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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

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NCBA Removes "Interim" from Kendall Frazier's Title- the Former Farm Broadcaster is Now CEO of the Cattle Group

 
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has named Kendal Frazier its new chief executive officer. NCBA president Tracy Brunner made the announcement, saying he is confident that the nation's oldest and largest cattle industry association is in good hands.


"It was the belief of the officers and others involved with the search process that NCBA owed it to our members, our stakeholders and the beef community to take our time as we selected the right individual to serve as the next chief executive officer," said Brunner. "Today, we can say with confidence that Kendal Frazier is the right leader for the association. With many years of experience working for state and national beef organizations, he has helped to guide our industry through some of its greatest challenges.  

We have known Kendall since his days as a farm broadcaster for WIBW radio in Topoka, Kansas.  He has been the one constant in the staff leadership stretching back to the old National Cattlemen's Association and now the NCBA. 

Yesterday afternoon, we talked with him about this decision to take the word "interim" off of his title and what lies ahead for the organization.  Click here for our story and hear our conversation with this non interim Top Hired Hand for the Beef Cattle Industry.

DairyMAX Brings the Breakfast Games to Oklahoma- Encouraging Elementary Age Kids to EAT BREAKFAST!   

 

The 2016 edition of the Breakfast Games, sponsored by Dairy Farmers, came to Oklahoma on Tuesday morning, when all the students at Southern Hills elementary in south Oklahoma City were involved in the competition and pep rally designed to encourage them to "EAT BREAKFAST!!!" Dairy MAX has used this formula to promote breakfast eating across its trade territory- and utilized the star power of former Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson and Dallas Cowboy starting center Travis Frederick to provide extra sizzle for the morning event.


Three teams of students competed in a relay style race for Gold, Silver and Bronze- but the expectation was that all the students there would be winners as they came away with a Fuel Up to Play 60 tee shirt and the strong encouragement to eat a breakfast that includes dairy every day.

Here's a pic of the winning teams with their big letters spelling "We Heart Milk"



Click here to read more and to hear our Q&A with Betty and Travis

And- you can see our pictures from the morning on FLICKR by clicking here.

AFBF Praises Obama Administration for Okaying Use of Checkoff Monies to Build Demand in Cuba

 

The Agriculture Department's announcement that commodity checkoff funds can be used to help market U.S. farm products in Cuba lets America's farmers invest directly in the growth in trade between the two nations, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.

"American-grown foods hold a clear competitive advantage in the Cuban marketplace, and the use of farmer- and rancher-generated funds to promote and market U.S. farm goods fits the checkoff mission perfectly," Duvall said.

Zippy's full statement is available here.


Meanwhile, USDA is not being bashful in quoting multiple groups who have released statements cheering the move by USDA on saying its okay to use checkoff dollars to build a marketing presence in Cuba.

They lead with the statement from AFBF- but quote from several additional groups and coalitions cheering the move.

You can read their news release and see who they are proud to associate with by clicking here.

Wind Coalition Pushes Back on Those Critical of Wind Industry's Tax Credits

 
The head of the Wind Coalition has strongly responded to criticism from oil and gas leaders, saying it's time to end the fight against the wind industry's tax credits.


"Fighting one another and saying things about one another that are not true is very unproductive," said Jeff Clarke, Executive Director of the Coalition. "If Oklahoma persists in the path that Mr. Hamm and his group is pushing, what the state will end up with is losing one of the emerging key energy industries of the next few decades."


Clarke responded to the comments of Continental Resources chairman Harold Hamm and former OGE Chairman Pete Delaney who charged the tax credits were only harming oil and gas and much of the money was going to out-of-state and foreign companies.

You can read Clarke's response and listen to the interview he did with Radio Oklahoma Network News Director Jerry Bohnen by clicking or tapping here.

Jerry's story first appeared on the OkEnergyToday website.

A Restoration Success Story for Doyle and Brenda Burden- Courtesy of OERB

 

When ranchers Doyle and Brenda Burden of Weeletka purchased their land nearly two decades ago, they noticed a big area of saltwater erosion from an old abandoned well site.   The Burdens worked their way around the hazard and avoided the area as best they could. Years later, Doyle saw a commercial for the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board well site clean up program and decided to give them a call.



"They came out, and sure enough, there were three oil production sites that had been abandoned decades ago." Over nine months, the OERB cleaned up the three sites on the Burden's property, restoring the land back to its original pristine condition- at no cost to the Burdens.


Read more about the Burdens and how OERB works to restore abandoned well sites by clicking or tapping here.

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Sydnee Gerken of Kingfisher FFA Wins Top Honors in AFR Achievement Contest at OYE

 

American Farmers & Ranchers partnered with the Oklahoma Youth Expo to host the Youth Agricultural Achievement Contest, March 17. The contest recognizes Oklahoma youth who excel in showmanship skills and demonstrate superior knowledge of the livestock industry including production, management, processing, and end product utilization. The top 12 finalists received over $5,000 in scholarships.


The top 12 winners are: 1st place, Sydnee Gerken, Kingfisher FFA; 2nd, Rhett Pursley, Locust Grove FFA; 3rd, Jill Mencke, Hennessey FFA; 4th, Chesley Comstock, Woodward FFA; 5th, Dawson Haworth, Fairview FFA; 6th, Brayden Foley, Kingfisher FFA; 7th, Layne Kisling, Chisholm FFA; 8th, Samantha Williams, Stillwater FFA; 9th, Brittny Richards, Oktaha FFA; 10th, Lexi Lerblance, McAlester FFA; 11th, Nicole Stevens, Yukon FFA; and 12th, Matt Lancaster, Cherokee FFA.

More about the AFR Achievement Contest is available here.

We remind you that we have pictures of these winners and lots more on our FLICKR album for the 2016 OYE- click here to check them out!

AND- we say thanks to ITC, Your Energy Superhighway, for their sponsorship of our coverage of the 2016 Oklahoma Youth Expo.

 

This N That- EXTREME Fire Danger Again Today and Horses Needed   

The Red Flag Warnings continue today- especially from 11 AM through 9 PM tonight. Jed Castles offers this Fire Danger map that shows lots to worry about when it comes to fast moving wild fires when and it they get started:

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We need horses in April for the OKC Farm Show!!!!

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