Dr. Charles Cox Looks Back Over Lengthy, Accomplishment-Filled 4-H Career 

Dr. Charles Cox recently retired as a long-time leader with 4-H in Oklahoma. He was honored at a reception given in his honor this week in Stillwater.

Cox started his career as a 4-H agent in Woods County in 1979. He then worked in Logan County and was named curriculum specialist with the state office in 1988. He spent the next 25 years serving in a number of capacities and became the State 4-H Program Leader and Assistant Director for Extension in 2006. He provided leadership for numerous programs including curriculum development, shooting sports, state fairs, Oklahoma Youth Expo, 4-H Roundup activities, Collegiate 4-H and many other activities.

At the national level, Cox served in many leadership roles and also spearheaded innovative grant programs in the areas of healthy living and tribal youth mentoring.

Cox spoke with me about some of the things that have changed over the years and some things that have stayed the same.

"I would say the thing that is the same is the thing that probably needs to stay the same forever and that is the long-term relationships with caring and significant adults because that's what really helps kids be successful. And we see that all the time in 4-H and FFA and other youth programs. And, so, I think that's the hallmark that's so important-those volunteers and parents who are willing to invest in the lives of young people.

"Certainly the projects have changed. There are a lot more than there used to be. As I'm working on some things with the centennial, when I read about some of the agronomic crops that were introduced in different years and a few things kids could do. And, of course, those early corn and tomato clubs and now I think about all the things that they can do from shooting sports and ATVs and, of course, all the livestock things that are kind of a hallmark of the program that are so important."

You can listen to our full conversation or read more of this story by clicking here.

 

Using Sustainability to Bolster Beef Demand Among Millennial Generation Consumers 

Beef sustainability. It means different things to different people. Producers see it one way. Consumers see it another. That's where the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Director of Sustainability Research, Dr. Kim Stackhouse, comes in. Speaking with me at the recent International Livestock Conference-USA in Denver, Stackhouse said the industry must do a better job of reaching consumers with the sustainability message.  

"When we talk about sustainability we have the customer that is driving a lot of these conversations, predominantly the larger customers, the larger retail and restaurant chains, and then we have our consumer. From the consumer's perspective, we've done some consumer research looking at about 1,800 beef eaters and asked them, 'What do you base your decisions on which products to purchase?' Sustainability is starting to rise into that Top 10. So, is it a driver of why people are deciding to purchase beef or not purchasing beef? No, not yet."

Stackhouse said other factors like quality, nutrition, price, safety and value still outrank sustainability, but it is climbing as a factor.

"We look at that as 'back of the mind,' something that we may have an opportunity on which to continue to drive beef demand and potentially increase sales."

Dr. Stackhouse joins me on the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen in or to read the rest of this story.

 

Wheat Price Rebound Good Sign, Kim Anderson Says

Wheat prices have recovered slightly over the last few days and in his preview to this week's SUNUP program, Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson says that is a good sign.

"The last couple of days have had good news relative to prices. At the end of the week wheat prices were up Thursday 12 or 13 cents. I think we've hit the bottom and recovered from the bottom of wheat prices for this marketing year. Now, there's a lot of news out there yet to come in. Wheat's in dormancy so a lot could happen, but I think we've bottomed out, at least for a little while."

Anderson says activity in other parts of the world has driven prices down about $1.25 over the last few months.

"India will start harvesting a record crop in March. In India the government also said that they are going to export and they are already right now exporting wheat out of their stocks. You have Australia that had a larger crop than expected. You've got Argentina that's getting their things straightened out and is starting to export wheat. The hard red winter we stocks are tight and so we've lost exports to these other countries." 

You can catch more of Kim Anderson's analysis by clicking here.

Growth Energy, Corn Growers Praise Bipartisan Senate Letter to EPA Supporting RFS

Yesterday, Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association commended the leadership of a bipartisan group of senators who sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, calling for changes to EPA's proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) rule.

The bipartisan letter was led by Senators Durbin (D-Ill.), Grassley (R-Iowa), Franken (D-Minn.) and Thune (R-S.D.) and reiterates Growth Energy's position that this reduction in RVOs is a misguided policy.

"The leadership by these senators, and by a bipartisan group of representatives in a letter last week, again demonstrates EPA's proposed rule is flawed and contrary to the goals of the RFS," said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. "The EPA should move forward on biofuel policy, not backwards. EPA's misguided proposal would increase our dependence on foreign oil, drive-up the cost for consumers at the pump, restrict consumer choice and threaten the nearly 400,000 jobs of those who work every day to develop a cleaner, American-made fuel."  (Click here for more of Buis's comments and to read the text of the letter sent to the EPA.)

NCGA President Martin Barbre also praised the letter, saying, "We thank the senators and representatives who have stood up for American agriculture and the importance of domestic, renewable ethanol. Slashing the amount of ethanol in our nation's fuel supply at this time is a big mistake, sure to drive up gas prices for all consumers and harm the rural economy by driving the price of corn below the cost of production."  (You can read the rest of the NCGA response by clicking here.)

Fed's Finance Databook Says Capital Spending Slump Drags Down Farm Lending

A slowdown in lending for capital purchases contributed to lower farm loan volumes in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to the Federal Reserve's Agricultural Finance Databook.

According to national survey data collected during the first full week of November, the volume of loans for farm machinery and equipment purchases dropped to the lowest level in more than two years, despite attractive loan terms of low interest rates and longer average maturities.

Strong incomes and a drop in key production costs also limited the need for short-term financing to the farm sector. A rebound in crop production in most regions helped offset a sharp drop in corn prices at harvest, keeping farm income relatively high. In turn, lower corn prices reduced feed costs for livestock operators.

Click here for more of this story and to find a link to the full databook report.

Cattle Raisers Seeking Teams for Chisholm Trail Ranch Rodeo

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) is accepting entries for the first ever Chisholm Trail Ranch Rodeo scheduled for Feb. 7 and 8 in conjunction with the Oklahoma Horse Fair. The two-night event will take place at the Stephens County Fair and Exposition Center in Duncan, Okla.

Twelve teams from Texas and 12 teams from Oklahoma will compete against each other. Half of the entry spots are reserved for teams with full-time ranch employees. The other half are reserved for teams made up of independent individuals.

"This will be a fun and competitive rodeo where teams from both states will compete against each other," said Van Baize, a North Texas rancher and member of the TSCRA association promotion committee. "Not only will teams get to showcase their horsemanship and cattle handling talents, but the winners will have some pretty big bragging rights."

Click here for more information on the ranch rodeo from the TSCRA.  

This N That- Superior Sale Day- National Western Grand Champions Premium Sale and In the Field

It's a pair of sales that will be going today on Rural TV as well as on Superior Click to Bid- as Superior Livestock Auction will be offering 28,900 head today- first in their regular every other week feeder cattle sale- and then immediately after that wraps up- their first Superior Select Replacement Female Auction for 2014.   

The sale begins at 8:00 AM central time- and to learn more about the sale and to access the links that can tell you more about the cattle being sold- click here.  

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The 2014 National Western Livestock Show is rapidly coming to a close- and one of the final parts of the annual open and junior livestock extravaganza is the Premium sale of the 90 top animals of the Junior Show- it appears that we will have several Oklahoma youth in this year's premium auction- the sale of the Grands and Reserve Grands in the four species can be seen live on the internet on the website of the local Denver station that airs it each year- click here and look for their link for live streaming of the sale at 7:30 PM central time this evening.

Among the Oklahomans who will be involved in the premium sale are Destinee Johnson of Frederick and Beau Davis of Guthrie- they had the Grand and Reserve Grand Market Lambs at this year's show- and we just got word that the Grand Champion Steer at this year's show was shown by  Baylor Bonham of Newcastle, who had the Grand Champion Crossbred Steer this week- last year's Grand Champion Steer in Denver brought $100,000!  

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We invite you to watch KWTV News9 in Oklahoma City on Saturday morning and check out our In the Field segment at about 6:40 AM.  Our guest this week will be Dr. Ron Sholar, the Executive Director of the Great Plains Canola Association- we will be talking about the 2014 Canola crop in Oklahoma and he will have details about the upcoming Canola College that will be happening in Enid next month.  If you miss the live segment- we will have the video posted on our website later in the day on Saturday- and it will be posted on our APP as well!