Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update- click here to go to their AFR web site to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

It is also great to have as an annual sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to be serving agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. One of the great success stories of the Johnston brand is Wrangler Bermudagrass- the most widely planted true cold-tolerant seeded forage bermudagrass in the United States. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website that features their grain, ports and seed business!

And we are proud to have P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy as one of our regular sponsors of our daily email update. P & K is the premiere John Deere dealer in Oklahoma, with ten locations to serve you, and the P & K team are excited about their new Wind Power program, as they offer Endurance Wind Power wind turbines. Click here for more from the P&K website.

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 here for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays on RON.

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

"Japan is an important trading partner to the U.S. and I would strongly support a robust trade agreement that includes both countries, but it has no leg to stand on without fixing the beef issue first," said Johanns. "Our beef industry has been unfairly targeted and restricted for far too long. Japan's restrictions are not based in science and irrationally punish one of our most competitive industries. Our farmers and ranchers have always produced the highest quality beef and our internationally renowned food safety system has protected consumers for decades. It's time for Japan to recognize these efforts and remove their unjustifiable barriers."

The United States is currently in negotiations with eight other countries to join the TPP, a multilateral trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, Japan expressed interest in joining TPP negotiations.
The Senators are telling the President that the table stakes for Japan to get into the TPP game should be full access for US Beef into their market.

Click on the LINK below for more on this story- and a chance to jump over to the full letter to read it. Other Senators from our region that have signed off on the letter include both Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts of Kansas, as well as both John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.

Click here for more on this letter that has gone out to President Obama on US Beef into Japan.

CRP is a voluntary program that assists farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers to use their environmentally-sensitive land for conservation benefits. Acreage enrolled in the CRP is planted to resource-conserving vegetative covers, making the program a major contributor to wildlife population increases in many parts of the country and well as improving water quality.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says - sound conservation practices encouraged through CRP enrollment preserve the soil, clean our water and restore habitat for wildlife. In addition to general sign-up, CRP's continuous sign-up program will be ongoing.

Click here for more details about the signup and a link on over to the CRP within the FSA portion of the USDA website.

Carol tells us that she has had a tremendous year- helping remind everyone that a key element of a farm family is that farm mom. Carol is a great example of the typical farm mom.

She's really excited about seeing this program continue and for other farm moms to be nominated for 2011. We talked with her in Tampa about that- and you can hear our conversation by clicking on the LINK below- you can also see a YouTube that Monsanto posted earlier in the year on Carol and her life on the farm as the Mom. We also have the link on over to the site where you can nominate someone to be the Farm Mom of 2011.

Click here for more on Carol Cowan- your 2010 Farm Mom of the Year.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held a news briefing yesterday on the benefits of the FTA with Korea for agriculture. Vilsack told reporters "This agreement immediately eliminates duties on the majority of U.S. farm products exported to Korea and eliminates duties over time on many others, including U.S. beef. KORUS is a win not just for America's farmers and ranchers, but for millions of Americans who depend on the farm economy for jobs and wages. Congress must move swiftly to ratify the U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement, because if we do not act quickly and decisively, America's competitors will secure their own trade deals with Korea, and our competitors' products will achieve an advantage at the expense of American productivity."

The United States provided almost 30 percent of Korea's total agricultural imports in 2010. In fiscal year 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009 - Sept. 30, 2010), U.S. agricultural exports to Korea totaled nearly $5 billion, making Korea the fifth largest export market for U.S. farm products.

Click here for the USDA release on the comments by Secretary Vilsack as the Obama Administration is finally sending the revised Agreement with Korea to Capitol Hill

The United Soybean Board (USB) funded the independent report because U.S. poultry and livestock consume about 98 percent of the domestically used soybean meal, making them the number one customer for U.S. soybean farmers.

"It is important for our communities and community leaders to know the value of animal agriculture," says Jim Schriver, a soybean farmer from Montpelier, Ind., and chair of USB's Domestic Marketing program. "This sector of our economy not only produces the food we eat, but represents profit and job centers that support the communities in which we live."

The 32-page report breaks down a range of data by state, including measurements for poultry and livestock production and value, economic impact, characteristics of farm operations and operators, input purchases, agricultural and economic censuses, taxation and computation of meal use by poultry and livestock.

Click here for more on the Soybean Salute to their Number One Customer- US Animal Agriculture

A variety of presenters will share information on diversification and new markets, direct marketing (on farm/off farm), on-line marketing (including social media), risk management, partnering with the local community, and ways to engage visitors to generate more income. An overview of agritourism programs in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma will also be presented. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a networking reception featuring food and beverages from tri-state area producers, a trade show and a tour of several area agritourism businesses.

The $40 early registration fee deadline is extended to March 10. After that date, the registration fee is $55 per person. Registration fee includes meals, refreshments, networking reception and tour transportation. Advance registration is required. To register, contact the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS at 620-235-4920.

Click here for the brochure on the Tri State Agritourism Conference.

Ranch Owner Chip Carroll writes about the selection of bulls and females that they will be selling this Saturday on their website- "Each of these 60+ bulls is sure to make a positive impact on your cow-calf program. They've all passed a BSE exam. And aside from eight we've used to cover some of our cows, they are all virgin bulls. The eight will be Trich-tested free before the sale. These bulls are ready to go to work for you.

"We're also selling 50+ Sonrise bull bred commercial cows. You won't want to miss these. With the national cow herd as low as it's been since the 1950's and with exports opening up, the commercial cattle market is sure to stay strong over the next several years. Come buy these cows, and let them start working for you too!"

Click on the LINK below for their website, where you will find a link for a downloadable catalog, as well as video of the bulls that will sell on Saturday.

Click here for more details about the Sonrise Ranches

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.