Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update- click here to go to their AFR web site to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

It is also great to have as an annual sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to be serving agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. For the 2010 wheat harvest, Johnston has opened up four million bushels of additional storage space. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website!

And we are proud to have P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy as one of our regular sponsors of our daily email update. P & K is the premiere John Deere dealer in Oklahoma, with ten locations to serve you (the newest location is in Blackwell!), and the P & K team are excited about their new Wind Power program, as they offer Endurance Wind Power wind turbines. Click here for more from the P&K website.

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USW's message to buyers is that considering price in relation to quality, performance, and service, there is no doubt that value is peaking when we look at the situation with hard red winter (HRW) - the largest and most versatile class of bread wheat produced in the U.S. In addition, the new crop has other potential benefits including excellent test weights that promise strong milling characteristics.

Click on the LINK below for more on this plan by US Wheat Associates to find a home for the lower protein wheat that is now in storage- as well as the 2010 new crop wheat we are now harvesting.

Click here for more on US Wheat Associates on the search for an export home (or homes) for the 2009 and 2010 HRW crop.

"The producers in and around Hollis still have 20 percent of their crop to haul in because they are experiencing better fields and yields than initially expected. Our sources have only had one load below 60 pounds for test weights, with their average being 63 pounds. Yields are coming in from 25 bushels per acre on grazed wheat to 60 bushels per acre. Moisture is low, along with the humidity, and producers are in the fields attempting to get the last of harvest done."

In and around Clinton to Weatherford to Hydro and Hinton- "Producers have been harvesting for one week, custom crews are in the region now and they are about 25 percent done. One report turned in proteins in the 12 to 14 percent range. Reports indicate yields to be in the 40 to 50 bushel window and test weights all over 61 pounds, averaging 62 pounds along I-40. Thus far, most crop hauled in has been Jagger and Jagger varieties."

Click on the link below to get the rest of the location by location rundown courtesy of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission- with lots of phone calling being done by KC Kinder.

Click here for the Wednesday afternoon summary of wheat harvest progress from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission.

The only Democrat in the Oklahoma Congressional delegation, Second District Congressman Dan Boren has drawn a Democratic challenger as well as a half dozen Republican hopefuls. First District Congressman John Sullivan faces a crowded Republican primary field of five other candidates- and if he survives will then face Independent hopeful Andelia O'Dell. Third District Congressman Frank Lucas has no primary opponent- but will have a November general election race against Democrat Frankie Robbins. Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole has a Republican challenger next month- but no Democrat filed so the Republican winner is automatically in.

The truly wild race for Congress in Oklahoma is the Fifth District where Mary Fallin has moved on to run for the Governor's Mansion- and there are two Democrats, two Independents and seven Republicans that will be trying to get through the primary season. The Republican winner seems to have the best chance in a seat that has been Republican for decades- and of the Republicans- there are a couple of current and former state lawmakers as well as James Lankford, who has no political experience, but has mounted an awesome social media and web presence to make his bid to advance to November.

Most of you are familiar with the choices for Governor- with Congresswoman and former Lt. Governor Mary Fallin the favorite to win the GOP Nomination- and will face the Democrat winner of the Jari Askins- Drew Edmondson shootout.
The Lt Governor race has two lawmakers that seem to have the best chance for success- Democrat Kenneth Corn of Poteau versus Republican Todd Lamb (although Lamb must beat four other Republicans for the right to be on the ballot in November.)

In the state legislature, three key agriculture and natural resource leaders return in 2011 without opposition. Senator Mike Schulz of Altus has no opponent in District 38, while on the House side, both Dale DeWitt and Don Armes are on their way back to OKC for another term in 2011-2012. There are a bunch of other rural House members that have no opponent either- and we have a full list of them on our webstory LINKED below- and a link to the complete listing from the Oklahoma Election Board. Click and check out the details.

Click here for our full story on the Publioc Filing Period that is now complete for the 2010 election cycle in Oklahoma.

"Through the Pork Checkoff, we've set our sights on "Leading a World-Class Food Industry," and I'm already beginning to see some evidence of making that happen," said Bierman, a pork producer from Larrabee, Iowa. "If you look at the three areas of focus in that plan - helping farmers produce hogs in a socially responsible manner; refreshing the image of pork to increase consumer demand; and pursuing strategies to remain competitive globally - you can see some of the specific steps to implement the plan and its vision."

Details about these three areas of focus are in our story on the website- click on the LINK below for the full story. By the way, the World Pork Expo is underway through Saturday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

Click here for details about the Strategic Plan of the US Pork Industry.

At the recent International Symposium on Animal Well Being in Manhattan, Kansas, these guidelines were discussed by Oklahoma Veterinarian Dr. Bob Smith- and we talked with him at the Symposium about how these guidelines have developed over the years to help set the tone of how cattle are handled on the farm or ranch, as they are transported, marketed and then fed out in a feedlot.

Our Beef Buzz today features a part of our conversation with Dr. Smith about how these animal care standards have developed over the past decade. Click on the LINK below for a chance to hear our Q&A with Dr. Bob Smith.

Click here for our Beef Buzz with Dr. Bob Smith of Stillwater about today's Animal Care Standards.

"This legislation will impact every corner of our economy. It is critical that we strike the proper balance between making necessary reforms to our regulatory framework while not inhibiting job creation and economic growth. Backroom deals and partisan politics should have no place in this debate and I hope that Chairman Frank remains true to his pledge that conference will be an open and transparent process.

"Of particular concern to me is the Senate-passed derivatives title, which will require manufacturers and other non-financial businesses to unnecessarily tie up billions of dollars of capital that could otherwise be used to create jobs and grow the economy. The House overwhelmingly rejected, on a bipartisan basis, the Senate approach to regulating these important risk management tools. I hope the House conferees will join me in vigorously fighting to preserve the ability for end users to manage legitimate business risk."

Click here for some background on the Financial Reform Bills as they head for a Conference Committee.

In his letter, Robinson, a producer from Marysville, Ohio, stated - a top-down, regulatory approach with limited public involvement is not the appropriate means for addressing such a complex issue with wide-ranging economic effects. He stressed that Congress should engage in an open and honest discussion regarding our nation's energy policy.

Robinson says, - NACD and its members support voluntary, locally-led conservation efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Many districts are already working with landowners on carbon reduction and sequestration efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. NACD continues to support the development of technology that facilitates cleaner use of fossil fuels and expansion of renewable energy from wind, solar, biomass and geothermal sources.

Click here to read the letter of the NACD to the US Senate.

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.