Attorney General Scott Pruitt Calls on Feds to Ditch The Rule

Attorney General Scott Pruitt called for the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the currently proposed "waters of the United States" rule and replace it with a common-sense alternative.


Attorney General Pruitt submitted a comment letter on the proposed rule of the EPA and Corps of Engineers to expand the definition of the "waters of the United States" that are navigable and therefore fall under regulation of those agencies.


The comments describe how the proposed rule's overly broad definition of navigable "waters of the United States" would place virtually every river, creek, stream, along with vast amounts of neighboring lands, under the jurisdiction of the EPA and Corps of Engineers. The comments also detail how the rule violates the agencies' authority under the Clean Water Act.


"The proposed rule unlawfully and unconstitutionally asserts federal control over local water and land by needlessly replacing state and local land-use management with top-down, federal control. If this rule were put into practice, ditches and ponds that only hold water when it rains would be regulated by the EPA and Corps of Engineers. This rule should be withdrawn and replaced with a common-sense alternative that respects states' primary responsibility over lands and waters within their borders while also giving land owners clear guidance," Attorney General Pruitt said.
 

Click here to be able to read the letter submitted by Pruitt and Attorney Generals from 10 other states and Governors from six states.  

Good Harvests and Ample Stockpiles Drive International Food Prices Down

Food markets are more stable and prices for most agricultural commodities are sharply lower than they have been in recent years, according to the latest edition of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) biannual Food Outlook report and a new update to the Organization's monthly Food Price Index, both released Thursday. Bumper harvests and abundant stockpiles are key factors helping drive down international cereal prices, according to the report.


World wheat production in 2014 is forecast to reach a new record, it says.


For coarse grains, prospects for near-record production levels, combined with already-high inventories point to a very comfortable world supply and demand balance in 2014/15, especially for maize.


While rice outputs could decline slightly this year, stockpiles remain "huge" and are sufficient to cover over one-third of projected consumption during the 2015-16 period.


All told, world cereal production in 2014 is anticipated to reach 2 523 million tonnes (2.5 billion tonnes) - an upward revision of 65 million tonnes from FAO's initial forecast in May. World cereal stocks should hit their highest level in 15 years by the end of the cropping season in 2015.

 

Click here to read more of the FAO global outlook for oilseeds, meat, milk and the food price outlook.    

Anderson Advises Farmers to Capitalize on Positive Market Gains

Grain prices got a slight bump this week, which brings opportunities for farmers to market their corn and wheat crops. The December Kansas City wheat contract went above $5.80 and cash wheat prices increased by 30 cents. This week corn prices went up over $3.38 level, which increased cash corn prices by 20 cents. Then late in the week wheat prices went back down. Oklahoma State University Grain Marketing Economist Dr. Kim Anderson said the $5.80 level has become the new floor for Kansas City wheat.


"We had a floor at $5.50 level that's where we put it several weeks ago the wheat prices tested it, they came back above the $5.80 and they are wallering around," Anderson said.  "If we can stay above $5.80 I think we can get a run up on that December KC contract maybe up to $6.20, maybe get another 50 cents out of this market. If we stay below that $5.80, then we're probably going to go back down and test $5.50."


With most of the wheat harvest across the northern hemisphere, Anderson said a number of international factors are influencing wheat prices from drought conditions in Australia, to wheat quality issues in the European Union. He is also watching the number of hard red winter acres planted and the ongoing drought conditions across the southern plains.  

Click Here to read or to listen to more on Anderson's outlook.  You can also find the full lineup for this weekend's edition of SUNUP. 

US Grains Council Building Export Markets

While price is an important consideration for buyers of corn and other commodities, the United States' reputation for reliability and honesty is also a significant market asset. The U.S. Grains Council has been promoting these benefits in top markets around the globe and will continue to do so as the United States begins harvest for another record corn crop.


The United States exported more than 11 percent of the U.S. corn supply in the 2013/2014 marketing year, which ended Aug. 31. More than 100 countries purchased the U.S. commodity.


U.S. corn exports to Japan enjoyed a powerful rebound, with USDA reports showing 2013/2014 exports and outstanding sales of 11.8 million metric tons (465 million bushels). The Council has been able to provide Japanese end-users with timely, reliable information to reinforce their traditional preference for U.S. corn. This included presentation of the Council's 2013/2014 Corn Harvest Quality Report at the Japanese Outlook Conference last January. Now in their third year, the Council's Corn Harvest Quality and Corn Export Cargo Quality reports have become recognized benchmarks for Japanese buyers who monitor the U.S. crop with great care.


Colombia also saw a dramatic rebound in U.S. sales. U.S. corn had become uncompetitive in recent years due to more favorable tariff treatment for South American producers. Implementation of the long-delayed U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement (FTA), recent policy changes and the Council's promotion in that market resulted in dominant market share in the past year. In April 2013, the Colombian Price Ban System increased the duty on South American origin imports to 5.75 percent. Thanks to the U.S.-Colombia FTA, however, the first 2.1 million tons (82.7 million bushels) of U.S. corn imports have a zero percent duty. Overall, the U.S. provided more than 95 percent of the 3.4 million ton (134 million bushels) Colombian corn market, with expectations favorable for the coming year also.

 

Click here to read more about the exports into north Africa and the Black Sea region and the Grain Council's plans for marketing for the 2014-2015.   

An Oklahoma woman was convicted Wednesday by a Bryan County jury for knowingly concealing stolen property (cattle). This investigation was led by Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Bart Perrier.


The Langford Hereford Ranch, located in Okmulgee, Okla. had reported some of their registered purebred cattle as stolen in October 2013.


According to Perrier, the defendant, Christen Leeann Allen, 31, from Haskell, Okla. had sold ten head of registered purebred cattle at the Durant Stockyards on Oct. 10, 2013 that matched the description of the stolen cattle. During the investigation some of the livestock sold by Allen were located, and they were positively identified through brands and registered tattoo numbers as the stolen cattle reported in this case.


Allen was charged based on her inconsistent statements about the origin and ownership of the cattle when they were sold at the sale barn and her activities leading up to and after the sale of the cattle.  Click here to read more about Allen's charges.

A study called "The Prevalence and Impacts of Genetically Engineered Feedstuffs on Livestock Populations" has been put together by University of California-Davis Corporate Extension Specialist for Animal biotechnology and Genomics Alison Van Eenennaam. She studied livestock feeding from the early 1980's to 2010, which included years of data of non-genetically modified crops. From 1996 present there has been an increasing amount of feed made from genetically modified crops. She said there is no difference in feeding either type of feed. In the years to come an impact on livestock producers could be international trade restrictions in getting foreign countries to approve new genetically modified products.


"Not all approvals are going through in different countries at the same time, so when you have very large exporting countries approving crops for cultivation for the importing countries that approved them for import then you have a trade problem and this is likely to get exasperated as more of these crops come on-line," Van Eenennaam said. "There is a large number genetically engineered crops in the development pipeline that are actually optimized for animal feeds."


I once again featured Dr. Van Eenennaam on today's Beef Buzz. Dr. Van Eenennaam said global harmonization on regulatory approvals is a key for their future success.  Click here to read or to listen to my feature with Dr. Van Eenennaam. 

This N That- Rain Arriving, Superior Video Auction Underway This Morning and OSU Rural Economic Outlook Conference Set for Halloween

Severe weather warnings started popping up last night in the Panhandle and northwestern Oklahoma- and that was just the start as heavy rains have rolled across mostly northeastern Oklahoma to this point early Friday morning. 

Based on the Mesonet rainfall totals (we have the Mesonet 2 day map here  to let you see everything that has come from this system), Copan has topped four inches up by the Oklahoma-Kansas border while locations like Vinita and Miami are north of 3 inches and it has not stopped yet. 

Cheyenne in Roger Mills County in western Oklahoma has picked up over 2 inches of rain from this system as well.

However, the rain has not spread south as of yet- nothing as of yet south of I-40.  However, we have a strong cold front heading in that will take temperatures down and hopefully will pull rain into the southern half of the state. Our high temperatures for Friday were seen at midnight and we are currently afternoon temps in the 50s and 60s across Oklahoma today- and really for Saturday as well. 

Current chances of rain in southern parts of Oklahoma are from 50 percent in southwestern Oklahoma to 80% in southeastern sections of the state.

Chances of rain spike back up by Sunday night into Monday in a lot of the state.

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The regular every other week Superior Video Livestock Auction is set for this morning at 8:00 AM central time- some 19,000 head of cattle are set to be sold live via DISH Network Channel 232 and on line at SuperiorClickToBid.Com. 

This week's sale will feature 19,000 head- including 4,540 yearling steers, 1,600 yearling heifers, 8,000 weaned calves, 1,800 calves on cows and 1,450 bred cows and open cows.

For details, call Superior at 1-800-422-2117 or go online to the detail page for this auction, found here.  

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Agricultural lenders, producers, agribusiness managers and rural leaders planning to attend the Rural Economic Outlook Conference taking place Oct. 31 on Oklahoma State University's Stillwater campus should register now.


"This year's conference will focus on trends and expectations regarding the rural economy and agriculture," said Damona Doye, OSU Cooperative Extension farm management specialist. "Speakers will address both global and local issues that should inform decisions for the coming year."


Cost is $50 if registering by Oct. 24 and $75 thereafter or at the door. Registration includes the Oct. 30 catered reception and breakfast, lunch and refreshment breaks during the Oct. 31 conference.

Click or tap here to learn more and for the link on over to registration for the 2014 Conference.