~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oklahoma's latest
farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron
Hays of RON for Thursday, August 18, 2011 A
service of Johnston Enterprises, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind
Energy and American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance
Company!
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-- Obama to Farmers: Some Rumors of Regulations 'Are Unfounded'
-- Renewable Fuels Association Says Grain Based Ethanol is Important
Base to Build From in Renewable Fuel Efforts
-- Texas Agricultural Drought Losses Reach Record $5.2 billion
-- Rural Fire Departments Statewide Receive $3.7 Million from
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
-- Hot Weather in Late Pregnancy Affects Gestation Length
-- Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Funding for Over 900
Projects to Boost Renewable Energy Production, including Oklahoma
-- Historic Oklahoma Angus Run Starts Next Thursday in
Stillwater
-- Let's Check the Markets!
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! 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. | |
Obama to Farmers: Some Rumors of Regulations 'Are Unfounded' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From the online
Wall Street Journal- we get this perspective on the Obama bus tour-
day three in Illinois. In his adopted home state, the President got hit
twice with worries about regulations saddling the agricultural industry
with extra cost and restricting some farming practices. "Twice on Wednesday, President Barack Obama was confronted by farmers worried about too much government regulation. His answer: Don't believe everything you hear. "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." In both cases, Mr. Obama responded that farmers might be hearing
unfounded rumors. In Alpha, he said some of the rumors about regulations "frankly are
unfounded." | |
Renewable Fuels Association Says Grain Based Ethanol is Important Base to Build From in Renewable Fuel Efforts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Renewable
Fuels Association today responded to comments made by President Obama at
an event in Atkinson, Illinois, about America's existing ethanol industry
and the need to develop additional renewable fuel
technologies:"Solving the energy challenges this country faces includes embracing a wide variety of renewable technologies, including proven technologies like existing ethanol production. In order to responsibly remodel and expand America's renewable fuel house, we must first make sure the foundation is secure. That includes expanding the market for ethanol blends and aggressively implementing the Renewable Fuel Standard while simultaneously investing in new renewable fuel technology. "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 | |
Texas Agricultural Drought Losses Reach Record $5.2 billion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The historic
Texas drought has led to a record $5.2 billion in agricultural losses,
making it the most costly drought on record, according to Texas AgriLife
Extension Service economists."The drought of 2011 will have a lasting impact on Texas agriculture," said Dr. Travis Miller, AgriLife Extension agronomist and a member of the Governor's Drought Preparedness Council. "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." 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. Click here to watch a video over the drought in Texas and across the Southern Plains | |
Rural Fire Departments Statewide Receive $3.7 Million from Oklahoma Department of Agriculture ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Oklahoma
Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry's Forestry Services Division
today distributed over $3.7 million in operational grant funds to 877
rural fire departments across the state. Funded by the Oklahoma
legislature and authorized by Governor Fallin, these grants assist
departments located in communities with a population of less than 10,000
people and can be used for a range of needs. "Our state's leaders recognize the importance of rural fire departments," said Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese "These grants are timely as fire departments have depleted many resources during the current fire season." 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 | |
Hot Weather in Late Pregnancy Affects Gestation Length ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oklahoma State
University physiologists studied early fall (August) and late fall
(October) calving cows. Data from two successive years were combined for
50 Angus X Hereford crossbred cows. According to Dr. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma
State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist, the "early" and
"late" fall calving cows had been artificially inseminated in early
November or early January, respectively. Semen from the same sire was used for all cows. All cows were exposed to a single cleanup bull for 35 days at 4 days after the AI season. The weather prior to calving was significantly different for late pregnancy in the two groups. The average maximum temperature the week before calving was 93 degrees F. for the "early" fall group. 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 | |
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Funding for Over 900 Projects to Boost Renewable Energy Production, including Oklahoma ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced grants for more than 900
agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the country to
implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in their
operations. Secretary Vilsack made the announcement as part of President
Obama's rural economic bus tour in the Midwest where today he highlighted
efforts underway to reduce our country's dependence on foreign oil, which
will increase the economic competitiveness of rural America and promote
job creation."These investments enable our farmers, ranchers and rural small business owners to develop renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements that will save them thousands of dollars in energy costs each year," Vilsack said. "This funding is an important part of the Obama Administration's plan to conserve natural resources, create jobs and lead our country on the path to becoming more energy independent." 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 | |
Historic Oklahoma Angus Run Starts Next Thursday in Stillwater ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We have been
telling you about four of the five Angus sales that make up this annual
run of Angus sales that happen each August. The first of those sales is
just a week away. The Griswold Cattle Company's Family Traditions Annual
Production Sale is scheduled for next Thursday, August 25 at 5 p.m. at
Griswold Cattle Company in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Griswold family have
some outstanding Angus and Sim-Angus genetics that will be offered- click
here for details as found on our Auction page at
www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com
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: | |
Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchers and KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- FREE! 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. | |
Let's Check the Markets! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We've had
requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will
be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $12.68
per bushel- as of the close of trade Wednesday, while the 2012 New Crop
contracts for Canola are now available are $13.07 per bushel- delivered to
local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.
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: | |
God Bless! You can reach us at the following: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: ron@oklahomafarmreport.com
phone: 405-473-6144
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