Broad Array of Farm Groups Respond Positively to Ag Committee Passage of FARRM Act 

A wide range of ag-related groups responded positively to the passage of the FARRM bill by the House Agriculture Committee early Thursday morning. While some said they would like to see minor changes to the bill, the groups were pleased with the vast majority of its substance.

Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation said farmers are not going to receive all the provisions they had hoped for in this bill, but he commended "the bipartisan efforts that went into providing farmers and ranchers the risk management, marketing, conservation and trade tools necessary to ensure a solid, predictable agricultural economy over the next few years." 

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said his group was pleased the bill included protection from long-term price collapse. He also said they were pleased the committee turned back amendments to alter the no-cost sugar program and remove the Dairy Market Stabilization Program.

National Cotton Council Chairman Chuck Coley said his group was appreciative the Committee retained the Stacked Income Protection Plan and crop insurance enhancements.

The National Association of Conservation Districts was pleased with the bill even though it means cuts to the conservation title.

"While the FARRM Act does call for cuts to conservation spending, we believe it does so through a common-sense approach, which consolidates and streamlines programs," said NACD President Gene Smith.

Click on the name of the organization below to read its statement:

American Farm Bureau Federation

CropLife America

National Cotton Council

National Council of Farmers Cooperatives

National Association of Conservation Districts

National Association of Wheat Growers

National Farmers Union

National Sorghum Producers

Specialty Crop Alliance

The REAL QUESTION this morning when it comes to the 2012 Farm Bill is exactly what is House Speaker John Boehner thinking about this piece of legislation- he holds in his hands the power to either allow the process to move forward or see it placed up on a shelf- never to be seen or heard from again- click here for our Friday morning Farm News as heard on our radio network- we feature audio comments from the Speaker on Thursday about giving Frank Lucas floor time.  

Ag Secretary, Environmental, and Corn Groups Dissatisfied with 2012 Farm Bill 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the National Corn Growers Association, and some environmental groups expressed their displeasure with the text of the 2012 Farm Bill passed out of the House Agriculture Committee Thursday.

In a sharply-worded statement, Vilsack took issue with the Ag Committee's version of the bill.

"Americans deserve a farm and jobs bill that reforms the safety net for producers in times of need, promotes the bio-based economy, conserves our natural resources, strengthens rural communities, promotes job growth in rural America, and supports food assistance to low-income families.

"Unfortunately, the bill produced by the House Agriculture Committee contains deep cuts in SNAP... As the legislative process moves forward, the Administration will continue to seek policy solutions and savings across the Farm Bill that are consistent with the President's budget."  You can read more of Vilsack's comments here.

Vilsack was joined in his criticism of cuts to the SNAP program by the Environmental Working Group.  

"The farm bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee last night is quite simply the worst piece of food and farm legislation in recent memory," said Scott Faber, EWG's vice-president for government affairs.  Click here for EWG's statement.

Another environmental group, the Izaak Walton League, criticized the bill for not imposing nationwide restrictions on farmers who would put grasslands into production.  Read their statement here. 

National Corn Growers Association President Garry Niemeyer said his group is "disappointed the House Agriculture Committee's passed version of the 2012 farm bill does not include a more viable market-oriented risk management program... we feel there needs to be significant changes made to the legislation. Our farmers will be working with members of the House of Representatives to ensure those changes are included in a final package."  Niemeyer's remarks are available by clicking here. 

Post-Harvest Numbers Confirm Quality, Quantity of Oklahoma's Bountiful 2012 Wheat Crop

Wheat harvest is now over and Mike Schulte, the executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission has had a chance to go over some numbers and get a more detailed picture of how Oklahoma producers performed this year. He spoke with us recently about his observations.

Obviously, harvest was extremely early this year due to an exceptionally mild winter and heavy rains throughout early spring. Schulte said he has never seen such a year.

"Never have I ever had harvest be three weeks early and still have a great harvest. So, from a lot of accounts it was really great the harvest over with soon, but also have what we would consider a bumper crop for Oklahoma."

You can also catch Mike this Saturday morning on "In the Field' on News 9 about 6:40. 

May Pork Exports Continue Upward Trend; Beef Results Mixed

U.S. pork exports in May were up 3 percent in volume (186,809 metric tons) from a year ago and 9 percent higher in value ($524.3 million). Through the first five months of the year, pork exports exceeded last year's record pace by 6 percent in volume (968,485 metric tons) and 15 percent in value ($2.7 billion). Although May was the strongest month so far this year for U.S. beef exports, volume (95,221 metric tons) was down 13 percent compared to May 2011 and stood 10 percent lower (456,343 metric tons) through the first five months of the year. Beef export value in May ($471.1 million) was 4 percent higher than a year ago, which kept year-to-date export value ($2.19 billion) 5 percent ahead of last year's record pace. These results are based on statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

With the exceptions of South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, U.S. pork export value is trending upward to every major destination. Exports to Korea were extremely high in 2011, due in part to a foot-and-mouth disease-related shortage of domestic pork and temporary duty-free access for a large volume of imports. U.S. exports to Korea through May stood at 77,790 metric tons valued at $222.8 million, down 32 percent in volume and 19 percent in value from last year's record pace, but still far exceeding exports in the first five months of any previous year. 

You can read more about the May export results by clicking here.  You'll also find a link to the full USMEF report.

Corn is Still King in Grain Markets, Anderson Says

Grain markets reacted to the release of the USDA's WASDE report this week, and OSU Small Grains Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson said the report sent the markets higher with corn in the driver's seat.

"Corn is still running the market and after that WASDE release that came out Wednesday, Wednesday was a volatile day for both corn and wheat. Corn production lowered 12.3 percent to 12,970,000,000 bushels down from over 14. You look at corn ending stocks, they were lowered almost 35 percent down to 1,180,000,000. Some analysts believe that in August the USDA will lower the corn ending stocks lower, maybe even below a billion bushels. So we had quite a shock with corn. Corn prices are still holding the wheat prices."

Anderson said lower expectations for corn stocks were good for wheat prices.

Click here to listen to Kim Anderson's analysis and read a rundown of this week's SUNUP program.

Noble Foundation Scientists Earn Major Research Grant

Three scientists at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation recently received a $6.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expand research aimed at understanding and enhancing symbioses with legumes that are crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Drs. Michael Udvardi, Rujin Chen and Kiran Mysore received the four-year grant, which is the second largest ever received by the Noble Foundation in its 67-year history. "All NSF grants are highly competitive," said Richard Dixon, D.Phil., director of the Plant Biology Division. "Being awarded this grant underscores the quality of research being conducted here at the Noble Foundation and the critical nature of this legume research."

The Noble Foundation is internationally recognized for its research into legumes, including economically significant crops such as alfalfa and clover. Legumes play an invaluable role in sustainable agriculture because they develop nitrogen-fixing root nodules that accumulate bacteria (called rhizobia) that can convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. In essence, they can create their own source of nitrogen fertilizer. 

You can read more about this grant by clicking here.

This N That- the Three Ws- Weather, Wind and Wheat

We start with the weather- our buddy Kim Anderson told SUNUP this week that corn remains the "king" in the grain markets- but it's all about there being a robust "weather" market to crown corn at this point- and while the focus on the "weather" market for US agriculture is clearly the US midwest- Mother Nature has been weaning us off significant rainfall in recent weeks- and now virtually all of Oklahoma is in at least moderate drought (99.15%)- much better than a year ago when we were in the epicenter of exceptional drought- click here to check out the latest Drought Monitor for Oklahoma and some thoughts about all of that from Gary McManus of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.    

One thing that at least some Oklahoma land owners are learning is that we can make money from the "wind sweeping down the plains" that is one of the trademarks of our state.  Shannon Ferrell- Ag Legal Guru from OSU- is holding a seminar on how to deal with the people who call or come by your place and want to lease from you "wind rights."  Ferrell says that the workshop will be held in Woodward tomorrow- July 14- at the High Plains Technology Center- and while they would have like to have already heard from you that you are coming- give the Woodward County Extension folks a call at 580-254-3391 to sign up for the free all day event.  Click here for our calendar item about this workshop for a few more details.  

Finally- we focus for a moment on wheat harvest- the 2012 Hard Red Winter Wheat harvest is rounding the final turn and rolling into the home stretch- with Wyoming more than half way done- and harvest set to begin in Montana of HRW.  Mark Hodges and the Plains Grains folks continue to track it northward- and have the latest quality numbers as sampling of the new crop continues- click here for Mark's latest update on what was been, in general, a much better HRW wheat harvest than in 2011.