Benefits of El Nino Delayed Until Later, Bryce Anderson Says 

In the short term, it's going to be a cooler-than-normal spring across the Midwest while the Southwestern Plains will see warmer-than-normal temperatures. Any relief provided by an El Nino in the Pacific won't come until later. That's according to DTN Meteorologist Bryce Anderson. Anderson spoke with me at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

"Things are pretty well locked in right now with being on the below-normal temperature side and going into the true spring season I think what we're going to see is a pretty cool trend in the Midwest. Over the Southwestern Plains, I could see things getting warmer much quicker. We're starting to see some of that already. And, of course, unfortunately, because of the drier soils that we've got going on in the Southwestern Plains, that's going to allow those temperatures to warm up at a much faster rate."

Some forecast models have called for an El Nino condition to set up in the Pacific Ocean in late spring or early summer leading to milder temperatures and more rainfall in late summer. Anderson says he does see the possibility for an El Nino, but he believes the timing will be different.

"The analysis that we've done really looks like El Nino is going to be a later-developing feature and not really setting up until that July-August period especially. The U.S. forecast models show the Pacific temperatures rising to about a plus just under one degree Celsius above normal by late July or so. And the Australian forecast models are around half-a-degree Celsius above normal. That is really a weak feature. That's not a really substantial El Nino.

You can read the rest of Bryce Anderson's analysis or listen to our conversation by clicking here.  

USDA Designates Dewey County in Oklahoma as a Primary Natural Disaster Area

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Dewey County in Oklahoma as a primary natural disaster area due to the recent drought.

Our hearts go out to those Oklahoma farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural disasters," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "President Obama and I are committed to ensuring that agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation's economy by sustaining the successes of America's farmers, ranchers, and rural communities through these difficult times. We're also telling Oklahoma producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood."

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in Oklahoma also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those counties are: Blaine, Ellis, Roger Mills, Custer, Major and Woodward.

Click here to read the rest of this story.
 

Growing Canola Turns Producers Into Better Farmers, Jeff Scott Says 

Participation at Thursday's Canola College event in Enid surpassed the organizers' expectations with a mixture of farmers new to the crop as well as old hands. About 400 farmers with varying exposures to growing canola attended.

Jeff Scott, president of the Great Plains Canola Association, has first-hand experience with growing canola for several years and he brought this experience to bear during his presentation for veteran growers.

"We're trying to look at the next five bushels, ten bushels of yield by using precision ag as Dr. Godsey has been discussing, do some things, pay attention to details, proper stand establishments, the little things you can do to increase production, but it's for your more seasoned growers. Beginning growers need to stick with the basics. We've got experts in the field teaching that. Your more advanced guys are looking for that next yield bump. This is what we're trying to help with."

Stepping up to that next level, Scott says, revolves around one thing: "It basically boils down to management and allocating resources. Be a good manager. Be a good crop scout."

Click here to read more or to listen to my interview with Jeff Scott.
 

Posilac® Celebrates 20 Anniversary- While the Critics Continue to Aim for It's Demise  

According to a news release from Elanco released last week, "Since the first commercial sale of Posilac on Feb. 4, 1994, it has helped deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits, in addition to helping today's dairy producers meet a growing demand for milk.

"To date, more than 37 million U.S. dairy cows have been supplemented with Posilac over its 20 years in the marketplace, reducing producers' costs by about $6.3 billion over the two decades or $.50 to $1.50 on every hundredweight. Further, Posilac enables cows to produce about 10 lbs. more milk per day."

The benefits sound tremendous- but the reality is that while the product has worked as advertised- it has faced bitter opposition that has effectively kept it out of reach of many dairy producers across the country.   

Pick up a gallon of milk at grocery stores- and most brands will have a disclaimer on the jog or on the cap that their dairy farmers don't use this product- rBGH.  

A group that has led the charge against Posilac or rGHB is the Center for Food Safety- and here's their pitch against milk produced from cows that are given this hormone product- "In cows treated with rbGH, significant health problems often develop, including a 50% increase in the risk of lameness (leg and hoof problems), over a 25% increase in the frequency of udder infections (mastitis), and serious animal reproductive problems, such as infertility, cystic ovaries, fetal loss and birth defects. Because rbGH use results in more cases of mastitis, dairy farmers tend to use more antibiotics to combat the infections, the residues of which also may end up in milk and dairy products. These residues can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and contribute to the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria, further undermining the efficacy of some antibiotics in fighting human infections."  

About sixty percent of the milk produced in this country is proclaimed as being produced without Posilac- and that includes milk sold by Braums- here's their description of their 100% natural milk.   

There is no doubt that the product offers an economic incentive- the Elanco news release quotes a farmer from California about that: "Jeff Wilbur, owner of Rio Blanco Dairy in Tulare, Calif., was an early adopter of Posilac and has used the product in his herd nearly continually since. "It offers more milk. The math speaks for itself," Wilbur said. Rio Blanco had a short lapse in use from July 2009 to July 2010 due to market conditions and premiums, but Wilbur reported a significant drop in milk production during that period. "We just didn't have the milk we were accustomed to, so we went back to the product. As the dairy market improved through 2010 and 2011, the added milk was a real thrust to increase gross revenue adding to the financial healing."

You can read more of the Elanco News Release on our website by clicking here.   

The thinking of the ag industry when this product was released- it's a win win as farmers have cows that produce more milk, the environment is protected as the carbon footprint per pound of milk is lowered and consumers should win with more supply that can mean a more economical product.

The reality is that activist groups have used several hammers against the product- concern that it causes the animal pain because of mastitis, fear of more antibiotics being used and the lie that residues end up in milk- and the related fear of antibiotic resistance.  

In the case of Posilac- the product is used by many dairy farmers- but it's a product that generates lots of fear and negative feelings about the dairy industry along the way. 

President Obama Tells USDA  to Implement Livestock Disaster Programs ASAP  

This past Friday- President Obama flew over Oklahoma and middle America to California and talked drought conditions on the left coast.  While most of his declarations were intended for specifically the state of California- he did announce two actions that also benefit other areas- like Oklahoma- that have battled drought.  

According to the White House- "The 2014 Farm Bill contains permanent livestock disaster programs including the Livestock Forage Disaster Program which will help producers in California and other areas recover from the drought.  At President Obama's direction, USDA is making implementation of the disaster programs a top priority and plans to have the programs available for sign up in 60 days. Producers will be able to sign up for the livestock disaster programs for losses not only for 2014 but for losses they experienced in 2012 and 2013. While these livestock programs took over a year to get assistance out the door under the last Farm Bill- USDA has committed to cut that time by more than 80 percent and begin sign-up in April. (of course- under the last farm bill- FSA had to build the rules from the ground up- while this time- they have the rules in place to  fine tune before the livestock assistance can begin- so it should be a lot faster.) 

R-CALF USA Seeks Investigation into Possible Misuse of Beef Checkoff Program Funds

In a letter sent today to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General Phyllis Fong, R-CALF USA requested an investigation to determine the legality of using cattle-producer contributions mandated by the U.S. beef checkoff program to help fast-food restaurateur Wendy's to promote and advertise "North American beef."

R-CALF USA's letter states that the Montana Beef Council maintains an advertisement on its website promoting and advertising Wendy's use of "100% pure North American beef." In addition, the group's complaint cites a newspaper article that states that $5,000 obtained from the "$1-per-head beef check-off fee" will be used to pay for the "North American beef" promotional campaign.

According to R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, United States cattle producers are not allowed to use beef checkoff program funds to promote or advertise beef based on where it originated. He said that is why Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced legislation in Congress in 2008 to specifically allow such funds to be used to promote beef from animals born and raised in the United States. Tester's legislation did not pass.

Click here for more of this story.  

Later this Week- AFR/OFU Annual Convention Kicks Off 

The 109th Annual Convention of the AFR/OFU is set for Friday and Saturday at the Embassy Suites in Norman.

A great set of speakers, delegates deciding policy for the organization and election of four leadership positions will highlight the 2014 AFR/OFU annual convention, which will once again be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel on the north side of Norman at I-35.


Speakers that will be heard at the 2014 convention include the Vice President of the National Farmers Union, Claudia Svarstad, Russell Stevens with the Oklahoma Prescribed Burn Association, State Conservationist Gary O'Neill and OSU Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel.


There are three contested Board seats and one uncontested officer election set for the 2014 meeting. Paul Jackson of Ringling is running unopposed for the position of State Secretary. The three Board Seat elections include:

At Large- 2: Justin Cown, Locust Grove versus Keith Swan, Vinita

Northwest District 1- Eric Bilderback, El Reno versus Terry Peach, Mutual

Southeast Ditrict 4- Bob Holley, Antlers versus Lundy Kirk Kiger, Poteau. 

Click here for more details now posted on the AFR website.