Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Farmer Sentiment rises as Income prospects improve, Concerns about Key Policy issues Remain
- Limousin Breeders Excited to Display Cattle Genetics During Cattlemen's Congress Underway Now in Oklahoma City
- University Student Finds Unique Way to Connect Farmers, Food Banks And Hungry People by Establishing Farmlink Project
- Inhofe Statement on Electoral College Count
- On the 12th Day of Christmas, Will the IRS Give Farmers a Tax Increase?
- Above Normal Rain Fall Shows in December Crop Progress Summary
- Growth Energy, RFA Demand Transparency in Refinery Exemption Process
- Monte Tucker- AKA the Ribeye King- Raises Big Bucks for Beef for Backpacks for Kids
- Check Out Some of the Sales Going On This Week at Cattlemen's Congress
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Farmer Sentiment rises as Income prospects improve, Concerns about Key Policy issues Remain
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There was a modest improvement in producer sentiment according to the December Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer . The barometer increased 7 points from November to a reading of 174. Both of the barometer's sub-indices, the Index of Current Conditions and the Index of Future Expectations, were also higher in December than in November. The Index of Current Conditions climbed 15 points to 202 and the Index of Future Expectations increased by 5 points to a reading of 161. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers' responses to a telephone survey. This month's survey was conducted from December 7-11, 2020.
"The rise in the Ag Economy Barometer was primarily driven by farmers' perception that the current situation on their farms really improved. The sharp rise in the Index of Current Conditions is correlated with the farm income boost provided by the ongoing rally in crop prices. That appears to be the driving force behind producers' optimism," said James Mintert , the barometer's principal investigator and director of Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture.
Producers were noticeably more inclined to think now is a good time to make large investments in their farming operations than in November. The Farm Capital Investment Index increased 13 points in December to a record high of 93. The percentage of farmers expecting to increase their machinery purchases in the upcoming year rose 5 points to 15 percent in December, while the percentage expecting to reduce their purchases declined by the same amount.
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Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April. (held in June 2020 earlier this year- due to COVID 19)
After a lot of deliberation, Midwest has decided to also reschedule the Tulsa Farm Show from December to February 25, 26 and 27, 2021.
Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the upcoming Tulsa Farm Show. To learn more about the Tulsa Farm Show, click here.
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Limousin Breeders Excited to Display Cattle Genetics During Cattlemen's Congress Underway Now in Oklahoma City
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The inaugural Cattleman’s Congress is providing a great opportunity for breeders to get their cattle genetics in front of the public, said Mark Anderson, executive director of the North American Limousin Foundation.
Anderson told me that they really feel blessed to have the opportunity to show their cattle and get out here.
We’re here to market our cattle as well, so this is a wonderful opportunity for ranchers to get their cattle in front of the commercial cowman, he said.
Anderson praised all the people who made this happen, including officials with Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma.
People have been cooped up for a while and they are glad to get out in front of people again, Anderson said.
The Limousin breed has a lot of quality breeding to showcase, including the hybrid LimFlex cross.
We’re very excited about what our breeders have done, Anderson said.
We have the hybrid now, the LimFlex, which is the Limousin Angus or Limousin Red Angus cross, Anderson said.
The LimFlex breeding started in 2003 and I think you saw a lot of the continental breeds start to change and look at hybrids, Anderson said.
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University Student Finds Unique Way to Connect Farmers, Food Banks And Hungry People by Establishing Farmlink Project
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When the pandemic shutdown university campuses, Stanford University student James Kanoff joined with other college students to help feed hungry people in a unique way.
They created the Farmlink project.
Kanoff was recently interviewed by Radio Oklahoma Agriculture Network Associate Farm Director and Editor KC Sheperd.
Farmlink is on a mission to connect the billions of pounds of unsold produce to communities in need, Kanoff said.
Farmers were forced to dump fresh produce when restaurants shuttered, leaving unemployed workers standing in long lines at food banks.
When farmers are stuck with produce, we connect them to a community in need rather than sending the produce to the landfill, Kanoff said.
We can help support farmers, people who are hungry and the environment all at the same time, he said.
The project started in April (2020) when the pandemic left farmers stuck with millions of pounds of food while there were long lines at food banks. So, we started calling farmers and driving the produce to the food banks, Kanoff said.
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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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Inhofe Statement on Electoral College Count
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U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) made the following statement ahead of Wednesday’s Joint Session of Congress:
“On Sunday, I was sworn in for my fifth full term in the United States Senate. While being sworn, I took an oath to ‘support and defend’ the Constitution and to ‘bear true faith and allegiance to the same.’ It is an oath I take very seriously, and in my 34 years in federal office, I have not and will not violate my oath.
“When talking about my work in the Senate, I often reference the Constitution - it’s the guide for my legislative priorities: defending America and infrastructure.
Just as the Constitution is clear about what should be Congress’ top priorities, it is also clear that the power to govern our Presidential elections, including certification and recounts, is explicitly delegated to the states in Article II, Section I. Furthermore, any questions about the electoral process or validity of results may only be constitutionally adjudicated in the courts.
“My job on Wednesday is clear, and there are only two things I am permitted to do under the Constitution: ensure the electors are properly certified and count the electoral votes, even when I disagree with the outcome.
“To challenge a state’s certification, given how specific the Constitution is, would be a violation of my oath of office-that is not something I am willing to do and is not something Oklahomans would want me to do.
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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
Established in 1905 as Oklahoma Farmers Union, AFR/OFU has been a champion for rural Oklahoma for more than 100 years. Today, the AFR/OFU Cooperative provides educational, legislative and cooperative programs across the state and AFR Insurance provides auto, home, farm and life insurance to both rural and urban Oklahomans.
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On the 12th Day of Christmas, Will the IRS Give Farmers a Tax Increase?
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The U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are poised to start the new year by increasing taxes on hundreds of thousands of farmers across the country. In the waning days of the Administration, officials are pushing forward regulations to implement Section 199A(g) of the new tax code; these provisions were passed by Congress to fix the so-called “grain glitch” in 2018 and IRS is reportedly close to finalizing the rule.
“Make no mistake-if Treasury and the IRS continue on the path they are on, farmers will start 2021 with the prospect of a higher tax bill this April, even as the ag economy remains precarious and as the pandemic spreads across rural America,” said Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC). “In taking this action, Treasury is siding with large, multinational grain companies and their friends on Wall Street at the expense of the hardworking farmers and the rural communities where they live.”
The current proposal would limit the deduction to patronage income (business done by the co-op with members), even though under the old law co-ops claimed a deduction for domestic agricultural income from both patronage and nonpatronage (business done with non-members) activities. To limit this now, despite Congress’s clear direction not to, would be a significant tax increase on the millions of farmer-owners of co-ops.
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Above Normal Rain Fall Shows in December Crop Progress Summary
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The United States Department of Agriculture's first national crop progress report for 202 is not scheduled for release until Monday, April 1st. Though the reporting is still paused on a national level, the USDA did give producers a look at the current wheat crop and pasture conditions within their respective states for the month of December, 2020.
In the weekly crop progress report from USDA, Oklahoma For the month of December, rainfall totals averaged 2.84 inches throughout the state, 0.78 of an inch above normal. There was virtually no change in the U.S. Drought Monitor depiction for Oklahoma throughout the month, with a little over 25% of the state categorized in at least moderate drought. Broken Bow’s 8.22 inches led the December totals. Boise City had the lowest total at 0.22 of an inch. Despite the winter weather, the statewide average temperature was 40.8 degrees, 1.9 degrees above normal.
Topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly adequate to short. Small Grains: Winter wheat grazed reached 43 percent, up 3 points from the previous year. The 2021 Wheat Crop is currently rated 46% in good to excellent condition- which is better than last year's crop at this point by about ten percentage points- but under the 51% figure seen at the end of November in rating this 2021 crop.
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Growth Energy, RFA Demand Transparency in Refinery Exemption Process
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In a court filing, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association continued to call on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to release the names and locations of refineries granted exemptions from their Renewable Fuel Standard obligations.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor and RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper offered the following joint statement on the filing: “The public has a right to know which companies are receiving waivers from their Clean Air Act obligations and skirting requirements to blend cleaner, greener renewable fuels like ethanol. It is disingenuous for EPA to suggest that the names and locations of the exempted refineries constitute confidential business information, especially when the Agency itself has twice proposed to publicly disclose this information. We will not stop our efforts to bring transparency to this process until the shroud of secrecy has been lifted on the small refinery exemption program.”
The dispute centers on EPA’s refusal to provide certain basic information about refinery exemptions as requested by Growth Energy and RFA under the federal Freedom of Information Act. EPA incorrectly claims that even the names and locations of refineries receiving waivers are protected because they constitute "commercial or financial information obtained from a person privileged or confidential." But Growth Energy and RFA have simply requested the names and locations of the refineries petitioning for exemptions, not any commercial information or financial data that might otherwise be exempt from public disclosure under FOIA.
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Monte Tucker- AKA the Ribeye King- Raises Big Bucks for Beef for Backpacks for Kids
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Monte Tucker from good old Sweetwater, Oklahoma is one of the first producers in the state of Oklahoma that has produced product for the consumer under the Oklahoma Certified Beef program- and a couple of his steaks that come from a critter that was bred, born, raised, fed and processed have been sold via auction- all to benefit the Beef for Backpacks Program that Oklahoma Farm Bureau and our friend Thad Doye has been a part of for several years (Click here to read more about their efforts)
Anyway- let's get back to the auction action- these genuine Oklahoma Ribeye steaks were sold to Mr and Mrs Bob Funk and Express Ranches for $2,000- and when you include all the add ons- the final donation to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation is $5,000!
Those participating with add ons include:
Rodd and Donna Mosel
Logan and Brittany Hukill
Ben and Aimee Hale and Western Commission Co
Robbie and Molly Lindenfelser
Heather Buckmaster
Thad Doye
Randy and Alexia Lowery
And Monte says if you want to try Tucker Family Beef- check out their Facebook page- we have it linked below.
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Cattlemen's Congress Boasts Over Twenty Sales Events- Here are Three Happening This Week
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Some of the best Beef Cattle in the country have already arrived or will be arriving at OKC Fairgrounds for the Inaugural Cattlemen's Congress.
The detailed schedule is available here- but we do have three of the sales planned for this week that we want to draw your attention to- click on the Buttons below for all the details for each of these sales!
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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 were down Tuesday January 5th- Choice Beef was down $3.97 while Select Beef was off 4 cents.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had 12,154 head on Monday- their first day of trade for 2021..
Compared to the last sale on 12/14/20: Feeder steers 1.00-4.00 lower. Feeder heifers steady to 3.00 lower. Steer calves steady to 2.00 lower. Heifer calves steady to 3.00 higher. Demand light to moderate as cattle futures traded sharply lower today. Record snowfall hit on New Years and many wheat fields are extremely muddy as a result.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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OKC West in El Reno had 3,500 calves on Tuesday as they crank up their sales here in 2021.
Compared to the sale on Tuesday 12/15/20: Steer and heifer calves sold 1.00-4.00 higher. Demand moderate to good. Average to attractive. A heavy snow storm and recent rains have wheat fields in muddy conditions.
Click on the button below for the Calf Trade details from Tuesday
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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 is the 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 affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
Congress has passed a 5,393-page Relief/Spending Omnibus Package- and Host Ron Hays Talks with Ethan Lane, Vice President for Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association about Pandemic Relief- more money in CFAP, Grants for RAMP UP, the establishment of the SALE Act and more. Lane also talks about the announcement by USDA to start the process of moving Gene Editing for animals away from FDA over to USDA, a look at the Climate Team for President-Elect Biden, a return to USDA by Tom Vilsack, and a look into 2021 from a DC Perspective.
Today's Podcast is powered by Banc First, Loyal to Oklahoma, and Loyal to You.
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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