Aging Oklahoma Dam Infrastructure Getting Facelift As Millions of Dollars Flood Into Rehab Effort 

Oklahoma's aging watershed dams will undergo renovation with a significant investment from federal and state government. Oklahoma will receive a large portion of the $262 million dollars that will be used for restoration projects in 26 states across the country. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Jason Weller and Representative Frank Lucas, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Governor Mary Fallin, among others made the announcement Friday at Perry Lake near Perry, Okla.


"This is a massive infusion, this is significant investment that is going take what would normally we would get the period of 10 or 12, 15 years, we're getting in one year and that's being delivered by the Farm Bill, that was recently passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, gave us these resources to go out and get the job done much faster provide that protection and benefits to communities much quicker," Weller said


This has been a 14 year effort for House Ag Chairman and Oklahoma Congressman Lucas. In every Farm Bill since 2002, Lucas has pushed resources toward upstream flood control. As Chairman of the Conference Committee, Lucas says this allowed him to make watershed rehabilitation a national priority.


"Whether you are drinking water in Perry (Okla.) or you are concerned about a flood in Mississippi or Texas, everybody benefits from this," Lucas said. "This is longterm infrastructure that will make a difference for generations." 

Lucas talked with our own Leslie Smith at the Perry event on Friday- and their conversation- as well as our complete story- can be had by clicking here.


Oklahoma will receive $26 million dollars or about 10 percent of the total cost share funding being made available nationally.  

Josh Bushong Says Canola Farmers Optimistic for 2015

 Water was the single largest factor to impact this past growing season's canola production. Oklahoma State University Extension Winter Canola Specialist Joshua Bushong says farmers experienced both sides of the coin from not enough water when trying to establish the crop last fall, then too much rain from May into June as farmers were getting into harvest.


"Every producer I have talked said this has been the worst year by far," Bushong said.


This year marks ten years of farmers growing canola in Oklahoma and for most this was the hardest year they have had with the oil seed crop. A lot of farmers were drought stricken the whole growing season, there were crusting issues, some farmers had to replant, not to mention freeze events in October and in April. Bushong says anything that was planted in October had challenges with a early season freeze.


"Anything in general that was planted in October we lost a significant stand out of it, Bushong said. "Some fields we completely had to be zero out just because we didn't have a stand and some we had to take to the middle of March to see what we had."

Click Here to hear our visit (and to read more) with Josh who believes canola acres will greatly increase this next year in Oklahoma and why producers need to attend the upcoming Winter Canola Conferences in Enid and Altus.  

And- click here to jump over to our website to see the video of Josh with us during our In the Field segment that aired on KWTV News9 this past Saturday morning.  

Earlier this week, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SPEIS) for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) based on the changes made in the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is taking action on the new provisions included in the bill and the few additional administrative actions in the SPEIS. 


 The actions addressed are: continuous enrollment of grasslands, enrollment in other conservation programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Agriculture Conservation Easement Program; managed harvesting frequency; routine grazing frequency; targeting enrollment of environmentally sensitive lands through reverse auctions; and expanding the flexibility of emergency haying and grazing in drought designated areas on additional conservation practices.  

Many of the changes in the farm bill address increasing the flexibility of CRP acres and the frequency of haying and grazing. FSA will be accepting comments until September 8 and will be holding five public meetings.  One of those meetings will be in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Francie Tolle tells us that there will be on of these meetings on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Stillwater Library located at 1107 South Duck Street in Stillwater, Okla.   

Noble Foundation Says Weight Measurement Enables Effective Management

By Bryan Nichols, Livestock Consultant for Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation   

We commonly hear the phrase "you can't manage what you don't measure," especially in regards to forage production and pasture management. However, this statement applies to many other facets of beef cattle production. Cattle are managed, in many ways, according to their weight. Stocking rates, feeding programs, and dosages for antibiotics and dewormers are all based on an animal's weight. In public markets, all cattle except for breeding females are sold in terms of weight. Given the importance of weight in cattle production, it is important to capture weight data when necessary to make good management decisions. Below are a few ways that this data can be collected.


Individual chute scales are effective in serving a number of purposes. Perhaps their most important function is in determining correct dosages for treating livestock. It is very important to use the correct dosage because under-dosing can be ineffective and overdosing can be costly. Many of today's antibiotics cost upwards of $4 per milliliter and are administered at 1 milliliter per hundred pounds. If producers are overestimating the weight and overdosing, it does not take long for this number to add up. Chute scales can also be used to collect individual weight data on cows and calves to measure productivity. This data can then be used to make culling decisions when appropriate. Additionally, during scheduled workings when all animals come through the chute for vaccinations, weights can be collected so that an average weight can be calculated and used to design supplementation programs most effectively.

Click Here to read more about the effective use of scales for cattle management.   

Denial of Propane Supply Study a 'Slap in the Face' to Oklahomans

The denial of a request for an interim legislative study of propane supplies "is a slap in the face to many families and small businesses that were hammered by soaring heating costs last winter," state Rep. James Lockhart charged Thursday.


The Heavener Democrat's request for a study of propane infrastructure and supply in Oklahoma was disallowed by House Speaker Jeff Hickman.


Propane prices "skyrocketed last winter at the height of flu season and only a few weeks after Christmas, when most families are cash-strapped," Lockhart recalled.


"I requested an interim study so we could get an idea of the status of our propane supplies, so hopefully we don't have to experience a second consecutive price spike," he continued. "Evidently the Republican legislative leadership doesn't care whether our citizens can afford to heat their homes in the dead of winter." 

Click Here to read more about the price spike last winter is fueling a need for a study on propane supply.

Farm Service Agency County Committees Nomination Deadline Nears

U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan Garcia reminds farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that Aug. 1, 2014, is the deadline for local FSA county committee nominations.


County committees are an important link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers and ranchers elected to local committees share their opinions and ideas on federal farm programs.


"There's still time for eligible farmers and ranchers to get involved in this year's county committee elections," said Garcia. "Nominate yourself or a candidate of your choice to serve on the local county committee. I especially encourage the nomination of beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as women and minorities. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county."


While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating loans, they work closely with county executive directors and make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues.  

Click Here to read more about serving on a FSA county committee and the application process.

This N That- A Whole Lot of Hopping Going On, OCA Convention Nears and Equine Specialist Hired in Stillwater  

A picture says a lot- and there are lots of folks with lots of grasshoppers this summer- and one of those folks is our friend Shari Holloway down at Coyote Hills Ranch near Chattanooga- she posted this picture on Facebook and it shows that Shari has lots of company (not exactly wanted) on the ranch right now.

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July 24, 25 and 26 are the dates for the 2014 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention and Trade Show- and we talked a few days back with Michael Kelsey about what looks to be an awesome meeting for later this week- click here for our Beef Buzz we did with Michael last week highlighting the event- to be held at the Reed Center in Midwest City.

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Dr. Kris Hiney has accepted an offer to join the Department of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University as an Assistant Professor and Extension Equine Specialist. She will start her position here at OSU on August 29, 2014.  

Dr. Hiney received her Ph.D. in Equine Physiology from Michigan State before joining the faculty at the University of Wisconsin Department  of Animal Science. Along with teaching courses, she served as coach of UWRF Horse Judging Team, breeding manager of Equine Enterprise, co-adviser for Horseman's Association, and advisor for Companion Animal Respect and Education Club. She has also been active in the American Society of Animal Science, Equine Science Society, American Quarter Horse Association, and the National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association and has a special interest in agility dogs and canine therapy.