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!

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Jeff Wilson, campaign manager to the One Oklahoma Coalition, provided background on a state house budget committee hearing last fall, which was convened to estimate the financial impact of SQ 744. At the hearing, testimony was provided on what the impact of an across-the-board 20 percent budget cut to all areas of state government, outside of common education, would be. These draconian cuts were anticipated as the most likely outcome state lawmakers would have to pursue in order to pay for the estimated $1 billion increase in spending that would be required under SQ 744.
Because the blank check provided by SQ 744 does not identify a funding mechanism to pay for the increased spending, state lawmakers would likely have to increase income or sales taxes, possibly as high as 40 percent, or implement budget cuts to other agencies of at least 20 percent across-the-board.

Discussing the anticipated affects of the SQ 744 on rural healthcare, Dr. Barry Pollard an ag producer, agribusiness owner and general surgeon talked about the impact to the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority of a 20 percent cut. He explained state house budget staff estimated it would be equivalent to $196 million in state dollars plus another $343 million in federal matching dollars for a total of $539 million reduction in state health dollars. "We are talking about dramatic reductions to Medicaid services for seniors and all Oklahomans who depend upon SoonerCare," said Pollard. "We already have one of the worst ratios in the nation in number of physicians serving our rural communities. Legislation that has been advanced to help recruit physicians to settle in rural communities would be wiped out," said Pollard.

Both Mike Spradling of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Terry Dietrick of American Farmers and Ranchers stood up for their groups, expressing opposition to this constitutional amendment. You can read and hear their thoughts fromthe media event by clicking on the LINK below.

Click here for more on the Stop State Question 744 Media Event in Enid on Wednesday.

The second and third quarters of this year are expected to show nearly 15-and 11- percent growth above the same quarters last year, at 540 and 550 million pounds exported, respectively. The strengthening dollar is not expected to have a significant effect in terms of dampened demand for exported U.S. product, given the growth in Asian markets and implications of supply constraints in markets of alternative beef suppliers. Constraints in Argentinian supply, for example, have caused a shift in Russian demand for beef to U.S. supplies. Beef production in 2010 from Australia, a primary export competitor with the United States, particularly to Asian markets, will be the lowest since 2003.

We have more on this story- and a link to the latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook newsletter from USDA that this report comes from- just click on the LINK below to read more.

Click here for more on the Beef Export Story that continues to develop here in 2010- and a link to a USDA newsletter with other meat industry updates.

Vilsack issued a statement last night saying ""Today, I reached out to Shirley Sherrod to apologize. I also told her I was sorry for the pain this caused her and her family and friends.
"I reacted too quickly. I should have taken the time to listen and learn.
"While I cannot change what happened, I can try to make something out of this difficult incident."

According to a story written by David Patten "When USDA officials contacted Sherrod saying the White House wanted her to resign, she says she tried to communicate that there was another side to the story.
Her videotaped remarks appeared to indicate she didn't give "the full force of what I could do" to a farmer because he was white. But she says the remarks were actually used to illustrate that people should not be judged based on race. The farmer has defended Sherrod, and credits her with saving his farm. But the administration officials wouldn't listen, she says.
"They were not interested in hearing the truth," Sherrod said of the administration. "No one wanted to hear the truth."

Click here to read the story from Patten that offers an overview of the Shirley Sherrod incident that has put USDA under an intense media spotlight

The market will provide local farmers and the community with a designated place where they can sell fresh produce and other agricultural byproducts directly to the public, while supporting the local economy.
Some of the items that may be sold at the market include produce, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts; baked, canned and processed foods; plants and flowers; handcrafted items; and organic items.

The market will take place on the second and fourth Thursdays from July 22 through Oct. 21, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine. Companies will set up and sell products on the top level of the OSU Student Union garage. The 2010 membership fee is $10 per company. Interested companies can go to the LINK below to read about market rules and download an application. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The FAPC works with many food companies that would benefit greatly from this opportunity, said Andrea Graves, FAPC business planning and marketing specialist.
"This is a great opportunity for Oklahoma companies to get additional exposure on the OSU campus because many visitors, faculty, staff and students come through this area," Graves said. "It can also build a relationship with University Dining Services and perhaps bring an opportunity for the company to have its products stocked and sold in other venues across campus."

Click here for the OSU Dining Services Website where you can find the Farmers Market Application

Dana emails that "Ag in the Classroom is "On the Road" with 95 teachers in southeast Oklahoma!! Oklahoma Beef Council is a major sponsor. The Tulsa bus and teachers are sponsored by Tulsa County Farm Bureau. Yesterday we made stops at Grissom Implement in McAlister for a look at Action Agriculture, sale day at Union Stockyards, and organic.vegetable research at Lane. Today it's Tyson hatchery and processing, Weyerhaeuser sawmill, and Kiamichi Forestry Research Station. Connections to Ag in the Classroom lessons and resources are made as teachers received professional development training. Representative Dennis Bailey and OSU extension folks Brad Bain and Cathleen Taylor assisted with today's farm and ranch tours."

Click on the LINK below to learn more about Ag in the Classroom, which is a joint effor of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, OSU Extension and several private sector partners- like the Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Beef Council.

Click here for the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom website.

Foglesong is referring to NCBA's first ever "Rebuilding the Herd" panel that specifically addresses the shrinkage in the U.S. cattle herd. Beyond that, Gregg Doud, NCBA chief economist, said the panel is also about rebuilding the people involved in the industry. Doud said it is more important than ever to engage younger generations in farming and ranching.
"The future of this industry depends on sustaining farms and ranches for younger generations," said Doud. "In order to make that possible, we have to address issues that serve as potential barriers for the future of this industry. The one we will be focusing on during this unique panel discussion is rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd."

The panel will feature Mike Thoren, president and CEO of Five Rivers Cattle Feeding; Kevin Good, senior market analyst with Cattle-Fax; Ben Neale, The Beef Connection and NCBA Young Producer's Council vice chairman; and Jack Reich, president of the North Dakota Stockmen's Association. Doud said there will be lively conversation and an array of perspectives. "The shrinking cattle herd is a major issue and one that is too often left out of the discussion," said Doud. "We've shrunk the beef cow herd for 12 of the last 14 years even though the average cow calf producer has made money in all but three of these years. We want to extend this discussion beyond what it takes to retain and develop heifers and the cattle cycle. There are obviously other factors at work here and this discussion is an attempt to flesh out these challenges to the future growth of our industry."
We will be covering portions of this year's Summer Cattle Industry Conference- as we juggle coverage of this key national cattle industry event with the 2010 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention and Trade Show which happens at the same time in Midwest City.

Click here for more on the NCBA Summer Conference happening in Denver next week.

"This event is a wonderful opportunity for the public to come see what great things Oklahoma 4-H'ers are capable of doing," said Jessica Stewart, state 4-H marketing coordinator - promotions and special programs. "Record book winners and scholarship recipients who are recognized during the Honor Night Assembly will walk away with a total of more than $50,000 in educational scholarships. This wouldn't be possible without our generous donors who believe in the positive impact 4-H has on today's youth."

In addition to recognizing the record book and scholarship winners, the evening will end with the announcement of the two inductees into the State 4-H Hall of Fame. This is the highest award a 4-H'er can achieve at the state level.

For additional information about the Honor Night Assembly or State 4-H Roundup, contact Stewart at 405-744-7960.

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.