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"The Great American Wheat Harvest" documentary made it's way to Oklahoma on Wednesday evening, as the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and Oklahoma State University hosted a special screening of the film at the OSU Student Union. Film Director and Producer Conrad Weaver was in Stillwater for the showing and he told the audience that the movie shows how wheat goes from the field to the table. The film took almost four years to go from concept to finished project, and Weaver gave his wife credit for urging him to explore how this way of life could be turned into a movie.


Weaver talked with yours truly about the movie- and he told me that the enormous risk that these families take as Custom Harvesters is mind boggling. He pointed out that they really don't have a safety net- "farmers have crop insurance, harvesters do not."

Click here to read more- and to listen to our conversation with Conrad Weaver.  We also have the video movie trailer that you can check out as well.

BY THE WAY- there was a special check presentation just ahead of the special screening on Wednesday evening at the Student Union-as the Oklahoma Wheat Research Foundation, the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and Oklahoma Genetics, Inc gave $1,104,712.90 to Oklahoma State University for this fiscal year's wheat research funding. The money came from a combination of checkoff collections through the Wheat Commission as well as from royalties paid on OSU released varieties of wheat that are marketed by OGI.

'Right to Farm,' Intensifying Drought Top List of Topics We Talk with OFB President Tom Buchanan About

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Team took time this last week to put on their annual luncheon spread for legislators during Farm City Week at the state capitol. OFB President Tom Buchanan was on hand and spoke with me.  There are several issues of importance under consideration at the capitol. One of great importance is the "Right to Farm" amendment to the state constitution.

"In Oklahoma, many people would ask the question, 'Why would you need a right-to-farm in the Oklahoma constitution because this is an ag state, it always has been and always will be?' It's the outside forces that want to change how we do business. Today's modern farmers are using modern techniques that are good for the environment, good for the animal and good for the consumer. And we want to be able to continue to do that and not have someone from the outside handicap us and tell us how to do business. So, it's really a protection for the future."

Being a farmer from southwestern Oklahoma himself, Buchanan said another big issue currently on his mind and the minds of several lawmakers is the intensifying drought gripping that portion of the state. 

"I used to say it was tragic and that does not describe it now. We are literally at a point that I believe that we're seeing some culture change."

Click here to listen to my interview with Tom or to read more of this story.  

USDA Designates Blaine County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Blaine County in Oklahoma as a primary natural disaster area due to damages and losses caused by 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 Oklahoma counties also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their county is contiguous:  Caddo, Canadian, Custer, Kingfisher, Major and Dewey.

Click here to read more. 
 

Oklahoma Attorney General Fights 'Sue-and-Settle' Tactic and Possible Misleading Ads by HSUS

One of the tactics being used by environmental groups to force additional government regulations on farmers and ranchers is known as "sue and settle." Using this tactic, the groups sue government agencies and then pursue settlements with them which force the agencies to interpret rules in a manner which favors the environmental groups over landowners.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has been in the vanguard of attorneys general fighting this tactic. He spoke with me this week and said it is time for action to put a stop to this process.

"We recently sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in Tulsa, in federal court there. Oklahoma Farm Bureau is a plaintiff there. Other states have joined-North Dakota and Kansas among others-that have intervened. And the lawsuit is about the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species.   And it flows out of a settlement that Fish and Wildlife agreed to in 2011 that is entirely inconsistent with the statute. They have actually used the settlement process to regulate through litigation and not go through proper rule making. It's a huge case, a very important case... We believe it is a pinnacle case for other states across the country to look at the abusive practices agencies are engaging in as far as these friendly lawsuits with environmental groups to regulate."

Pruitt also addresses his office's current investigation of fundraising practices by the Humane Society of the United States.  You can catch his comments and more of this story by clicking here.  

Senate Honors ODAFF's Investigative Services Division

On Monday, the Senate honored the work and dedication of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry's (ODAFF) Investigative Services Division and their Chief Agent, Jerry Flowers. Sen. Ron Justice was joined by Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb in presenting Senate Resolution 69.

"It's an honor to recognize the leadership of Jerry Flowers and the work of his outstanding agents. They have done a great job across the state in helping capture those who are breaking the law, stealing cattle and equipment on farms," said Justice, R-Chickasha. "With the price of livestock what it is, cattle theft has been on the rise but they have worked hard to protect those in rural Oklahoma and return what is rightfully theirs. We want to commend them for their dedication and service to rural Oklahoma."

The ODAFF Investigative Services Division investigates agriculture crimes ranging from the theft of livestock, agriculture equipment and timber to wild land fire arson. Flowers and his nine special agents recently made national news when they apprehended former ranch hands David Wallace and Larry "Snag" Smith who are accused of stealing 100 cows, worth $100,000, from Oklahoma Rancher and former "The Amazing Race" contestant, Jet McCoy.

Read more by clicking here.  

USDA Opens and Expands Export Markets through Farm Bill Programs

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) awarded funding to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for American products. The funding was made available through the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA will begin accepting applications for 2015 export development program funding on April 17, 2014.

"Now that Congress has passed the Farm Bill, USDA is moving quickly to implement our trade promotion programs to help open and expand opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and small businesses and build on the past five years of record agricultural exports," said Vilsack. "These programs are an important investment in rural America. Every dollar we invest in trade promotion provides $35 in economic benefits."

Through the Market Access Program (MAP), FAS partners with U.S. agricultural trade associations, cooperatives, state regional trade groups and small businesses to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities that help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products and commodities. The program, which focuses on consumer promotion, including brand promotion for small companies and cooperatives, is used extensively by organizations promoting fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed products, and bulk and intermediate commodities.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

 

This N That- Farm Bureau Continues to Oppose HJR 1002, Superior Good Friday Sale Coming and Easter Holiday Trading Schedule

Oklahoma lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow Oklahoma school districts to raise the constitutional cap on bond indebtedness to fund the construction of storm shelters.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Vice President of Public Policy and Media Affairs John Collison says the idea of building storm shelters to protect school children is just fine; however the mechanism to pay for them is not.

He says the Oklahoma Farm Bureau opposes HJR 1092 which would allow school districts to propose property tax increases with no upper cap. He says that school districts which are currently below their cap can already propose bond increases to fund shelter construction and there are other funding mechanisms available to districts which are at their cap which don't entail increasing property taxes. 

Click here for more- including comments that Collison made to me earlier this week on the desire of OFB to stop this measure.

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The next Superior Video Livestock Auction happens on Good Friday- tomorrow- April 18th starting at 8 am central time.  A good sized number of yearlings and calves are in the mix for this sale- a total of 37,300 will be offered- that includes 7,700 yearling steers,  4,900 yearling heifers, 8,800 weaned calves, 14,900 calves on cows and  700 replacement heifers, bred heifers and bred cows with calves.

Call Superior for more information at 1-800-422-2117 or click here for details about this sale at Superior Livestock.

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At the close of the ag futures trade today- we will be entering into the Easter Holiday weekend- which means that the grains trade based in Chicago and Kansas City will be closed until Sunday evening at 7:00 PM central time.  

Livestock futures trade remains closed until next Monday morning at 9:05 AM.  

Click here for a PDF of the Good Friday/Easter schedule for the ag futures operated by the CME Group.