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It's hard to tell the players without a score card- and events continue to unfold- and depending on your perspective- they are coming either really fast or in slow motion. 

On Wednesday, we listened to the Chairlady of the Senate Ag Committee, Debbie Stabenow, appeal for Plan A- which would be for the House to take up the House Ag Committee Farm Bill, pass it quickly and allow she and Frank Lucas to go to Conference in August to craft what Chairman Lucas has called more than once the "ultimate farm bill."  Click here to hear her full comments- we posted them as an Ag Perspectives Podcast yesterday.  Stabenow said that talk of an extension was still premature- and that everyone would be better served with a full five year bill.

David Rogers with Politico.Com wrote yesterday evening about the farm bill scramble- quoting Chairman Frank Lucas as saying

As Congress Prepares for August Recess, NCBA's Colin Woodall Keeps Tabs on Legislative Progress 

Cattle industry insiders are watching a number of issues very closely as Congress's August recess approaches. Colin Woodall of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association spoke with Ron Hays at the Summer Cattle Industry Conference being held in Denver.

Woodall said one of the big issues that was resolved this week was the House's passage of the Family Farms Preservation Act. The bill bars the Department of Labor from enacting proposed rules making it almost impossible for children to work on the farm. Woodall said the bill was necessary despite reassurances from Labor Department that the rules would not be promulgated.

"It still sends a very strong signal to Secretary Solis and the Department of Labor that they need to really shelve this thing and never dust it off again. This is something we've been working on for more than a year now and really was a surprise to all of agriculture, but agriculture mounted a huge offensive to take this fight back to the secretary. And because of that she announced back in May that she was going to withdraw that rule. This bill that passed the House, Mr. Latham's bill, would just provide a little insurance to make sure it stays on the shelf and doesn't see the light of day again."

Colin spoke at length on a number of issues.  Click here to listen to our full conversation.

Farm Bureau Concurs with Congressional Report Showing Real Harm of Estate Taxes

The American Farm Bureau Federation today said it concurs with a Joint Economic Committee report that details the financial harm posed by estate taxes on family businesses. The JEC, a bipartisan committee composed of members from the House and Senate, issued its report, "Costs and Consequences of the Federal Estate Tax," on Wednesday.

According to the report, there are extensive costs associated with the estate tax in terms of the dissolution of family businesses, slower growth of capital stock and a loss of output and income over time. This can be particularly hard on farm families, who own 98 percent of the nation's 2.2 million farms.

"With the average age of a farmer being 58 years old, the estate tax creates even a steeper barrier for young farmers and ranchers to take up the profession at a time when farming is already difficult to enter," said AFBF President Bob Stallman.

Economists on the Republican staff of the Joint Economic Committee point out the "Death Tax," as some label it, has robbed almost as much capital stock from the U.S. economy as this tax has generated in revenue in its 96 years of existence. The total revenue produced by this tax in almost a century is only $1.2 trillion, which would barely cover the federal deficit during this budget year alone.

You'll find more on this story by clicking here.

The other major ag player on the Death Tax issue- NCBA- has also weighed in- you can hear Colin Woodall on this subject by checking out our interview with him that is found earlier in this email.

Early Weaning Spring-born Calves Could Allow Cows to Maintain Better Body Condition

In the latest edition of the Cow-Calf Newsletter, Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University emeritus Extension Animal Scientist takes a look at the pros and cons of early weaning.

The summer of 2012 has again diminished pastures and harvested forages. Those producers that still own spring calving cows that are nursing calves should consider the option of early weaning the calves to give the cows the best opportunity to maintain some body condition going into winter.South Dakota State scientists examined this scenario (using mature cows) by comparing the effect of weaning date on performance of the beef cows. They weaned half of the cows at the time of the first real cool spell (September 14). The other half of the cows had their calves weaned at a traditional time (October 23). The scientists then monitored body condition and rebreeding performance of the cows. Note that this study included two different nutritional levels: 1) A low group to mimic an early winter or a dry summer; 2) A moderate group to mimic more ideal summer and early winter seasons. Only the data for those cows exposed to the low nutritional group are presented here. They more nearly reflect what may happen for young cows in a drought than will the moderately fed cows.

This data indicates that the 40 days earlier weaning allow the cows to maintain more body condition score (0.5 BCS) going into winter. More of the early weaned cows were cycling at the start of the breeding season, conceived early in the breeding season and should wean heavier older calves the following year. In addition a small amount of high protein supplement (i.e. cottonseed meal or soybean meal) will enhance the cow's ability to utilize the declining quality of the late summer forage and/or low quality grass hay. Therefore allowing more body condition to remain on the young cows before frost arrives. This combination of management techniques should be a cost effective way to slow the decline in re-breeding rates of drought-stressed, spring calving cows. 

For more of Glenn Selk's recommendations on early weaning spring calves, click here. 

Oklahoma Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference set for Aug. 9-10

Oklahoma's Statewide Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference is open to all women from across Oklahoma and will take place Aug. 9-10 at the Moore-Norman Technology Center.

"The focus of the two-day conference is to provide the latest information on topics that empower women to solve issues and concerns of importance to them, their families and communities," said Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension farm management specialist.

Cost is $50 per participant if registering by Aug. 1 and $60 thereafter. Registration includes two breakfasts, two lunches, all refreshment breaks, conference materials, post-conference training and a Taste of Oklahoma reception on Thursday evening, Aug. 9.

Links to registration forms and additional information are available by clicking here, or by calling the OSU department of agricultural economics at 405-744-9836.

Flap Between NCBA and USDA Over Meatless Mondays Comes and Goes Wednesday Afternoon

It was a a story that came and went in a heartbeat- but blood pressure levels were raised here in Denver at the Summer Cattle Industry Conference as this all unfolded.

It started this week when the USDA posted on their website statements embracing "Meatless Mondays" which is a concept promoted in recent years by Vegan groups wanting consumers to give up meat for a day to help the environment and perhaps get some of them on their way to a vegetarian lifestyle.

On Wednesday afternoon, having seen the webpage on the official USDA website, JD Alexander, President of the National Cattlmen's Beef Association, blasted USDA in a news release that we received at 2:15 pm- the release saying the fact that "the agency embraces the "Meatless Monday" concept calls into question USDA's commitment to U.S. farmers and ranchers. USDA stated "one simple way to reduce our environmental while dining at our cafeteria is to participate in the "Meatless Monday" initiative," which Alexander said is an animal rights extremist campaign to ultimately end meat consumption."

NCBA adds "USDA goes one step further in its quest to reduce meat consumption, according to Alexander, by specifically calling out beef and dairy production as harmful to the environment. Additionally, the USDA cites health concerns related to the consumption of meat. These concerns are not at all based in fact, according to Alexander, but simply spout statistics and rhetoric generated by anti-animal agriculture organizations. The fact is the consumption of beef is not only healthy, but the carbon footprint of the production of beef has dramatically decreased as a result of innovative environmental stewardship implemented by America's farm and ranch families throughout the country."

Well, USDA apparently read the NCBA release and something hit the fan in Washington. An email statement from USDA came to our inbox at 4:13 PM- calling the support for "Meatless Mondays" a rumor and offered this terse one sentence statement- "

"USDA does not endorse Meatless Monday. The statement found on the USDA website was posted without proper clearance and it has been removed."

NCBA responded to USDA in another news release at 4:44 pm- with a statement attributed to JD Alexander-  "We appreciate USDA's swift action in pulling this disparaging statement off its website. USDA publicly stated today that it does not support this campaign. We appreciate USDA making this right. The agency is important to all cattlemen and women, especially as we face unprecedented challenges, including drought and animal rights extremist groups spreading fiction to consumers who need to know the importance of beef in a healthy diet.

"USDA did right by scrapping this statement and acknowledging the important role of America's farm and ranch families in providing food for the world. USDA denouncing support of the Meatless Monday campaign is an important step in correcting misinformation about the safety and sustainability of U.S. beef production." 

Case closed.

Chefs, Nutritionists Attack Bi-Partisan Ag Committee Farm Bill as 'Flawed'

More than 60 chefs, authors, food and agriculture policy and nutrition experts, business leaders and environment and health organizations have sent an open letter to Capitol Hill objecting that the House agriculture committee's proposed farm bill would "steer the next five years of national food and farm policy in the wrong direction."

The signatories urged lawmakers "to vote a resounding 'no' should the legislation come to a House floor vote , unless the bill is extensively rewritten through the amendment process."

Signers include Chefs Mario Batali and Ann Cooper, Food Inc. film director Robert Kenner, authors Michael Pollan and Laurie David, New York University nutrition professor Marion Nestle, pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp and medical expert Dr. Andrew Weil.

"The House bill will leave millions of people without enough food to eat, help fewer farmers and contribute to the loss of millions of acres of wetlands and grasslands," said Ken Cook, president of Environmental Working Group. "Meanwhile the cost of crop insurance is poised to set another record---at the expense of the American taxpayer." 

There's more to this story and a link to the coalition's letter on our web page.  Click here to go there.