NCBA VP Address Government Overreach at Texas Cattle Feeders Convention 

Cattle feeders are facing a number of federal government challenges. At the 2014 Texas Cattle Feeders Association Annual Convention in Oklahoma City, National Cattlemen's Beef Association Vice President Tracy Brunner of Ramona, Kansas addressed the top priorities for the grass roots organization. First and foremost being the 'Waters of the US' proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers. Brunner said this an important issue for cattlemen.


"We believe its an assault on our property rights," Brunner said. "It's a very tenacious and far reaching government overreach that will jeopardize property rights and cost millions of dollars to farmers and ranchers throughout the United States." 


I talked with Brunner on the impact of the proposed 'Waters of the US' proposal. Brunner also addressed the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling against the US Country of Origin Labeling law and US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's effort to create a second beef checkoff.  Click here to read or to listen to my full interview with Brunner.  

Fed Cattle Market Reaches New Record High- Derrell Peel Explains All

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, writes in the latest Cow/Calf Corner newsletter


Some fed cattle traded at $170/cwt. last week, surpassing the summer high and setting a new record; at least for now. Feedlots are facing higher breakevens in coming months but stronger fed cattle prices is slowing the erosion of feedlot margins for the time being. Boxed beef prices dropped at the end of last week after Choice boxed beef rallied to $251/cwt. early in the week. Fed prices have strengthened relatively more than boxed beef prices and continue to keep packer margins in the red.


The latest Cattle on Feed report was well anticipated and should not cause much market reaction but does contain some interesting information. The October Cattle on Feed report pegs feedlot inventories on October 1 at 10.06 million head, down fractionally from last year. This represents the 26th consecutive month of year over year decreases dating back to September, 2012. September placements were 2.0 million head, up one percent from last year's record small level for the month and were the second smallest September placements in the data series. September marketings were 1.68 million head, down less than one percent from last year.  
  

Click here to read more analysis from Derrell Peel.  

Wheat Seeding Wrapping Up, Harvest Gains Momentum in Southern Plains

Winter wheat seeding is getting close to wrapping up in Oklahoma. In the latest crop progress report released by the US Department of Agriculture wheat seeding reached 92 percent Sunday with 81 percent of the crop emerged. That's well ahead of the five year average of 67. Canola emergence gained 14 points this past week with 84 percent of the crop emerged. Harvest remains active with corn harvest at 78 percent complete. Harvest for other row crops were in line with normal averages. Sorghum was 62 percent harvested, soybeans were 41 percent done and 69 percent of the state's peanut crop was dug Sunday. Cotton bolls opening were nearing completion with harvest reaching 15 percent complete.

Click here for the full Oklahoma report.

Winter wheat planting continued in many areas of Texas. USDA reports 77 percent of the crop has been planted and 58 percent of the crop has emerged. Harvest remains behind for many row crops due to October rains. Corn harvest was 77 percent complete with progress active in the Northern Plains. Sorghum gained one point to 76 percent harvested. Soybeans were 58 percent harvested. In south Texas and the plains, peanut harvest was in full swing. Peanut harvest remains behind average with harvest at 39 percent complete. Cotton harvest continued around the state with 30 percent of the crop harvested.  Click here for the full Texas report.

Above normal temperatures allow fall harvest to progress and winter wheat to grow rapidly in Kansas. USDA reports wheat planting was at 87 percent and wheat emergence was at 72 percent. Corn harvest was 78 percent, which is close to the five year average. Sorghum harvest was lagging with 38 percent of the crop harvested. Some farmers are waiting for a hard freeze to harvest the crop. Soybeans were 52 percent harvested, well behind the average of 70. Cotton bolls opening was at 87 percent with harvest five percent done.  Click here for the full Kansas report. 

US Corn and Soybean Harvest Gains Progress

Corn harvest progress gained on the five-year average last week according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Report released today. While 22 points behind the average last week, progress moved within 19 points of the average for a total of 46 percent of all corn acres harvested as of October 26.

"Harvest progress continues to move along steadily," said NCGA President Chip Bowling, a farmer in Maryland. "While we may be in our combines later than normal this year, it continues to look like we will break corn production records when harvest does come to an end. While we work tirelessly to bring in the crop, we must also work to grow markets and to ensure we have the robust infrastructure necessary to move our crop so that farming remains profitable for the hardworking men and women in rural America."

Progress moved closer to the five-year average of 65 percent, now standing at 46 percent of all corn acres harvested. States across the northern areas of the Corn Belt have seen the slowest progress with North Dakota lagging a full 30 points behind the five-year average.

Crop quality reports held stable for the third week in a row with 74 percent of the crop still rated in the excellent or good category. This far surpasses the quality seen at this point last year when only 62 percent of corn acres were rated in this way.

Soybean harvest gained 17 percent this past week with harvest reaching 70 percent complete, behind last year and the average of 76.

Cotton harvest reached 42 percent, which is on track with average.

Sorghum harvest was 56 percent complete, slightly behind the average of 60.

Click here for the October 27th report on National crop progress.

CME Reduces Electronic Livestock Trading Hours to Build Liquidity in Market

Livestock traders are adjusting to new trading hours at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Recently the CME Group announced electronic trading hours would be reduced from 23 hours a day down to daytime hours only. The hours for open outcry trading remain unchanged.   The new hours took effect on Monday, October 27th. CME Group Managing Director Commodity Research and Product Development Dave Lehman said the change was driven by factors see in the market.


"We found we really weren't see seeing that much or very little trading in overnight hours, therefore liquidity was lower and prices could tend to be exaggerated or a little more volatile because of that lower level of liquidity, "Lehman said.


The primary reason for overnight market trading was driven by the demands of international customers to allow non-US participants to access US markets during their business hours. Unlike the grain or oilseed markets, the CME Group estimates approximately 80 percent of the trade comes from domestic market participants. Lehman said 98 percent of the electronic trade volume was taking place between 6 am and 6 pm.

 

Lehman addressed the factors influencing the changes in electronic trading with Leslie Smith of the Radio Oklahoma Network. Click here to read more or to listen to the full interview with Lehman.    

Farm Experience Puts Garrett Sharp of Waukomis FFA Up For National Star Award

Hard work and dedication is paying off for Garrett Sharp of the Waukomis FFA Chapter. His Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project has helped him gain real-life working experience in operating equipment and caring for the land while being employed at his uncle's farm. His role of the family farm became essential when his grandfather passed away nearly six years ago.


"That was kind of my initiation," Sharp said. "That was my time to take his place and take the opportunity to farm." 


Sharp will represent Oklahoma as one of four finalists for the  American Star of Agricultural Job Placement award at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.  Click here to listen to my conversation with Garrett as he prepared for his presentation this week in Louisville. 

This preview of the 2014 National FFA Convention is sponsored- as will all of our reports coming from Louisville this week- by the Oklahoma FFA Association, the Oklahoma FFA Alumni and your Oklahoma Ford Dealers.  

This N That- Final ACRE Payments Being Paid for 2013 Crops and Vote Now For the Next Faces of Farming and Ranching

Oklahoma's Farm Service Agency Executive Director Francie Tolle announced Monday that FSA has begun distributing Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) payments for revenue losses associated with certain crops in Oklahoma. Discontinued by the 2014 Farm Bill, the ACRE program provided producers with protection from revenue losses for crops grown in 2009-2013.

Crops eligible for October payments include nonirrigated corn, irrigated upland cotton and wheat grown in the 2013 crop year. In Oklahoma, 4,360 producers on 6,444 farms enrolled 1,513,315 acres in ACRE.  The Budget Control Act passed by Congress in 2011 requires these payments to be reduced by 5.1 percent. 

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Now, you can cast your vote for the next Faces of Farming & Ranching! Beginning October 24 through November 2, visit the Faces of Farming & Ranching Online Voting page to learn more about each of the finalists and the work they do, including short videos highlighting their farms/ranches. From there, vote for whom you believe best exemplifies agriculture.


These votes will be factored into the final decision to determine the next Faces of Farming and Ranching.


THE FINALISTS -  Erin Brenneman, Iowa, Darrell Glaser, Texas, Jay Hill, New Mexico, Brian Jones, Texas, Carrie Mess, Wisconsin, Jessica Potter, Colorado, Thomas Titus, Illinois, Carla Wardin, Michigan. 

  

Click here to read more on how and where to vote for the Next Faces of Farming and Ranching.