Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. Our email this morning is a service of Midwest Farm Shows, featuring the recently concluded Southern Plains Farm Show in Oklahoma City, as well as the Tulsa Farm Show held each December. Check out details of both of these exciting shows at the official website of Midwest Farm Shows by clicking here.

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The next generation of "value cuts" was revealed here in Denver yesterday- as scientists continue to look for muscles that can be great eating experiences for consumers- this time in the Chuck Roll. These cuts should compliment the muscles that are often sold from this subprimal hunk of meat into the export market as it gets back up to speed.

On the policy side of things- a lot of folks were burning cell phone minutes yesterday checking on things going on in Washington as the farm bill was being marked up. One of those who was checking in quite a bit was Ross Wilson, top hired hand for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association- and we talked with Ross about their farm policy priorities, ethanol and the impact it is having on the north versus south feedlot battles and we also talked with him about environmental challenges that face the feeding industry. Click below and take a listen to Ron talk with Ross Wilson.

Click here for a conversation between Ron and Ross Wilson from the Mid Year Meeting of the Cattle Industry in Denver.

Let me summarize what the Committee apparently accomplished yesterday- they did change the Means Test in the Commodity Title by dropping the ceiling from $2.5 million dollars of AGI- above that and currently you get no farm program payments- down to $1 million. They made some changes to eligibility of who gets farm program benefits- eliminating the so called three entity rule and they lowered the combined cap of the direct payments and counter cyclical payments to a total of $125,000 maximum. However, they removed the cap on Loan Deficency Payments- LDPs- and it is generally agreed that is very beneficial to cotton interests. Those who have been demanding radical reform in farm policy are crying FOUL and saying they believe this is actually going backwards in reform efforts.

The House Ag Committee did approve a revenue based Counter cyclical payment program- giving producers the chance to opt into this program versus the current counter cyclical program that is based on price alone.

One thing that seems to be in jeopardy right now is an amendment to the Mandatory COOL law that Ross Wilson described well in our conversation that we linked in the story above. It would basically say that foreign based beef would be either the product coming in as boxed beef product- or cattle that cross the border to go straight to a slaughter plant. Feeder cattle and feed pigs that come across the border and are fed here in the US would be slaughtered as US product- and the label would reflect that. NCBA, OCA, TCFA, KLA and others want this amendment- predictably, R-Calf calls it evil and opposes it. We have an audio overview of the proceedings from yesterday- and you can listen to it by clicking the on the link below- it will take you to our front page of the website where this is the top item under "Today's Agricultural News."

Click here to hear Ron a rundown of the action of yesterday and early this morning on the House Ag Committee- as well as the Reaction.

He is widely recognized for his expertise in soils, soil management, and conservation tillage and was an early proponent of no-till farming in Oklahoma. He is also well known around the country for his educational leadership in land judging and as coordinator of the National Land Judging Contest that is held in Oklahoma City-an event that each year attracts over 1000 4-H and FFA youth from across the US. A reception in his honor is planned for Friday, July 20th from 2-4 pm in the Noble Research Center Atrium.

He says there is a chance that an extension might still happen this year- that he believes that the Senate is doing most of their work in smoke filled back rooms (well, maybe the rooms don't have much smoke these days) and that Chairman Peterson has done a remarkable job in staying focused on getting a farm bill ready for the floor of the House in a timely matter.

He does not believe that at the end of the day that Farm21 or other ideas similar to it will ambush the work of the Committee- and that the measure passed by the House Ag Committee will survive to be conferenced with whatever Senator Tom Harkin can muster in the Senate. We have our exclusive conversation with Dr. Flinchbaugh linked below- check it out!

Click here to listen to Ron and Dr. Flinchbaugh talk farm policy from the Mid Year Cattle Industry Conference in Denver.

"As a wheat farmer for many years, and now as a canola farmer, I'm pleased to work with DEKALB and John Deere to get this association off the ground," says Jeff Scott, an incorporating board director of the GPCA from Pond Creek, OK. "Having a network of fellow farmers and industry representatives is important as we begin exploring the opportunities for canola production in our area." Other incorporating board members include John Haas, Larned, KS; and Michael Marlow, Enid. Bob Schrock, Kiowa, KS is also a board member.

According to Kenlon Johannes, acting executive director for the GPCA, the association will provide a voice for Great Plains canola to promote and lobby for policies that help meet market demands for canola end-products, including food oil and biodiesel, said. Johannes. "We are excited to be working closely with DEKALB (Monsanto) and John Deere to form this new group and look forward to their continued collaborative efforts to provide additional enabling technologies, tools and support to growers and the industry at large." The GPCA will represent canola growers in the Great Plains region and will reside in Topeka, KS.

NACS is a consultative management/supervisory association whose purpose is to initiate and promote improvements in USDA Rural Development programs and facilities. Mr. Terrell will be representing the members of the NCAS and will carry NACS' concerns to Washington, D.C.

Terrell resides near Nowata, Oklahoma and manages the Single-Family Housing program from the local office at Vinita for USDA Rural Development.

They will be offering approximately 120 top notch horses during this annual sale, and there will be lots of "Goldseeker" bloodlines that will be included in the offering.

For more on the sale, we have provided a link below. If you want to call with questions, you can call 580-256- 6666.

Click here for the Sales Info on this Saturday's Cudd Quarter Horse Production Sale.

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