EPA Seeks Endless Control with 'Waters of the US Rule' Says Jack Field 

Jack Field, Washington cattleman and Executive Vice President of the Washington Cattlemen's Association says it doesn't matter where cattlemen raise their cattle or hang their hat, all cattlemen should be concerned over the proposed Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Waters of the U.S. rule. He says it will have a profoundly negative impact on producers anywhere in the United States.


"We're extremely concerned that this proposal will dramatically narrow the exemption for normal agricultural, ranching and civic cultural activities and also create a de facto best management practice list which would be interpreted as an 'ag practices act' by taking what are currently voluntary incentive based activities established by the Natural Resource Conservation District and creating those as a requirement that must be adhered to strictly as by letter of the practice," Field said.


"The concern that we have is that if a producers don't have a NRCS practice implemented that is listed on the prescriptive list of 56, then they would be required to obtain a 404-Permit," Field said. "I don't think any rancher has ever thought or would ever assume there would be a need a permit for grazing cattle on a riparian area or for installing a fence." 

Click to read or listen to more comments from Jack Field on the scope of 'Waters of the US' proposal on the Beef Buzz.

World Pork Expo Underway and Showcasing US Hog Industry 

Nearly 20,000 pork producers and related professionals from 32 countries are attending World Pork Expo today through Saturday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), Expo features the world's largest pork-specific trade show with some 375 commercial exhibits in more than 310,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space.


"World Pork Expo is a showcase of pork production; it's where producers get together and share ideas," says Howard Hill, NPPC president and Iowa pork producer. "It offers a great opportunity for pork producers to get a crash course in what's new."


The trade show will display the latest products, services and technologies available to pork producers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, and Thursday, June 5, as well as from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 6. The Agriculture Building will mark its second year of exhibits, featuring the America's Best Genetics display and the International Visitors Center.

Click to read more about the World Pork Expo.

Harvest of a Short Crop of Canola Underway in Southern Plains

Canola harvest is underway, and as expected, yields are coming up short in 2014. The Executive Director of the Great Plains Canola Association, Dr. Ron Sholar, talked with Lyndal Stout of SUNUP on Wedenesday about canola crop conditions.

Dr. Sholar told Stout that the 2014 crop will be a short crop, because of less than half of normal rainfall was seen across the entire winter wheat/winter canola belt in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Lack of rain from December through April took its toll even as the crop in many cases waited on rainfall that never came.


Sholar does not believe that this year's problems will derail continuing interest in canola, saying the value as a rotational crop with winter wheat to break the weed cycle in wheat got many farmers interested in canola, and it's ability to be a profitable crop will be a key factor in the number of acres to continue to increase. Dr. Sholar points to the Northstar Canola processing plant to be built in Enid over the next couple of years as evidence that the infrastructure is continuing to be developed to support increases in acres for several years to come.

Click here for more- and a chance to hear Ron Sholar's comments in a special audio report we have anchored for our web story.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Recognizes Legislators for Supporting Rural Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board of Directors today announced the 2014 OKFB 100 Percent Club members. The award is based on a 100 percent voting record on key Farm Bureau legislative measures during the 2014 Oklahoma legislative session.


"This honor is given to those legislators who support Farm Bureau's mission to protect personal property rights, keep taxes low and boost agricultural and rural business," said John Collison, OKFB vice president of public policy and media relations. "We greatly appreciate their leadership at the state Capitol this year."


The following 20 senators received the designation: Mark Allen, Don Barrington, Brian Bingman, Larry Boggs, Cliff Branan, Corey Brooks, Bill Brown, Kim David, Eddie Fields, A.J. Griffin, Constance Johnson, Clark Jolley, Ron Justice, Kyle Loveless, Bryce Marlatt, Al McAffrey, Susan Paddack, Mike Schulz, Ralph Shortey and John Sparks.


In the House, the list includes 23 representatives: John Bennett, Scott Biggs, David Brumbaugh, Donnie Condit, David Derby, Dale DeWitt, John Enns, Kay Floyd, Elise Hall, Mike Jackson, Skye McNiel, Jason Murphey, Tom Newell, Leslie Osborn, David Perryman, Brian Renegar, Sean Roberts, Mike Sanders, Seneca Scott, T.W. Shannon, Jerry Shoemake, Jason Smalley and Mike Turner. 
 

Research Supports Consuming Protein Throughout the Day

A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition demonstrates that evenly distributing protein across three meals (see sample meal plan below) - or eating approximately 30 grams of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner (instead of consuming most of the daily protein needs at one meal) improves daily muscle maintenance, growth and repair rates in healthy adults by 25 percent.1


The study involved healthy adults who followed diets with two different distributions of protein throughout the day: one that was evenly distributed containing 30 grams of protein per meal, and the other with an uneven protein distribution of 65 grams at dinner, 15 grams at lunch and 10 grams at breakfast, like a typical American diet. Both patterns included 90 total grams of protein each day, which is consistent with current dietary guidance for healthy adults and average intakes in the U.S.


Lean beef was the primary source of protein for each menu. This research builds on the growing body of evidence supporting the role of high-quality protein, like beef, in healthy living, including muscle growth and development. Visit BeefNutrition.org for recipes and other ideas to help boost protein intake throughout the day.

For ideas on eating beef throughout the day click here.

Wheat Harvest Expands Statewide, Pressure to Harvest Before Rain Arrives

Wheat harvest is moving quickly ahead as farmers and custom harvesters work to get out this year's crop before the weekend rains.  Fields are being cut as far north as Buffalo, Oklahoma.  While there are much fewer bushels that desired, nearly all locations are reporting good quality week with test weights between 58 - 62.  Protein levels are sporatic ranging from 11 to 16.  Producers and elevator managers do have concerns the heavy rains predicted for this weekend might start to have impacts on quality with regards to test weight and sprouting.

In the Oklahoma Wheat Commission's June 4th report, one of the location the report focuses on is Sentinel.  "The wheat in this region as far a quality looks extremely favorable.  Test weights ranging from 60 to 64 pounds per bushel.  Yields are being reported at 15 to 20 bushels for the most part.  One producer reported a yield of 31 bushels per acre on a 160 acre field."

The complete report can be read by clicking here.

This N That- In Case You Missed It- In The Field Video with Michael Kelsey and the Rains Are Coming!

In Case You Missed It- we talked with Michael Kelsey of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association this past Saturday morning about the concerns that OCA has with the "waters of the US" rule proposed by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers.


Kelsey says there are several major problems with the proposal from the Obama Administration- and he calls on cattlemen and others in agriculture to study the rule- click here for an overview of the proposal as developed by the American Farm Bureau- and once stakeholders are familiar with the proposal- work on writing a comment to submit to the EPA before the end of the comment period July 21st.


You can see the video of the In the Field interview as seen on KWTV News9 that we had with Michael Kelsey by clicking here.  

**********

Chances of rain continue to look pretty good across much of Oklahoma through this coming weekend.  Alan Crone with the News on 6 in Tulsa has been watching a system up in Kansas in the wee hours of this Thursday morning- he says "We're tracking a complex of thunderstorms this morning ( MCS) moving into western Kansas at this hour ( 2:45am).  This complex will have the potential for strong to severe storms producing damaging wind gusts for several hours as it moves southeast.  This system may be near northern OK and southern Kansas between 7am and 10am this morning and could still produce damaging wind gusts for some locations.   

"The complex will exit the region by midday but additional storms may be possible this afternoon and early evening across the area.  Another storm complex is possible early Friday morning across the area. This pattern for late night and early morning storms will remain for the next several days. "

Click here to read all of Alan's comments in his daily blog found on the News on 6 website.  And you can click here for the eastern Oklahoma forecast as prepared by Alan, Travis Meyer and the entire News on 6 team.

For Central and Western Oklahoma- Jed Castles, David Payne and the gang are also watching these developing rain storm chances- Jed tweets this morning "Best chances for rainfall in OKC will occur between 7 AM and 10 AM Friday. Some areas could see a half inch to an inch of rain."  Click here for the complete forecast for central and western counties of the state.