Tyler Norvell Previews the 100th Anniversary Oklahoma Youth Expo Coming This March

Coming up starting March 11th will be the 100th Anniversary of what is known today as the Oklahoma Youth Expo. Some of the former names that the spring youth livestock show that has been held in Oklahoma City include the very first name of the show for years one and two- the Oklahoma Breeders Show and Sale. Later in the late 1910s and into the 1920s- the name utilized was the Southwestern Livestock Show. By the 1930s- it was being called the Oklahoma 4-H and FFA Livestock Show. In later years, it became known as the Oklahoma 4-H and FFA Junior Livestock Show- the World's Largest Junior Livestock Show.


In 2001- a new entity was formed and the Oklahoma Youth Expo was born. The third Executive Director of the OYE is Tyler Norvell. I talked with Norvell about the 100th Anniversary of the show and the enormous undertaking that the show has become. 

Norvell says that over 21,000 animals have been nominated to be eligible for the 2015 OYE- including more than 13,000 hogs. All four species have more animals nominated compared to 2013- setting the stage for a huge show for the 100th Anniversary.  Click or tap here to listen to our conversation.

Norvell will be my guest on the In the Field TV segment that is seen Saturday mornings on KWTV, News9 at 6:40 AM. 

Ag Groups Announce Formation of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba

Prominent U.S. food and agriculture associations and companies,  announced the formation of a coalition that seeks to advance trade relations between the United States and Cuba by ending the embargo policy. The U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC) is supported by more than 30 agricultural organizations and companies committed to and united around the opportunity presented by a deeper U.S.-Cuba relationship.  

"The historic policy changes announced by the President will take steps to make American farm and products more price competitive, which will expand choices for Cuban shoppers at the grocery store and create a new customer base for America's farmers and ranchers," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The President and this Administration look forward to engaging in an honest and serious debate about next steps in Cuba, and I have no doubt that the USACC will have an important role to play as these conversations continue and we expand our relationship with the Cuban people in the coming years."

"The U.S. wheat industry applauds these efforts to normalize trade relations, which take concrete steps away from a policy approach towards Cuba that has accomplished little," said U.S. Wheat Associates President Alan Tracy. "If U.S. trade with Cuba can increasingly respond to economics rather than politics, we believe our wheat market share there will eventually grow from its current level of zero to around 80 to 90 percent, as it is in other Caribbean nations. We have a natural competitive advantage over other suppliers."  Click here to listen to comments made by Tracy during the news conference.

"Easing financing restrictions on agricultural trade with Cuba will make U.S. farmers and ranchers more competitive in the Cuban market of 11 million consumers," American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said.  Click or tap here for more from AFBF.

National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling issued the following statement:  "Cuba is not a level playing field for American farmers. It's time we have a chance to better compete for Cuba's business. NCGA has long supported normalized trade relations with Cuba, as part of our efforts to expand markets for U.S. corn and feed the world. We are proud to join this coalition. We will work closely with our fellow coalition members to advance a trade relationship with Cuba that is efficient, globally competitive, and benefits both nations."  Click or tap here to learn more about the potential to grow corn exports to Cuba.  

Other coalition members include the National Chicken Council and the American Soybean Association- click on the names of those groups for their statements as well.    

Anderson Recaps Wheat Market, Monday's USDA Report

Wheat farmers had some good opportunities to take advantage of the bump in wheat market over the last month. On this weekend's edition of SUNUP, Oklahoma State University Crop Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson recaps the swings in the wheat market.


November ended with cash prices in Oklahoma right at $6 per bushel, by mid-December that price increased to $6.60 providing a great opportunity to market both new crop and crop wheat. December ended the month right at $6 and since the first of January, prices have continued to fall. He said farmers need to look for these marketing opportunities.


"I think the big lesson in December is, if you get a price rally in wheat you need to take advantage of that," Anderson said. "Right now I am still predicting the cash price at harvest about $5.75. That's going to get your July contract somewhere around $6, a little above $6. You get a rally, take advantage of it."


SUNUP host Lyndall Stout asked Anderson about the factors that driven the market both up and down in recent weeks. Click or tap here to listen to hear about those factors, plus what to expect when the US Department of Agriculture will release the January World Agricultural Supply Demand and Export Report (WASDE) along with the planted winter wheat planting report on Monday.   

Robb Offers Favorable Outlook for Cattle Producers in 2015

The head of the Livestock Marketing Information Center is optimistic on the outlook for cattle prices in 2015, but not without competition from less expensive competing meats. LMIC Executive Director Jim Robb said pork and poultry demand will put pressure on how much gain the beef and cattle markets have this year.


"I think it really takes us not to skyrocketing prices that we had in 2014, I don't think it really takes away from prices levels because fundamentally even though we will have pretty good beef production in 2015," Robb said. "We have it down one percent year to year in terms of beef output in 2015."


The supply side remains quite tight, so demand will be key. Robb said these competing meats are part of the beef demand component. The state of the domestic economy will have a bigger impact this next year. Robb said right now the US economy is growing and leading the world. The U.S. government announced in late December that they raised the third quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a five percent year over gain. That is the largest gain since before the recession.


I featured Robb on the Beef Buzz feature. Click or tap here to hear Robb talk about the outlook for the fed and feeder cattle market in 2015.  

November Meat Export Volumes Lower, but Value Remains on Record Pace

U.S. beef and pork export volumes trended lower in November, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). However, the cumulative 2014 volume totals were still higher year-over-year, with January-November beef exports up 2 percent to 1.1 million metric tons (mt). Pork exports were also 2 percent higher at just under 2 million mt.


With December totals still to be recorded, beef exports already set a new full-year value record of $6.49 billion (up 16 percent year-over-year). Pork export value through November ($6.13 billion, up 11 percent) is on pace to break the 2012 record and already exceeds the 2013 year-end total.


November results were mixed for beef exports, with volume down 5 percent from a year ago to 96,348 mt, while value was 19 percent higher at $626.7 million. November pork exports were down 13 percent in volume (168,062 mt) and 6 percent in value ($519.9 million).


USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng said that while the first 11 months of 2014 reflect a very solid performance for U.S. beef and pork, exports face heightening economic challenges in leading markets in the coming year.  Click or tap here to read more about the US beef, pork and lamb export levels.  

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

CropLife America Celebrates the International Year of Soils

CropLife America (CLA) is pleased to celebrate the International Year of Soils (IYS), an initiative launched by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations for 2015. Within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, the goal of IYS 2015 is to increase awareness about the importance of soil for food security and ecosystem functions. Among a number of objectives, IYS 2015 seeks to promote investment in sustainable soil management activities.


Modern agriculture plays an increasingly important role in environmental sustainability and soil conservation. Through the use of crop protection products, farmers can employ conservation tillage and decrease the erosion of soil up to 90%.1 Fuel use also drops, with a reduction of 558 million gallons a year or 22.2 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.


"Farmers depend on healthy soils," comments Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA. "Since the 1985 Farm Bill, we've seen great advancements in soil conservation practices. Crop protection products and forward-thinking farm policies have contributed greatly to the public good. We must continue to invest in research about soil and the organisms that live in it to further develop our farming practices." 

  

Click or tap here to learn more about how CropLife America will focus on the importance of soil and the role that modern agriculture plays in its conservation.  

FORTIX Fungicide Approved for Use in Winter Wheat 

Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC and Cheminova, Inc. announced Tuesday that FORTIX® Fungicide, jointly produced and marketed by both companies, has received registration for use in winter and spring wheat. 


FORTIX combines two best-in-class fungicide chemistries fluoxastrobin, the fast-acting strobilurin from Arysta LifeScience, and flutriafol, the longest lasting triazole from Cheminova. In wheat, it is recommended that growers apply FORTIX at flag leaf to control and protect against diseases including leaf rust, stripe rust, stem rust, powdery mildew, septoria leaf and glume blotch, and tan spot. 


"We believe FORTIX with its broad spectrum, dual action chemistry will protect the flag leaf like no other in wheat," says Hugh MacGillivray, head of marketing-North America, Arysta LifeScience. "Growers can spray FORTIX and expect quick and consistent disease management. It stops disease from progressing."

Click here for more information on this new crop protection tool that will be available this year for winter wheat producers.