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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Friday, February 5, 2021
Overnight- Senate Votes 51-50 to Approve Budget Resolution- Both Inhofe and Lankford Vote Nay
Vice President Kamala Harris cast the deciding vote as the evenly divided US Senate approved a Budget Resolution Vote that will lead to President Biden getting all or most of his $1.9 Trillion dollar bill that includes COVID Relief but also a long wish list of Liberal priorities.

Both Oklahoma Senators Voted No- Senator Jim Inhofe said afterwards “In the past 11 months, we’ve enacted a strong federal response to the coronavirus pandemic—matching a historic crisis with historic federal spending to address it. Just a few weeks ago, we passed even more resources to build on our support for families, small businesses and health care providers. We will certainly need to continue our work, but we can’t confuse that effort with partisan legislation that has been rushed and is jam packed with a liberal wish list.


“The budget resolution is an outline for future legislation, but it is also a marker for where Congress says it wants to spend taxpayer dollars. The past day made it clear – Democrats want to spend your dollars to implement their radical agenda.”

In an early morning statement, Senator James Lankford adds “Congress passed five bipartisan COVID relief packages in the last year; but, now President Biden and the Democrats in Congress are trying to ram through a huge wish list on the American people with no bipartisan support. There is no reason we cannot come together again to address the real issues still facing Americans and ensure we provide targeted relief to those who need it most. The COVID funding package passed in December hasn’t even been distributed yet. We are in a pandemic, but adding more and more debt without a plan makes a bad situation worse.”
OSU Ag Economists Watching D.C. for Changes
If approved as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack will likely receive a lot of media attention as the conduit between a new presidential administration and the nation’s vast agricultural industry.

However, Vilsack is not the only adjustment that Oklahoma farmers and ranchers will be concerned about as policies transition between presidents, said Derrell Peel and other ag economists at Oklahoma State University.

“From a markets perspective, I imagine that international trade issues will have a different feel with the new administration, notably with efforts to open dialogues and stabilize some trade relationships that have been volatile lately,” said Peel, OSU Extension livestock marketing specialist. “I don’t expect those changes will be dramatic or immediate, but it’s something we’ll see over time.”

Amy Hagerman, OSU Extension agricultural and food policy specialist, agreed that resolving retaliatory tariffs and implementing a new trade agreement with China will be a top priority. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has played its own part in realigning markets as consumers in the United States and around the world have been forced to adjust to joblessness, closed restaurants, curfews and sick workers in the supply chain.

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.
Sponsor Spotlight

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The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry. With headquarters in Oklahoma City, the OCA has a regular presence at the State Capitol to protect and defend the interests of cattlemen and cattlewomen.

Their Vision Statement explains the highest priority of the organization- "Leadership that serves, strengthens and advocates for the Oklahoma cattle industry."

To learn more about the OCA and how you can be a part of this forward-looking group of cattle producers, click here for their website. For more information- call 405-235-4391.


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.

Oklahoma State University Junior Amarie Griffeth has a heart for people- and she tells Host KC Sheperd about a need she saw on campus in Stillwater to combat food insecurity. She was a part of a Task force- and out of that students came up with Pete’s Pantry, an anonymous way to help other students on campus needing a helping hand.

Amarie grew up in Cushing, Oklahoma- her dad is in the livestock marketing business, so she has grown up loving being involved in producing food- and she has discovered the joy of providing food to those in need as well. Today's Road Podcast is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and You.

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God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
Tim West
President/General Manager
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network

2401 Exchange Avenue,
Suite F
Oklahoma City, OK 73108

405.317.6361
Ron Hays
Director of Farm Programming
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network

405.473.6144