Cattlemen Support Senate Bill on Permanent Estate Tax Repeal 

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), representing generations of farming and ranching families across the nation, strongly supports the introduction of legislation that will fight for full, permanent repeal of the estate tax. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act (S. 2242) to abolish the federal estate tax, which according to NCBA President J.D. Alexander, is an unnecessary tax on small businesses and farm and ranch families across the country. The bipartisan legislation is identical to the bill (H.R. 1259) introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Kevin Brady (R-Texas).

"By once again introducing legislation to repeal this onerous tax, lawmakers on both sides of Capitol Hill have demonstrated an understanding and appreciation for the immense burden this tax places on American cattle producers who are hoping to pass their operation on to the next generation," said Alexander. "The death tax is detrimental to the farmers and ranchers who live off the land and run asset-rich, cash poor family-owned small businesses."

Reducing the tax burden on ranchers has always been a top priority for NCBA and the beef cattle community. For decades, NCBA has urged full and permanent repeal of the estate tax.

"Our priority is to keep families in agriculture and this tax works against that goal," said Alexander. "The appraised value of rural land is extremely inflated when compared to its agricultural value. Many cattle producers are forced to spend an enormous amount of money on attorneys or sell off land or parts of the operation to pay off tax liabilities. This takes more open space out of agriculture and usually puts it into the hands of urban developers."

Click here to read more on this important issue. 

OSU Canola Specialist Josh Bushong Says 2012 Crop Showing Great Potential 

The 2012 winter canola crop shows great potential with the crop now mostly in the blooming stage. We get an update on how far ahead of normal we are with Josh Bushong, a canola Extension Specialist with OSU as well as updates on insect pressures and more detail about how the crop is developing.

Bushong says most of Oklahoma's crop is ahead of schedule.

"We're around ten to 14 days earlier than what we should be. We're still not sure if that will translate into a longer pod development period or if we'll just have an earlier harvest, but hopefully we'll have enough time to set enough pods and make some really good yields."

He says most of the crop is three quarters of the way to full bloom if not a little past that stage, especially in the south.

"Some of our earlier varieties in the southern part of the state are starting to get past that full bloom period. We're starting to taper off a little bit. With these recent rains it's started to create a lot more pods and really fill in some marginal stands. Stands have really been able to have a little bit more time to fill in some areas where it needs to so hopefully they'll be able to get some good yields from marginal stands."

Our video visit with Josh is a part of our ongoing CanolaTV feature- a service of PCOM- Producers Cooperative Oil Mill.

Read more or check out Josh Bushong's full analysis on the current canola crop on Canola TV by clicking here. 

USDA Reminds Producers of Approaching Deadline for CRP General Sign-Up

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reminded landowners, farmers and ranchers that the opportunity to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up 43 ends on Friday, April 6, 2012. Producers who want to offer eligible land for CRP's competitive general sign-up may enroll at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office where their farm records are maintained.

CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP. 

To read more about the CRP sign-up, click here.

Kim Anderson Reviews Wheat Stocks And Explains This Week's Declining Prices

Kim Anderson, OSU's grain marketing specialist says world wheat stocks are already high and, with good growing conditions across the country, he is expecting ending stocks to be even higher. He says we are already seeing significant downward pressure in prices. He tells SUNUP's Lyndall Stout they broke this week and are down around 40 cents- basis the Kansas City July contract.

"It broke its support level late in the week at $6.70. The next support level is down around $6.40. If it breaks that, we may have another 50 cents down.

Anderson said farmers on the Northern Plains are making some strategic changes in advance of spring planting that will also affect wheat prices.

"In the spring wheat area I saw a report from North Dakota that said there were about $135 an acre potential profit with corn and about $35 an acre potential profit in spring wheat and I think that's why we're seeing those potential wheat acres going to corn. It's just a good economic decision."

You can hear more of Kim Anderson's analysis and check out a rundown of this week's SUNUP program by clicking here. 

OCA's Scott Dewald Praises 2012 DASNR Champion Award Winners

Oklahoma State University's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources honored three Oklahomans for their lifelong contributions to agriculture this week in Stillwater. William L. Ford, Virgil Jurgensmeyer and the late Paul Jackson were named 2012 DASNR Champions. The DASNR Champion Award recognizes and honors those who are not graduates of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources but who have brought distinction to the division while demonstrating a continuing interest in and commitment for agricultural sciences and natural resources.

Scott Dewald, executive director of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, attended the ceremony honoring this year's three, in Dewald's words, "agvocates" and offered his comments.

"Bill Ford did an excellent job of talking about his background and how he built a company with a lot of hard work and sweat. You could tell he was very passionate about that," Dewald said.  

You can read all of Dewald's comments and find the profiles of this year's winners by clicking here. 

This N That- Prospective Plantings Out This AM, TV to Watch This Weekend and TSCRA

USDA will serve up a couple of key reports on Friday morning at 7:30 AM central- a regular Grain Stocks report- and then the annual springtime Prospective Plantings report.  That second report is what is garnering most of the attention- the average pre report guess for the number of corn acres being planted that this report will estimate is 94.7 million- 2.78 million more acres than planted a year ago.  Lots of industry watchers believe that the final actual number will exceed 95 million acres planted this year- but don't expect USDA to be that bold this morning.  Meanwhile, soybean acres are expected to be around 75.5 million acres- and total wheat acres expected at 57.6 million.  In the earlier story we had with Kim Anderson- he pointed out that many spring wheat acres may end up  going over to corn- based on potential profits back to the farmers- so that could be one of the "surprises" of the report- we will have coverage of the reports from USDA on our website, OklahomaFarmReport.Com.  

Lots of TV to check out this weekend- besides the Final Four national semis on Saturday evening- (Go Cats!).  Saturday morning, we welcome Scott Dewald of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association to our In the Field segment on KWTV, News9 in Oklahoma City.  We talk about the state legislature and how our farm groups are viewing the current tax debate- as well as water issues- and talk about the itch many cattle producers have to get those swathers and hay bailers going. Also on Saturday, you've got Lyndall Stout and her team on SUNUP- click here for the lineup for that Saturday morning show on OETA- and then on Sunday afternoon, a program about the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program's  experienced in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland will be showcased on Oklahoma Horizon TV this Sunday April 1 at 3:00 p.m. on OETA. Alisa Hines, member of Class XV and Oklahoma Horizon TV producer, was instrumental in producing this show.

And just a final word- watch for our web stories and Tweets over the weekend from the 135th Annual Convention of the TSCRA in Ft. Worth- Click here for details of their annual gathering of Texas and Oklahoma cattle producers.


 

Legendary Restaurants of Oklahoma Welcomes the Classen Grill With Half-Price Gift Certificates

For nearly three decades, Classen Grill has been offering tasty meals, unique dishes and outstanding customer service in Oklahoma City. Opened in 1980, the restaurant has provided mostly the same format and food offerings. That's one of the factors that makes Classen Grill special.

Most regulars at Classen Grill call it a home away from home and as Dorothy meant to say, "There's no place like your home away from home." That's because the friendly atmosphere and fresh breakfast dishes have been a staple here since 1980.

Early morning risers can enjoy Classen Grill specialties including BLT Benedict, Migas, Colorado Burrito and Chinook and Eggs. Don't forget about the Coyote Quesadilla, which makes your taste buds howl with delight. There are also great omelets, pancakes, french toast and cinnamon rolls.

For lunch, bite into juicy burgers, chicken fried steak, sandwiches and salads.

No matter what your watch says, quench your thirst with the fresh-squeezed orange juice that has been a Classen Grill favorite for over 25 years.

Click here to take advantage of $50 worth of Classen Grill food for only $25.

You can hear an interview with Classen Grill's Loretta Warden by clicking here.