Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Sees Things Heating Up at Home and in Washington 

There is a multitude of issues facing Oklahoma farmers and ranchers on the local and national levels. The drought, of course, is front and center currently, but Mike Spradling, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, tells us in a recent interview that there are other issues of importance to his members as well.

"I guess you could say things are not only heating up here, but they're heating up in D.C. as well. We're very disappointed, of course, the American Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. We want to see a farm bill this year. Whether that's going to happen is still up in the air."

He says livestock producers are breathing just a little easier following the passage of the livestock disaster relief bill in the House, but their relief may prove to be short lived.

"It's admirable of Congressman Lucas to have some sort of solution for the drought assistance for our farmers and ranchers here in the state of Oklahoma, but some of that certainly may be to no avail. Because if we know the Senate's not going to address it, that exercise may have been all in vain."

Spradling says his organization is a little frustrated with the reluctance in Congress to, once and for all, take up the farm bill.

"Solving this by a patch here and a patch there is not really going to get us where we need to go. Most of the things we are trying to patch with are already included in the farm bill, so let's just go ahead and address it and get it over with." 

You can hear our full conversation by clicking here.

Mesonet Set to Launch Cattle Comfort Advisor Tool 

Sitting on the couch, enjoying the air conditioning and sipping on a cold drink definitely hits the spot for many Oklahomans who have been battling the 100 F plus temperatures outside. However, cattle don't enjoy those same luxuries.

"We all know that the current heat we are experiencing has been tough on people and animals," said Al Sutherland, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension assistant specialist. "At the Oklahoma Mesonet, we are in the final stages of bringing a new Cattle Comfort Advisor online."

Reading a thermometer will tell us it is hot outside, but it will not give us the true story of what it feels like to cattle. The Cattle Comfort Advisor aims to do just that.

"This is not the air temperature, but a best estimate of the temperature cattle are exposed to when impacts are added in for sunlight, wind and relative humidity," Sutherland said. "These additional weather variables can have a dramatic impact on cattle heating or cooling. This summer, sunlight is adding a big heat load and sending triple digit temperatures to potentially lethal levels for cattle."  

Click here to learn more about this new Mesonet service which will debut this week. 

Watch Out for U.S. Drought Impact on Wheat Feeding, Wheat Associates President Cautions

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Alan Tracy is cautioning U.S. wheat farmers and the world's wheat buyers to keep a close watch on how the deteriorating world corn supply situation changes feed wheat demand as 2012/13 progresses. Speaking at the USW Summer Board Meeting on July 6, Tracy said U.S. corn production is likely to be much lower than what the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted at that time and that feed demand around the world will continue to siphon more wheat from milling supplies throughout the year.

Since his remarks, the relentless drought in the United States prompted the International Grains Council to lower its world corn production estimate from 917 million metric tons (MMT) to 864 MMT and USDA to reduce its world estimate from 950 MMT to 905 MMT, with expectations USDA will further trim its estimate on August 10.

Corn supplies were already tight entering the 2012/13 marketing year because world consumption has increased 12 percent in the last five years while world production increased just 10 percent. Nearly 60 percent of total world corn consumption is dedicated to feed use each year, but tighter supplies mean less corn is available to meet growing feed demand, forcing feeders to look for alternatives. As was the case in 2011/12, feeders will likely rely more heavily on wheat this year than in prior years.

Click here for more on this developing story.

OSU Extension Offers Tips for Protecting Your Home from Wildfire

The recent wildfires throughout Oklahoma have sparked the interest of homeowners who have watched houses go up in flames too many times this summer.

To increase your house's chances of surviving the next wildfire, Terry Bidwell, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension rangeland ecology and management specialist, said to start with a chainsaw, rake and a lawnmower.

"You want to create a defensible space of about 100 feet all the way around the house," he said. "Keeping the grass short and the trees trimmed is vital to the safety of your home." 

For more tips and a link to more information from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, click here.

Fallout from the Drought Will Make Re-Introduction of LFTB to the Marketplace Necessary, Analyst Says

As feed-grain and beef supplies tighten and increase in price, Don Close, vice-president of Rabobank's Food and Agribusiness Research and Advisory group, predicts that the portion of the U.S. beef supply that consisted of Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) will return to grocers' meat cases. Close authored a recent study which says beef supplies will be so tight that we simply will not have the luxury of wasting such a valuable source of protein.

"The bottom line is we've got a product that's absolutely wholesome. We've got a product with an impeccable food-safety history. And we've got a product that reduces the cost of lean beef blends in the grocery store. So, if you've got those three things in favor of the product, they're certainly overall supportive.

"The real driver that we saw is that as we see the total of beef supplies contract over the next 18 months to two years, and certainly with the added pressure we're now seeing with feed-grain prices where they are, and the likelihood of contraction in all edible protein, we're looking at increasing prices down the road that we simply don't he luxury to waste two percent of our overall beef supply." 

Don Close has more to say in the latest edition of the Beef Buzz.  Click here for more on the possible return of LFTB. 

DuPont Leader Praises Farmers for Helping Solve the Global Food Challenge

DuPont Executive Vice President James C. Borel praised U.S. farmers and their families for their contributions to address global food security and stressed the importance of more collaboration at the opening of a pavilion focused on food and agriculture at the Indiana State Fair today.

"The challenges to feeding the world grow more complex each day, but I am optimistic that together we can bring real solutions to address them. No one company, region, government or organization can do this alone," said Borel. "Farmers, in particular, play an important role in helping to feed the world; and I realize this year, they are facing a number of challenges. But I am confident that farmers will continue to rise up to meet the needs of a growing population."

You can read more from James Borel by clicking here. 

This N That- Rainfall Arrives in Norhern Oklahoma, A Thank You to Oklahoma Ag Ed Teachers- and Board Meeting Week 

Rainfall amounts across Oklahoma in the last three days has pushed over one inch in at least three Oklahoma Mesonet sites, with Nowata County, Osage County and Kay County all recording more than an inch of rain after an extended period of dry, hot conditions. Rainfall was mostly confined to the northern tier of counties as these latest showers did little to put a dent in the expanding drought that grips much of the heartland of the nation. We have the rainfall map for Oklahoma from the weekend to share with you- click here to take a look.  

I want to say thanks for the recognition from the Oklahoma Association of Agricultural Educators at their summer conference today in OKC- they have recognized me with their Outstanding Cooperator Award for 2012. These men and ladies do a wonderful job in teaching young people about agriculture and life- and advising them in their efforts as a part of the FFA organization- or as oldtimers like to call it- the Future Farmers of America. They also announced that I have been selected as the Region 2 winner for this award at the National level as well. This award means just a little bit extra- as my dad was a Vo-Ag teacher as I grew up in Kentucky- and I had an insider view of how much these men and women care about the young men and ladies they mentor. Click here for a quick story on this honor that we posted on our website on Friday.

There are a couple of board meetings coming up on Tuesday- one is the monthly board meeting of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission- set for El Reno, Oklahoma.  Tomorrow morning- they will hold their board meeting- then after lunch, the annual Wheat Review for this past year's wheat crop will be held. Click here for the agenda for the Board meeting planned for tomorrow morning.  Besides the OWC- you also have the monthly board meeting for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture set for the Spradling Flying G Ranch in Tulsa County tomorrow afternoon at 2 Pm- as of early this morning- the agenda for that meeting had not been posted on their web site.