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Terry Detrick, President of American Farmers and Ranchers,says the grass roots policy making process is underway within the general farm organization as the AFR Convention approaches in February. We talked with Detrick about many of the issues the AFR Policy Committee is addressing- such as water, the failure of the Super Committee, and regulation issues on agriculture.

Detrick says when it comes to water, people need to keep in mind that 75% of the rainfall in Oklahoma falls on agricultural land. The farmers and ranchers are the first caretakers of the rainfall and Detrick says we need to make sure that they continue to have enough water to produce food for a hungry world.

With the failure of the Super Committee, Detrick says he was not surprised that the committee did not come up with an agreement but there will be a Farm Bill written and it will be written in the open. Detrick says he thinks the word that needs to get out is to consumers that the vast majority of the dollars actually spent in the 2008 Farm Law is for nutrition and that the relatively small amounts that are used to support farmers and ranchers is an excellent investment in keeping a dependable supply of food and fiber flowing back to everyone in this country and millions of consumers overseas.

Click here for more from AFR's Terry Detrick and to listen to our conversation. 

Taking on the Myths of Food Economics 

Many people don't think that people's moral concerns about things like the environment, how people treat other people or worrrying about third world countries correlate with economics. But Jay W. Richards, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, recently wrote a book telling the relationship between the two.

In an interview with Kevin Murphy of Truth in Food, Richards explains his result that people have good moral intuitions but they have a bad understanding of basic economic principles, which he believes has led to bad economic policies. Richards also relates the results to the food industry and exactly how food markets like fair-trade coffee and antibiotic- and hormone-free labeling are harmful and partly responsible for the food issues.

Richards also says without industrialized farming, many people around the world would starve to death and that the idea of having everyone grow their own food is inefficient and not the answer. He also adds that industrialized farming has allowed the industry to be a lot more productive in the creation of food products. 

Click here for a link to the complete article and conversation between Murphy and Jay Richards.  

Critical Year and Time for Producers to Pregnancy Check Cows 

Successful cattle producers have long recognized that fall is the time to pregnancy check cows before they get into the high maintenance costs of winter. According to Dr. Dave Sparks, Oklahoma State University Area Extension Veterinarian, it just doesn't make sense to put hundreds of dollars worth of feed, pasture, interest, health care, and labor into a cow that is not going to bring home a paycheck next year.   

This is even more critical this year, with short pastures, scarce and expensive hay, and high feed prices. If that cow isn't going to produce why not replace her with one that will have a calf in the spring or save her part of your winter costs? Not only is now a good time to cull open cows before you spend the winter expenses, but they are probably in the best body condition and weight they will be in until mid summer.

I am a big subscriber to the theory that every cow brings in a check every year, either by selling her calf or selling herself.   Far too many small to midsized cattle producers are saving pennies by not pregnancy testing while wasting dollars by not knowing which cows are open.   Today, every beef producer has a choice of how to pregnancy check their cows.   

Click here for more from Dr. Sparks on preg checking cows this year.

Breeders Explain How Genomic-Enhanced EPDs Will Help Fast-Forward Progress

When it comes to the impact of DNA technology on the genetic evaluation process, Angus breeders say what used to take a number of years, and up to 20 progeny records to understand, is now available in a simple test. And, each says genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (GE-EPDs) will help them deliver on promises to their customers.

"All my life, and certainly my dad's life, we've worked hard to gather all of the data we could on our cattle - everything from birth weight all through carcass data," says Mark Gardiner, Gardiner Angus Ranch, Ashland, Kan. "Now, genomics are the next phase in genetic evaluation. In the past, we'd gather all of this information to find those prospects that we need to validate, but it was very, very slow. Genomic information takes a lot of that guesswork out, and will help expedite the speed and accuracy in which we do things."

Understanding genetic potential in younger animals is the reason Jarold Callahan, Express Ranches, Yukon, Okla., is counting on DNA technology to help further accelerate the Express Ranches Angus breeding program.

"We can identify the truly superior animals at an earlier age and capitalize on those genetics to improve the herd," he says. 

Click here for more on genomic-enhanced EPDs and more from Jarold Callahan.

Reasons to Purchase a Real Oklahoma-Grown Christmas Tree This Year

Oklahoma Forestry Services, a division of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry encourages purchasing a fresh Oklahoma-grown tree for the holidays and provides the following list of "Top 10 Reasons to go 'Real' this Christmas!"

10: Wallet-friendly value. Real Christmas trees are available in a variety of species, shapes and sizes to fit any holiday tradition or budget.

9: Support the Oklahoma economy. Real Christmas trees are grown by individual Christmas-tree growers and farmers, often with many generations of families working on the same land, and purchases supports Oklahoma business.

8: Real Christmas trees are recyclable. Trees can be used as mulch along park trails, underwater habitats for fish and compost for gardens.

"You just can't duplicate the many positives of a real Christmas tree," says George Geissler, Oklahoma State Forester. "Above the wonderfully rich smell, real Christmas trees are easy to care for and environmentally friendly, which should give people peace of mind when selecting one for the holiday."

Click here for reasons seven to one as to why you should go 'real' this Christmas.  

Oklahoma Companies Contributing to Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma

Thanksgiving is a time for introspection. For many families, it is a tradition to go around the table at Thanksgiving dinner and share one thing that they are especially thankful for this year. But what if you don't have a fancy bird, a decorated table or even family members nearby to celebrate the day? Where do you go? Who do you turn to? The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has been feeding hungry Oklahomans since 1980.

Six-hundred thousand Oklahomans will wake up today and wonder where their next meal will come from. Oklahoma ranks as the fifth hungriest state in the nation, but thanks to donors, volunteers and advocates, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is "Fighting Hunger...Feeding Hope."

Chef's Requested Foods has been a proud sponsor and contributor to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma since the late 90's with sponsorship of the annual Chef's Feast food and wine tasting event by providing all the beef and pork products for the meals created by the chefs. As part of its commitment to the cause, in 2011 alone, the company has donated in excess of 8,000 pounds or more than 1,100 meals of food to this charitable organization.   

Click here for more on these donations to RFBO by Oklahoma companies. 

A Call to Dump the EPA 

One conservative pundit is making a persuasive argument that now is the time to rally opponents of the Environmental Protection Agency and call for it's total elimination.  

Katie Kieffer writes "EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson recently told University of Wisconsin-Madison students that she is proud to work for a President who will bypass Congress and create his own rules via executive order: 'I'm proud to be part of an EPA that has mobilized science and the law to create modern and innovative protections for the health of the American people. I'm also proud to be working for a president who has said that "we can't wait" on these issues."

She makes her points mainly in the energy arena- but agriculture obviously has a lot at stake in its dealings with the agency that offers little common sense in trying to regulate rural fugitive dust (as well as another half dozen regulations that overhang farmers and ranchers).

Click here to read Kieffer's opinion piece as she says that this government agency is one that needs to be put out to pasture permanently.