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 have KIS Futures as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. KIS Futures provides Oklahoma Farmers & Ranchers with futures & options hedging services in the livestock and grain markets- Click here for the free market quote page they provide us for our website or call them at 1-800-256-2555.

We are also excited to have as one of our sponsors for the daily email Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, with 64 years of progress through producer ownership. Call Brandon Winters at 405-232-7555 for more information on the oilseed crops they handle, including sunflowers and canola- and remember they post closing market prices for canola and sunflowers on the PCOM website- go there by clicking here.

And we salute our longest running email sponsor- Midwest Farm Shows, producer of the springtime Southern Plains Farm Show, as well as the December 2009 Tulsa Farm Show. Click here for more information on the Tulsa Show, coming up December 10,11 and 12, 2009.

If you have received this by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.

Looking at winter wheat being planted in Oklahoma and our neighboring states- the 2010 winter wheat crop is now 68% planted in Oklahoma, up twelve percentage points from the week before and three points behind the five year average. Kansas jumped 17 points in this past week- now standing at 70% planted versus their five year average of 74%. Texas now has 64% of their wheat crop in the ground- just behind their five year average of 66%.
Almost half of the Oklahoma crop is now emerged and up to stand- 48% which is actually ahead of the average of 44% by this date.

Despite several days of rain, harvest activities continued in some areas. Conditions for all row crops continue to rate mostly in the good to fair range. Ninety-four percent of the State's corn had reached maturity by Sunday, up two points from the previous week but four points behind normal. Nearly two-thirds of the corn was harvested by week's end, a 12 point jump from the prior week but still 21 points behind the five-year average. Sorghum coloring reached 96 percent complete by Sunday, while 45 percent had reached maturity, 15 points behind normal. Seventeen percent of the State's sorghum was harvested this past week, well behind the five-year average. Soybeans at maturity reached 47 percent, up seven points from the prior week but 16 points behind normal. By week's end, 16 percent of soybeans had been harvested, up three points from last week but 19 points behind the five-year average. Peanuts at maturity reached 70 percent complete, up ten points from the previous week. By Sunday, 32 percent of the peanuts had been dug while 16 percent had been combined, both on pace with the five-year average. Cotton opening bolls was nearing completion at 89 percent complete, four points behind last year. A small portion of the State's cotton was harvested by week's end.

If you want to read the full Oklahoma Crop- Weather Update, click on the link below.

Click here for the latest Oklahoma Crop Weather Summary for this Columbus Day week

But there are obstacles that remain. Senators on both sides of the aisle from coal-producing states and the Midwest are concerned climate change legislation would increase energy costs. Environmental groups are opposed to nuclear power generation and normally oppose offshore oil and gas drilling as well.

Then there's the issue of time. Just last month Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said other issued would take priority and suggested climate change legislation would be on the back burner until at least the end of the year. Still - a spokesperson for Senator Kerry said both Kerry and Graham want to make substantial, bipartisan progress leading up to the climate summit in Copenhagen this December. Plus - Senate Environment Committee Chair Barbara Boxer has signaled a desire to pass a bill through her committee before the Copenhagen summit. She plans to issue a revised version of the bill she recently introduced with Senator Kerry soon.

In addition, Senator Boxer has now set hearings for Climate Change legislation. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will begin hearings on global warming legislation Oct. 27. A markup of S. 1733 could be held the week of Nov. 2 or Nov. 9, Boxer added. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff will testify. Additional hearings will run through that week, Boxer said.

Except for Lindsey Graham, Republicans seem dead set against the Climate Change bill- here is a link to their site that details their opposition

The 2008 Farm Bill stated the states of Kansas, Virginia and Florida be separate states in the definition of "cotton-producing state" as defined in the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. The Agricultural Marketing Act is proposing to amend the Cotton Research and Promotion Order to implement that section of the 2008 Farm Bill. According to the Act, a referendum among cotton producers and importers is required to amend the Order or any of its provisions. The AMS is providing an opportunity for all eligible persons to vote on the amendments to the Order.

Producers will have an opportunity to vote by mail or through their respective Farm Service Agency County office. All known cotton importers will be mailed a ballot and referendum instructions. Ballots will also be available on the internet- we have the link below. Click on it to see the ballot or go to your local FSA office if you have questions about being eligible to vote.

Click here for details about this cotton referendum and the ballot that is available online.

When Canada announced its complaint last week - NCBA stated it has had continued concerns about the potential implications of COOL on the U.S. relationship with its top two trading partners - Mexico and Canada - since it was first proposed. NCBA went on to say it's becoming clear COOL has damaged these critically important trading relationships. (By the way- that is the opinion of OSU Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel, who has been in both countries and has a better understanding of the Mexican cattle market as it relates to the USA than perhaps any other person on this side of the border)

In a letter to NCBA CEO Forrest Roberts - R-CALF suggests the NCBA statement fails to mention that trade with both countries generates a substantial revenue-based deficit for the U.S. By omitting that fact - R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard says NCBA's statement deceives cattle producers, the public and Congress. Bullard says there are winners and losers in trade - and the U.S. cattle industry is a long-term net loser when it comes to trade with Canada and Mexico.

Click here to read the full letter- with graphs and more- sent to NCBA by the R-Calf leadership.

Michigan becomes the seventh state to ban gestation crates, the fifth to ban veal crates and the second to ban battery cages. Arizona, California and Florida have passed similar measures through ballot initiatives while Maine, Colorado and Oregon have passed related laws in their state legislatures.

HSUS President Wayne Pacelle said all stakeholders realize that we must move in the direction of improved animal welfare standards, and the Michigan law provides a roadmap to move us in that direction.
In contrast, Ohio voters will decide this November if that state will establish an Animal Welfare Oversight Commission that will allow people from that state to set standards for animal agriculture- not the HSUS. Pacelle is not very happy with this move in Ohio.

OSU had four students finish in the Top Ten Overall. Justin Crosswhite was High Individual Overall, Zac Butler was 3rd, Kate Miller was 5th and Heidi Vest was 6th.

The next competition for the OSU Livestock Judging Team is on October 31st at the American Royal.

Blackjack Farms, along with Pfeiffer Angus Farms of Mulhall will be selling 71 Angus lots- a total of 115 head. Included in the offering will be Open and Bred Heifers, Spring and Fall Cow-Calf Pairs, Bred Cows as well as several outstanding fall yearling bulls.

Call Eddie Sims at 580-492-4590 for more information- or you can call Blackjack Owner Keith Grissom at 405-382-7678 or Pfeiffer Angus Farms Owner John Pfeiffer, Jr. at 405-880-0862.
Our link below will jump you to our auction listing- and there you can link to their catalog on line for this auction of some great genetics that can help your herd.

Click here for more on the Blackjack Angus Sale this Saturday.

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

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.