For 31 years, Ag Youth Magazine has been "bragging on kids," according to the publication's Editor and Publisher, Larry Peck, who has probably covered more livestock show arenas than anyone in the business. We sat down with Peck to review this year's spring show season that will culminate next week at the Oklahoma Youth Expo.

"All the shows have really grown," he reported, sharing his observations from what he says has been a very good spring for the show circuit. "The shows have all been really good other than the weather. It's been cold and dreary the whole time. But, the animals look good and there's a record number of kids out there from corner to corner of the state. At the district shows, the bonus sales went super good. It was just a tremendous spring."

Having covered junior livestock shows for more than three decades, Peck has seen a lot of change over the years. One thing that's remained constant though, he says, is the caliber of kids that turn out each year. Listen to our full conversation, by clicking over the Blue-Green Gazette on our website, to hear Peck share more about his experiences over the years covering the youth beat in agriculture and how he has watched OYE grow.

On another note - we want to remind you that the sign-up period for AFR's Ag Achievement Contest closes this Friday, March 15.

Held in conjunction with the OYE, the AFR Ag Achievement Contest is designed to recognize youth who have an interest in livestock, excel in showmanship and have knowledge of the livestock industry including production, management, processing and end product utilization.

The competition is limited to 4-H and FFA members exhibiting breeding or market beef, sheep, goat or swine at the Oklahoma Youth Expo and who are classified as high school juniors or seniors. Contestants compete in showmanship, written animal science exam and an interview.

For more details on how to enter for this contest, click here.

Oklahoma State Senator and Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee Casey Murdock of District 61 is under fire this week for the introduction of a bill that would limit how much land the Wildlife Conservation Commission can purchase. If passed, SB 703 would prevent the Commission from buying more land than they sell each year arguing that the Commission's current practices are "an economic drag on rural Oklahoma."

Though supported by several rural stakeholder groups, Murdock's bill is strongly opposed by other groups that argue this measure "sets bad policy."

Oklahoman Quail Forever, on Wednesday, made a call to action to its membership instructing them to call their local state senator and advocate that they cast down this measure, scheduled for a vote this Thursday, March 14th.

OQF contends that SB 703 limits the Commission's ability to improve outdoor access for all Oklahomans and stimulate local economies through indirect means responsible for an estimated $2.1 billion impact for the state.

Click here to read more about why OQF opposes this measure on our website.

 

During the annual Bayer AgVocacy Forum held prior to the 2019 Commodity Classic in Orlando this year, we caught up with Bayer's Regulatory Sciences Lead Amy Hood who talked about the company's efforts in establishing new habitat and expanding the faltering population of Monarch butterflies.

To date, over one million people from all 50 states have participated in Bayer's Feed A Bee program, who have planted approximately three billion free seeds from Bayer to establish pollinator habitat to help support the expansion of the Monarch population. In just the last year alone, Hood says significant progress has been seen, reporting a 144 percent increase in the overwintering Monarch population in Mexico.

As awareness of our environmental challenges grows, Hood says Bayer's program will grow too in the impact it is able to make in strengthening our ecological biodiversity.

"I think about what we can do and the thing is, there will be another troubled species that's next. Whether it's a native bee species or a songbird - we're going to have to think about what we're going to need to do," Hood remarked. "The good news is, with the things we've already done with pollinator habitat, we're absolutely headed in the right direction and doing things that help these species as well."

Learn more about Bayer's efforts and its Feed a Bee program, by clicking here to read more or to listen to our complete conversation.