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The State Chamber of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Municipal League, Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association, Oklahoma Aggregates Association, Environmental Federation of Oklahoma and Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association of Oklahoma have joined together in a response to the recently-released statewide Comprehensive Water Plan.

The groups distributed a position paper to lawmakers this week laying out specific recommendations and areas of concern found within the plan, released late last year by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

As outlined in the paper, it is feared that many of the recommendations in the plan will increase the size of government, increase costs, adversely impact existing water rights, encroach on private property rights and create artificial water shortages, among other concerns.

"Oklahoma's current water law structure has allowed Oklahoma agriculture to provide food and fiber for a growing world population, while significantly contributing to Oklahoma's economy," said Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling. "Caution should be exercised when considering any changes."

To read more about the groups' concerns about water plans, click here. 

Humane Society Files Supplemental Complaints About Hog Farms

The Humane Society of the United States has filed supplemental complaints with both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission regarding alleged false and misleading statements being made by Seaboard Foods in response to a recent undercover video made by an HSUS employee at one of the company's Oklahoma pig breeding facilities.

The video shows breeding sows confined in gestation crates and showed workers hitting animals, duct-taping their splayed legs to their bodies and jabbing their eyes.

Based on the video, the HSUS filed complaints with the SEC and FTC, alleging that Seaboard makes grossly false and misleading statements about animal welfare to shareholders, potential investors and the public, including that the company uses the "most humane practices." 

To read more about the HSUS's latest complaints, click here. 

Watchdog Group Calls on FTC to Investigate Humane Society of the United States' Deceptive Fundraising Tactics

HumaneWatch.org, a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to open an investigation into the deceptive fundraising practices of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). A recent Freedom of Information Act request revealed that more than 120 complaints have been filed with the FTC since December 2011 regarding HSUS.

Dozens of the complaints come from Americans who have given money to HSUS. HSUS's deceptive advertising helps fool the unsuspecting public: a recent analysis found that more than 85 percent of the animals in HSUS's TV appeals between January 2009 and September 2011 were cats and dogs, when just one percent of the money donated to HSUS is sent to hands-on pet shelters, according to HSUS tax returns.

"This is deception on a national level, and the FTC needs to act now," said J. Justin Wilson, CCF's Senior Research Analyst. "HSUS routinely employs familiar images of sad-looking dogs and cats in their advertisements. Yet, the majority of HSUS's donations are used to bankroll an animal rights agenda. This emotionally charged bait-and-switch doesn't just harm donors. It harms needy shelters and pets."

Click here to read more about HumaneWatch.org's complaints against the HSUS.

Supply and Demand Figures Mixed 

Corn exports will be 50 million bushels higher this year, according to the USDA supply and demand estimates report Thursday morning. Soybean exports, although lower than last year, are expected to climb in the second half of the year.

World wheat production is increased three million metric tons, with increased competition from Russia and the Ukraine, according to the report. The wheat market was hit hard on Thursday in response to the report, closing at its lowest levels since the end of January.

Here's the summary for wheat and corn as released by USDA Thursday morning:

Wheat: U.S. wheat ending stocks for 2011/12 are projected lower this month. Exports are raised 25 million bushels supported by the stronger-than-expected pace of sales and shipments, particularly for competitively priced feed-quality wheat. Projected exports of Soft Red Winter and White wheat are each raised 15 million bushels on strong demand from Mexico and South Korea. Exports are also projected higher for Hard Red Winter wheat, up 5 million bushels, based on sales and shipments to date.

Ending stocks for all wheat are projected 25 million bushels lower at 845 million. Based on prices reported to date and the lower expected carryout, the 2011/12 projected season-average farm price is raised 20 cents on the bottom end of the range to $7.15 to $7.45 per bushel.

Corn: U.S. corn exports are projected 50 million bushels higher with reduced supplies in Argentina and recent increases in both sales and shipments. Corn ending stocks are projected 45 million bushels lower at 801 million. The projected range for the season-average farm corn price is narrowed 10 cents on both ends of the range to $5.80 to $6.60 per bushel.

Our own Ed Richards talked to Tom Leffler after the release of the report- click here to listen to Ed and Tom's conversation, as well as access a link to the full USDA report. 

Missouri Farm Mom Testifies About Dangers of Proposed DOL Regs

A Missouri farm wife testified before Congress last week concerning the Department of Labor's proposed rules that would prohibit young children from working on their family's farms.

Chris Chinn and her husband, Kevin, are fifth-generation farmers. They live with their two children on their Clarence, Missouri, hog farm. The Chinn's dream is that their children will have the opportunity to be the sixth generation of farmers in their family.

Chinn's testimony reflected her fears that unbridled and wrongheaded government intervention will make achieving that dream impossible by destroying that which is best about raising children on the farm.

You can watch Chinn's video or access her blog by clicking here.

New USDA Hardiness Zone Map- a Little Warmer Across Most of the US 

The USDA has released a new plant hardiness zone map. It reflects changes for the warmer in much of the country.

Dr. Peter Bretting of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service said, "We see a consistent shift, especially in the eastern U.S. of about a half zone warmer than in the prior map."

The map documents changes of about five degrees Fahrenheit warmer per half zone since 1990.

Bretting said there are a number of factors leading to the redrawn map.

"It's based on more data from more weather recording stations. And they were processed by a special mathematical formula that takes into account features of the landscape, such as mountains, large bodies of water, urban areas, which cause some heat islands. And it was recorded over a longer period, 30 rather than 15 years."

To hear more of Dr. Peter Bretting comments on the new hardiness zone map or to access the new map, click here. 

Kim Anderson: His Take on Latest Supply Demand Numbers- and Your SUNUP Lineup 

Dr. Kim Anderson reports the recent WASDE report from the USDA was very close to expectations. Corn was projected at 997-million bushels, it came in at 801; beans were projected at 269-million bushels, it came in at 275; and wheat expectations were for 868-million bushels and the actual came in at 845.

Anderson said it was good news that wheat ending stocks were lowered by the USDA compared with last month's 870-million bushel figure.

This means the markets are favorable and he sees them being bullish on corn and beans and slightly bearish on wheat.

International numbers won't provide much price impact as they were right on with industry estimates.

Bloomberg reports record corn, bean and wheat prices, with corn at $6.20, beans at $11.45, and wheat at $7.20. Income in corn and bean country has been up 28 percent and farmland values are reflective of that trend. Farmland values across the midwest are averaging $2,350 an acre. Iowa prices are averaging $5,600 per acre.

Anderson says increases in corn and wheat acreages, however, will mean slightly lower prices next year.

You can hear Dr. Anderson's full analysis by clicking here, as well as seeing the rundown for this week's SUNUP show.