NCBA's Colin Woodall Expects Tax Extenders in Lame Duck 

I interviewed Woodall at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City.  Woodall also addressed the 'Waters of the US' proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers.  Click here to listen or read more about how he think WOTUS will be addressed in the coming months.   

Ag Groups Push Back Against 'Waters of the US' Proposed Rule

Several agricultural organization submitted comments last week with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the proposed rule developed by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) to define 'Waters of the United States' under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

The National Chicken Council, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and National Turkey Federation collectively filed comments.  "While the processes and inter-relationships identified in the Report provide mechanisms to establish potential chemical, biological and physical ties between waters, the idea of a universally applicable mechanism for every water or drainage feature that exists on the landscape lacks any degree of scientific robustness. Given the financial and potential criminal liabilities associated with violating the CWA, the connectivity of an area to a navigable water is best established on a case-by-case basis. This vague concept of connectivity cannot be applied universally to all areas and navigable waters, thereby defeating the agencies' stated purpose of avoiding case-by-case determinations for waters of the U.S," the groups said.  Click here to read comments from the three poultry groups.

The National Pork Producers Council stated this rule has numerous and substantial flaws.  "The rule was supposed to bring clarity to what are and what are not water bodies regulated by the federal government, but it fails to do that," said NPPC President Dr. Howard Hill, a pork producer from Cambridge, Iowa. "While pork producers appreciate the efforts of EPA and the Corps of Engineers to define their jurisdiction, the proposed rule will create many more problems than it theoretically will solve."  Click here to read more comments from NPPC.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) also does not support the proposed rule.  President Pete Bonds made the following comment.  "As a cattle rancher and landowner, the EPA water rule proposal causes me a great deal of concern," said Bonds. "If implemented the federal government would have control over all water in the U.S., clear down to the water that falls off the brim of my hat when it rains."  Click here to read more comments from TSCRA.   

Peel Reacts to Federally Inspected Slaughter Summary

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, writes in the latest Cow/Calf Corner newsletter.


Data for federally inspected slaughter through November 1 indicates that total cattle slaughter was down 7.2 percent for the year to date compared to last year. Cattle slaughter in October dropped further, down 9.2 percent year over year. Decreased cattle slaughter and changes in slaughter composition have implications for beef production and provide indications about herd rebuilding.


Steer slaughter for the year to date is down 3.4 percent. Steer slaughter has decreased less than any other cattle class and has averaged 52.1 percent of total cattle slaughter so far this year, up from 50.1 percent of total slaughter last year. A higher proportion of steer slaughter, combined with larger steer carcass weights, has helped limit beef production decreases to an estimated 6.0 percent for the year to date. However, steer slaughter dropped sharply in October, down 6.9 percent from one year ago. The October year over year decrease in steer slaughter was larger than the decrease in heifer slaughter, with steers making up 50.4 percent of total cattle slaughter in October.


Heifer slaughter so far this year has decreased 8.7 percent, with heifers accounting for 28.2 percent of total cattle slaughter, down one half percent from last year. October heifer slaughter was down 6.3 percent, with heifers making up 30.6 percent of cattle slaughter. Steer and heifer combined slaughter is down 5.3 percent for the year to date and was down a stronger 6.7 percent in October. Last year, annual heifer slaughter was down 1.48 percent from 2012 and in October was up over 5 percent from the previous year. This indicates that heifer retention was pre-empted in 2013 and that intended replacements were diverted into feedlots due to drought conditions, showing up as increased heifer slaughter late in the year. The sustained decrease in heifer slaughter in 2014 is an indication of more success in heifer retention this year.
  

Click here to read more analysis from Dr. Peel on Total cow slaughter.  

Southern Plains Freeze Slows Harvest, Wheat Development

Freezing temperatures were experienced across Oklahoma this past week. Temperatures ranged from 9 degrees at Erick on Sunday, November 16th to 88 degrees at Mangum on Monday, November 10th. The latest crop progress report from the US Department of Agriculture showed row crop harvest continued to progress in line with their normal averages. Corn harvest reached 96 percent complete, up 5 points from last week. Sorghum harvest was at 87 percent, up 12 points from last week and five points ahead of normal. Soybean harvest was 78 percent complete. Cotton harvest was at 43 percent, 17 points behind normal.  The wheat crop rated in seven percent in excellent condition, 48 in good, 33 percent in fair and 12 percent in poor to very poor.  Canola emerged reached completion as of Sunday. Canola rated six percent in excellent condition, 39 in good, 39 in fair and 16 percent in poor to very poor.  Click here for the full Oklahoma crop report.

Many areas across Texas received freezing temperatures this past week. Areas stretching from North East Texas to the Lower Valley received up to three inches of rainfall. Corn harvest was in its final stages with progress at 97 percent. Peanut harvest had slowed with 88 percent of the crop harvested. Sorghum harvest was at 83 percent.  Cotton harvest had resumed but remains well behind normal with 46 percent of the crop harvested.

The winter wheat crop rated 12 percent in excellent condition, 39 percent in good, 37 percent in fair and 12 percent in poor to very poor.  Click here for the full Texas report.

The cold front hit Kansas with temperatures averaging 16 to 20 degrees below normal across the State this past weeks. The winter wheat crop was 92 percent emerged. The crop rated six percent in excellent condition, 56 in good, 35 fair, three percent poor and none rated in very poor condition.  Click here for the full Kansas report.

Nationally, corn and soybean harvest is down to about wind down in the midst of snow cover on many of the remaining acres- 89% of the corn crop is now in the bin while 94% of the soybean crop has been harvested. We do remain several pouints behind normal when it comes to cotton harvest with both Texas and Oklahoma reasons for the harvest lag. To review USDA's National Crop Progress Report, click here. 

Meet New USMEF Chairman Leann Saunders

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has a new chairman. Leann Saunders of Castle Rock, Colorado recently succeeded Mark Jagels of Davenport, Nebraska as chairman at USMEF's annual Strategic Planning Conference in Arlington, Virginia, with election of new officers. 


Saunders is co-founder and president of Where Food Comes From, an agricultural and food verification and certification company. Saunders previously worked for PM Beef Holdings, where she developed the first-ever USDA Process Verified Program for U.S. beef. She also worked as a purchasing specialist for McDonald's Corporation and for Hudson Foods.  Saunders remains actively involved in her family's ranching and stocker operations and is part owner of the Mayfield Heritage Cattle Company in Animas, New Mexico. 

Saunders has been involved with USMEF for more than 15 years, and says one aspect of the organization she values most is its ability to provide private sector companies with unparalleled market intelligence. She said members also benefit greatly from the wide range of perspectives represented within USMEF. 

 

Click here to listen to our conversation with Leann and to read more about the other USMEF officers.  

Pesticides Essential to Growing Abundant Food Supply

All agree that the world needs a safe, plentiful supply of food, and most acknowledge that global demand will grow along with the expanding population. This peer-reviewed report looks at how pesticides fit into this equation. After a data-driven examination of past developments and current uses, the authors conclude that a safe, thoughtful integration of pesticides is essential if we hope to attain an abundant food supply for a hungry world.


The term "pesticides" has been around for centuries, and it describes many different chemicals. The term has also--at times--been maligned and misunderstood. The authors of this publication use extensive data and provide clear examples to explain that pesticide use in agriculture has


-- increased crop yield and quality, 

-- lessened the workload of pest management, and

 -- improved the prospects for long-term sustainable food production.


This paper gives a brief background about the use of pesticides and then a thorough look at why they have become popular and widely used. Click here to read the full report.  

On this Chilly Tuesday Morning: Congrats, Condolences and Kudos 

From this past Saturday at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention- we wanted to congratulate one new board member for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and two reelected board members- Keith Kisling won the open board seat for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau- open as Roland Pederson termed out after serving nine years on the the OFB Board.  Reelected to a second term were Alan Jett and Jimmy Wayne Kinder.

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We pass our condolences along to our friend Mark Hodges as his dad, Sonny Hodges of Beaver, passed away on Sunday.  Mr. Hodges was a life long farmer and integral part of Beaver County.  He was 85.   

Click here for the Obit as seen on the Alan Clark Funeral home website- funeral services are planned for Thursday morning in Forgan. 

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Our thanks this morning go our to Dewayne Gandy and Sammy Clapper of KRMO Radio in Monett,Missouri.  While the great majority of our radio stations are located within the borders of Oklahoma- we have several that are just over the state line but still have coverage back into Oklahoma and utilize our radio reports as a way to serve farmers and ranchers in their home state as well as the part of Oklahoma they reach into. Dewayne has owned KRMO AM in Monett for a decade- he went to an "ag" format a few years back.   

Sammy Clapper is one of his key employees- doing ag and sports and everything else that is needed in a local radio station.     

Dewayne invited us back in the summer to come and join them in November as they did a special remote broadcast from the Joplin Regional Stockyards on Sale Day- that's what we did yesterday- fortunately getting out of central Oklahoma before things got too slick on Sunday afternoon.  

We had a great time on the air with them midday yesterday- and got to visit with some of the ranchers selling cattle as well as some of the key players at the Joplin market- we'll be featuring a couple of those conversations over the next day or so.  

If you are in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma- check out 990 AM and you will find a lot of good farm information on their airwaves- including reports from our team at the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network!!!