the country: the government shutdown. Oklahoma State University Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson says in this week's preview of SUNUP that grain markets, so far, haven't been affected that much.

"The commodity markets, the grain markets, you haven't had much impact. One analyst said we have less information than we did before the government shutdown, like on export numbers. We might not get the WASDE report that's due on the 11th. So, we're depending on numbers that are coming from the market analysts."

Anderson said there may be less volatility in the markets due to the lack of information that usually comes from government sources.

"I think the important thing is that we're depending on numbers from the analytical firms and the large firms.   And the large firms will have the information before the rest of us out in the public, but they've always had the numbers first. Like the WASDE report coming up on the 11th, you've got the average of the market analysts which try to predict what that USDA number is.

"I think what we've got t be concerned about is when the government comes back to work and starts releasing numbers, and then we could have volatility from how the government numbers match the numbers we've been using beforehand."

You can listen to more analysis from Kim Anderson or read more of this story by clicking here.

Poll Doesn't Accurately Reflect Public Opinion on Renewable Fuel Standard, RFA Says

This is a portion of an editorial distributed by Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association:

The fact is the majority of the American people support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and are happily, without incident, driving on E15 where available. Don't be fooled by the biased polling released today by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

In February, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) commissioned a poll to gauge support for the RFS and found that 64 percent of those polled favored the legislation. This June, that number increased in a Fuels America poll, which found that 73 percent of Americans support the RFS. That same poll also found that three out of four Americans want a renewable fuels choice at their gas station.

We can agree on the fact that all consumers need more education and awareness of E15 (15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline). The more you know, the more you want it. E15 is EPA approved for vehicles 2001 and newer. It is available at approximately 40 stations in nine states. In fact, consumers have already driven roughly 40 million miles on the blend in the past year without a single instance of engine damage or inferior performance.

You can read the rest of Dineen's opinion piece by clicking here.

 

Pecan Research Moves Into the 20th Century

Dr. Charles Rohla of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation writes in the foundation's latest newsletter:

For decades, scientists have used molecular markers for research and breeding purposes to increase yields and water and nutrient efficiencies as well as disease and insect resistance in agricultural crops. Recently, pecan scientists have looked at the development of new technologies used in this research and considered its use in pecan breeding and research.

During the first International Symposium of Pecans and Other Carya in Indigenous and Managed Systems, scientists from around the world working on pecans and other Carya species (hickories) shared the most up-to-date research techniques that are being used to move pecans into the 21st century. Researchers from the United States, China, Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay and Israel were in attendance.

Several institutions have already started to look at the genetic potential of pecans. The use of genetics will help us understand how pecan trees function and reveal potential production problems such as the causes of alternate bearing, flowering, and disease and insect resistance.  

Click here to read more of this article.

Faculty Member Targets Beef Sustainability in Research, Teaching at OSU

Sara Place is one of the newer faculty members at Oklahoma State University. She is an assistant professor of animal science and is an expert in beef sustainability. I talked with her recently about her research.

"In terms of what I hope to contribute and research is framing the questions and the discussion about what is animal agriculture's environmental impact, making sure that we focus on how we contribute to the economy and how we contribute to feeding the world and feeding Oklahomans and feeding the United States."

Sustainability is a buzzword used more and more often these days and it can be misused as well.
 

"For me, it really comes down to the economics, the environmental impacts and the social issues all surrounding sustainability. For an individual producer in Oklahoma, first of all you have to be able to stay in business-that long-term business viability. You have to be able to pass your business on to the next generation, be it family or otherwise. You have to have responsibility to your community and to your animals as well as thinking about your environmental impact."

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

 

Beef Checkoff Partners with Arby's On New Brisket Sandwich Introduction

The Beef Checkoff Program has partnered with Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. to generate consumer excitement around Arby's® new Smokehouse Brisket sandwich, the chain's first-ever brisket product. After extensive consumer research showed a strong interest in smoked foods - particularly smoked meats and cheeses - Arby's selected Beef Brisket as the centerpiece of its new limited-time offer.

Available through November, the Smokehouse Brisket sandwich features hickory-smoked Beef Brisket topped with melted smoked Gouda cheese, crispy onions, smoky BBQ sauce and mayo, served on a toasted, bakery-style bun.  

The Beef Checkoff Program is supporting the limited time offer with both merchandising and social media activity.

"This effort builds upon our longstanding history of working with Arby's on new product development and merchandising and bringing new beef items to the menu," said Terri Carstensen, chair of the checkoff's Taste Subcommittee and a feedlot operator from Odebolt, Iowa. "For almost 50 years, Arby's has made beef a cornerstone of its menu and generates a high-volume of beef sales."

You can read more of this story by clicking here.

 

Shoppers Find Higher Prices for Poultry and Dairy Products

Shoppers are paying slightly more for food items at the grocery store compared to the first half of 2013. Higher retail prices for meat items such as boneless chicken breasts and dairy products, among other foods, resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation's latest Semi-Annual Marketbasket Survey.

The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $53.20, up $1.66 or about 3 percent compared to a survey conducted about six months ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, 11 increased and five decreased in average price.

"Several poultry and dairy product items increased in price during the second half of the year, accounting for much of the increase in the marketbasket," said John Anderson, AFBF's deputy chief economist. "As anticipated, food prices have increased by about 3 percent so far during the year, which is slightly higher than the average rate of inflation over the past 10 years," he said.

Click here for more.