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The House and Senate Ag Leadership met for an hour on Wednesday- and when they met the gaggle of reporters outside of the door of the meeting room- spoke optimistically about doing a deal on the 2013 Farm Bill.  

Inside the room were Congressmen Frank Lucas and Collin Peterson and Senators Debbie Stabenow and Thad Cochran- along with the Ag Committees' staff.  

"We're doing great," Stabenow said, noting staff is working on specifics and on some scoring issues. "We've narrowed differences...We are coming closer on every part of the bill."

Lucas agreed with Stabenow by saying, "We made great progress. We have more progress to make...Let us keep working."

Reporters got no details from any of the four- with Collin Peterson saying at this point in the process- that would not be helpful.

According to David Rogers writing for the Politico website- "Staff were closeted still working out the details and much will depend on final scoring from the Congressional Budget Office. But both sides made important concessions."   

Rogers adds "The House moved off its position that all commodity subsidies be a function of a farmer's planted acres. The Senate agreed to greater food stamp savings - albeit still far short of the $40 billion in 10 years cuts approved by the House in September."  Click here for the full piece by David Rogers. 

Farm Bill watchers expect another face to face of the hour Ag Committee leaders later today. 

Bob Stallman Calls on Congressional Ag Leaders to Lead Toward Farm Bill Conclusion 

Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, released the following statement calling on Congressional leaders to finish their work on the 2013 farm bill: 

"It is time, once and for all, to unify behind a farm bill that works for all of American agriculture, including crop, livestock and fruit and vegetable growers. As a nation, we cannot afford to do otherwise. The best way for us to do that is to trust those who have brought us this far. The American Farm Bureau Federation wishes to go on record in strong support of congressional Agriculture committee chairs and leaders. We believe that through the leadership of Ag Committee leaders -- Chairman Lucas, Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Peterson and Ranking Member Cochran - working in conjunction with the committee conferees, we will get a farm bill done, and it will be a farm bill that works for all commodities and all regions.                                                    

"We must move forward. It is time to let our leaders lead. The American Farm Bureau Federation will do what it can to help close ranks on any remaining issues -- for the good of the whole of American agriculture, consumers, our hard-working farm and ranch families and the rural communities they support." 

New Initiative Focuses on Critical Role of Soil Health

Farm Foundation, NFP and The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation today announced the launch of a new initiative designed to bring attention to the critical role of soil health in the challenge of feeding 9 billion people by 2050. This announcement is being made to mark World Soil Day on Dec. 5.

Through the leadership of the two foundations, the Soil Health Initiative will bring recognition to the central role of soil in productive agricultural systems, and establish a strategic plan to address soil health issues.

"Soil health is a key factor in any agricultural production system, whether conventional or organic, yet soil is too often ignored or overshadowed by other factors," says Noble Foundation President Bill Buckner. "It is critical that producers-the people working directly with the land-be in close communication with researchers and policymakers to ensure that their challenges are recognized and our soils are protected and sustained for future generations."

Click here to read more of this story. 

NFU Calls Canada's COOL Threats 'All Bark and No Bite'

The following editorial was written by the staff of the National Farmers Union and published on its website:

For months, Canadian officials and meatpackers have been lobbying U.S. policymakers on a particular U.S. law they don't like - Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL). Recently, Canada's Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz embarked on a whirlwind tour of the United States to decry the alleged evils of COOL. However, he has been getting a few facts mixed up along the way.

One of Ritz's main threats is that unless the United States repeals COOL, Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs not only on meat - the main focus of Canada's ire - but also on a host of other products that are wholly unrelated to the issue at hand: frozen orange juice, pasta, communion wafers, chocolate, mattresses, wine and wooden office furniture, to name a few. What Ritz doesn't mention is that this list is merely a scare tactic. Canada has a long road ahead before it could even consider retaliating against the United States.

Another detail Ritz and other Canadian officials conveniently omit is the fact that Canada itself requires country-of-origin labels on a number of goods, such as dairy products, eggs and imported meat and fish. And we're going to let them tell us what we can and cannot label?

Click here to read the full editorial. 

Applications for Conservation Stewardship Program Due January 17

Gary O'Neill, USDA-NRCS State Conservationist for Oklahoma, has announced that applications are being accepted for new enrollments in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for the 2014 federal fiscal year. Starting today through January 17, 2014, producers can submit applications to NRCS.

"Through the Conservation Stewardship Program, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are going the extra mile to conserve our nation's resources," NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. "Through their conservation actions, they are ensuring that their operations are more productive and sustainable over the long run."

O'Neill stated "The CSP is an important Farm Bill conservation program that helps established conservation stewards with taking their level of natural resource management to the next level to improve both their agricultural production and provide valuable conservation benefits such as cleaner and more abundant water, as well as healthier soils and better wildlife habitat". 

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Expected Bad Weather Results in Friday's Joint Sorghum-Wheat Meeting to be Postponed

Due to the expected weather conditions in central Oklahoma on Thursday and Friday of this week, the leadership of the Oklahoma Wheat Growers and the Oklahoma Sorghum Association have announced they are postponing the joint meeting of the two groups that was scheduled for this Friday, December 6th at the Moore Norman Tech Center- South Penn Campus.

According to Jennifer Blackburn of the Sorghum Association and Tim Bartram of the Oklahoma Wheat Growers, leadership and staff will be searching for a new date for the event and will announce that new date just as quickly as they possibly can. 

This n That- Cleon Cometh and Superior Ready for Friday Sale

Winter Storm Cleon will not bring crippling amounts of moisture into most of Oklahoma- but still up to six inches of snow is possible in a band that runs along the I-44 corridor before things wrap up on Saturday night or early Sunday morning.   

Freezing rain that could total a half inch or more is perhaps the biggest worry- and that will be happening in south central and southeastern Oklahoma- as well as south of the Red River into the Dallas- Fort Worth metroplex. Much of the frozen stuff of one sort or another will be coming in after dark Thursday through early Friday morning.

With the temperature now below freezing across most of Oklahoma- we won't see the high side of 32 degrees again in much of Oklahoma until the middle of next week.  Alan Crone of the News on 6 offers these thoughts on the temps in his Thursday morning blog- "The temperatures will be frigid for a long duration possibly staying below freezing until Wednesday midday of next week.  Readings are expected to remain in the 20s for today and Friday but morning lows Saturday should drop into the single digits.  Afternoon highs this weekend will remain in the mid-20s.  There's a chance the sky may clear out Monday and allow temps to drop back into the single digits for Tuesday morning.  A prolonged period of sub-freezing temps can have big impacts on pipes, pets, and water supplies for cattle.  Cranking amps in batteries along with tire air pressure can be affected by a long period of very cold air."

We have the latest maps as well as a link over to Alan Crone's weather blog- click here to check it all out.

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Superior Video Livestock Auction is ready for their December 6th Satellite Video feeder cattle and calves auction starting at 8 AM central time.

It is expected that Superior will sell approximately 25,000 head tomorrow (Friday).

Click here to learn more about this week's Superior Livestock auction- where Superior brings the cattle to you.