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USMEF Worried Farm Bill Expiration Could Harm Meat Export Efforts

The possible expiration of the 2008 Farm Bill without a replacement is a real concern for organizations that promote U.S. agricultural products overseas. The expiration of the current bill at the end of September will mean a lapse in funding for the Market Access Program.

Phil Seng is the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, an organization that has made use of MAP funds to successfully promote beef, pork, and lamb sales to new markets. He says the U.S. is one of the world's largest agricultural exporters with about $141 billion dollars worth of sales abroad last year. He says the Obama administration has spoken about doubling those exports and the MAP program is necessary to achieve that goal.

"It's critical to the viability of U.S. agriculture and critical to the success of agriculture as we go forward."

Seng says the dollars provided by the various checkoff programs are matched by the MAP dollars which multiplies their effectiveness.

If those matching funds lapse along with the farm bill at the end of the month, Seng worries that there will be damage to U.S. exports. He is joined in his concerns by the U.S. Feed Grains Council, and U.S. Wheat Associates. Seng says Congress will need to reauthorize the program's funding either by passing the 2012 Farm Bill or authorizing a separate appropriation to keep exports on track.

Phil Seng joins us on the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen to more of Phil's comments. 

Oklahomans Fare Well in 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship Qualifier 

Several Oklahoma contestants--and others with Oklahoma connections--fared well in the first qualifying competition for the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship.  Blaine Lotz of Edna, Kansas took first place on Sept. 15 at Mid America Stockyards in Bristow, Okla. Defeating 21 contestants, Lotz qualified  for the WLAC for the second consecutive year.  He is sponsored by South Coffeyville Stockyard, South Coffeyville, Okla. and Fredonia Livestock Auction, Fredonia, Kan.

Ashley Noland, Amarillo, Texas was the Reserve Champion of the day, sponsored by Hollis Commission, Hollis, Okla. and Elk City Livestock Auction, Elk City, Okla. Runner-up Champion was Tracy Sullivan, Prague, Okla., sponsored by Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction, Ada, Okla., Woodward Livestock Auction, Woodward, Okla. and Holdenville Livestock Market, Holdenville, Okla.

Seven additional contestants rounded out the top 10: Mike Godberson, Pawnee, Okla.; Andrew McDowell, Vandalia, Ill.; Justin Mebane, Bakersfield, Calif.; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Ky.; Jason Santomaso, Sterling, Colo.; Russle Sleep, Bedford, Iowa; and Preston Smith, Dodge City, Kan.

These top ten auctioneers have earned their places in the semi-finals at the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, hosted by Montgomery Stockyards, LLC, in Montgomery, Ala., on June 14-15. 
 

Click here to read more.

NACD Applauds NRCS-FWS Agreement to Extend Regulatory Certainty

National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Gene Schmidt applauded the recent agreement between the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to extend wildlife conservation efforts on working agricultural lands.

"Producers who are doing the right thing for the land deserve to have long-term regulatory certainty," said Schmidt. "This historic agreement provides the predictability producers and landowners need to plan ahead and make wise decisions when it comes to the health of their businesses and the health of their land."

The agreement, announced Sept. 17, will provide long-term regulatory predictability for up to 30 years to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) Initiative.

"The NRCS-FWS initiative strikes a common-sense, workable balance between gainful agriculture production and the protection of sensitive wildlife habitat," Schmidt continued. "Providing regulatory assurance will encourage producers to make long-term investments in habitat projects and other landscape scale conservation practices on their land. These investments, in turn, benefit all of us, through healthier air, water and soil, and ultimately a safer and more secure food supply."
 

Conditioning is Everything When Growing Bred Replacement Heifers, Selk Says

In the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter, Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist, says particular attention needs to be paid now to conditioning bred heifers for optimal health.

Bred replacement heifers that will calve in January and February need to continue to grow and maintain body condition. Ideally, two year old heifers should be in a body condition score "6" at the time that their first calf is born. This allows them the best opportunity to provide adequate colostrum to the baby, repair the reproductive tract, return to heat cycles, rebreed on time for next year, and continue normal body growth. From now until calving time, the heifers will need to be gaining about 1 pound per head per day, assuming that they are in good body condition coming out of summer.

Heifers will need supplemental protein, if the major source of forage in the diet is bermudagrass or native pasture or grass hay. If the forage source is adequate in quantity and average in quality (6 - 9% crude protein), heifers will need about 2 pounds of a high protein (38 - 44% CP) supplement each day. This will probably need to be increased with higher quality hay (such as alfalfa) or additional energy feed (20% range cubes) as winter weather adds additional nutrient requirements. Soybean hulls or wheat-mids may also be used to insure adequate energy intake of pregnant heifers.

To read more of Glenn Selk's recommendations, click here.

National Farm Safety and Health Week Puts Spotlight on Family Farms

The International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health urges everyone involved in agriculture to recognize National Farm Safety and Health Week (September 16-22) and promote awareness of safety solutions year round. This year's theme, "Agricultural Safety and Health ... A Family Affair," focuses on the family farm.

"Although farming in many regions is moving toward larger operations, a great percentage of the agricultural industry is still based on the family unit," said ISASH President George Cook, University of Vermont. "The protection and well-being of farm family members remains one of the guiding principles of ISASH."

Agriculture is more than seven times as hazardous as other U.S. industries, with 621 fatalities in 2010, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injury.

ISASH approaches agricultural safety and health from multiple perspectives. Its membership includes engineers, educators, insurers, physicians, nurses, veterinarians, statisticians, communicators, business leaders and others who contribute to a safer and healthier agricultural work place.
 

NCGA Joins Effort to Oppose California's Biotech Labeling Mandate

Citing numerous concerns about a fundamentally flawed ballot measure, the National Corn Growers Association has joined a large and broad coalition to oppose California Proposition 37, which, if approved by voters in November, will require labeling of some food products sold in that state that contain genetically engineered ingredients.

"We have several good reasons to oppose Prop. 37," said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer. "First and foremost, while requiring a specific label about genetic modification, this added information says nothing about food nutrition, dietary requirements or food safety. And it does nothing to educate consumers about what biotechnology really means. While some tout this as a 'right to know' it actually will lead to more confusion that will cost farmers, consumers and California taxpayers at a time the state and its citizens cannot afford it." 

In addition, it is important to remember the benefits of biotechnology. The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, and the National Academy of Sciences and other similar institutions have determined that food made with ingredients derived from modern biotechnology is at least as safe as, and in some cases safer than, food that has not been made with such ingredients. And biotechnology helps agriculture sustainability. Farmers can grow more food per acre, using fewer inputs like pesticides on a per-bushel basis. 

You can read more of this story on our website by clicking here.

OSU Schedules Rural Economic Outlook Conference November 9th 

Insights about trends and expectations regarding agriculture and rural economies will be the focus of the Rural Economic Outlook Conference taking place Nov. 9 on Oklahoma State University's Stillwater campus. 

"We'll be examining key issues that may significantly affect decisions made by agricultural lenders, community and rural leaders, and people in similar positions during the coming year," said Damona Doye, OSU Cooperative Extension farm management specialist.

"We're especially pleased to have OSU Distinguished Agriculture Alumnus Dick Crowder, professor of international trade at Virginia Tech University, on hand to provide insights about the implications of globalization on Oklahoma and U.S. agriculture, and Chad Wilkerson of the Oklahoma City branch of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, who will lead a session on The Fed and the economy in the United States and Oklahoma," Doye said.

Click here for more information on the conference and how you can register.