From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 7:42 AM
To: Hays, Ron
Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
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Oklahoma's latest farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON for Tuesday May 18, 2010
A service of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, Midwest Farm Shows and KIS Futures!
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-- Kim Anderson Talks Dirty. Wheat. and More.
-- Yipeeeee! Carol Cowan Wins National Farm Mom of the Year!
-- Cattle Producer Tells House Ag Committee- Give Me Freedom from the Burden of Government.
-- Our Agritourism Venue of the Week- Whispering Meadows of McAlester
-- Storms Capture the Attention of the latest Oklahoma Crop Weather Update
-- Canola Harvest- Now and/or Later
-- The Hay You Say!
-- Let's Check the Markets!

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 just concluded Southern Plains Farm Show, as well as the Tulsa Farm Show. Click here for more on the December 2010 Tulsa Farm Show, including information on how you can be an exhibitor.

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.


Kim Anderson Talks Dirty. Wheat. and More.
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OSU Grain Marketing Economist Dr. Kim Anderson says that there will be a penalty to pay if you try to deliver wheat with a high percentage of dockage in 2010. Hauling "dirty" wheat to the elevator will result in huge discounts, based on the discount schedule that is out from subterminal and port elevators for the 2010 harvest season. Dr. Anderson says this "dirty laundry" of the wheat industry has caught the attention of those in the grain merchandising business- and farmers are going to have to consider breaking the weed cycle on their farm if they have a lot of cheat, wild oats or other persistent weed problems.

Anderson says we are starting to see the expectation of a good harvest in the southern Great Plains weigh on wheat prices on the Kansas City Board of Trade- and that translates into cash wheat prices across Oklahoma below $4 a bushel. Dr. Anderson sees little prospect of that improving during harvest itself, but believes that storing a half to two thirds of the crop could be a good marketing strategy in 2010.

Click on the link below to read more about Kim's take on the 2010 wheat crop and how harvest pressure is setting in, how there will be big discounts on wheat this harvest season and how to approach marketing this year's crop.

Click here for more on the 2010 wheat crop from a Market Perspective with Dr. Kim Anderson of OSU.


Yipeeeee! Carol Cowan Wins National Farm Mom of the Year!
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More than 46-hundred votes determined the winner of Monsanto's America's Farmers Mom of the Year 2010 award. Carol Cowan of Watonga, Oklahoma says she is honored to represent farm moms nationwide as Monsanto's first Farmers Mom of the Year. Cowan was nominated for contributions to her family, farm and community by her friend Nancy Baker. Baker stated in her entry that she believes the U.S. would have better people if they were all raised on a farm with Carol because she could show anyone how hard, honest work will make you happy and successful. By the way- we are proud of this graduate of Class 14 of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program!

Cowan was among five regional winners selected by a judges panel from the American Agri-Women and Monsanto as finalists for the award. She will receive 25-hundred dollars from Monsanto for being the national winner in addition to the five-thousand dollars she received for being a regional winner. Cowan works with her husband on their wheat, soybean, alfalfa and cattle operation in Watonga. Monsanto Community Relations Spokesperson Tami Craig Schilling says Cowan is a remarkable lady who embodies the values of the farm wife and mother.

Monsanto's America's Farmers Mom of the Year is part of the company's America's Farmers campaign - a celebration of the contributions of America's farmers who help provide food, energy and clothing for the growing planet. Cowan's winning nomination - and other readings on ways Monsanto recognizes the American farmer - can be found at the Monsanto sponsored website linked below.

Click here for more on Carol Cowan of Watonga and her selection as the National Farm Family Mom of the Year.


Cattle Producer Tells House Ag Committee- Give Me Freedom from the Burden of Government.
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Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) First Vice President Joe Parker Jr., Byers, Texas, testified on Monday before the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture regarding the 2012 Farm Bill. The hearings, which are schedule to take place across the country, serve as a time for lawmakers and stakeholders to review current U.S. agriculture policy in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill. The hearing in Lubbock was the seventh of eight field hearings currently scheduled by the Committee. The final of the eight field hearings gets underway in a few hours in South Dakota.

The Cattle Raiser member called on the House Ag Committee to ease up on the heavy hand of government on farming and ranching- "It is not in the best interest of ranchers for the government to implement policy that sets prices; underwrites inefficient production; or manipulates domestic supply, demand, costs or prices,"

Among the points made on Monday at the field hearing in Lubbock by Parker-
"Enhances the individual's right of free choice in land use, soil conservation, water conservation, energy use, and development utilizing working lands conservation methods that are based on sound science and economics.

"Supports a rancher's ability to market cattle however, whenever, and to whomever. Sound farm policy is based on a free, private enterprise and competitive market system.

"Supports energy policies that are supported by market demand, not federal subsidies. Additionally, the cattle industry will continue to oppose putting food and fuel in competition with one another.

You can read more of Joe Parker's comments offered to the House Ag Committee by clicking here.


Our Agritourism Venue of the Week- Whispering Meadows of McAlester
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The Radio Oklahoma Network, News9 in Oklahoma City, the News on 6 in Tulsa and Farm Director Ron Hays continue to promote Agritourism venues across the state in the spring/summer Adventure Passport contest. Between now and mid July, a different venue will be highlighted in radio and TV ads each week as we salute more than 500 events and venues to enjoy in the growing adventure known as Oklahoma Agritourism.

Our Venue being seen and heard about this week is Whispering Meadows of McAlester. This boutique style winery is set in the former Newton Jewelry Store built in 1901, with curved glass windows and murals painted by a local artist, Paula Anderson. Located in the heart of historic downtown McAlester, this winery features their own exclusive wines, cheeses, gourmet food items and home decor.

Click on the link below to learn more about Whispering Meadows, to see our TV spot spotlighting Whispering Meadows and also check out the main Oklahoma Agritourism website.

Click here for more about Whispering Meadows- our featured Agritourism Venue of the Week


Storms Capture the Attention of the latest Oklahoma Crop Weather Update
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The latest Oklahoma Crop Weather Update features the rough weather of this past week- "The week began and ended with severe weather, including wind gusts up to 80 mph, softball-sized hail, and numerous tornadoes. At least 24 tornadoes from Monday's storm have been rated by the National Weather Service, ranging from EF-0 to EF-4. Three additional tornadoes struck the Tulsa area early Thursday morning and another severe thunderstorm brought hail to the Oklahoma City area Sunday night. Multiple storms brought much rainfall to the state, though the amount varied widely with the Panhandle district receiving less than an inch while Jay, in the Northeast district, recorded 4.47 inches for the week."

Harvest creeps closer for the 2010 wheat crop. "Wheat headed reached 95 percent complete, two points behind normal, while 41 percent of wheat was in the soft dough stage of development by week's end, 13 points behind the five-year average." The good to excellent rating slipped over the last week to 67% good to excellent- it was still in the 70s last week- and the good to excellent rating for both Texas and Kansas are just behind the Oklahoma number- 62% for Texas and 63% for Kansas.

For our spring planted crops in Oklahoma- "The wet conditions have limited fieldwork and planting this week, while benefiting the crop already planted. Corn planted reached 95 percent complete by Sunday and 76 percent of the corn crop had emerged by week's end, both four points ahead of the five-year average. Seedbed preparation for sorghum is at 77 percent complete, only one point ahead of the week prior; 27 percent of the sorghum crop was planted by week's end. Soybean seedbed preparation also increased one point from the previous week to 70 percent complete, while soybeans planted reached 31 percent complete. Peanut seedbed preparations were 93 percent complete, just one point behind normal, while peanuts planted reached 57 percent complete, 18 points ahead of normal. Cotton seedbed preparations continued with 93 percent complete, on track with the five-year average. Cotton planted increased seven points, but was three points behind normal."

Click here for the full Oklahoma Crop Weather Report as issued on Monday afternoon.


Canola Harvest- Now and/or Later
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OSU Canola Specialist Heath Sanders offers an email assessment of the 2010 Winter Canola crop in southern Oklahoma- this was written at the end of this past week- so that means the timing would suggest a lot of canola could be ready for harvest by this coming weekend or early next week. "I have had the opportunity to travel down south this week and take a look at many canola fields. The canola looks good to this point. I have not seen any seed color change . The bottom 1/3 of the plant had hard green seed, the middle 1/3, the seeds are starting to turn green and firm some, and the top 1/3 are still translucent turning green. Seed color change happens rather quickly and needs to be monitored on a regular basis. Seeds within the pod will change color approximately 10% every 2-3 days. Weather forecast for the rest of the week are predicting cool temperatures and chances of rain, which are ideal for pod fill, but color change generally slows with cooler temperatures. The fields that Mark Boyles and I checked in southern Oklahoma this week are 10-14 days away from swathing or pushing depending on the weather."

"For swathing or pushing we recommend having 50-60% seed color change. Make sure you open the pods and look at the seed and not just the pod itself, the appearance of the pod will more than likely be green and the seed will be brown inside Swathing or pushing at the proper seed color change optimizes the yield potential of any canola variety, while reducing green seed and improving oil content. If canola is swathed or pushed to early, yield potential (bu/ac) and seed quality (lbs/bu) will be reduced along with the oil quality. Therefore, reducing the overall value of your canola crop."

Meanwhile, some fields are impatient and want to be harvested NOW. That was the word we got via Twitter from OkieAgMan- also known as Michael Marlow of Monsanto. He tweeted on Monday after lunch "Canola at Temple ready to swath today. From 5 to 75 percent since Wednesday. Perfect weather. DKW 4110."
The word to the wise- monitor your canola fields closely- and be ready to push or swath when the color is right- it looks like it could be a great harvest season.


The Hay You Say!
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It's been viewed almost a million times on Youtube- but southern farmers show a lot of "Yankee ingenuity" in offering the Federal Government and British Petroleum a great solution for soaking up the oil flowing out of the oil well gone wrong in the Gulf.

These guys- they kinda sound like some of my kinfolk from the hills of Kentucky- and they believe that if you blow a bunch of hay onto the oil drifting along the Gulf Coast- you could let it soak up the oil- use fish nets or other equipment to scoop up the hay in a few days- and it will put the oil out with it.

The even mention that you could burn the stuff and generate energy from hay once back on dry land. Click on the link below- and enjoy the idea- it sure would make the value of hay across the southern US jump higher. These guys say don't worry- we got plenty.

Click here for the Oil Slick Solution- Southern Hay!


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchers, KIS Futures and Big Iron Online Auctions for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- FREE!

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


Let's Check the Markets!
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We've had requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $7.15 per bushel, while the 2010 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $7.15 per bushel- delivered to local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.

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.



God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
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phone: 405-473-6144
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