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Congress voted yesterday on a $136 billion 2012 agricultural spending bill(of which $19.8 billion was discretionary spending) that includes language blocking the U.S. Department of Agriculture from implementing controversial reforms to livestock and poultry marketing. The so-called GIPSA rule, proposed last year by the USDA's Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyard's Administration, would have wreaked havoc on the U.S. cattle industry causing livestock producers to lose an estimated $169 million, according to National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall. He said Congress barred USDA from conducting any further work this year on sections of the rule not yet finalized. 

The ag spending measure was a part of the so called "mini-bus" deal assembled by lawmakers that takes care of three of the major appropriations bills- and included a Continuing Resolution to fund other areas of the Federal Government from today through mid December.  

NCBA liked the GIPSA Shutdown- click here for more with Woodall on that- and so does the National Chicken Council- click here for their statement released on Thursday evening. However, Roger Johnson of the National Farmers Union hates it- as he complains of language derailing GIPSA and stopping implementation of Dodd-Frank.  

THE CR contained with the appropriations bills pushed the overall package through quickly- and will probably mean a quick okay by the White House as well.  

MEANWHILE- Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas and Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow are apparently ready to proclaim a Farm Bill deal that will be passed on to the Super Committee.  Our colleague Stewart Doan with Agri-Pulse has an excellent audio overview of what has transpired in the last 24 hours or so- click here to jump to their site and take a listen.   

A Few Eastern Oklahoma Counties Finally are "Just Dry" as Drought Continues to Retreat

Oklahoma finally has a small patch of yellow on the drought monitor map that shows a break in drought conditions. For the first time since late June, a significant portion of the state is completely out of drought (D1-D4) according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor. Several counties in the northeast/east central part of the state centered on Adair County are now labeled as D0 or "abnormally dry."

Gary McManus is the Associate State Climatologist for the Oklahoma Climatological Survey and he reports that the D3 (extreme) drought area has also shrunk and now much of central Oklahoma is categorized in severe drought. It may seem odd to cheer for severe drought, but it's better than extreme or exceptional. Parts of the state are continue in very bad shape, however. The western half of the state is still dominated by dry conditions, as well as southeastern Oklahoma. McManus tells us that he saw many shrunken or dry stock ponds in both areas in my travels. The key to the improvement has been the abundant rainfall we've had from south central through northeastern Oklahoma since the beginning of October.

We have posted the latest Drought Monitor update on our website- click here to go there and take a look at the map- and get a little more insight from McManus to boot.
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Oklahoma Beef Council Extends Checkoff Dollars by Investing in International Markets

The Oklahoma Beef Council board of directors has been working hard over the past year to make some significant changes to program budgets. While deciding to cut the in-state program budgets by 50% and redirect those funds into the international marketplace, Heather Buckmaster, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Beef Council, says the board looked at spending their beef checkoff dollars as effectively and efficiently as possible.

October started the new fiscal year for the Oklahoma Beef Council and Buckmaster says the September results show beef exports are up 35.9% in value compared to the same month in 2010.

But with today's beef checkoff dollar having only about 50% of the buying power is did in 1985, the Oklahoma Beef Council board felt the need to extend these dollars as much as possible. Buckmaster says the board decided to invest the Oklahoma beef checkoff dollars in the U.S. Meat Export Federation, which will allow for these checkoff dollars to be matched three and four times by government and industry resources. 

You can hear more from Heather Buckmaster this Saturday, November 19 on News9, KWTV during our In the Field segment at 6:40 a.m. This is a part of their two hour morning news block seen in central and western Oklahoma.

Or you can click here to listen to our complete conversation with Heather where we go more in depth about this redirection of Beef Checkoff funds from Oklahoma.  

Senator Jim Inhofe Hails EPA Extension for Farmers to Comply with Spill Prevention Rules

A senior GOP senator yesterday declared victory in a bipartisan push to give farmers extra time to comply with U.S. EPA oil-spill prevention rules after the agency agreed to extend its deadline from this month until 2013.

EPA's Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations require farms, many of which store oil and other fuel on-site, to craft plans for averting and stopping potential spills. More than 30 senators from both parties earlier this year pressed EPA to give farmers more time to get up to speed with the details of a rule that can call for them to consult with licensed engineers (E&E Daily, June 28). 

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's top Republican, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, pointed to EPA's agreement to an SPCC compliance extension until 2013 in a statement that credited bipartisan pushback in the upper chamber with changing the agency's course. Inhofe also suggested that more cross-aisle accord could succeed in budging other, more high-profile EPA regulatory efforts. 

 Click here for more on SPCC regulations from Senator Inhofe.

Talking Wheat and Cattle Markets- Who Else But Kim Anderson and Derrell Peel! 

Limited demand in the international marketplace for hard red winter wheat may force Kansas City wheat futures to test support at $6.70 a bushel in the Kansas City March 2012 contract. That test may happen as early as today in the grain markets- and if not today- early next week. That's the opinion of Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Kim Anderson, who adds that Fund traders have been backing out of the wheat markets in recent weeks- and that has contributed to the softness in this market as we approach the end of the calendar year.

Kim's comments come to us courtesy of Austin Moore and the SUNUP crew- you can hear that conversation and see the ENTIRE SUNUP program rundown for tomorrow morning on OETA-

Meanwhile, we were on campus in Stillwater ourselves yesterday- and caught up with Derrell Peel in Ag Hall- we'll have him as our guest the next few Beef Buzzes- today- we talk about the uncharted waters we find ourselves in for both whole boxed beef prices as well as cash cattle trade for animals headed to the packing plants. Click here for our Friday Beef Buzz and listen to Derrell's take on these two parts of our beef market puzzle.  

DuPont Reports Strong 2011 North America Harvest Results

DuPont announced strong seed product performance results for the 2011 North America harvest. Farmers planting seed from DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred experienced another year of consistent corn and soybean yields across North America.

"Pioneer customers are reporting solid harvest performance across North America this harvest," said Paul E. Schickler, president, Pioneer Hi-Bred. "Those results are strong testimony to our 'right product, right acre' approach to the marketplace.

"In addition to providing seed products with exceptional genetics and agronomics, we are uniquely positioned to deliver trusted advice and important services to our customers. Our understanding of their operations enables us to help them manage the growing complexity of farming while increasing their productivity and profitability, Schickler added. "We have to innovate every year to win the right to serve our customers. Early 2012 sales progress tells us our momentum continues to be strong." 

Click here for more from DuPont, specifically on corn and soybean products. 

Myths Promoted at First "End Factory-Farming" Conference 

About 300 activists representing the animal rights, environmental, and public health movements converged in Arlington, VA on October 27-29 for the first-ever "Conference to End Factory Farming". More than 25 speakers attempted to gain the attention of decision makers in Washington, D.C. with sessions titled "The Hidden Costs of Factory Farming", "Inside the Industry", and "Building Coalitions for Change". The goal of the event? To create synergy between competing activist campaigns and frame their extreme goal of eliminating today's animal agriculture industry as a mainstream effort.

The event was co-hosted by Farm Sanctuary and the ASPCA and sponsored by a wide variety of extremist organizations and companies including the Humane Society of the United States, Mercy for Animals, Compassion Over Killing, A Well Fed World, Compassion in World Farming, E: The Environmental Magazine, Discovery's TreeHugger, and Whole Foods Market.

Many speakers revealed just how out of step with American values during their presentations. For example, Holly Cheever, of HSUS' Veterinary Medical Association Leadership Council said that "slaughterhouses are a kind of Auschwitz". This equating of human suffering with agricultural practices not only diminishes the horrors inflicted on the victims of the Holocaust, but is a sentiment commonly expressed by PETA and other extremist groups.  

Click here for more information and quotes from this conference.

Get a Taste of Traditional Italian Cuisine at Giuseppe's Italian Dining in Marlow

The Legendary Restaurants of Oklahoma continues this week with Giuseppe's Italian Dining of Marlow, Okla. Originally known as a grocery store and for selling homemade pizzas, Giuseppe's Italian Dining quickly came to light simply because of the demand for their delicious Italian dishes. What started as a joke between friends, Giuseppe's Italian Dining opened in 1996 and has been serving up traditional cuisine ever since. With at least one special every week that is not listed on the menu, anyone that visits Giuseppe's is in for a surprise. Also, Harold Wellier, owner of Giuseppe's, adds that the specials and menu tends to vary based on what ingredients the chef have on hand and what they have in mind for the week. 

Click here to purchase your $50 voucher to Giuseppe's for only 25!

Our very own Karolyn Bolay also sat down with Wellier and discussed the unique menu, environment and story of Giuseppe's Italian Dining.

Click here to listen to their conversation and for more on Giuseppe's.