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! AND- remember they are having August meetings- one is scheduled for Enid this evening- click here for details.

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.

If you have received this email by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.

"At his first town hall, in Atkinson, Ill., one man introduced himself as a corn and soybean farmer and said that nature offers plenty of challenges. "Please don't challenge us with more rules and regulations from Washington, D.C.," he said. "We would prefer to start our day in a tractor cab or combine cab rather than filling out forms and permits to do what we'd like to do."

"Later, in Alpha, Ill., he heard a similar question, specifically about Environmental Protection Agency rules. The questioner said there should be some common sense so "we don't regulate farmers out of business."

In both cases, Mr. Obama responded that farmers might be hearing unfounded rumors.

"If you hear something is happening, but it hasn't happened, don't always believe what you hear," he said.

In Alpha, he said some of the rumors about regulations "frankly are unfounded."

He promised that he wouldn't approve any regulations that don't make common sense. "If we don't think that there's more benefit than cost to it, we're not going to do it," he said.

Beyond the Journal coverage on too many regulations- you can click here for a general overview of the final day of the Obama tour and his pledge to spend even more money.

"Without question, there would not be a market for the emerging renewable fuels President Obama discussed were it not for the success of the existing ethanol industry. At ten percent of the nation's gasoline market, current domestic ethanol supplies are reducing our demand for imported oil, mitigating the environmental destruction caused by an overreliance on fossil fuels, and most importantly, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs that cannot be outsourced.

"We agree with President Obama that we need to make room for new ethanol and renewable fuel technologies by walking away from our addiction and continued subsidizing of oil. We look forward to continuing the very constructive relationship this industry has had with the Obama Administration to grow this industry and foster the kind of innovation needed to meet our country's energy needs."

Click here to read a full copy of the letter RFA President Bob Dinneen sent to President Obama

"This drought is ongoing," said Dr. David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock economist. "Further losses will continue if rainfall does not come soon to establish this year's winter wheat crop and wheat grazing."

"While these numbers paint a gloomy picture, Texans are survivors," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said. "Our farmers and ranchers will adapt and overcome this record-setting drought to ensure we have a safe, affordable and reliable domestic food supply."

The $5.2 billion in losses exceeds the previous record of $4.1 billion during the 2006 drought. The losses also represent 27.7 percent of the average value of agricultural production over the last four years, Anderson said.

The current drought losses have reached record levels in large part due to Texas farmers failing to cash in crops during times of high commodity prices, economists said. The state's cattle producers continue to cull herds at historic levels and spend money on expensive supplemental feed.

Click here to watch a video over the drought in Texas and across the Southern Plains

Funds can be used for the operations and maintenance of the fire department including the purchase, construction, repair and operation of fire stations and fire equipment, firefighter training and the purchase of fuel.

"These operational grants provide valuable assistance to local fire departments in providing wildland and rural community fire protection," said Reese. "We are committed to helping local fire departments with limited budgets effectively perform their duties."

Click here for more information on the Oklahoma Forestry Service

The average maximum temperature the week before parturition in the "late" calving group was 66 degrees F. There was a 100% survival rate for calves in both groups and both groups of cows had very high re-breeding rates (93% and 96%, respectively). The average gestation length for the "early" cows was 6 days shorter (279 days) as compared to the "late" cows (285 days) in year 1. The average gestation length for the "early" cows was 4 days shorter (278 days) as compared to the "late" cows (282 days) in year 2.

Producers with early fall-calving cows should expect calves to start coming several days ahead of the "textbook gestation table" dates. They should begin their routine heifer and cow checks at least a week to 10 days ahead of the expected first calving date.

Click here to see the OSU Research Report on hot weather affecting gestation length

Many producers were selected across Oklahoma to receive grants for incorporating energy efficiency measures. Rural businesses and producers in Willow, Duke, Frederick, Chattanooga, Fairland, Afton, Heavener, Keyes, Thomas, Eufala, Woodward, Shawnee and Wister were selected for the grants. The project sources range from solar energy to biomass to wind energy. The total amount of money granted to Oklahoma producers and businesses was over a quarter of a million dollars.

The grants are being provided through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a 2008 Farm Bill initiative. REAP offers funds for farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. These federal funds leverage other funding sources for small businesses. In all, USDA announced more than $11.6 million in energy grants today.

Click here to see a full list of awarded grants and more on the REAP program

Express Ranches has a pair sales connected to the Angus run next Friday and Saturday, including their annual "Big Event" sale on Saturday. On Friday, August 26 Express Ranches have joined with Superior to offer about 2,000 head of Express influenced commercial bred heifers and top end calves from some of our best commercial customers and friends. And then on Saturday, August 27 Express will be offering about 300 lots (500 head) of the best registered females and bull calves that we have produced. As usual, this offering will consist of donors, show prospects, bred heifers, and young cow-calf pairs. Click here for our auction page listing for these two sales for Express Ranches- which leads you over to their web page and also to their sale catalog for Saturday.

Finally, the home stretch of the Angus run takes you and I to Waukomis, Oklahoma- home of Pollard Farms. The 14th annual Pollard Farms Female Sale will offer some outstanding genetics- 122 Head Sell as 92 Angus Lots and that includes:
Donor Dam, Heifer Calf Pregnancies, Spring E.T. Heifer Calf Prospects, Fall E.T. Yearling Heifers Spring Bred Heifers, Spring Pairs and Fall Bred Cows & Heifers. Click here for our listing on the Pollard Sale which also has links on over to the sale catalog as well as their main website for Pollard Farms.

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

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.