President Obama Travels to Michigan and Signs 2014 Farm Bill 

President Barack Obama Friday signed the 2014 Farm Bill into law at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. The law spreads benefits to all famers in every region of the country and in every production sector. The bill also slightly trims the food stamp program.

In remarks delivered before the signing, Obama said the law would help increase jobs, innovation, research and conservation.

The president acknowledged the difficulties in getting the bill passed, but commended Senators Debbie Stabenow and Thad Cochran and Representatives Frank Lucas and Colin Peterson for their efforts.

The bill cuts direct government payments to farmers, but bolsters federal crop insurance. Most of the bill's $100 billion in expenditures, however, are targeted for the food stamp program that serves more than one seventh of all Americans.

The bill garnered bipartisan support in its passage in both the House and Senate, but only Democrats attended today's signing ceremony.

Obama's trip to Michigan to sign the bill was a reward to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow who helped broker the bill's final compromise.

President Obama also mentioned to the assembled crowd that he had lunch with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. Duggan took office last month amidst Detroit's bankruptcy filing, the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

You can read a transcript of the President's remarks or listen to them by clicking here.  

On Friday- we also had several groups quickly offer praise that the President signed the bill and we are now ready to implement the Agricultural Act of 2014- We have posted those comments on our website and you can read them by clicking on the name of the group:

American Farm Bureau

National Corn Growers

National Farmers Union 

National Association of Wheat Growers

Frankly Speaking: Farm Bill Provides Safety Net for Producers and Consumers 

By Frank Lucas

Congress delivered America's farmers, ranchers and consumers what they deserve by passing the Agricultural Act of 2014 - commonly referred to as the farm bill. This five-year comprehensive bill ensures producers have the tools they need to provide an affordable and stable food and fiber supply.

Just like production agriculture in Oklahoma and rural America, farm policy has come a long way since the first farm bill, the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. At the time, our country was in the middle of the greatest depression in national history, and terrible dust bowl conditions were rampant. America's farmers and ranchers were in desperate need of assistance, so President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first farm bill into law to help address these issues.

While the current farm bill may not look at all like the original bill drafted in 1933, the ultimate goal remains the same - to provide a strong safety net so we can continue to be the preeminent source of food and fiber for the world. 

You can read more of Congressman Lucas's remarks by clicking here. 

A Host of Farm Groups Form Coalition to Advocate for Action on a Federal GMO Labeling Solution

American farmers and representatives from a diverse group of almost 30 industry and non-governmental organizations today announced the formation of the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food and urged Congress to quickly seek a federal solution that would establish standards for the safety and labeling of food and beverage products made with genetically modified ingredients.

"American families deserve safe, abundant and affordable food," said NCGA President Martin Barbre. "America's farmers rely on this proven technology to protect crops from insects, weeds and drought, enabling us to deliver on that promise and to do so through sustainable means. A federal solution on GMO labeling will bolster consumer confidence in the safety of American food by reaffirming the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's role as the nation's foremost authority on the use and labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients."

Click here for more of the coalition's proposals on GMO labeling. 

NCBA CEO Sees Bright Future Ahead for Beef Industry

If there is one word to describe the cattle industry right now, National Cattlemen's Beef Association CEO Forrest Roberts says it would have to be "optimism." In recapping this past week's Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn., Roberts told me the mood was infectious. 

"The really neat thing is we've had great attendance, great engagement and a big turnout of people with smiles on their faces."

Roberts attributed those smiles to the prospect of continuing high beef prices in the future and the lessening of drought conditions across much of the beef-producing areas of the United States.

Going forward, Roberts said, he sees the beef industry at a crossroads with many opportunities set before it.

He also spoke about the need for increasing the dollar-per-head beef checkoff which has lost over 50 percent of its purchasing power since it was instituted in 1985.  

Click here to read more of this story or to listen to my interview with Forrest Roberts  

Meetings This Week- One Cancelled and Two Still On Tap- Cattle, Soybeans and Canola

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Meanwhile, the weather seems to be ready to get better then second half of this week- which bodes well for the 2014 Oklahoma Soy Expo to go on as scheduled this coming Wednesday, February 12 in Stillwater.

We have details including the agenda that you can take a look at online by clicking here. 

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On Thursday- the 2014 Canola College is scheduled- this all day educational event is set for the Garfield County Fairgrounds Pavilion.

This will be the premier canola education/training event in the region in 2014. Anyone with an interest in canola will want to be part of this event where they will be able to share ideas and experiences with canola experts and more than 300 new and veteran canola producers and industry members.

Click here for more details and a link over to the OSU Canola website where you can register to attend this free event.

Oklahoman Continues Contribution to Phenomenal Success of the Angus Breed

John Pfeiffer from Mulhall, Oklahoma, has been re-elected to a second three-year term on the American Angus Association board. Pfeiffer is also on the board of directors with Certified Angus Beef. I caught up with him at this past week's Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn., and we talked about the phenomenal success now being enjoyed by the Angus breed. 

"Everybody likes to talk about our overnight success," Pfeiffer jokes. "They just don't realize the 22 years-actually this is our 35th year-so they don't talk about the first 15 years that things didn't go very well.

"We set another record year in sales. We're beginning to talk now about a billion pounds by, maybe, 2016. And, if things continue the way they are, and the certification traits stay the way they are, we think it's a real possibility as demand for the product continues to grow."

You can read more or listen to our full conversation by clicking here.  By the way- John is another Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Success Story- he and I were both a part of Class One of OALP a "few" years back.

This N That- Drizzle, Snow and Sun; and a GoodBye to Share

The latest round of winter weather is unfolding- the most recent snowfall grapic is up on our website this morning- courtesy of our friends at News on 6.   

After the potential for some freezing drizzle today- we jump above freezing Wednesday head straight for the 60s by this coming weekend!  Click here to check the snowfall graphic- as as well as the Jed Castles' forecast from News9 for the entire week.

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My dad has gone home.

Bob Hays had a great life. He was proud to be a country boy, a World War 2 Vet who served in the Pacific, a Vo-Ag Teacher and later a Junior High Science Teacher, a farmer, a husband, a dad, a follower of Jesus Christ and a Sunday School Teacher.

So much of who I am- the good and the not so good- is because of him. He never quite understood why I left Kentucky for my first farm broadcast job- and why I never returned- but he supported me and got to see a little of the recognition I have been given over the years.  One of those times was when my folks were able to see their son receive the honorary American Farmer Degree when the National FFA Convention moved to Louisville a few years ago.

The heart break of losing his beloved Ruth on Thanksgiving a year ago and the pain of a failing body are now over- they are left here- he is in Heaven- and while I am sad- I am also glad and also thankful that God allowed me to have this man in my life for almost 62 years.