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U.S. pork exports set another monthly volume record in November, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), which helped offset record-high production and provide a significant boost to pork cutout values. Exports totaled 217,080 metric tons valued at $597.85 million - up 22.5 percent and 35 percent, respectively, over November 2010. This boosted the January-November volume total to 2.04 million metric tons (up 18 percent year-over-year) and the value total to $5.526 billion (up 27 percent). This puts U.S. pork export value, which had never reached $5 billion before this year, on pace to approach the $6 billion mark in 2011.


November beef exports also performed well, reaching 105,268 metric tons valued at $456.25 million. This was steady with the October 2011 volume and up slightly in value. On a year-over-year basis, November exports were up 4 percent in volume and 17 percent higher in value from the very strong totals recorded in November 2010. This boosted the January-November export total 22 percent higher in volume than a year ago to 1.179 million metric tons, and up 35 percent in value to $4.944 billion. When December results become available, beef export value will eclipse the $5 billion mark for the first time ever.

Click here for all of the details for both pork and beef from the November stats as gleaned by the US Meat Export Federation.  

2012 WheatWatch- We Talk Current Wheat Crop Conditions With Dr. Jeff Edwards  

The 2012 Oklahoma Wheat Crop is looking better than the crop of 2011 did at this point in January 2011- but the worry remains that there will be not enough rainfall to produce an adequate crop. Oklahoma State University Wheat Specialist Dr. Jeff Edwards talked with us about several aspects of the 2012 crop as we stopped by his office this past Friday afternoon. This wheat crop update is a part of our 2012 WheatWatch Series, which is a service of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. 

Dr. Edwards says that the increase in the number of acres planted into hard red winter wheat this past fall is not surprising, as he pointed out that many acres that were in spring planted crops this past year failed due to the drought- and farmers elected to put at least some of those acres back into winter wheat. He also pointed to many acres that had been in canola or other crops in the last year or so that have been "cleaned up" when it comes to weed infestations- and those fields are viable to grow wheat once again.


Timely rains will be needed to help this crop realize the potential that is currently out in the wheat fields of the state- and Dr. Edwards says that producers will need to be proactive in applying nitrogen in the next few weeks in order to have adequate soil fertility. 

Click here to read more- and the opportunity to hear our conversation with Dr. Edwards on where we stand with the 2012 wheat crop. 

Public Hearings Planned by USDA on FSA Office Closings 

Francie Tolle, State Executive Director for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Oklahoma, announced this past Friday the schedule of public hearings regarding consolidation of FSA county offices proposed on January 9th by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas A. Vilsack.

"Oklahoma has two of the 131 FSA county offices proposed for consolidation," said Tolle. "I stress that these consolidations are proposed, and final decisions will not be made until after the public hearings." 

FSA will conduct the public meetings in order to take comments on USDA's proposed office consolidation plan. The meeting schedules are as follows:

Mayes County: Jan. 30 at 1:30 p.m. at the Northeast Technology Center located at 6195 West HWY 20 in Pryor, Okla.

Pawnee County: Jan. 31 at 1:30 p.m. at the Pawnee County Fairgrounds located at 210 West Memorial in Pawnee, Okla.
 

Click here for our full story on the web- including details on how to send written comments to USDA and the state FSA office on this announcement.

 

November Ethanol Exports Set Record

U.S. exports of denatured and undenatured (non-beverage) ethanol set a new monthly record of 152.5 million gallons (mg) in November, according to government data released this morning. Brazil was the leading destination for U.S. product and accounted for nearly half of total shipments for the month.   Canada, Mexico, and the Netherlands were among other top destinations.  

"Exports have become an important part of the business model for American ethanol producers," said Geoff Cooper, Vice President of Research and Analysis at the Renewable Fuels Association. "American ethanol producers are the lowest cost provider of motor fuel today and have ample supplies available to help meet ethanol demand around the globe. While the preference for American producers would be to use more ethanol domestically through use of higher ethanol blends like E15, E30 and E85, overseas markets will remain a viable and important part of America's ethanol industry."

Read more about the strong performance of ethanol as a product going into the international marketplace- click here to do so.  

Higher Cash Cattle Trade This Past Week- Even as Wholesale Beef Slipped Lower

This past week, we saw higher cash cattle prices even as the spot trade in beef was falling some $6 per hundredweight- basis the choice cutout value. According to Ed Czerwin with the USDA's Market News office in Amarillo, the spot wholesale boxed beef trade saw big offerings and moderate demand. The choice-select spread has narrowed substantially over the last month, going from $18 at the beginning of December to $8.50 by the end of this last week.


On the cash cattle trade- finished cattle were $2 to $3 higher than a week ago, with prices in the southern plains at $123, while Nebraska ended up ranging from $124. to $124.50. Czerwin points out that the narrowing choice-select spread benefits Nebraska cattle price premiums, as they have a higher percentage of choice cattle coming out of their lots.


Average carcass weights came in at 1255 in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle feedlot region this past week, down from 1266 pounds per carcass a year ago- suggesting we remain current in cattle marketings as we begin 2012.

Click here for a chance to jump over to our webstory- where you can hear Ed's complete rundown of the beef and cattle markets from this past week.  He does a tremendous job- really understands all of the numbers he sees and boils them down very well.  Take four minutes and listen's to Ed's description of the markets- and you will understand them better.

Monsanto Fund Offers Grants for Math and Science Programs in Rural Schools

Statistics show that the United States ranks only 25th in math scores and 21st in science compared to 30 industrialized nations. These facts show that education is strongly in need of support. To help, Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is launching America's Farmers Grow Rural Education to aid rural school districts by providing $10,000 and $25,000 grants in 1,245 counties across 39 states. A total of 10 counties in Oklahoma are eligible to compete in 2012. 

"We believe our rural communities are the heart of America," said Deborah Patterson, Monsanto Fund president. "We want to help strengthen local communities and education systems, especially in the areas of science and/or math. A strong science and math education helps build a foundation for many careers in agriculture, but also will help our students to be more competitive with those in larger cities and other nations."


America's Farmers Grow Rural Education gives farmers the opportunity to nominate a public school district in their rural community to compete for a grant. Nominated school district administrators can then submit an application for either a $10,000 or $25,000 grant to support a science and/or math educational program by April 30, 2012. School districts that apply for a $10,000 grant will compete against other school districts that are located in the USDA-appointed Crop Reporting District (CRD); except that CRDs with fewer than five eligible school districts will compete against each other for a single grant. A school district that applies for a $25,000 grant will compete against schools that are located in its state or designated region.

Read more by clicking here about the Monsanto plan to inject money into rural school districts to benefit science and math development.  

Claud Evans Named National Chair of CARET

Okemah veterinarian and former Oklahoma State University Regent Dr. Claud D. Evans has been elected as the 2012-2013 national chair of the Council for Agricultural Research, Education and Teaching.



CARET works to promote support for and understanding of the land-grant university system's food and agricultural research, Extension and teaching programs that are mandated by state and federal law to actively engage in enhancing peoples' quality of life. It is comprised of representatives from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.



"The land-grant university system, which was established in 1862 by legislative action and expanded and improved in both 1890 and 1994, is the premier tool by which the masses of the United States have been, and will be, educated," Evans said. "I look forward to advocating for its continued expansion, especially internationally, for the freedom and well-being of all mankind."

Read more about this new role that Dr. Evans is taking on- and about CARET itself- click here for our full webstory up on our website.