Featured Story:

Several thousand 4-H and FFA members have been at the Tulsa State Fair the last couple of days, showing their animals in the 2012 Junior Livestock Show. The top winners will parade their winners in their annual Premium Sale of top animals on Friday, beginning at 11 AM.

The sale will be led off by McKenzie Strickland of the Tecumseh FFA, whose Maine Anjou Steer was judged to be the Grand Champion of the 2012 Tulsa State Fair.  McKenzie is hoping for a big payday- based on recent years in the sale ring.  In 2011- the Tulsa Grand Champion brought $40,000.  Other Grands include Olivia Mason of Fairview FFA showing the Grand Champion Lamb, Whitney Jung of Sterling FFA with her Barrow and Trent Boles of Asher FFA who owns the Grand Champion Meat Goat. 

We have several stories we have posted this morning from Tulsa-

Click here for details of the Steer show and the list of the Breed Champions.

Click here for details of the Barrow show and the list of the Breed Champions.

Click here for details of the Market Lamb show and the list of the Breed Champions.

Click here for details of the Meat Goat show and the list of the Division Champions.

Click here for the PDF file of the Sale Order for today's Premium Auction.

We took several pics on Thursday evening during the Parade of Champions- click here to see them as a par of a set we are making of the Junior Livestock Show at the Tulsa State Fair.

FSA Prepares to Issue CRP and DCP Payments 

Oklahoma Farm Service Agency (FSA) executive director, Francie Tolle announced that FSA will issue Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) payments during the first few weeks of October.

"FSA will issue the payments timely as long as all producer eligibility requirements are met," said Tolle.

CRP and DCP payments could be affected if producers have not submitted the required Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) forms. Affected producers will need to submit the proper AGI forms before payments can be issued. In addition, producers who signed up for CRP emergency haying and grazing and did not pay in advance will notice that their annual rental payment was reduced by the acreage that was hayed or grazed.

"Producers who were affected by county office consolidations will not experience payment delays of this nature," said Tolle. "All county office payments, regardless of consolidations, will be generated at the same time as long as all other eligibility requirements are met."

For more information on CRP and DCP payments producers should contact their local FSA service center.  

Governor Mary Fallin Lifts Statewide Burn Ban

Governor Mary Fallin today lifted the statewide governor's burn ban currently in effect for 33 Oklahoma counties effective immediately.

"With cooler temperatures and higher humidity we are seeing a lower occurrence of wildfire," Fallin said. "These factors combined with recent precipitation across the state allow the ban to be lifted."

Oklahomans are encouraged to remain cautious with campfires, debris burning, outdoor cooking, welding and other activities that include an open flame.

"Even with the rains we have received, drought conditions are still plaguing some counties", said State Forester George Geissler. "Everyone should be weather aware and consider the conditions before they do any activity which could spark a wildfire.

Click here for more and a link to the forestry department's burn ban map.   

 

Some Animal Rights Extremists Care More About Money Than Animals, Pate Says

South Dakota cattle rancher Curt Pate believes handling cattle the low-stress way is right thing to do, but he's not sure about the best way to handle animal rights extremists like the Humane Society of the United States.

"I don't know if we can reason with everybody in the world. All I know is the only thing I can do is change myself. And, so, the more I learn how to better treat animals, not only for profit, but just because when I do it I feel really good.   Like they say, 'It's the right thing to do.'

"I have spent so much time worrying about HSUS, PETA, and all these folks-and I've really lost quite a bit of sleep about it-I'm not so sure they really care as much about animals as they do money. I know there's a lot of them that really do. And if they care about animals as much as they say they do, and if I care about animals as much as I think I do, then we should be able to come together and come to some agreement. Because I know I've seen a lot of cattle in feedyards that are a lot happier in that feedyard than they would be out in the dry desert that we're experiencing in South Dakota, because it's a droughty bugger. And those cattle in that feedyard, they've got a lot better deal than some of those cattle out on the range right now. So, if we all would work together for the betterment of the animal like we all truly say we should, I'm all for it. But, if we're just doing it for political reasons or monetary reasons, I can't do anything about that."

Click here for more of Curt Pate in the newest Beef Buzz. You'll also find a link to a lengthy interview with Curt.

KCBT Eliminates Early Opening Floor Times Effective Jan. 1, 2013

The Kansas City Board of Trade has filed a submission with the CFTC to eliminate the early start time of open outcry trading for the KCBT's flagship hard red winter wheat futures and options contracts on USDA report release dates effective January 1, 2013. Open outcry trading will open at 9:30 a.m. CT on these days, as it does on all other trading days (Monday-Friday).

Beginning on June 12, 2012 open outcry sessions opened at 7:20 a.m. CT on USDA report release dates with USDA reports being released at 7:30 a.m. CT. This change was made because KCBT electronic trading was available during the USDA release time. However, on September 19, the USDA announced that key statistical reports would be released at 11:00 a.m. CT beginning in January 2013, rendering the earlier open outcry opening time unnecessary. Therefore, the open outcry opening time will return to the later 9:30 a.m. CT time.

Wheat futures and wheat options electronic trading hours (Sunday through Friday) are 5:00 pm to 2:00 pm CT for Hard Red Winter Wheat futures and options. 

USDA to Gather Farm Labor Statistics in October

During the second half of October, U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct its biannual Agricultural Labor Survey to collect information about hired labor on Oklahoma farms. More than 250 of Oklahoma's farmers and ranchers will receive this survey.

"Farm labor information is very important when it comes to budgets and planning for upcoming growing seasons," said Wilbert Hundl, Jr., Director of the NASS Oklahoma Field Office. "The data that farm operators provide in the Agricultural Labor Survey will help inform policy-makers in Oklahoma who may take up legislation impacting this industry."

USDA and the Department of Labor will use the statistics obtained from the Agricultural Labor Survey to help establish minimum wage rates for agricultural workers, administer farm labor recruitment and placement service programs, and assist legislators in determining labor policies. 

You can read more of this story by clicking here.

BIF Headed to Oklahoma in 2013

Next year marks a hallmark event in Oklahoma. Oklahoma State University, in collaboration with the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF), will be hosting the 45th Annual Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium and Meeting. The last time the BIF convention was held in Oklahoma was March, 1981, when the meeting was held in Stillwater. 

The 2013 BIF convention will be held in Oklahoma City from June 12-15, 2013, at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.   It will be a forum bringing together industry professionals, producers, and researchers to discuss current issues facing the beef industry.

For more details about this great beef industry event headed to our neck of the woods- click here so you will be able to save the date!