Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to welcome Big Iron Unreserved Online Auctions as our newest sponsor of the daily Email. Their next auction is Wednesday, November 24- featuring Low Hour, Farmer Owned Equipment. Click here for their website to learn more about their Online Farm Equipment Auctions.

We are also excited to have as one of our sponsors for the daily email Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, with 64 years of progress through producer ownership. Call Brandon Winters at 405-232-7555 for more information on the oilseed crops they handle, including sunflowers and canola- and remember they post closing market prices for canola and sunflowers on the PCOM website- go there by clicking here.

And we salute our longest running email sponsor- Midwest Farm Shows, producer of the up and coming Tulsa Farm Show. Click here for more on the December 9-11, 2010 Tulsa Farm Show, including information on how you can be an exhibitor.

If you have received this by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.

"Jim has spent his life representing Oklahoma's agriculture interests and its rural communities," said Fallin. "No one has gathered more expertise or worked harder for Oklahoma's farmers and ranchers than he has. I'm proud to have him aboard my team and confident that he will be a strong and effective voice for our agricultural community."

Reese is an experienced legislator and businessman with extensive professional ties to the agricultural community. He served in the Oklahoma Legislature from 1987 to 2001 before serving as the State Executive Director for the Oklahoma Farm Service Agency. He served all eight years of the George W Bush Presidency as the top USDA official in Oklahoma at the FSA State Office in Stillwater. Reese has also served as a policy advisor to House Speaker Chris Benge since 2008. He has owned and operated Jim Reese Farms since May 1978.

We connected with Jim Reese via email- and he referred us to the Transition Team for any additional comments at this time- but did promise to talk with us when he could and indicated that he looks forward to the opportunity to serve.
While several other names had been mentioned in conversations with ag leaders here in the state- the name of Jim Reese was the one that we heard first- and that we continued to hear mentioned right up to the time that the Fallin announcement was made on Monday.

Click here for more on the Transition Team Efforts for Governor Elect Mary Fallin

Detrick stated, "There are many issues that the current sitting Congress may decide prior to the change of leadership that will occur in January. Issues such as inheritance tax, and school nutrition reauthorization will lapse absent action by Congress in December. AFR wants to ensure that the Lame Duck Congress acts in the best interest of our citizens and according to the strong message sent to Washington during the recent election cycle."

Like several other ag groups, AFR is very concerned about the blow up in taxes on the so called Death Tax after January first, if no action is taken by the Lame Duck Congress. "For farmers and ranchers who have their entire family assets tied up in land used to raise food and fiber for the nation, the increased tax rate would devastate their ability to continue farming," according to Detrick. Detrick the AFR Leadership will work to further AFR's grassroots developed policy that states 'in the absence of total elimination, we recommend a federal estate tax exemption to be set at $4 million and indexed thereafter to inflation.'

Click here to read more about the AFR's delegation efforts now underway in Washington.

According to the Crop Weather report- "Much needed precipitation provided relief to the small grain crop across the State. Wheat emerged reached 92 percent complete by Sunday, six points ahead of normal. Eighty-seven percent of oat seedbeds were prepared by Sunday while 58 percent of oats were planted and 51 percent had emerged. Virtually all canola planting was complete by week's end and 90 percent of canola plants had emerged."

"Harvest continued to run ahead of normal for all row crops. Sorghum harvest reached 92 percent complete by Sunday, an increase of nine points from the previous week and 27 points ahead of normal. Ninety-seven percent of soybeans were mature by week's end and 87 percent of the crop had been harvested, 12 points ahead of the five-year average. Peanuts combined reached 95 percent complete by Sunday, nine points ahead of normal. The cotton harvest was 69 percent complete by Sunday, a ten point increase from the previous week and 17 points ahead of normal."

To review the entire Oklahoma Crop Weather Update- Click here.

Beef exports continued their torrid pace in September with a 30.2 percent jump in value over year-ago levels while volume climbed 16.6 percent. For the month, the U.S. exported 86,182 metric tons of beef valued at $339.3 million. For the year, beef exports are up 16 percent in volume and 27 percent in value to 766,791 metric tons valued at $2.9 billion.

The pork export story also is positive. For September, the value of pork exports climbed 10 percent over 2009 totals to $382.6 million even though the volume of exports slipped 3.6 percent to 148,416 metric tons. Over the first nine months of the year, export volume is up 2 percent to 1,392,754 metric tons valued at $3.5 billion - a 9 percent hike in value over 2009.
"We are finding a very positive and receptive audience for U.S. red meat in the international market," said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. "The challenge is to sustain this aggressive growth pace and continue to diversify our markets.

Click here for the complete story and details of beef and pork export sales in the latest month that data is available- September.

"All eligible farmers and ranchers can make a difference by voting in this year's county committee elections," said Coppess. "County committee members will provide input and make important decisions on the local administration of new disaster and conservation programs under the 2008 Farm Bill. I particularly encourage minority and women producers to get involved so that county committees fairly represent the producers of a county or multi-county jurisdiction."

County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Eligible voters who do not receive ballots in the coming week can obtain ballots at their local USDA Service Center. Dec. 6, 2010, is the last day for voters to submit ballots in person to local USDA Service Centers.

Click here for more on the County Committee Member Election Process and info on how you can participate in the voting.

This Junior Bull Champ in the Open Angus Show turned out to be the best bull in the entire Angus show- as he claimed the Grand Champion banner as well at this year's NAILE.

An Express sired heifer also did well in the Junior Angus Show. EXAR Envious Blackbird 0679, shown by Karisa Pfeiffer of Orlando, Oklahoma- claimed Reserve Champion honors in the Junior Heifer Calf Division.

Beyond the cattle barn- the Market Lamb Show had one Oklahoma lamb as the top animal in their breed division. Jill Davis of Guthrie showed the Grand Champion Hampshire Market Lamb at this year's NAILE. Our link below will allow you to go and explore all of the results at this major livestock show in the divisions that have information to date. Once you land on the page below- go to the top of the left hand column and select "show results." There you pick which species you want to see.

Click here for show results from the livestock competition at the 2010 NAILE

We will have plenty of free time as well as planned excursions. But, if you are in the business of farming, ranching or agritourism, this is a chance for you to go and see several things in Hawaii that will be of benefit to your operation. That means a portion of the trip may qualify for a tax break- we can visit with you about that to give you more information to discuss with your tax advisor.

Among our agricultural stops will be a visit to the year round test facility operated by Monsanto on Maui, time on the largest cattle operation on the big Island of Hawaii, as well as a chance to see several of their tremendous agri- tourism venues that entertain and thrill thousands of visitors annually. Don't delay- click on the link below to find out more about the itinerary and how you can be headed to Hawaii with us in January. If you prefer to call- the number is 1-800-826-2266. If you want to discuss the ag details of the trip- feel free to drop me an email- just send it to ron@ronhays.com and I will get back to you.

Click here to learn more about the January trip we are planning to Hawaii and how you can join us for the adventure.

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
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.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.