USDA Reminds Producers 2013 Perennial Crops Must Be Insured Before November 30th 

Francie Tolle, executive director of the Oklahoma Farm Service Agency (FSA), reminds producers they have until November 30, 2012 to sign up for 2013 Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for perennial crops.

This deadline applies to perennial crops such as pecans, native and improved grasses intended for hay, plums, asparagus, and honey, which are not covered under Federal crop insurance.

NAP provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters.

"Purchasing a crop insurance policy is an easy way for producers to practice risk management," said Tolle. "This year alone we have seen how natural disasters can directly affect the profitability and recovery of agricultural operations."

In order to meet eligibility requirements for NAP, crops must be a noninsurable, commercially-produced agricultural commodity crops for which the catastrophic risk protection level of crop insurance is not available. If the Risk Management Agency (RMA) offers coverage for a crop in the county, then NAP coverage is not available for that crop.

Click here to learn more about NAP coverage.  

USDA to Collect Final 2012 Crop Inventories 

As the 2012 growing season comes to an end, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather final year end production numbers.

"Following a second growing season with unprecedented weather-related challenges in many parts of the country, farm and ranch operators can help ensure the data are complete and accurate by participating in this survey," explained Wilbert Hundl, Jr., director of the NASS Oklahoma Field Office. "We hope producers realize the importance of the information gathered and take the time to fill it out."

"Data collected from this survey will be combined with the County Agricultural Production Survey responses and used in calculating county yields," said Hundl.  

During the first two weeks of December, NASS will contact selected Oklahoma producers by mail, telephone or in person and ask them to provide information on their 2012 production of row crops and hay, wheat seedings, and on-farm stocks. The information will be compiled, analyzed and then published in a series of USDA reports, including the Crop Production Annual Summary and quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on January 11, 2013. 

To read more, click here.

 

Chef-to-Chef: Certified Angus Beef Identifies 13 Trends for '13

Everybody likes to envision the year ahead and plan accordingly. You can't predict the weather, and the markets stay behind a cloud most of the time, but what about trends with beef products? Those are just a little easier to call.

The Certified Angus Beef Brand (CAB®) recently hosted a diverse group of chefs from around the country at its Education & Culinary Center in Wooster, Ohio. The Chefs Panel represented a cross-section of restaurateurs, corporate chefs and academia who discussed the past year, exchanged ideas and anticipated trends in the kitchen for 2013.

Here's just a sample of what they see shaping up for the upper end of food service in '13:  

• The Year of the Strip: Showcase the flavorful strip steak instead of those traditional middle-meat favorites, the ribeye and filet.
• Surf & Turf 2.0: Make use of more economical cuts like the ball tip and teres major, paired with seafood options, currently available at lower market prices.
• History Tells Us: Reintroduce guests to alternative cuts of flavorful beef that have been braised and slowly cooked in international cultures for centuries.

For the full 13 for '13 list, please click here.

Stewardship, Neighbor-to-Neighbor Farming Urged

The American Farm Bureau Federation is pleased with the outcome of a year-long discussion of the Agriculture Department's Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture on ways to promote coexistence in agriculture. The AC21 presented its report to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to be used as guidance to enhance working relationships among farmers growing different types of crops, specifically biotech and non-biotech crops.

In 2011, Vilsack tasked the AC21 with providing recommendations for strengthening coexistence among various agricultural production methods. The wheat industry representative on the AC21 Comittee is Keith Kisling of Burlington, Okla. American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President Barry Bushue, also a member of the AC21, said the report's recommendations could benefit all of agriculture.   

The AC21 report highlights the importance of diversity in U.S. agriculture and the history of successful coexistence in identity-preserved markets, whereby production practices maintain each crop's integrity and purity.

"Finding ways to work together to serve specialty, high-value markets is one of the greatest strengths of the U.S. agriculture industry," said Bushue. 

You can read more by clicking here.

 

Sorghum Silage Insurance Expanded for Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation board of directors on Nov. 15 approved expansion of the existing sorghum silage pilot program. This expansion will enable 59 additional counties in New Mexico and the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles to insure irrigated forage sorghum acres for the 2013 crop year.

"NSP recognized a need to strengthen this program and provide more viable cropping options for farmers dealing with limited water," said National Sorghum Producers board of directors Vice Chairman J.B. Stewart, a sorghum producer from Keyes, Okla. "Sorghum silage is a more drought-tolerant crop that decreases water use while promoting sustainability, so not only are we appreciative of the growers and agents who helped provide information for this product, but we are also very grateful for RMA's dedication to bringing this expansion to growers in 2013."

National Sorghum Producers worked extensively with the Risk Management Agency to provide data from sorghum silage trials and from individual producers. The expansion will enable growers to insure a more water-efficient crop alternative in an area where there are many dairy and cattle feeding operations, and demand for silage is high.

You'll find more about sorghum silage insurance on our web page by clicking here.

 

Rural Women Leaders Gather for December Rally

Rural women leaders from around the state will gather for the annual Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women's winter rally Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the Double Tree Hotel, Tulsa, Okla.

"This is a great opportunity for rural women to improve their leadership skills," said Kitty Beavers, OFB Women's Leadership Committee chairperson.

The Friday schedule includes a weather seminar by Tulsa News On 6 meteorologist Travis Meyers; a session on global marketing challenges; Ag in the Classroom seminar; and a silent auction to benefit Oklahoma Farm Bureau's Farming and Ranching Foundation.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy will address the group Saturday morning followed by seminars on the state's AgriAbility program and a session on safely reusing medical equipment. 

For more information about the Women's Leadership Committee program, click here.

 

This N That- Awfully Dry Wheat Pics, The Work Week in the US House and a Thank You from the Hays Family 

How Dry Is It?  That's the question posed and answered(in part) by state wheat specialist Dr. Jeff Edwards in his first posting of a wheat blog that he has established. Last week, just ahead of the holiday- Jeff got out and checked his Oklahoma Wheat Commission sponsored wheat plots at several locations.  He was dismayed at what he saw- "The bottom line is that we are in desperate need of moisture in Oklahoma. Early-sown wheat is backpedaling quickly and cannot hold on too much longer. Much of the later sown wheat has yet to emerge." Click here to read his post and to check the pictures he shared.

**********

There is still HOPE that the US House Leadership will include the 2012 Five Year Farm Bill as passed by the House Ag Committee in a Fiscal Clift deal- using that bill as part of the savings neeed by lawmakers.  If they don't use it- any chance of getting a farm bill deal before the end of the calendar year is rapidly going out the window- evidence of that is seen in the latest House Leader's Weekly Schedule- Click here to check it out.  There is NO mention of the House Ag Committee's Farm Bill being brought to the floor by Eric Cantor this week. 

**********

Finally, today is a bittersweet day for me as we hold services in Versailles, Ky for my Mom, who passed away this past Thursday after what was a relatively brief illness.  I wrote of her battle this past Wednesday in our email in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday- and so many friends offered prayers and good wishes for our family.  Each word that many of you offered was very much appreciated- and while we say goodbye to a lady that everyone we have talked to in this little town I grew up in had such a high opinion of- I know that one day I will see her again in Heaven- and it's not because of her good deeds- or my good deeds- but because of a common belief that a man named Jesus is who He claimed to be.