Presented by

 

 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Featured Story:

DuPont and Dow Chemical to Combine in Merger of Equals 

 

DuPont (NYSE:DD) and The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) Friday announced that their boards of directors unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger of equals. The combined company will be named DowDuPont. The parties intend to subsequently pursue a separation of DowDuPont into three independent, publicly traded companies through tax-free spin-offs. This would occur as soon as feasible, which is expected to be 18-24 months following the closing of the merger, subject to regulatory and board approval.


The companies will include a leading global pure-play Agriculture company; a leading global pure-play Material Science company; and a leading technology and innovation-driven Specialty Products company. Each of the businesses will have clear focus, an appropriate capital structure, a distinct and compelling investment thesis, scale advantages, and focused investments in innovation to better deliver superior solutions and choices for customers.


Within the agricultural sector- one early comment by the companies indicated that they would spin off one of their seed brands- likely keeping Pioneer and putting Mycogen Seeds on the market.

Click or tap here to read more about the proposed  DowDuPont merger.

 

American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers to Study Dow, DuPont Merger Impact

 

Dow and DuPont announced on Friday morning an all-stock merger that will create a new $130 billion DowDuPont company.


The American Soybean Association (ASA) and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) both quickly issued news releases saying they are committed to examining the overall impacts of this merger on the agricultural industry and farmers.


"As always, we welcome competition and innovation to the industry, while keeping the best interests of soybean growers at the forefront," said ASA President Richard Wilkins, Greenwood, Del. "ASA looks forward to the opportunity to provide comments to the companies and U.S. regulatory authorities that must approve any merger, and will continue to study how this merger will affect soybean farmers."

 

"The National Corn Growers Association is committed to protecting the best interests of our members and our nation's corn farmers," NCGA President Chip Bowling of Maryland.  "With respect to the proposed merger, we anticipate that we will have an opportunity to submit comments regarding the effect this merger may have on agricultural research, innovation, grain marketing, and the competitive pricing of farm inputs. We will do all we can to protect farmer interests and preserve an open and competitive marketplace."

COP21 Announces Deal at Climate Change Gathering in Paris- Nothing Agreed to that Obama Has to Bring Back to Congress

 

 

In a story in the online Washington Examiner, Secretary of State John Kerry admits the Obama Administration shaped the Climate Change agreement in Paris to avoid humiliation on the global stage- saying the deal "did not contain any enforcement provisions because Congress would not have approved them.

"Binding legal requirements would have made the Paris agreement a treaty, requiring approval from two-thirds of the Senate. Because no climate change measure could come close to that high bar in the chamber, the Paris deal was written to avoid it."

Does this agreement matter for US agriculture?  Based on the statement released over the weekend by Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack- it's really hard to see any new things that are not already in the pipeline.

Vilsack says "The benchmarks outlined in the deal build on the ambitious climate smart strategy being implemented by U.S. farmers, ranchers and foresters in partnership with USDA and the Obama Administration. Our efforts to boost productivity reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and share best practices with counterparts around the world will help to address climate change and improve global resilience while continuing to meet global demand for food, fiber and fuel."

USDA does point to several of the things the agency has going to promote their climate change response- including a link to their regional climate change research hubs- The Southern Plains Climate Hub is physically located at the Grazinglands Research Laboratory at Ft Reno- just west of El Reno on the north side of I-40.

News on 6 Meteorologist Travis Meyer Says El Niño Bringing Winter Storms Next 60 Days

 

El Nino can be blamed for the wettest year on record in Oklahoma. The state just came off the second wettest November on record and earlier this year recorded the wettest May on record. Travis Meyer, Chief Meteorologist at KOTV News on 6 in Tulsa, said it's been interesting to see the moisture concentrated in May and November.


"That is a cyclical nature of El Nino, just a few shifts, but it's generally a very warm pattern, a very wet pattern and that's pretty much what we have been dealing with," Meyer said.


In looking at the next 60 days, Meyer said it's going to be nerve racking. Oklahoma could get some of those arctic invasions and if they hit during a major storm system, he said that combination could bring winter storms. While that's a normal event, he said this year the storms are bigger and there is a lot more moisture available. That has Meyer concerned for ranchers dealing with the strongest El Nino ever.


"We've never been at this level of an El Nino, never this powerful of a storm system, so this is new territory for everybody," Meyer said.


In looking at the weather outlook, Meyer said the greatest amount of weather stress will occur over the next 60 days.  I caught up with Meyer at the Tulsa Farm Show.  Click or tap here to listen to my interview.

Senate Leader Mitch McConnell Expects NO Vote on TPP Until After 2016 November General Elections

 

Want to Have the Latest Energy News Delivered to Your Inbox Daily?

OSU's Derrell Peel Honored for 'Excellence in Extension' Programming and Service

 

Oklahoma State University's Derrell Peel has been honored as a 2015 Regional Excellence in Extension recipient by Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.


Peel, who serves as the Charles Breedlove Endowed Professor of Agribusiness and Cooperative Extension livestock marketing specialist for OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, was officially recognized as the U.S. Southern Region recipient at the recent Association of Public and Land-grant Universities annual meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana.


Excellence in Extension awards are presented annually to one Cooperative Extension professional from each region in recognition of his or her visionary leadership, outstanding programming and positive impact on the communities they serve.


Recipients demonstrate the impact Extension has on Americans all across the country.  Click or tap here to read more about Derrell Peel.

This N That- Pawnee FFA Wins Again, Steaks for Troops Fundraiser and OCA Hands Over Big Check 

 
It turned out that 2015 was a repeat for the first and second place teams at the 2015 Tulsa Farm Show Livestock Handling Skills Contest held this past Friday. The high placing team for 2015 was the Pawnee FFA Chapter squad- same as in 2014. And the second place team in both 2015 and 2014 represented the Perkins-Tryon FFA Chapter.


All contestants won scholarships, belt buckles and certificates for being a part of the competition. Teams had to qualify by taking a written test on animal well being and handling back in July of this year that was given at the Big 3 Judging Contests held by Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

We've got names of the young men and ladies that were a part of the top three teams- and pictures, too.  And- comments from Terry Detrick of the AFR on why they support contests like this one for 4-H and FFA members across Oklahoma.

Click here for our story- which is at the top of this morning's Blue-Green Gazette on our Web Page.

Also- we have photo albums now up and posted from the 2015 Tulsa Farm Show- click here for the complete album of pics and click here for the album dedicated to the Livestock Handling Skills Contest.

**********

National Livestock Credit Corporation and affiliated companies are supporting, once again, the All American Beef Battalion.  This morning, the Oklahoma National Stockyards will auction a calf for the benefit of the All American Beef Battalion. The sale will take place at approximately 11:00 a.m. in the sale arena of the Stockyards.

This is the 6th year for the National Livestock companies to be involved in supporting the All American Beef Battalion. With the 2014 auction bringing in more than $60,000, contributors to this event have raised over $220,000 from the annual auction of a donated calf.

Click here to learn more about this morning's fundraiser- and how you can be a part of providing a steak dinner to one of the men or women who help protect our freedom.

**********

The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is donating $22,000.00 to the Children's Hospital Foundation.  The official check presentation will take place on this afternoon at 1 p.m. at the OCA Headquarters located in Historic Stockyards City, Okla.  

 

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows , P & K Equipment, American Farmers & Ranchers, KIS Futures, CROPLAN by Winfield, Stillwater Milling Company, Farm Assure,  Pioneer Cellular, National Livestock Credit Corporation and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association 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- at NO Charge!

 

 

 

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  

 

 

God Bless! You can reach us at the following:  

 

 

 

Oklahoma Farm Bureau is Proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Ron Hays Daily Farm and Ranch News Email