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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Norvells, Wilcoxs and Charlie Coblentz Represent Oklahoma Farm Bureau YF&R This Weekend in Orlando

 

This coming weekend- the 2016 American Farm Bureau Convention will be kicking off in Orlando, Florida.  Several dozen Oklahoma Farm Bureau members will be attending this year's convention- and two young farm families and one young man will be representing the state at the front end of the meeting in the national Young Farmer and Rancher competitions.

All three of the Oklahoma representatives won the right to go to Orlando by winning at the state level this past November at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau annual convention.

Clint and Jessica Wilcox of Major County will compete on a national level for the AFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award. This contest is designed for young farm or ranch families whose primary livelihood comes from their production agriculture efforts.

Charlie Coblentz of Mayes County will compete in the national discussion meet contest.

Tyler and Beth Norvell will represent Oklahoma Excellence in Agriculture Award competition. The award recognizes successful young adults ages 35 years or younger who are involved in farming, but whose primary occupations are not farming or owning an agricultural business. Winners are chosen based on their involvement in agriculture and participation in Farm Bureau and other community organizations. The YF&R competition is based on an oral presentation and a written application. Tyler said the process is similar to competing in a FFA competition.


"We've been working a lot at home and on weekends trying to get that presentation just right," Norvell said.


I caught up with Tyler Norvell to talk about the upcoming national YF&R competition. Click or tap here to listen to the full interview.

AND- be watching Saturday morning as Tyler joins us for our In the Field segment as seen on KWTV News9 during their Saturday morning news block- our In the Field segment runs around 6:40 AM.

 

 

 

Oklahoma Excellence in Agriculture Awards Nominations Sought

 

Oklahoma has a rich agricultural history thanks to dedicated farmers. In 1998, the Governor's Outstanding Achievement Award in Agriculture was created to recognize those who have helped lead the industry while demonstrating exemplary personal values and pursuing agricultural achievements in Oklahoma. Through Feb. 12, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) is accepting nominations for a total of four Oklahoma Excellence in Agriculture Awards.


The award winners will be announced at a recognition ceremony on March 30 at the state capitol as part of the state's annual Oklahoma Ag Day celebration.


Examples of eligible agriculture enterprises for the Governor's Outstanding Achievement Award in Agriculture nominee are: livestock and crop production, agribusiness, forestry, horticulture and nursery management. In addition to considering the nominee's production agriculture involvement, the application also recognizes leadership in agricultural and state organizations as well as additional awards and honors. The winner will be someone with at least 25 years in agriculture who derives the bulk of his or her income from agriculture or has retired from an agricultural enterprise.


Previous award-winners have represented different areas of Oklahoma as well as a variety of agricultural groups and commodities. Past recipients have guided their families and communities to success by excelling as dairymen, cattle ranchers, pork producers, wheat farmers, conservationists and educators. Uniting previous Hall of Fame inductees is their service to their community in addition to their contribution to the agriculture industry.


In addition to the Governor's Outstanding Achievement Award in Agriculture, ODAFF also presents the Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Award, Outstanding Legacy in Agriculture Award and Outstanding Public Service in Agriculture Award. The Legacy in Agriculture Award is the only one strictly for posthumous nominees.  The deadline for all nominations is Friday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m.  Click or tap here to read more.

U.S. Farming and Ranching Foundation Launches - Targeting Young People To Educate About Agriculture

 

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), a consumer-facing organization dedicated to leading the national conversation about how food is grown and raised, announced today the launch of the U.S. Farming and Ranching Foundation (USFRF). The USFRF will be a philanthropic nonprofit organization with a mission of furthering agricultural education and understanding of agriculture among America's consumers including young people and millennials.


"USFRF is a result of a collaborative effort led by the agriculture and food industry to expand the dialogue with consumers regarding food production in America," said USFRF inaugural Chairman Jim Blome who is also President & CEO of Bayer CropScience LP. "This new foundation will further ag education and consumer understanding about food, by developing educational-based tools and interactive consumer programs, that serve as a unified effort to reach Americans in ways in which they want to learn about modern agriculture."


One of the foundation's initial projects is developing a curriculum guide that will be made available to high school students nationwide. The documentary film, FARMLAND, which gives viewers the opportunity to step inside the world of agriculture for a first-hand glimpse into the lives of young farmers and ranchers, will serve as the guide's core. The curriculum will supplement efforts to bring to life many of the themes covered in the film, and serve as an educational resource for high school teachers interested in content focused on food choices, agriculture, sustainability, entrepreneurship, food issues, antibiotics, GMOs and crop inputs in agriculture, and marketing.  Click here to read more about the agriculture education effort of the USFRF.

Advances in Cattle Genomics Allows Beef to Compete with Pork and Chicken

 

The genomic advances the cattle industry has made over the last few years have been dramatic. That's according to Ryan Ruppert, U.S. Sales Director for GeneSeek Igenity. He said this is allowing the cattle industry to be on a level playing field with competing meat sources.


"In the past, groups like chicken and pork have been incorporating genomics at this same level where they are looking at commercial females and their commercial males at the same time with genomics," Ruppert said. "Now beef producers can do the same and it takes a generation interval that used to be around ten years to make these changes to now we can do it in two or three years. So that really puts us in the driver's seat now to start going to our consumer and meeting some of the demands that they have."


Ruppert said major beef customers like Wal-Mart and McDonald's have often requested certain attributes. Previously that would have taken 15 years to deliver on those requests. With genomics, he said the beef industry will be able to make those changes in three to five years. That could mean significant dividends to the beef industry. Ruppert said by improving feed efficiency by two pounds on feeder cattle that could save the beef industry $1 billion annually. 


We are featuring Ruppert on the Beef Buzz for two days this week. Click or tap here to listen to today's Beef Buzz. (part two will be featured in the Thursday email)

 

Pork Checkoff Opens Nominations for the 2016 America's Pig Farmer of the Year Award

 

The National Pork Board is accepting applications for its 2016 America's Pig Farmer of the Year award through March 13 at americaspigfarmer.com. The award recognizes a U.S. pork producer who demonstrates excellence in raising pigs using the We Care ethical principles and in sharing his or her story with the public.


"It has been an honor to represent America's Pig Farmers," said Keith Schoettmer, a pig farmer from Indiana and the first America's Pig Farmer of the Year. "I encourage people to nominate excellent pig farmers who want to represent their farm and our industry."


Schoettmer has participated in several events since being named America's Pig Farmer of the Year in October. This has included taking part in a media tour in New York City and speaking at a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., hosted by the American Humane Association.


Third-party judges again will help determine the final award recipient, with the winner announced during National Pork Month this October. The U.S. public also will play a role in the final outcome by viewing short video clips of the award finalists on their farms at americaspigfarmer.com and by voting for finalists through the Pork Checkoff's social media outlets.  The application deadline is March 13, 2016.  Nominations are open to any U.S. pig farmer, who is 30 years of age or older on January  1, 2016.  Click or tap here to read more.

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Oregon Cattlemen's Association Calls for Clemency for Jailed Ranchers Dwight and Steve Hammond 

 

I know there is a tremendous amount of interest in the drama that has played out in recent days in rural Oregon, where a ranch family has been convicted by the Federal government for doing the right thing for their land and the federal land that is adjacent their private lands.

We have an article on our website that we have posted from the Oregon Cattlemen's Association that offers an update on their involvement and support for Dwight and Steve Hammond.

According to the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, "On Monday of this week, Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steve Hammond left their homes to report to a federal prison. Both ranchers are faithful, long term Oregon Cattlemen's Association members. Many have asked where the association stands on the Hammond's predicament.


"The Oregon Cattlemen's Association has declared that they do not support illegal activity taken against the government but has, and will continue, to support the Hammonds via avenues that are in accordance with the law."

The Association has established a petition on the White House Website calling for clemency for the Hammonds- you are invited to take a look at that petition and sign it if you would care to do so. Click here to jump over to that web location.

 

This N That- Pat Goggins, Big Iron Wednesday and Congrats to OSU Livestock Judging Team

 

In a tuneup for the National Western Livestock Collegiate Livestock Judging contest this month in Colorado- the Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging team competed in the Arizona National in Phoenix on New Year's Eve- and they dominated.

The Cowboys won the High Team overall honors- and all of the top placings belonged to OSU team members.

High Individual at the Arizona National was Tim Hubbard, Second was Cooper Bounds, Third was Amy Wolff, Fourth was Logan Van Allen and Fifth was Maggie Neer.

The OSU Livestock Judging Team has been coached the last couple of years by Blake Bloomberg.

Congrats to Blake and his High Flying Cowboys!

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