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Ministers from 159 countries have reached a deal intended to boost global trade at a meeting in Bali, Indonesia. The World Trade Organization's first comprehensive agreement since it was formed in 1995 involves an effort to simplify the procedures for doing business across borders. There will also be improved duty-free access for goods sold by the world's poorest countries. Credit for the deal has been given to Roberto Azevêdo of Brazil, who quickly brokered the agreement after taking over the Director-General position in September.

At the heart of the deal in Bali- food security schemes where countries would be allowed to provide incentives to their own farmers to produce food and stockpile it as a hedge against famine and hunger would be trade legal- to a point.  This new decision by WTO Members will now provide developing country Members who may be in danger of breaching their domestic support limits for these programs freedom from legal challenge, to give them time to bring their policies in line with their WTO commitments.

India led the campaign, by insisting that it should be allowed to subsidize grain under its new food security law. But according to BBC, "there is a strong possibility that India's policy would break WTO rules that limit farm subsidies." In threatening to block the deal, India broke from other major "emerging economies" like China, Russia and Brazil- who strongly supported the language approved in Bali.   

The USTR's office within the Obama Administration generally agrees with the proposal and supported it- click here to read more about this brokered deal which some say saves the WTO from the brink of becoming totally irrelevant.

October Beef Exports Continue Surge; Pork Export Value Highest of 2013 

Beef exports remained on a record-setting pace in October while pork exports put up one of their strongest performances of the year, yet remain behind 2012's record-high levels, according to statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Top beef export markets Japan and Mexico both increased the volume of their U.S. beef purchases in excess of 40 percent for the month, while sales to the booming Hong Kong market skyrocketed 148 percent. Overall, October U.S. beef exports reached 107,471 metric tons valued at $564.5 million, increases of 6 and nearly 14 percent, respectively.

Pork exports in October were the largest of the year on a value basis at $539.9 million, and second-largest in volume at 186,637 metric tons, but still declined 11 and 14 percent, respectively, from last October's all-time single-month highs for both volume and value. Both the ASEAN and the Central and South America region recorded double-digit increases, as they have all year, but other key markets trailed 2012's historic highs.   

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CropLife Foundation Report Examines Immense Value of Seed Treatment for Agriculture

CropLife Foundation released "The Role of Seed Treatment in Modern U.S. Crop Production," an in-depth report detailing the uses of seed treatments, primarily fungicides and insecticides, and the resulting benefits for growers, consumers and the environment. The report highlights the role of modern seed treatments in producing healthier, more uniform crops; increasing crop value; and allowing growers to plant earlier in the season, all while reducing potential environmental exposure through an increasingly precise application method.

Seed treatment refers to the direct application of crop protection products to the surface of a seed prior to planting. This method of crop protection suppresses, controls and repels pathogens, insects and other pests that threaten to limit seed viability and health from the time that the seed enters the soil through its development. Seed treatment also helps protect high-quality seed that has been enhanced through other agricultural technologies, such as hybrid or genetically modified seed, resulting in added value to growers.

The CLF report cites research conducted throughout the country on some of the measurable, beneficial impacts of seed treatment including: Yields of spring wheat and spring barley increased by 25 percent following the application of seed treatment, according to trials conducted at Montana State University; Neonicotinoid seed treatments more than doubled stands of sorghum in Louisiana research trials. 

You can read more of this story by clicking here.  

'Responsible Beef' Program Seeks to Build Personal Relationships with Consumers

Jim Miles is the marketing manager for fed cattle with Merck Animal Health and he's also working with a project they are calling "Responsible Beef."

"Responsible Beef is a campaign we rolled out last spring to help cattle feeders and cattlemen across the country to find their voice to talk to consumers about beef," Miles said.

The campaign differs from other industry initiatives to communicate directly with consumers in a very important way, he said.

"To really talk to a consumer about beef, if you talk about the science of raising cattle and blah, blah, blah, the consumer doesn't hear you. They hear kind of like Charlie Brown's teacher-when the teacher talks you really don't hear what they say. So, in this Responsible Beef campaign, what we do is we go and take it to a different level. The idea is that you need to connect with that consumer on a personal level, a human level, before you have a conversation about the four pillars we have in Responsible Beef which are: cattle, land, community and your business. You need to connect on a personal basis first where that person understands that you're human, too, and they develop a trust and understanding and you become their expert when it comes to beef."

Jim is my guest on the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen to our conversation or to read more of this story.  

More than Three Little Piggies Running Loose in Oklahoma

They do not build their houses out of straw, sticks or bricks, but feral hogs have found a home in Oklahoma.

These hogs are quite secretive, making population estimates difficult. However, a survey estimated the population at approximately 500,000 or less, with a presence in all 77 Oklahoma counties.
 

Rooting is the most evident footprint left by hogs, however. In softer soils, the rooted areas can be up to 3 feet deep, leaving large wallows. They root around a lot looking for food, usually in broad areas leaving massive soil disturbances, loss of plant material and erosion problems. The hogs then rub on trees, removing bark and leaving mud plastered to tree trunks a few feet off the ground.

Counties in the southeast portion of the state have bigger population numbers, but feral hogs have been leaving destruction in their paths throughout Oklahoma. 

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Environmental Quality Incentives Program Applications Due December 20

Gary O'Neill, USDA-NRCS State Conservationist for Oklahoma, is reminding Oklahoma producers and landowners that applications for EQIP are due in the local NRCS offices on December 20, 2013. O'Neill said, "The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that is available to owners of land in agricultural or forest production or persons who are engaged in livestock, agricultural, or forest production on eligible land and that have a natural resource concern to be addressed."

The EQIP provides financial assistance for eligible producers to help plan and implement conservation practices that address existing natural resource concerns and for opportunities to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. Another purpose of EQIP is to help producers meet Federal, State, Tribal and local environmental regulations.

O'Neill added "The EQIP is an important Farm Bill conservation program that helps established farmers as well as beginning, historically underserved, and limited resource producers. This is another example of the work of NRCS in Oklahoma and our efforts together with our partners to address environmental conservation issues and strengthen Oklahoma's rural economy."

You can read more of this story by clicking here.  

The Monday Morning Edition of "Let it Snow" Has Arrived

It's snowing as we put the finishing touches on this morning's email- currently the white stuff is making it to the ground around Woodward- and it appears that the northern top two tiers of counties will see measurable snowfall from this latest round of wintery moisture rolling across Oklahoma.

We have a couple of graphics that show you where the snow is anticipated- click here to check them out.

We will be above freezing in southeastern Oklahoma today- with a broader area of the state to go above 32 degrees by tomorrow afternoon- and then on to the 40s for a lot of folks by Thursday-Friday(including Tulsa for the Farm Show)  However, chances of freezing rain/drizzle have now been put into the forecast for eastern Oklahoma for Friday.