Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to welcome National Livestock Credit Corporation as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. National Livestock Credit Corporation works diligently to provide unsurpassed service to their customers in the area of livestock financing. Check out the National Livestock Family of Services website by clicking here.

Another of our sponsors on our daily email service is Cusack Meats, and Al Cusack wants everyone to know that he APPRECIATES Oklahoma's Farmers and Ranchers! You can go to the Cusack website and select some great gift packs of meat for giving- or for yourself! And, our email this morning is also a service of Midwest Farm Shows, producer of the Tulsa Farm Show coming up December 6-8, 2007, as well as the Southern Plains Farm Show in Oklahoma City next spring. Check out details of both of these exciting shows at the official website of Midwest Farm Shows by clicking here.

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Meanwhile, efforts to move forward with debate on a handful of amendments failed Wednesday. Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin asked to move forward with debate on five different amendments - offered by both parties. Saxby Chambliss - Ranking Member of the Ag Committee - objected each time - citing the status of amendments. Chambliss says the Majority Leader has rejected a proposal for a reasonable compromise to move forward with amendments. He says the GOP simply wants Democrats and Republicans to have the opportunity to offer amendments in regular order and to have a debate on those amendments.

Farm groups are calling on the Senate to get moving on the farm bill. National Farmers Union and 16 other ag-related organizations have signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The letter notes the importance of having 2007 Farm Bill programs in place as soon as possible. NFU President Tom Buis notes that with the Senate scheduled to recess for two weeks on Friday - there are only a few days remaining on the legislative calendar. He says farmers and ranchers need the certainty of a new farm bill for the coming year. According to Buis - the Senate should act quickly by considering only those amendments related to the farm bill.
The Drama- and Dancing- Continues.

Conner called the "gimmicks" that make the Senate Ag Committee Bill okay under the Congressional Paygo rules criminal- especially if you or I were trying to do it in the real world. Conner told the broadcasters that if we tried to do it in our business we would be facing IRS scrutiny at the very least.

Conner also claimed that the Administration has the high ground from the perspective that they had conducted the Farm Bill Listening Sessions back in 2006 and they formulated their policy ideas off of what they heard during those sessions. (You may remember that Chuck Conner was the USDA official that hosted the Oklahoma City Farm Bill Listening Session that year as we Emceed the event)

We have an audio overview of a couple of the arguments that Conner made to the NAFB in the link below- take a listen by clicking.

Click here to listen to comments from Chuck Conner on the shortcomings of the Senate Ag Committee Farm Bill Proposal.

Conner told us that we need to stay focused on the OIE standards that say that beef from the US is safe when it comes to BSE with the US declared a "Controlled Risk" country back in May of this year.

Conner's argument is that we simply can't continue to have a different set of rules for every single country that we trade beef (or other products) with- that the international rules we have agreed to are also the international rules that these other countries say they have agreed to- Conner says it is time that they honor that pledge.
You can hear the Acting Secretary's answer on today's Beef Buzz by clicking below- our Beef Buzz is one of our regular radio features heard on radio stations across the state on the Radio Oklahoma Network.

Click here to listen to Ron and Secretary Conner on the beef trade with the Pacific Rim.

"The weather and wildland fuel conditions are being closely monitored throughout the state," said Burwell. "Oklahoma counties that border the Texas Panhandle are of the greatest concern at this time. However, the rest of Oklahoma is not far behind now that most of the grass has died and leaf fall in forested areas is rapidly occurring." When dry and windy conditions increase the fire danger, extreme caution is advised when using fire outdoors, such as burning brush piles or having a campfire.

"This Saturday marks the opening day of modern firearms deer season in Oklahoma," Burwell said. "Many hunters will be camping out and enjoying a campfire at the end of the day. We just urge that they please be sure that the fire is dead-out before leaving it unattended." Those intending to conduct outdoor burning should check the latest fire weather conditions by calling your local fire department or the nearest Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) Forestry Division office. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry - Forestry Division web page lists your nearest Forestry Division offices and current fire weather conditions at their website that we have linked below.

Click here for the latest fire weather conditions from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

One region that falls into that category was pointed out to me in an email from Bob Dietrick of Tyrone. Most of the Oklahoma Panhandle is extremely dry and Bob writes "You all have nothing on us out here in the Panhandle on dry weather. The last measurable rain for most people west of 83 highway was in late July or early August. There is no wheat pasture, most all wheat was "dusted in " in late October for insurance purposes, not common sense purposes. I had some that was not blowing until I planted it to wheat, now every puff of wind stirs it. Tell the politicians to quit spouting hot air and send rain, Ha."

High Plains Technology Center and the Northwest Cattleman's Association are sponsoring a low stress cattle handling workshop at High Plains Technology Center, Woodward in the seminar room. The presenter is Richard McConnell owner of Hand'n Hand Livestock Solutions. Richard is also the son-in- law of Bud Williams. The workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. at no cost with lunch provided.

If you want to get info on this event- touch base with Mitch Zimmerman- the number at the High Plains Technology Center is 580-256-6618.

During Wednesday's hearing - Grassley highlighted numbers made available by the Joint Committee on Taxation. He says the committee estimates 96- hundred estates will be subject to the estate tax in 2009. While that number falls to zero in 2010 - it jumps to almost 62-thousand in 2011 and increases year after year. Grassley says he believes the death tax should be completely repealed - but expresses a willingness to compromise - except on the issue of looking out for small business owners and family farmers.

One of those testifying before the Committee yesterday was Bob Stallman, President of the American Farm Bureau. Stallman says repeal of the tax is the group's top tax priority. The organization notes estate taxes can have devastating effects on their farm and ranch businesses when a family member dies - perhaps even forcing the family to liquidate all or part of the property and other assets to pay the tax. Stallman also notes the impact the tax has on young farmers and ranchers. He says they struggle enough to enter business on their own - and says the estate tax is a significant barrier to family farm succession plans.

Mr. Stallman is one of those farm group leaders that will be in Kansas City today to visit with Farm Broadcasters- and we look forward to talking Death Tax, Farm Bill and more with the AFBF leader. (and a whole lineup of other farm newsmakers as well!)

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com