Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
From: Ron Hays <ronphays@cox.net>
Date: 2/4/2019, 6:55 AM
To: ron@ronhays.com



 
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network weekdays- if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click or tap here for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays on RON.
 

 
Let's Check the Markets!  



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.
 
 
   
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
 
 
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futuresclick here for the report posted yesterday afternoon around 3:30 PM.
 
 
Okla Cash Grain:  
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture- as of Friday, February first.
 
  
Futures Wrap:  
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network - analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day.
 
Feeder Cattle Recap:  
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
 
Slaughter Cattle Recap: 
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by the USDA.
 
TCFA Feedlot Recap:  
Finally, here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.
 


 
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
 
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor

Carson Horn, Associate Farm Director and Editor
 
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
 
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production

Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News
 
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
   Monday, February 4, 2019
 
Howdy Neighbors! 

Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 
One Featured Story:
Oklahoma Feedyard Brings Home National BQA Award from New Orleans

Buffalo Feeders, located in Buffalo, Okla. was among the five operations named at the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention this past week in New Orleans, as a winner of the 2019 Beef Quality Assurance Award by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
 
Part of the Pratt Feeders Group, Buffalo Feeders is a 30,000 head custom feedyard that focuses on individual animal care. Using comprehensive animal identification and record keeping, the health and progress of each animal from arrival to load out is carefully monitored.
 
The National BQA Award recognizes outstanding beef and dairy producers and marketers that demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of their day-to-day operations.
 
We talked with, Tom Fanning, manager of Buffalo Feeders, about what this award means for him and his operation after the presentation of the award on Friday. You can listen to our conversation or watch the video that was played at the award ceremony in New Orleans by
clicking here.


Sponsor Spotlight
 

Herb's Herbs Hemp Farm is Oklahoma's oldest and largest family owned wholesale greenhouse and they are ready to help you get into hemp production in 2019. Herb's Herbs can grow your clones to help start your hemp crop.

They grew and harvested over 5,000 plants in 2018 and will grow and harvest over 50,000 plants here in 2019. Their hemp varieties will yield approximately 15% or more CBD content. They can help you with field testing your mature plants as well as help you sell your harvest at the end of the year. 

Capacity is filling up fast- don't wait to place your order. Email for more information- info@herbsherbs.com or check the website at www.herbsherbs.com.


TwoSecretary Sonny Talks Trade and More as he Addresses Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans

At the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, cattle producers warmly welcomed the current US Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue as he spoke to their closing general session on Friday morning. 

The Secretary claimed that he was ditching his speech, but after making a few impromptu remarks- he appeared to return to his prepared speech.

At the top of his remarks, he told producers that every time he talks with his boss, President Donald Trump, that the President wants to know how farmers are doing. Perdue says he says there are three things that farmers and ranchers need help on:

1. Trade

2. Trade

3. Trade

And he adds that Trade is in contention for being fourth as well. 

He mentioned the negotiations with China as well as with Japan as being important to the farm and ranch community.

After trade- he also talked about what the cattle industry is calling fake meat- only he called it cell culture meat. He promises that USDA will be active in their oversight of what this product can say on the labels of their packaging as well as in meeting the same strict food safety standards that beef, pork and poultry now live under.

You can hear his complete remarks from New Orleans- click or tap here for our Podcast we posted on our website- Oklahoma Farm Report.Com

Three 
Trade Mitigation Funds To Be Used for Market Promotion by 57 Organizations


Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that his department awarded $200 million to 57 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program. The Hagstrom Report says the goal is to help U.S. farmers and ranchers find and get into new export markets around the globe. The promotion funds are part of the package that also included the Market Facilitation Program payments to farmers hurt be retaliatory tariffs, as well as a food distribution program to assist producers of targeted commodities.


In making the announcement, Perdue made a thinly-veiled reference to China by saying, "This infusion will help us develop other markets and move us away from being dependent on one large customer for our agricultural products. This is seed money, leveraged by hundreds of millions of dollars from the private sector that will help to increase our agricultural exports."


Every sector of U.S. agriculture was allowed to apply for cost-share assistance under the program. The Foreign Agricultural Service looked at all the applications in terms of the potential for export growth in the target market, direct injury from the imposed retaliatory tariffs, and the likelihood that the proposed project will have a direct impact on agricultural exports.


The Trade Promotion Program provides assistance to eligible groups for things like consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, trade fair participation, and market research.


Click here to read more about this story on our website.



The U.S. Meat Export Federation was one of the 57 groups to receive trade promotion funding from the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom says they appreciate the Trump Administration's recognition of the extremely competitive environment U.S. agricultural products face in the global marketplace.


"The administration also appreciates how changes in trading partners' tariff rates can put these products at a significant disadvantage," Halstrom says. "This funding will help us defend existing market share and develop new destinations for U.S. agricultural produtcs."


U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers are also pleased that the nation's wheat growers now have an opportunity to increase efforts to expand export market access, thanks to the $200 million in funding given to the 57 organizations.


"U.S. wheat growers are facing tough times right now with the impact of retaliatory tariffs putting a strain on the export market and threatening many decades worth of market development," says USW Chair Chris Kolstad.


The United States exports half the wheat crop it grows so programs like the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program are crucial.


"The program helps our farmers to remain competitive in the global market," says NAWG President Jimmie Musick. "We are pleased that our sister organization, U.S. Wheat Associates, was awarded significant funding for trade mitigation activities."


Continue reading more about this story by clicking here to jump to our website.

 

Sponsor Spotlight

 
As Oklahoma's largest John Deere dealer, P&K Equipment is proud to be your local expert source for equipment, parts, and service. As an Oklahoma-based, family-run company, the P&K network consists of 16 locations in Oklahoma, 2 locations in Arkansas, and 9 locations in Iowa. Our Oklahoma and agricultural roots run deep and our history spans over 30 years.
 
At P&K, we make it our mission to provide you with top-notch solutions and unbeatable customer service at a price you CAN afford. Visit pkequipment.com and you'll have it all at your fingertips: request a quote, schedule service, get a value for your trade, find current promotions, and shop for parts online. Stop by one of our locations today to meet the P&K team. You'll see why around here, John Deere starts with P&K.

Five 
China Holds Potential to Increase US Beef Exports by $4 Billion - Provided Trade Negotiations Go Well


At the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans this past week, we had the chance to catch up with Kent Bacus, director of international trade and market access for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. During our conversation, Bacus addressed the status of the ongoing negotiations between the US and China which he hopes will eventually result in China granting the US beef industry broader access to their market. According to Bacus, China represents tremendous opportunity for the US beef industry, as home to one-fifth of the entire world population and a middle class that is larger than the entire US population. However, China's restrictive laws and regulations pertaining to the importation of beef continue to limit the US beef industry's ability to meet the nation's growing demand for high-quality beef.

"Right now it's really tough for us to sell a lot of beef into China. Tariffs aside, even with the massive tariff increases they placed on us, all the restrictions we have makes it really difficult to produce enough beef to meet demand in the Chinese market," Bacus said, adding that China is quickly becoming the world's largest importer of beef, accepting record quantities of product from places like Brazil and New Zealand. "We know our product is better. It's a higher quality product. We want to displace what little grain fed beef that is in that market with high-quality US beef - and we think we can."

However, before that happens, Bacus says China will have to relax its policies. At least for US beef, which he contends is widely know and regarded as a safe product, suggesting that China's overly cautious restrictions are unnecessary in its relationship with the US beef industry. While it is uncertain at this time what these negotiations will accomplish, if anything, Bacus says the US Meat Export Federation estimates that the US beef industry could stand to export up to $4 billion worth of product to China in just five years, given improved access.

"That's just in the Chinese market. If you look at 2018, exports are probably going to be around $8 billion. So, we're looking at a tremendous opportunity for the industry," he said. "But, in order to get there, there's going to have to be some changes in Chinese law and Chinese regulatory practices - and that's a heavy lift."

Listen to Bacus and I discuss the current status of trade negotiations ongoing with China, as well as Japan, and the impact possible trade pacts could have on the US beef industry, on Friday's Beef Buzz -
click here.

Six 
Emerging Segment in Beef Pipeline Gains Importance- Don Close Explains Grow Yards


A new and emerging segment is gaining prominence in the beef industry. Much like stocker or backgrounding operations, the evolving segment Rabo AgriFinance's Don Close has dubber, "grow yards," is on the rise.


The difference between grow yards and stocker operations, according to Close, is that grow yards are concentrating more on the 600-700 wt. cattle, whereas stockers typically prefer 400-500 wts. Close says that this new segment has the potential to disrupt the marketplace, especially for stockers who will start to see increased competition for available livestock. However, this could mean new marketing opportunities for producers on the cow/calf level.


In addition, as more cattle are diverted off the farm and out of the feedlot via grow yards, Close says this also creates more room for herd expansion as well. It also gives the high labor, low cost operators an opportunity to break into the business. And, given that operators in this segment generally do more regional business, Close contends that growth in this sector may also help advance the beef industry's traceability agenda, too.


Close and I had the chance this past week to speak in depth about this topic. You can listen to that complete conversation, by clicking or tapping here.


The Pats beat the Rams- but that was the sideshow at Super Bowl 53- at least as far as many people are concerned. The real show is centered around the advertisers who pay millions to compete for the most eyeballs- and along the way bring delight or dismay to various groups.

As for the GOOD- an Oklahoma Wind Farm was spotlighted by Anheuser Busch in an iconic ad that showed the lone doggy up on the Budweiser Beef wagon pulled by the Clydesdales through an Oklahoma wheat field- showing the Thunder Ranch Wind Farm in north central Oklahoma- spread across Noble, Kay and Grant Counties- the beer company has invested in that wind farm and it supplies enough energy for all their beef brewing. By the way- Bob Dylan fans- the answer is bowing in the wind:

Budweiser | Wind Never Felt Better | 2019 Super Bowl Commercial
Budweiser | Wind Never Felt Better | 2019 Super Bowl Commercial

Not so happy were corn farmers that felt bashed by the same advertiser- Bud Light proclaiming they don't use corn syrup and implying that corn syrup is bad. 

Hilarious Corn Syrup Bud Light Superbowl 53 Commercial



On Twitter- the National Corn Growers tweeted ".@budlight America's corn farmers are disappointed in you. Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn! Thanks @millerlite and @Coorslite for supporting our industry."

National Corn Grower First Vice President Kevin Ross posted a short video on Twitter that showed him pouring Bud Light down the drain- saying- Bud Light- If you don't stand with corn growers- we don't stand with you."

By the way- that NCGA corn tweet got a lot of negative responses to it- saying things we won't repeat in his space. 

The Super Bowl Ad that many thought was funny and has vegan lovers angry was a Hyundai car ad that poked fun at what they called a Vegan Dinner Party- "is that even a thing?"

The Elevator | 2019 Super Bowl Commercial | Hyundai
The Elevator | 2019 Super Bowl Commercial | Hyundai


MikeDainRest In Peace Mike Dain

After health problems drug him down for the past year and a half- a farm broadcast colleague of ours- Mike Dain- ended that journey of pain after passing from this earthly life on Saturday.

Mike was more than a colleague. After knowing him from his days as a farm broadcaster in Kansas- he moved to the Enid area and helped start the Quinstar Radio Network in the mid 1990s- and we became friendly competitors when Oklahoma added a second Ag Radio Network. 

Around 2000, Mike joined our team over at the Oklahoma Agrinet- and we worked side by side until I left Clear Channel in 2006 to join the Radio Oklahoma Network- which was based on the old Quinstar Network- Mike stayed at Clear Channel- the Agrinet was renamed First Oklahoma Ag and we were friendly competitors again.

Actually- that was a choice both of us made- we agreed along the way that we would stay friends even though the networks competed for ad dollars and radio stations.

The ailments that Mike wrestled with knocked him off the air a little over a year ago- but the things that so many have remembered him for- his engaging personality, his humor and his love for people- were still there the times we visited him in the hospital. 

Lots of comments on Social Media over the weekend were posted- one that was buried in a thread started by a family member is especially important to me- as it signaled that in his final days he settled things with God- and salvation resulted. More than one of us had prayed for that- and I am grateful for that word.

Many ag groups had honored Mike over the years- here's a tribute showing Mike holding his Oklahoma Cattlewoman of the Year award from a couple of years ago- and words from Michael Kelsey:



As we have covered meetings over this past year around Oklahoma- it has been different not seeing Mike- his name for me was "Howdy" and I miss hearing and seeing and catching up with him. 

Rest in Peace Mike. 

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K EquipmentOklahoma Farm Bureau, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit CorporationOklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCreditHerb's Herb Hemp Farm, 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 also appreciate our Market Links Sponsor - OKC West Livestock 
 
 
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.   
 

 
God Bless! You can reach us at the following:  
 
phone: 405-473-6144
 

 



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