Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- In Oklahoma- It's Mighty RED Out There- Plus Voters Kill State Questions Rather Easily
- Nationally- An Icon in Farm Policy Won't be Back- and Senate May Stay in GOP Hands
- NCBA's Colin Woodall Says OCM is Spreading Misinformation About The Cattle Industry Group.
- Ag Economy Barometer Rises to Record High on Improving Financial Conditions
- Barchart Releases Final 2020 U.S. Production and Yield Forecasts for Corn and Soybeans
- Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention Annual Meeting Set For Thursday Night- Virtual and at Nine District Locations
- Farm Supply Cooperatives Have Opportunities to Bring Additional Value to Members and Local Communities
- NFU and AFR/OFU Cooperative Partner with Rural Advocacy Group to Host Beef Industry Consolidation Forum
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In Oklahoma- It's Mighty RED Out There- Plus Voters Kill State Questions Rather Easily |
At the Federal and State levels in Oklahoma- it seemed to be a good night for Republicans and not so much for Democrats.
Two years ago, Republican Steve Russell was unseated by Democrat Kendra Horn in the Fifth Congressional District but last night it was Congresswoman Horn being unseated after just one term- State Senator Stephanie Bice overcame a huge vote for Horn in the Absentee ballots turned in- and won by over 12,000 votes overall to become the newest member of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation.
The other four Oklahoma House members easily won reelection- former House Ag Committee Chair Frank Lucas winning with the biggest margin- 78% and change. Lucas issued this statement last night: "“I am deeply honored that my neighbors, my fellow Oklahomans, the voters of the Third District overwhelmingly voted for me to continue to be their voice in Washington, D.C. Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, I serve as your voice in Congress- representing all of those who call Oklahoma’s Third District home.
“Moving forward, I’ll continue to stand up for Oklahoma’s agriculture producers, ensuring they have the resources and support they need in order to continue to feed and clothe the world. With more than 28,000 family farms in Oklahoma’s Third District, farming is a way of life and it's critical we work to make sure more family farms are thriving- not declining."
Also winning with ease was Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe- who indicated to the media and supporters that this victory would be the start of his last term i n the Senate- he does not plan to seek reelection again.
AND in Oklahoma- Voters said NO to both State Question 805 and 814. Two agricultural groups that supported a No vote on 805, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association responded to our inquiry regarding their reaction. President Rodd Moesel of Oklahoma Farm Bureau was happy with defeat of State Question 805- "We appreciate the voters standing up for victims of crime."
OCA's Michael Kelsey also reacted- "The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association is grateful that Oklahomans overwhelming rejected State Question 805. It is just common sense that past criminal behavior be considered in sentencing convicted persons."
In the Oklahoma House- it was also a night of seeing things turn redder- click on the button below to read the statement from House Speaker Charles McCall of Atoka.
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Oklahoma AgCredit is a member of the Farm Credit System that serves every part of agriculture from the smallest operations to the largest – and everything in between. Whether helping a young farm family begin, supporting our veterans as they return home and take up farming or financing U.S. agricultural exports around the globe, Farm Credit is committed to the success of American agriculture.
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Nationally- An Icon in Farm Policy Won't be Back- and Senate May Stay in GOP Hands |
We won't know who will reside in the White House for the next four years for a few days- but we do know that one of the leaders of the House Ag Committee won't be in Washington come 2021. Minnesota Congressman and House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson lost his bid for another two years to former Lt. Governor Michelle Fischbach by almost 50,000 votes- ending his career as one of the few remaining Blue Dog Democrats on Capitol Hill.
His institutional knowledge will be missed as the groundwork for the next farm bill should be happening in the next two years. Of course- it is not just Peterson that will be gone- three of the four leaders of the House and Senate Ag Committees won't be back in 2021- Peterson unseated while top GOP member of the House Ag Committee Mike Conaway has retired while the Chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, Pat Roberts of Kansas, has also retired and won't be back. That leaves just Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan who will be returning in 2021 on the Ag Committees with experience in leading her Committee in developing a Farm Bill. She was on the Senate side as Chair in 2014 when House Ag Committee Chair Frank Lucas of Oklahoma was crafting the 2014 Farm Law.
Lucas told us again in recent days that he fully intends to reclaim his spot on the House Ag Committee in time for the writing of the House Ag Committee- and his understanding of production agriculture will be sorely needed.
Meanwhile- Last night- several races were decided that will decide which side will control the Senate the next two years. Democrats picked off two GOP Senate seats in Colorado and Arizona(former Senator Jeff Flake campaigned against his party in Arizona) while the GOP grabbed one back in Alabama which makes it less likely the Democrats will take over the Senate in 2021.
We may not know for sure until January as at least one and perhaps both of the Georgia Senate seat races may have a runoff on January 5th. They may well decide the fate of the Senate and if Oklahoma Senators Inhofe and Lankford are in the Majority or the Minority as the government starts fresh in the new year.
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NCBA's Colin Woodall Says OCM is Spreading Misinformation About The Cattle Industry Group. |
The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) has been busy spreading misinformation about the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and its leadership. Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, recently said that OCM has an anti-animal ag agenda.
It comes down to the simple fact that OCM is nothing more than an arm of the Humane Society of the United States, Woodall said.
We know that HSUS provides them (OCM) with money for their lawsuits, he said.
The fact of the matter is HSUS doesn’t like production agriculture, Woodall said.
It is really unfortunate that some cattle producers think OCM is working for them when in fact they are working for HSUS, he said.
Ironically, OCM has accused NCBA of having close ties with HSUS.
NCBA doesn’t have any former HSUS employees on staff nor have we ever taken any money from them, Woodall said.
OCM is using the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef as an example NCBA is in bed with the World Wildlife Fund.
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For our farmers who have either- always have had cotton on their farms- or those who have more recently have added the fiber crop to their operations- we have a new daily report starting to be heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk- and we appreciate the Oklahoma Cotton Council for their support in making this a reality.
Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report
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Ag Economy Barometer Rises to Record High on Improving Financial Conditions |
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 27 points to a reading of 183 in October and set an all-time high for the index. Farmers were more optimistic about both the future and current financial situation on their farms, the Current Conditions Index rose 36 points to a reading of 178 and the Future Expectations Index rose 23 points to a reading of 186. The Ag Economy Barometer is based on survey responses from 400 U.S. agricultural producers and was conducted between October 19-23, 2020.
"Since bottoming out this summer, the ag economy has rebounded sharply and the dramatic improvement in sentiment reflects the turnaround in the farm income picture," said James Mintert, the barometer's principal investigator and director of Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture.
Mintert was referring to a late summer/early fall rally in commodity prices combined with government program payments arising from the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2), which provided a boost to many producers' farm income. Corn and soybean prices continued to rally even though U.S. corn yields are expected to set a record high and USDA projects soybean yields to be the fourth highest on record.
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network weekdays-
if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click below for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays and KC Sheperd on RON.
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Sponsor Spotlight
The vision of the Oklahoma Beef Council is to be a positive difference for Oklahoma's farming and ranching families and the greater beef community and its mission is to enhance beef demand by strengthening consumer trust and exceeding consumer expectations. To learn more, visit www.oklabeef.org. Also, don't forget to like its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oklabeef for stories on Oklahoma's ranching families and great beef recipes.
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Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention Annual Meeting Set For Thursday Night- Virtual and at Nine District Locations |
In an effort to ensure the health and safety of our Oklahoma Farm Bureau members, friends and staff, the general farm organization will hold their annual business meeting for 2020 in place of our traditional in-person annual convention.
The meeting will be held Thursday, November 5, beginning at 5:30 p.m. as OKFB members in districts 1, 4 and 7 will hold caucus to elect state board members and state Women’s Leadership Committee members.
The live reports and presentations will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Watch their 2020 online business meeting from the comfort of your own home, the cab of your tractor, or anywhere you have a data connection capable of streaming video content.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau members will gather at locations in each of the nine Oklahoma Farm Bureau districts to watch our virtual business meeting together. Patterned after our successful August Area Meetings, safety protocols will be followed to ensure the health and safety of our members.
In addition to our nine gatherings, OKFB delegates in districts 1, 4 and 7 will gather to elect state board members and state Women’s Leadership Committee members.
Click on the button below for more details and all the links to the various outlets where the video will be available.
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Barchart Releases Final 2020 U.S. Production and Yield Forecasts for Corn and Soybeans |
Barchart, a leading provider of data and technology services to the financial, media, and commodity industries, announces their final 2020 Production Forecasts at 15,324M bu for corn and 4,157M bu for soybeans in the U.S, which incorporates forecasts for end of season yield at 180.4 bu/ac for corn and 50.1 bu/ac for soybeans in the U.S. This represents an increase in expected production and yield for corn, relative to the October 6 report, which predicted end of season production at 15,119M bu and end of season yield at 178.2 bu/ac. Soybeans also saw expected production and yield decrease from 4,190M bu and 50.5 bu/ac, respectively.
Available for free to the public on the first Tuesday of each month during the growing season, and available to clients through daily updates, Crop Production and Yield Forecasts from cmdty provide users with quick and reliable insights to stay ahead of the curve before the USDA’s WASDE report is released.
“Throughout the 2020 growing season, our accurate U.S. production and yield forecasts have been essential to grain professionals who are looking to spot opportunities before each month’s WASDE report,” says Barchart’s Head of Strategy Keith Petersen. “As the leader in commodity data, Barchart is committed to supplying users with the information they need to stay ahead of the curve, and we look forward to expanding our coverage into new geographies in 2021.”
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Farm Supply Cooperatives Have Opportunities to Bring Additional Value to Members and Local Communities |
Farm supply cooperatives have a long, proud history and remain the dominant form of crop input distribution in North America. However in recent years, challenging fundamentals, disruptive forces and increased competition have threatened their business model. U.S. farmers are increasingly price conscious due to financial stress, adding yet another pressure point on the co-op’s profit margins.
According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, these challenges may be a catalyst for farm supply cooperatives to rethink their business model. The report outlines several ideas for them to explore in their annual strategic planning process.
"The farm supply space remains dynamic and cooperatives have several tools to strengthen their operating model,” said Kenneth Scott Zuckerberg, lead economist, grain and farm supply, at CoBank. “Beyond pursuing internal operational excellence, co-ops are uniquely positioned to help guide the digital transformation of agriculture.”
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NFU and AFR/OFU Cooperative Partner with Rural Advocacy Group to Host Beef Industry Consolidation Forum |
In partnership with National Farmers Union (NFU) and American Farmers & Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union (AFR/OFU) Cooperative, the newly-formed Oklahoma Rural and Small-Town Table of Common Interests will host its first issues forum to discuss the consolidation of packing plants in the beef industry Nov. 10, 5-8 p.m., at Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla.
The event will highlight a major issue effecting the economic health of one of rural Oklahoma’s largest economic drivers—the beef industry.
“For years, the beef industry has wrestled with the issues of packer concentration, price discover and fair markets,” said Rural and Small-Town Table’s chairman, Clay Pope. “Now, with the pandemic shining a light on the vulnerability of the industry to processing bottlenecks, we feel that it’s important to further educate Oklahomans on this critical issue.”
Scheduled speakers at the event are NFU President Rob Larew, AFR/OFU Cooperative President Scott Blubaugh, and beef market analyst Corbitt Wall. Former Oklahoma Governor David Walters will also address the group on rural issues. All presentations will be made during the in-person, limited capacity event and streamed through live video to alleviate COVID-19 concerns.
“With pandemic restrictions on the number of folks who can attend the event in person, we will be livestreaming this event on the internet,” Pope said. “We can only have 40 people in attendance at the school, so we are allowing seating on a first-come, first-served basis.”
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OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.
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Today's First Look:
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.
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Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices rallied strongly on Tuesday- Choice Beef was up $1.53 while Select Beef jumped $2.84 higher.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had a second week with a short run as producers continue to deal with the cleanup from the early season Ice storm- Final numbers for Monday run was 2,661. Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold 10.00-12.00 higher. Steer and heifer calves traded 10.00-15.00 higher. Demand good to very good. Quality average to attractive.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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OKC West in El Reno 1,500 calves for their Tuesday sale- Compared to 2 weeks ago(since they were closed last week because of the ice storm)- Steer calves traded 3.00-8.00 higher. Heifer calves sold 8.00-12.00 higher with most advances being seen on 500-600 lb heifers. Demand good to very good.
Click below to check the full report.
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Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures - click below for the latest update on the Livestock and Grain Futures Trade..
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Okla Cash Grain:
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture- The report available after the close of the Futures Trade for that day.
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Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor
KC Sheperd, Associate Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
Sam Knipp, Farm News Editor
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
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Rural Oklahoma is full of some of the greatest success stories throughout the entire state and are a main reason Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity will dive into these stories each week bringing you insight into the great things happening in and to rural Oklahoma. We will bring you stories covering rural life, agriculture, energy, healthcare, tourism and politics all affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
For the first time ever- Oklahoma FFA had three National Finalists in the National FFA American Stars Competition- and at the 2020 National FFA Convention- two of them- again for the first time ever- were called out as the winner in their category. Host Ron Hays talked after the Stars announcement with Will Shelby of Madill FFA, the American Star in Ag Placement and Nicole Stevens of Yukon FFA, the American Star in Agriscience. Today's Podcast is powered by BancFirst.
Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is being powered by the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
To find out more about our full series of Podcasts on The Road to Rural Prosperity- click or tap here.
To hear this Podcast you can click here or tap below:
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, AFR/OFU, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma Cotton Council, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, and KIS Futures 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 invite you to check out our website at the link below too that includes an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.
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God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
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Tim West
President/General Manager
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
2401 Exchange Avenue,
Suite F
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
405.317.6361
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Ron Hays
Director of Farm Programming
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
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