Vinita FFA Chapter is Model of Innovation Winner- Kingfisher FFA Makes Finals in Ag Issues- Our Friday Morning Update From Indy!

The Vinita High School FFA Chapter was named winner of the 2012 Model of Innovation - Student Development award by the National FFA Organization Thursday. Student Development serves as one of three FFA Model of Innovation award areas geared to drive complete development of an FFA chapter. This award recognizes Vinita FFA as one of the elite chapters in the nation in this category- we have details of their achivements that you can read by clicking here. 

The Kingfisher FFA Chapter offered a very impressive Ag Issues presentation on Thursday afternoon in the national finals of that contest. The issue they selected was whether Kingfisher needed to update their airport and include a paved runway in that update. The members of the team developed arguments on both sides of the issue, made presentations back home to groups like Kiwanis, the Lions Club and the Farm Bureau before coming to the National Convention- and then made their presentation three times here in Indy.We talked with a couple of the team members after their FINALS presentation- you can hear our visit with Jami Adams and Caitlyn Minton as a part of our Friday morning update by clicking here.

Playing the waiting game are many of the teams and indivduals who have competed on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.  That includes Tanner Allread of Union City who hopes to become the fourth National Public Speaking Champion in as many years from Oklahoma- he spoke in the finals yesterday and presented his speech well- and knocked his questions out of the park- it will not be a surprise if he is named the winner of that contest tonight when it is announced. Click here for our earlier conversation with this young man who speaks so eloquently about the 2012 Farm Bill process.

You also have Marty Jones of Owasso waiting to see if he makes the cut from 24 down to 6- that's the number of slots open on the National Officer Team for 2012-2013.  Click here to listen to our quick visit with Marty Thursday evening after a sponsor's dinner here in Indy.

Looking ahead to today and Saturday- we have lots to report on- and we invite you to follow us on Twitter- click here for that- we will have updates as we move from one location to the next on this Friday.  We also invite you to go back to our Blue Green Gazette on a periodic basis- and you will see the latest stories we have on the FFA Convention there.

Finally- our thanks to Kelsie Williams and Annie Jo Gilbert- two of our Oklahoma State FFA officers- they helped us take pictures yesterday- they did a great job and you can see their work which is now a part of our Flickr set of photos from the 2012 National FFA Convention- click here to go and take a look! 

Looking for Ways to Survive and Prosper in Today's Beef Business 

How do beef producers thrive and prosper in 2013? OSU Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel says cow-calf operators, stocker producers, and feedlot operators all need to be ready to embrace change.

"I do think we've kind of turned the corner into a different way of operating as an industry. From a very long-term view I don't expect grains to be as cheap in the future as they have been in the past. And in a world of higher-priced grains, that really implies structural change in the beef industry.

"Over the last really long period of time, 40 years or more, we've evolved from a more forge-based industry to a very grain-intensive industry. And the reality of high-priced grain and high-priced fuel and fertilizer that goes along with that implies that we probably go back to being a more forage-based industry."

Peel says it's not about turning the clock back to old tried and true methods.  He says producers need to anticipate possible opportunities as industry economics evolve and be prepared to take capitalize.

You can hear more from Derrell Peel in the latest Beef Buzz by clicking here.

Cold Snap Brings Little Rain, No Drought Relief

Temperatures which have been unseasonably warm for late October began plummeting with the passage of a cold front Thursday. Meteorologists expect to see freezing temperatures over a large part of the state by Saturday.

Associate State Climatologist Garry McManus says the cooler temperatures will slow evaporation from topsoil and reservoirs, but will do nothing to alleviate drought conditions.

Over 27% of the state remains in exceptional drought, dominated by those hard-hit areas in northern Oklahoma. Virtually the entire state remains in severe-exceptional drought according to the Drought Monitor. It is a very similar picture to last year at this time, although probably a little better this year than last, McManus says. 

You can read more from Garry McManus and see the latest drought map by clicking here.

Oklahoma Pork Council Feeds Hungry Oklahomans

Thanks to the Oklahoma Pork Council (OPC) and Blue and Gold Sausage, 7,500 pounds of sausage was donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. This donation will provide 30,000 four-ounce servings of pork to Oklahomans in need.

"Oklahoma's pork producers are proud to partner with the Regional Food Bank again this year to make sure hungry Oklahomans have access to high-quality, nutritious protein," said Roy Lee Lindsey, Oklahoma Pork Council executive director. "The Food Bank plays a central role in directly helping tens of thousands of hungry citizens in our state and Oklahoma's pork producers look forward to helping in that effort each year."

The donation from okPORK is a part Governor Mary Fallin's Third Annual Feeding Oklahoma Food and Fund Drive. The goal of the drive is to raise 1.2 million meals to help feed hungry families, children and seniors this holiday season.

The Regional Food Bank provides enough food to help feed more than 90,000 people each week. In August, the nonprofit distributed more than 3.4 million pounds of food. Yet, it is not enough.

To read more or to learn how you can help, please click here.

Corn Stocks Could Build In 2013-2014 Marketing Year, Anderson Says

In a preview to this week's SUNUP program, OSU Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson says corn stocks could be building next year. He says three reports this week show producers are hoping to take advantage of trends toward higher prices.

"All three reports project that we're going to have increased planted acres on corn next year, that even if we have slightly below trend-line yields that we could rebuild corn stocks in the 2013-2014 marketing year up to 1.8 to 1.9 billion bushels. And I think a good part of this is because the United States was a major corn producer. We still are a major corn producer, but you've got a lot of corn being raised now in Argentina and Brazil and other countries."

"Wheat prices continue to wallow around with that December contract in that sideways pattern between $8.69 and $9.57. Like we talked about last week, we did move into the upper half of that. Corn is moving in a sideways pattern from $7.32 to $7.76 on the December contract on Chicago. And then, of course, the July contract on wheat, which a lot of producers are watching, it broke the $9 resistance and it's got resistance at $9.15."

You can listen to more of Kim Anderson's analysis as well as check out this week's SUNUP lineup by clicking here.

 

Cattle Raisers Set to Host Ranch Gathering in Woodward

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) will host a ranch gathering Monday, Oct. 29, at the Woodward Livestock Auction in Woodward, Okla. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by a complimentary beef dinner.

Ben Eggleston, TSCRA special ranger, will discuss theft cases in the area and how ranchers can protect their assets against thieves. Additionally, Marissa Patton, TSCRA director of government affairs, will update the crowd on recent legislative activities in Austin and Washington, D.C.

"TSCRA ranch gatherings are a great place for folks to get together and discuss what's going on in the cattle business and how they can get involved," said Joe Parker Jr., rancher and TSCRA president. "These gatherings aren't just for TSCRA members. Anyone interested in the cattle industry is invited to attend."

The event is open to the public and RSVPs are requested at 800-242-7820, ext. 192, or rsvp@tscra.org.

 

Shorthorn 500 and Kris Black Sales Scheduled for Tomorrow

There are a couple of auctions coming up this weekend to keep in mind.  The Shorthorn 500 Production Sale will take place in Marietta tomorrow.  Also on tap Saturday is Kris Black's Cream of the Crop Annual Fall Bull Sale at the ranch near Crawford.

Cattle in the Shorthorn 500 sale can be viewed today or tomorrow morning.  The sale begins at 1 p.m. at the Brooks Cattle Sale Facility.  For a full list of breeders involved, click here.  For more information you can call Sale Consultant Jeff Aegerter in Seward, Neb., at 402-641-4696 or Sale Manager Alan Sears at 970-396-7521.

Kris Black's Cream of the Crop sale will offer 118 bulls and 400 units of semen, including several Angus, SimAngus, Charolais, and Composite bulls.  Click here for their online sale catalog.  You can also contact Kris for more information at 580-309-0711.