Tom Coburn Blasts Ads Bought by Pro Shannon Conservative Groups Attacking James Lankford 

"The current political advertisements by groups such as Senate Conservatives Fund and Oklahomans for a Conservative Future supporting T.W. Shannon have crossed an important line- they simply aren't truthful and they mischaracterize James Lankford's service in Congress.


"Trust is absolutely paramount in our republic. The great tension in our country today, for Republicans and Democrats, is that voters no longer trust their elected officials to do the right thing. That bond of trust is born during elections, and it is a powerful responsibility.


"As a voter, I believe the conduct of a campaign is a critical test of how a man or woman values this great trust. How someone runs a campaign says a lot about how that person would govern."

That's the complete statement from the Senator.  Let me climb up on my soapbox for a moment- While the statement is about the negative ads, it does offer a strong endorsement for the character of Congressman Lankford, even tho the retiring Senator did not offer a recommendation as to who to vote for.  

The problem with zeroing in on isolated votes as these ads have done- it does not take into account what was the alternative if the measure being voted on was defeated- and in what context did a vote occur?   

And State Representative Shannon can't talk apples to apples as the votes at the statehouse are not the same as those votes that have to be cast in the US House.  

Both of the frontrunners in the GOP Primary have excellent credentials when it comes to being a conservative. However, Dr. Coburn provides a litmus test that is worthy of consideration- the litmus test of integrity.  Coburn believes Lankford passes that test with flying colors. As for Representative Shannon, Coburn does not offer his opinion regarding TW's  results on this litmus test.

Okay- I'm off the soapbox.

Today the U.S. House voted 274 to 144 to pass a handful of tax extenders, including the expiring section 179 expensing provisions for small business. National Cattlemen's Beef Association President and Victoria, Texas cattleman, Bob McCan says this is a victory for rural America.


"The passage of these tax extenders is a good move for cattlemen and women," said McCan. "America's ranching families are primarily family-owned small businesses who need a stable tax code that encourages rural economic growth. That is what this package is, and we urge the Senate in turn to pass their tax extender legislation to provide greater certainty in the tax code."


Specifically for agriculture, this legislation includes an extension of Section 179 expensing for capital investments. On January 1, 2014, expensing levels under Section 179 were reduced from $500,000 to $25,000. This and other important tax extenders still await action in the Senate.  

Click here  to read more about the Tax Extenders Package.

Megan Rolf Explains Water Efficiency Study In Beef Cattle

A lot of research has focused on feed efficiency, but a new research project funded through the US Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to look at water utilization by beef cattle. Oklahoma State University received a million dollar grant to look at new ways for agriculture to adapt to climate variability.  


Dr. Megan Rolf, OSU animal science assistant professor is the lead investigator for the project. She recently spoke with Ron Hays of the Radio Oklahoma Network about the research project.


"We have been looking at really feed efficiency a lot within the industry, but we haven't focused much on the water side of things," Rolf said. "We don't think about it as a traditionally economically important trait, but I think as we move forward in the future, where we have a lot of water constraints due to drought or just for competition with humans, wild animals, people watering their lawns, things like that, I think water is going to become even more important as we move into the future."   

Click here to learn more or to listen to my interview with Megan Rolf.

You can read Part I of this series by clicking here.

Stabenow Conducts 'Big Picture' Examination of Child Nutrition at Ag Committee Hearing

US Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said child nutrition has a major impact on America's biggest priorities like national security and long-term economic sustainability, and investments must be made now to ensure the future safety and strength of the nation. Stabenow's comments came during the first in a series of hearings the Committee will convene as part of the larger effort to update child nutrition laws, which were last reauthorized in 2010.


Noting that more than 16 million children in the country do not have enough food to eat while childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last 30 years, Stabenow emphasized the statistics have a chilling effect when we consider the consequences.


"These trends are not just a threat to the health of America's young people, they are a threat to the future of our national security," Stabenow said. "Roughly 27 percent of Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 are too overweight to serve in the military, and the proportion of new recruits who failed physical exams during the past 13 years rose by nearly 70 percent."

Click here to read more of Senator Stabenow's comments or to see an archived webcast of the hearing.   

Kim Anderson Talks Wheat Market Volatility on This Weekend's SUNUP

Traders saw market volatility this week with the release of the latest World Supply Demand and Estimates and the latest Crop Production report and released from the US Department of Agriculture. In this week's preview of Saturday's SUNUP program, Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson provides insight to this week's reports.

"You can go back to last Friday, the Kansas City July wheat contact was at about $7.35 and it wallered around on Monday and Tuesday, slightly lower, but on Wednesday after that report we took about 31 - 32 cents off that (price) and closed around 7.04," Anderson said.

The lower prices are a direct result of the market, but maybe not as much as one might believe.

Click here to read or to listen to more insight from Kim Anderson.

Rains Ease Dry Weather Woes- But Over Ninety Percent of Oklahoma Remains in Drought

 The recent rain has helped the drought situation across Oklahoma, but the state is far from getting out of the drought.


The recent rainfall has parts of Oklahoma up to four inches above normal from May 21st through June 12th. The latest map from the Oklahoma Climatological Survey shows the state has experience the 16th wettest period statewide with an average of 5.20 inches. That's 1.73 inches above normal (or about 150% of normal)


More rain will be needed according to the latest US Drought Monitor report released today. The report shows there has been some improvement, but 75.10 percent of the state remains in the two worst categories of drought of D3 and D4. 


 

Click here to read more about the latest drought monitor and see the latest graphics.  

This N That- Ag in The Classroom on the Road, Thank You Farmers and Plains Grains Harvest Update

The summer road trip for the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom folks is underway- yesterday was their first day- and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture's Jamey Allen offered her view of the first day in an email to us.  Jamey says "Early start at Tulsa extension office with an Oklahoma welcome to Tulsa town and a talk around of the programs available through Extension for schools. After a pretest, which is not a happy word for teachers, the bus was loaded. First stop at Chad Selman's place for an up close look at the pecan industry and cow/calf operation. The majority of this group of 30 + teachers knew little 

"Dept of Ag Ag in the Classroom staff and this year's AITC Teacher of the Year taught the history and purpose of branding, the importance of beef and other ag commodities to Oklahoma's economic and nutritional well being. Cattle breeds and genetics, history of the cattle industry were the focus of the

"Next, it was from pasture to plate at Claremore's northeast tech center. It was so good that several teachers took pictures to share. Andy Hogan's portrayal of Will Rogers was a personal connection for every Oklahoman. On to the Swan? Dairy and more aitc lessons on the way home. 30 teachers x 20 or more = 600 consumers impacted for the good of Agriculture. And a post test :)"

Click here for the Ag in the Classroom website for our state

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The restaurant chain Culver's is having a social media contest- and the National FFA Foundation is the winner.  This chain is currently not in Oklahoma- but there is one in the Joplin area just across the state line and several in the Dallas metroplex.  

They are running a contest that ends tonight where they are giving away gift cards to their eateries and also donating up to $50,000 to the National FFA Foundation.  

AND- they are promoting farmers in the process.  To learn more, click here and you can read how you can enter if you live in a state that Culver's serves.   

And- while I may not be eligible to win- I am happy to throw my thanks out as we did this morning on Twitter!

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Finally, Mark Hodges has released the end of the week Plains Grains HRW Wheat Harvest Report.  Mark says "The 2014 HRW wheat harvest has now entered Kansas with test cutting in the southwest and south central areas of the state. Widespread rain showers continue to delay harvest and frustrate wheat producers on an almost daily basis in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas after they watched their crops be almost destroyed by drought and/or the mid-April freeze.  

With between 30% and 40 % of the crop cut in Texas and Oklahoma, 5 to 7 days of clear weather, warm temperatures and wind could all but finish harvest in those two states."

Click here for more details from Plains Grains on the 2014 HRW Harvest.