New Research Shows Cattle Producers Doing the Right Thing 

Results from the 2012 National Beef Quality Audit show that beef producers are overwhelmingly doing what's right says Jason Ahola, a Colorado State University professor who helped author this year's study. In the second part of a two-part Beef Buzz, Ahola says producers have some surprising reasons for implementing quality assurance practices.

"You would think most producers would say 'I do it because I make more money,' but that was third on the list by a long shot. Only about a third of producers said that. The vast majority of producers--over 80-some, 90-some percent-said 'We do it because it's the right thing to do' and/or 'I do it because I'm committed to continuous improvement.'

"They recognize there's probably money on the table for them doing these things that they're not getting because our beef system is so diverse and large. But they are still saying 'It's important for us to do those things to assure the consumer and maybe someday that money will trickle back more than it has today, but in the meantime, we'll continue doing that because we're committed.'"

Ahola says the surveys show animal well-being was a very high priority on producers' lists. Healthcare and vaccinations play an important part in maintaining quality, but producers said they more highly value stockmanship and good animal handling skills. They say they think low-stress handling techniques make a world of difference to keep quality high.

Click here for Part I of our interview with Jason and you can hear Part II by clicking here.
 

Eighth Governor Asks for RFS Waiver; Ethanol Industry Takes its Case to Governors 

Another governor asks the EPA for a waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard and ethanol industry groups write to the governors explaining why waivers are unnecessary.

Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia is the latest state chief executive to request a waiver. McDonnell said the waiver would provide relief to poultry farmers who are a key industry in his state. Poultry groups were quick to praise McDonnell's move. McDonnell is the eighth governor to ask the EPA to waive its ethanol mandate. To read more about Gov. McDonnell's request and the response from poultry organizations, click here.

The leadership of Growth Energy, a coalition of ethanol producers, wrote a letter to the governors explaining their position on the issue. The letter explained belief of ethanol producers that waiving the mandate would not have a significant impact on corn prices and that market factors, speculation and Mother Nature are the true culprits of increased commodity prices. You can read more from Growth Energy and its letter to the governors by clicking here.

Forage Analysis Can be a Useful Tool to Dispel Doubts About Hay Quality, Selk Says

In the latest Cow-Calf Corner of the OSU Extension newsletter, animal scientist emeritus Glenn Selk says 2012 is a good year to test questionable forage for adequate protein and energy content.

Oklahoma producers find themselves out of their "comfort zone" as they go into the winter of 2012. Many have inadequate forage supplies.   Therefore, if they were fortunate to find another source of hay to purchase, they may have forage of unknown quality and nutritive value.

Forage analysis can be a useful tool to remove some of the mystery concerning the hay that producers will feed this winter. The high cost of protein and energy supplements are further fuel to this advice. Testing the grass hays this year for protein and energy content will help the producer design winter supplementation programs most appropriate for the forage supply that is available. It is hard to think of any year when forage testing was more important.

You can read more about the advantages of forage analysis by clicking here.

State Department of Agriculture Grant Proves Grape Industry Impact

Oklahoma has more than 62 wineries, up from just three wineries in 2000 when State Question 688 established winery tasting rooms. The state ranks 31st in wine production and produces an average of 4,000 cases of wine per year.

There are approximately 139 commercial vineyards operating 439 acres of bearing-age grape vines. Demand for Oklahoma-grown grapes far exceeds the current supply. This relatively young industry is valued at $98.5 million in economic impact to the state and supports 840 full-time equivalent jobs. These are just some of the findings of a recent study of 2010 data conducted by Frank, Rimerman and Co., LLP recognized as the leading research source on the US wine industry.

The Oklahoma Grape Industry Council (OGIC), a nonprofit representing 90 percent of the state's commercial grape and wine industry, used a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to study the economic impact of vineyards and wineries in Oklahoma.

Click here to read more about the grape industry's impact in Oklahoma.

National Crop Insurance Services Sponsors Drought Photo Contest to Raise Awareness of Farmers' Plight

A couple of generations ago, photographers commissioned by the Farm Services Administration fanned out across the country to document the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Such devastating weather-related events can affect people all across the globe and those images recorded by the likes of Dorothea Lange and Arthur Rothstein still speak to us to this day.

The current drought blanketing the United States has the potential to be such a life-changing event. In an attempt to raise awareness about the severity of the situation, and the importance of strong farm policy in a time like this, the National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS)-a coalition of the nation's crop insurance companies-has taken to Facebook and Twitter to host a 90-day photo contest, featuring real drought photos.

The group has asked farmers and ranchers from across the country to submit photos portraying the severity of the consequences these unpredictable weather conditions can impose on our nation's farm families. They don't have to be pretty-just real.

At the close of the contest, the top three photos will be ranked and awarded prizes, including a new iPad and a $500 Visa gift card.

For more information on the contest and how to enter, click here.

CEO Tim Lust Believes Drop Dead Deadline on 2012 Farm Bill is End of the Calendar Year- Not September

Tim Lust of the National Sorghum Producers says no one should be surprised with the impasse over the 2012 farm debate that has developed ahead of the 2012 November elections. Lust told us that "if you had done this radio interview a year ago, you would have predicted all of this" referring to the geographic and commodity differences in what is wanted and needed in ther 2012 farm bill- along with the difficulties in getting political interest in moving a bill just ahead of the general elections this fall. 

Lust seems to be content with the idea of trying to finish the 2012 farm bill process in a lame duck session- after the November elections. He does stress the need to get it done before the end of the calendar year. The prospect of having to start over with a new Congress in 2013 is not one that Lust or many other farm group leaders want to face.


Besides the farm policy process- we also talked about the 2012 grain sorghum crop nationally- prospects for more acres next year for sorghum and of course, ethanol.  Click here to jump over to our webpage and check out our full conversation with Tim Lust that we had on Tuesday evening at the Great Plains Sorghum Conference in Manhattan, Ks.

Beef Cattle Conferences Target Challenges, Profitable Management Strategies

A pair of livestock conferences coordinated by the OSU Cooperative Extension Service will bring cattle producers up-to-date on the latest management, health, and economic issues.

The Wheatland Stocker Conference is scheduled for today at the Cherokee Strip Conference Center at 123 E. Main in Enid. The conference begins at 8:30 a.m. and will run until the middle of the afternoon. It will feature presentations on the economic outlook, managing health and performance in high-risk cattle, OSU's new wheat varieties, and getting the most out of supplementation programs. For more information, click here.

Meanwhile, experts from Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma will be on hand at the Five State Beef Conference next week in Woodward.

The one-day event begins at 2:30 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m. September 4th at the High Plains Technology Center in Woodward.

Conference topics include: Evaluating Alternative and Non-Conventional Feed Sources, Evaluation of Feeding Systems for Maintaining Cattle, Traits and Tools for Retention and Replacement of Females, Managing Range Resources During and Recovering from Drought, and Trends and Changes Impacting Livestock Economics.   Click here for more information. Our friend Dana Bay is helping put this event on- and she needs your RSVP by this Friday to get a meal count for next Tuesday- check out the program and register!