From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:12 AM
To: Hays, Ron
Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
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Oklahoma's latest farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON for Thursday May 26, 2011
A service of Johnston Enterprises, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy and American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company!
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-- Double Dose of Storms Hammer 2011 Oklahoma Wheat Crop
-- FSA offering assistance for lost livestock in recent tornadoes
-- Oklahoma City and Tulsa Horse Shows Will Still Go on Despite Concerns About EHV-1
-- 2011 Wheat Harvest Trying to Crank Up- But Weather Has Made It Hard
-- NRCS Chief Dave White is Looking for a Win Win in the Battle Over the Lesser Prairie Chicken
-- Why is planting day the most important part of cotton farming?
-- Brad Morgan to be Honored Next Month with Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service Award
-- Let's Check the Markets!

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 brand new website!

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.

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Double Dose of Storms Hammer 2011 Oklahoma Wheat Crop
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Wheat Yield Test Plots in Okarche were wiped out this week and we have photographs of the wheat test plot are were taken 3 miles straight east of Okarche on the County Line Road. Oklahoma Wheat Commission Chief Executive Officer Mike Schulte reports that this area was hit pretty hard by golf ball and baseball size hail. This happened on Monday evening. Mike adds that "A couple of weeks ago we were predicting the wheat in these trials to make around the low to mid 20 bushel per acre range. A lot of wheat in this area was predicted to make that as well. Now, there seems to be a much different story after the storms received the last two evenings."

Schulte also provides us with a couple of picutres that were taken approximately 9 miles east of Okarche off of the Northwest Expressway Highway. These particular shots are of wheat fields that have been demolished by a tornado that looks to have had a width of anywhere from ½ a mile to ¾ of a mile. Several acres of wheat in the Canadian and Kingfisher County areas will not be harvested because of the excessive damage. Many farms were damaged with hail on Monday night and the storms Tuesday night just created much worse problems for producers.

The Wheat Commission CEO adds that "It is too early to estimate but talking with other elevator managers in this region on the conservative side approximately 20,000 to 30,000 acres have severe damage and most likely at least half of those acres will never be harvested. Producers will also have to worry about dealing with debris from fences and buildings, and will most likely weigh the options of whether or not it would even be feasible to harvest some fields that have so much garbage in them. "

Click on the LINK below to jump to our website to see the pictures that Mike has provided us- and if you have pictures from the aftermath of the storms of this week- including the junk that perhaps has ended up in your cattle pastures- we would love to see them and share them with our email family. LIKEWISE- if you have harvest pictures, share those with us as well. Send them to ron@oklahomafarmreport.com (you can click at the very bottom of this email for this address if you care to do it that way- and tell us a little about what we are seeing in the pictures you send.

Click here for pictures from the Okarche area from earlier this week after the Monday and Tuesday night storms had rolled through.


FSA offering assistance for lost livestock in recent tornadoes
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Francie Tolle, executive director for Oklahoma Farm Service Agency (FSA), encourages producers who have lost livestock in the recent tornadoes to sign up for assistance through the FSA Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

"Losses because of adverse weather occurring since January 1, 2011 and before October 1, 2011, such as tornadoes and lightning, may be eligible," said Tolle. "I encourage producers to contact their local FSA office quickly as the program assistance will require documentation of loss."

Livestock losses had to occur no later than 60 days after the adverse weather event, but prior to October 1, 2011.

For livestock losses that occur in calendar year 2011, producers will have 30 days after the death to file a notice of loss to FSA, but not later than October 31, 2011. In addition, producers will have until January 30, 2012, to apply for payment.

Click here to learn more about LIP Indemnity Payments


Oklahoma City and Tulsa Horse Shows Will Still Go on Despite Concerns About EHV-1
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The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association Redbud Spectacular is slated to begin May 31, 2011 at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK where they are expecting over 800 horses for a 12-day period. The Expo Square facility in Tulsa is also getting geared up for the Pinto World Championship Show June 7-18, 2011 and anticipates hosting over 1,200 horses representing more than 35 states.

Many horse owners are aware of the recent cases of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) that have occurred in several states after the National Cutting Horse Association's Western Nationals in Ogden, UT. Several of these owners are taking additional precautionary steps before heading down the road to compete.

Horse owners should be cognizant of the situation but also be aware of the facts regarding the virus. The EHV outbreak has only affected horses attending two events and horses directly exposed to that group upon returning home. The two events are the NCHA Western National Championship in Utah and the Kern County Cutting Horse Event in California. Affected and exposed horses in all states are under state quarantine or movement restrictions

Click here more on these major horse shows still on the schedule in Oklahoma City and Tulsa


2011 Wheat Harvest Trying to Crank Up- But Weather Has Made It Hard
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The Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Mike Schulte, has been checking harvest conditions during the day on Wednesday- and files the following update through Wednesday afternoon:

Hollis- Just started taking wheat in this area as of today. Test weights in this region weighing 59-61 pounds. No yield estimates have been reported for this area.

Frederick-Harvest has been progressing around this area. Test weights have been reported to be making 60-61 pounds. Moisture is ranging from 10.5-11.5 percent. Many producers are predicting fields in this area to be making around 10-12 bushels per acre.

Granfield- Harvest continues in this area with approximately three fourths of the harvest in this region complete. Some lower test weights have been reported in this area because of rain showers this past week however they were still taking in wheat that was ranging from 60-64 pounds. Moisture was 10.5 to 11.5 percent. Yields ranging from the mid teens to the mid twenties.

Mike made contact with several more locations- click on the LINK below to see the rest of his report as of Wednesday afternoon.

Click here for more from Mike Schulte of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission with a wheat harvest update for the 2011 crop.


NRCS Chief Dave White is Looking for a Win Win in the Battle Over the Lesser Prairie Chicken
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The lesser prairie chicken could be added to the endangered species list in the near future and it has many farmers and ranchers concerned. However, Dave White with the Natural Resource Conservation Service says farmers and ranchers do not need to get worried yet. The NRCS is planning to work together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to hopefully reach an agreement, much like the issue with the sage grouse in previous years.

The lesser prairie chicken covers five states across the nation, including Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. White says the NRCS wants to see an agreement between the two agencies on an issue of such importance. White also says he hopes the agreement will be beneficial to farmers and ranchers in this region in that it will allow them to continue their agricultural practices and will not be affected if they acknowledge the needs of the lesser prairie chicken.

White says the NRCS is happy to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is looking forward to coming up with a win-win agreement for both ranchers and the lesser prairie chicken.

However, the lesser prairie chicken is not only a concern for agriculture, but also for the wind energy industry in Oklahoma. The placement of transmission lines is also a concern for the habitat for lesser prairie chickens.

Click here to hear today's Beef Buzz and Dave White's comments on the lesser prairie chicken


Why is planting day the most important part of cotton farming?
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Several months of drought, followed by recent welcome rains characterize the 2011 cotton season in Oklahoma. Cotton producers, particularly those in southwest Oklahoma, are smiling about the recent rainfall. But regardless of the weather, there are some basic requirements farmers should always follow, according to Dr. Randy Boman, Oklahoma State University cotton program director.

"The most important equipment is the planter," he said,"It is important to double check bearings, discs, chains, vacuum system, plates and in-furrow insecticide boxes to make sure everything is in excellent working condition. Badly-worn parts should be replaced to contribute to planting and insecticide application precision. Seed and in-furrow insecticide tubes can be plugged due to insects, spiders and trash accumulation. It is a good idea to make sure delivery tubes are clean and flowing freely."

Boman explains stressful 2011 issues of temperature extremes (highs and lows), drought and wind are creating critical challenges to planting this crop.

"Even in better years, we need to realize there is a significant art to planter adjustment," he said. "Each field will likely need to be assessed and as many producers are aware, even the soil and moisture variability in a given field can result in planter adjustment concerns. Soil moisture (good seed to moist soil contact) level is critical in the zone immediately surrounding the seed. If too much dry soil is moved from the planting zone, hard crusting or "baking" behind the planter can occur, especially if high temperatures, wind and low humidity are a challenge."

Click here to learn more about planting day importance


Brad Morgan to be Honored Next Month with Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service Award
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The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announces that Dr. J. Brad Morgan is the recipient of the 2011 AMSA Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service Award. The award was established in 1993 to recognize outstanding contributions or service to the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Program and is sponsored by Food Safety Net Services, San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Morgan will be honored at a special reception and awards presentation at the AMSA 64th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in Manhattan, KS.

Dr. Morgan is the Senior Food Safety and Production Enhancement Specialist for Pfizer Animal Health and is one of the great communicators on behalf of AMSA's meat judging programs. His drive and innovation to raise funds to support the program have been instrumental in sustaining and growing student development.

Dr. Morgan has helped obtain funding from companies like National Beef and Cargill, as well as generating new sources of income. Most recently, he worked diligently to secure financial support from BPI for meat judging and meat animal evaluation contests.

In addition to his fund raising efforts, he has coached meat judging teams for multiple universities and is a regular member of many contest committees. He has served as a member and president of the IMCA Executive Committee. Dr. Morgan is a current member of the AMSA Board of Directors and is IMCA Executive Committee Board Liaison.

Click here for the rest of the story on Brad Morgan


Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchers, KIS Futures and Oklahoma Mineral Buyers 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- FREE!

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


Let's Check the Markets!
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We've had requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $11.47 per bushel- as of the close of trade Wednesday, while the 2011 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $11.47 per bushel- delivered to local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.

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.



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