Category: Ag News

Estate planning is not a topic most people are excited to consider. However, having certain key documents in place can help ensure that one’s wishes are followed and help ease the legal burden on family members left behind. Many state…

Each time a consumer steps into the grocery store, they can’t help but notice the increasing prices. There’s no doubt we are experiencing massive inflation, and groceries are one of the areas where families are seeing it the mos…

The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) has earned Silver Level Equivalence when benchmarked with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform)’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0, a major takeaway from Soy Connext, the global soy summit hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), with support from the soy checkoff. After two days of expert speakers and connection building in San Diego, more than 600 buyers and sellers of U.S. Soy are leaving with a better understanding of the value and advantages delivered by the U.S. soybean industry.

“We’re so glad to have had the opportunity to come together in person to strengthen relationships with U.S. Soy’s international customers and industry partners,” said Jim Sutter, USSEC chief executive officer. “During this year’s forum we heard three recurring themes – we’re in transformative and volatile times, supply chains continue to face challenges, and consumers are calling for reduced carbon footprints and increased transparency. Soy Connext provides an excellent forum to collaborate so companies can leverage U.S. Soy’s superior quality, reliability, and sustainability in response to these challenges.”

The U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP)’s aggregate approach was recently benchmarked with the SAI Platform’s FSA. The SSAP provides verified sustainable soybean production on a national scale for U.S. soybean farmers. The benchmark eases the process for food and beverage sector to assess, improve and validate on-farm sustainability in their supply chains with U.S. Soy.

“This designation is important for international customers of U.S. Soy and holds the potential to expand markets, especially in Europe where demand for FSA designated soybeans is greater,” said Abby Rinne, sustainability director at USSEC. “The biodiversity, conservation practices, health and welfare, and continuous improvements that U.S. Soy farmers demonstrate every season are the foundations of the SSAP and what helped U.S. Soy achieve verification. Food companies are looking for more ways to demonstrate the sustainability of their supply chains and U.S. Soy is committed to help them meet their customer and consumer expectations.”

The FSA Silver Level Equivalence designation is the latest third-party recognition of the sustainability of U.S. Soy. It joins the European Feed Manufacturers Organization (FEFAC), Global Seafood Alliance: Best Aquaculture Practices – Sustainable Feed, The Consumer Goods Forum, the Tokyo 2022 Olympics, and the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya, all of which have already positively benchmarked the SSAP.

“The benchmark of SSAP against the FSA recognizes the excellent sustainability efforts that the program is making with regards to U.S. Soy. The benchmark also offers the opportunity for U.S.-based farmers to better reach international markets as the FSA is a globally accepted definition and framework of what on-farm sustainability looks like,” said Joe Iveson, FSA Manager. The U.S. Soy differentiation is being recognized with SSAP verified exports up 33% compared to the same time period one year ago, and as of July 28, 2022, they make up 58% of total exports (approx. 64 MMT) for the current marketing year1. Additionally, the Sustainable U.S. Soy label is featured on more than 850 product packs internationally.

Conference participants from 64 countries were in attendance for Soy Connext, learning of U.S. Soy’s status of providing superior quality and having the lowest carbon footprint versus soy of other origins. Teams from 38 countries are expanding their U.S. Soy experience and education through industry tours focused on soybean farms and export operations across the United States.

While the farm bill is commonly thought of as a piece of agricultural legislation, the nutrition title of the bill is just as important and just as beneficial to farmers and ranchers. Micheal Clements shares more on why the nutrition title is vital to the legislation.

Clements says, Over the years, there’s been some talk of splitting farm programs and nutrition programs in the farm bill to separate bills. However, Utah Farm Bureau member Tyson Roberts says the two programs need to be connected. Roberts is a produce grower that sells direct to consumers.

Roberts said, “I am the sixth generation on our family farm. Over the years we’ve done a lot of different things, cattle and a lot of grain crops, got more into vegetables as I was growing up. We switched more to vegetables and specifically direct marketed vegetables, so now, about 85 percent of our crops go directly to consumers at farmer’s markets.”

To hear the complete conversation click or tap below:

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RON’s Dave Lanning has a pre-opening look at today’s agricultural Markets.

Click the audio tab below for today’s report.

Woodward Livestock Auction
Thu Aug 25, 2022

AUCTION
This Week              3,153
Last Reported       2,988
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The Oklahoma Wheat Grower’s association Held its annual Convention yesterday and was pleased to present awards to several individuals.

The Distinguished Service award went to United States Senator Jim Inhofe.
Sen. Inhofe is the ranking member on the armed services committee, a member of the environment & public works committee, and the small business committee. Sen. Inhofe is a committed supporter of our infrastructure as the committee’s senior member on the environment and public works. Inhofe believes one of the inherent roles of government is to provide a safe and suitable infrastructure to allow our nation access to transportation and fully connect our national economy. Sen. Inhofe has a long history of public service, beginning with his service in the u.s. army. Before being elected to serve the people of Oklahoma in the u.s. senate in 1995, Sen. Inhofe served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Oklahoma house and senate, and as mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

This past year Sen. Inhofe secured $500,000 for USADA’s ag research service in Stillwater. The genetics project received $125,000. This funding from Sen. Inhofe was vital to the research programs at USDA and is key to their survival.

Wheat Promoter of The Year went to Erich Wehrenberg.
Erich Wehrenberg is the senior station superintendent for the field & research services unit at Oklahoma state university. He is the former executive director of the Oklahoma wheat growers association. he does a tremendous job with our field and research station that are so vital to our wheat producers.

And the Mr. Wheat Award went to the Late Bob Howard.
Bob grew up on the farm, working with his dad and riding the ranch with his grandfather. Bob attended school at Friendship public school until it was destroyed by fire his junior year before becoming part of the first graduating class from Navajo public school, where he served as the 1964 class president. In 1986, Bob was elected as Jackson county commissioner for district 1, and again in 1994, the first Republican elected in Jackson county. Bob served on the Jackson county Farm Bureau board for more than 30 years, the Jackson county memorial hospital board of trustees for more than ten years, the Oklahoma cattlemen’s board, a longtime state board member for the Oklahoma wheat growers association, and volunteering in about every position with the Altus first united methodist church.

Bob continued to farm and ranch in the Navajo community until he passed away on April first. He often stated his motto was “you should love life, raise good kids, and enjoy your family,” which he did exceptionally well.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture are now putting the Daily Cash Grain Report into a PDF format – we are saving that PDF and archiving them for today’s specific report. To see today’s update, click on the PDF report link at the bottom of this story.

In addition to the PDF of the daily report, you can also listen to the Cash Grain Report by calling 405-621-5533. Push 2 for the grain report.

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Listen to today’s report with Justin Lewis, by clicking or tapping on the LISTEN bar

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Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to visit with the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association Executive Director, Jeff Hickman, about the 2023 Farm Bill from a wheat grower’s perspective and how the…