Gatlin Squires Heads up LONG Line of  Scholarship Award Winners at OYE- Over $100,000 Handed Out 

Eight top FFA members were honored as Academic All Staters by the Oklahoma Youth Expo on Thursday evening, The Academic All State Program is designed to model athletic all state programs in which a select few are recognized for their outstanding achievement and dedication to success. Each of the eight Academic All State members were awarded a $5,000 educational scholarship during a special presentation in advance of the Grand Champion selections. 

Ranked first among the eight All State Winners was Gatlin Squires of the Kingfisher FFA Chapter. Just in advance of the ceremony on Thursday evening- we talked with Gatlin for a few moments- CLICK HERE to see the full list of 8 All Staters and to be able to listen to our conversation with Squires just ahead of that ceremony.

After 'Strange Start' Legislative Session has been Good for Farmers and Ranchers, Collison Says

The current Oklahoma legislative session got off to a strange start with a change of leadership in the House of Representatives said Oklahoma Farm Bureau's John Collison, but it didn't hamper their efforts to advance legislation beneficial to Oklahoma's farmers and ranchers.

"We were able to pass HJR 1006 or the Rep. Scott Biggs, Sen. Eddie Fields Bill which is the right to farm. So, that bill is moving over to the Senate and hopefully we'll have it up this next Monday in the Senate Ag Committee and then onto the floor for a pass and a vote of the people come November."

Collison said they are watching a couple of property tax bills very closely. There are also some property rights bills concerning wind energy that are also getting close scrutiny. He said it is very important that purchasers of property have the freedom to do with it what they envision when they make the purchase.  

You can listen to my interview with John Collison or read more of this story on our website by clicking here.

AND- watch for John  and I Saturday morning during my In the Field feature as seen on KWTV News9 around 6:40 AM during their Saturday morning news block.  

Freeze Damage and Drought Playing a Part in Wheat Futures, Kim Anderson Says

Despite some drops toward the end of the week, wheat markets have been on an upward trajectory. Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson runs the numbers for Lyndall Stout in his preview for this week's SUNUP program.

"We've had a really good run in wheat prices-about $1.80 since early February. You look at that July contract price and it's up near $7.80. If it can close above $7.81 two consecutive days, then $8 will be the next target. That contract also has price support down at $7.58."

Anderson says the run-up in grain prices has extended to canola as well which has seen about a $1.40 increase in the past three weeks.

As harvest draws closer, Anderson says freeze damage and dry conditions have dropped yield potentials both for wheat and canola. 

Catch more of Kim Anderson's analysis and this week's SUNUP lineup by clicking here.
 

NACD Outlines 2015 Appropriations Priorities

In letters to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees, National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Earl Garber outlined NACD's appropriations priorities for critical conservation programs, including Conservation Technical Assistance, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and Watershed Rehabilitation.

NACD supports President Obama's 2015 budget of $815 million as a base for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Operations (CO) account in the Fiscal Year 2015 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. The Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program, part of the CO account administered by NRCS, supports critical, voluntary conservation practices to ensure quality water, productive land and other vital environmental benefits. Additionally, NACD requests that no funds be spent on the implementation of user fees for CTA provided through NRCS.

"User fees will discourage producers from implementing critical conservation practices at a time when they have the heavy burden of meeting the demand of a growing population," said Garber. "This will ultimately take a toll on our nation's natural resource base, when as we know, the cost of repair is always greater that the cost of proactive maintenance in the first place." 

Click here for more of this story and a link to the NACD's letters to Congress. 

A series of one-day workshops will take place throughout Oklahoma this spring for family farmers and ranchers interested in learning about the components of a successful farm transition. 

The first one is coming up March 24 in Chickasha with others on March 31 in Claremore, April 7 in Woodward and April 14 in Ardmore. Sessions will cover business and personal goal-setting, financial analysis, human resources, family communications, estate planning, estate taxes and retirement planning. 

The cost for attendees is $25 for a family of four and includes a lunch, refreshments and two farm transitions workbooks. Click here for more details.

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For more information, contact Eddie Sims at National Cattle Service, 580-595-1926, or go online at www.pollardfarms.com or www.nationalcattle.com.  

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He is one of the best Steer judges in the country- and Jack Ward spent a good bit of his week in Oklahoma at the 2014 Oklahoma Youth Expo as he served as the Steer Judge of this "world's Largest Junior Livestock Show."

We talked with Jack between the end of the class and breed selections and the Grand Champion drive on Thursday- and his comments about the Steers and the Kids Showing them at the Youth Expo is our Friday Beef Buzz.

Click here to check it out- we will have more with Jack next week as we talk today and tomorrow's beef industry as he puts on his American Hereford Association hat to talk beef industry direction with us(coming on next week's Beef Buzz!)