Dewey County Farmer Seeing the Benefits of Cover Crops

Cover crops have been widely used in the upper Midwest and now interest in them is growing in Oklahoma and the southern great plains. Cover crops are used to provide cover for fields to decrease soil erosion, lower soil temperature and decrease moisture evaporation. I caught up with Jimmy Emmons of Leedey, Oklahoma to talk about his cover crop system.  Emmons said he prefers to plant a "cocktail mix" of multiple species. He said the ideal mix will enhance the production of the following crop. For instance, if he is going to plant a crop that requires a lot of nitrogen, then he will need to plant a mix with more legumes, like peas. If he needs to increase the organic matter in the soil, then he will plant more grasses like a forage sorghum, Egyptian wheat or a hybrid pearl millet.


"So you need to target that cocktail mix toward your next goal of the cash crop behind that and we're finding out that the more mix varieties that you have in the mix, the better the success you have," Emmons said.


In planting cover crops, Emmons said he has learned some important lessons like having his cover crop seed on hand in advance of planting because of the logistics in getting seed. He also recommends being prepared to plant when you receive a rain, so there is moisture available to get the crop started. Emmons mostly uses cover crops following wheat and typically rain comes around harvest, so he has learned you need to be ready for planting as soon as possible.


In making the switch to cover crops, Emmons said farmers must be willing to change their farming practices to try something new. Prior to planting cover crops, he did not realize that by plowing fields that was killing the bacteria in the ground, destroying the habitat of beneficial insects and it was degrading the soil. Using cover crops allows farmers to increase their soil nutrients and organic matter and that will allow farmers to get their soil back to the way it used to be.  

Read more and have the opportunity to listen to our full conversation by clicking or tapping here.

The State Board of Career and Technology Education has selected Marcie Mack as the eighth state director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.


The announcement was made last week by State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Career and Technology Education Board Chairwoman Joy Hofmeister. Mack has been serving as interim state director since August 2014 and will begin official duties as state director Feb. 1.


"Marcie Mack is a visionary leader. She has brought a truly collaborative and passionate style to the Department of Career and Technology Education," said Hofmeister. "I'm looking forward to working with her to prepare Oklahoma's students for lifelong success both in the classroom and in the workplace."


Mack began work at the agency in July 2013 as deputy state director/chief operations officer. She previously served as assistant superintendent at Autry Technology Center, one of the 29 technology centers within the CareerTech System.  Click here to read more Macie Mack.   

In our communications with several key folks in the ag education community- we are hearing positive vibes about Marcie Mack moving into this role as the CareerTech leader in the state.  Oklahoma FFA Foundation President Keith Kisling of Burlington says that he is excited that Dr. Mack was moved into this position full time and calls her a "great selection."  He says that she has a solid understanding of the value of the FFA- her husband is a former Ag Ed teacher at Drummond- and it turns out that we featured her son last October as Clayton Mack of Drummond won the National FFA Proficiency Award in Oil Crop Production in Louisville.     

Soy Growers Welcome USDA Deregulation of Dicamba-Tolerant Soybeans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last Thursday that the agency will deregulate Monsanto's Dicamba-resistant soybeans. Following the news, the American Soybean Association (ASA) issued a statement welcoming the decision and calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to quickly finalize the label for the companion Dicamba herbicide technology.


"Today's decision by USDA to deregulate Dicamba is great news for American soybean farmers. In almost all of our 30 soy-growing states, farmers face a strong foe in herbicide-resistant weeds, and this technology presents another mode of action with which we can combat this issue," said ASA President and Brownfield, Texas, farmer Wade Cowan. "We appreciate USDA's work on this issue and encourage them to continue addressing our industry's need for a more reliable biotech approvals process. We turn our attention now to the final registration of the Dicamba product label at EPA, and then to approvals in key soybean export markets like China, so our farmers can fully implement this technology on their farms."


Because of the importance of export markets to U.S. soybean farmers, ASA has a long-standing policy requiring technology providers like Monsanto to seek and obtain approvals in key U.S. soy export markets prior to commercializing those traits domestically. ASA works closely with technology companies, fellow members of the soy value chain and government entities to facilitate timely, science-based reviews of new biotech soybean traits both domestically and abroad.  

Glynn Tonsor Optimistic for Strong Cattle Prices in 2015

The past year was one for the record books for cattle producers.  I caught up with Kansas State University Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics Dr. Glynn Tonsor at the recent American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in San Diego.  Tonsor said 2014 was record breaking for cow-calf producers who sold cattle this past year. Looking ahead to 2015, he said the year looks to just as promising as he looks for these strong prices to stay in place for a couple of years, but the positive outlook will depend on meat demand.


"It's important as we look at 2014 to recognize that both tight supply and strong demand gave us those record level prices," Tonsor said. "....It's a very good time to be in the cattle business."


In looking back at 2014, Tonsor and other economists would have expected there was a price ceiling for beef. He thought consumers would have traded down for less expensive beef products more than they did. Read or listen to this part one of several Beef Buzz segments with Dr. Tonsor by clicking or tapping here.   

In response to the introduction of the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015, recycled legislation sponsored by Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Tom Buis CEO of Growth Energy issued the following statement:


"This legislation is incredibly shortsighted. Nearly identical legislation has been introduced in the past and has always failed to gain any traction since a majority of Senators understand the importance of homegrown American renewable fuels. This amendment would eviscerate the RFS - the most successful energy policy enacted in the last 40 years. It will continue to keep us addicted to foreign oil and more than anything, it seems like this legislation is appeasing the wishes of Big Oil and Big Food.


"Additionally, this legislation is based on false, misleading information. To blame ethanol for an increase in the price of food may make for good rhetoric, but it is completely devoid of any facts to back it up. Corn ethanol is not the cause of high prices; it is the price of oil. Even the World Bank outlined how crude oil prices are responsible for over 50 percent of the increase in food prices since 2004. Countess studies have shown that oil prices, Wall Street speculators and the high costs of manufacturing, packaging and transportation are the true culprits driving up food prices. Furthermore, 2014 yielded a record corn crop and the price of corn dropped precipitously throughout the harvest, even as food costs increased."  

Click here to read more from Growth Energy on this legislation.   

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.

Peel Responds to Mixed Start to 2015 Cattle Markets

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


"It's not uncommon for January to be a difficult time to assess cattle and beef markets. This year started with most cattle and beef markets near record levels and considerable uncertainty about what to expect in 2015. Beef markets in January are assessing post-holiday beef demand to determine beef movement during the holidays and demand in the New Year. The holidays typically cause some disruption in beef pipelines that must be replenished in January making it more difficult to assess underlying demand.  

"Wholesale beef prices have been strong since the beginning of the year with Choice boxed beef increasing $16/cwt. to the highest levels since record levels last August before pulling back to $260/cwt. late last week. Cattle slaughter has been low so far in January and carcass weights, though still sharply higher than a year ago, are down from record levels late last year leading to reduced beef production. Winter weather in early January impacted feedlot performance and delayed fed marketings."


Dr. Peel goes on to say that he is looking forward to this week's Cattle on Feed numbers as well as the end of the month USDA Cattle Inventory report to help provide some fresh fundamental data to base out markets on- and that he sees 2015 as a year of consolidating at the higher levels moved to in 2014.

Click here to read more of this week's market analysis from Dr. Peel.   

This N That- AFR Food Drive Underway, OSU Livestock Judging Team Wins Again and Celebrating the Life of Gene Parsons 

The ladies of the AFR/OFU organization have organized a Canned Food Drive that officially kicked off yesterday- their Women's Committee and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma have teamed up to host a statewide food drive to help in the battle against hunger. The "Drive Away Hunger with AFR" campaign is a way to challenge AFR/OFU members to donate 50,000 meals throughout 2015, kicking off with the first canned food drive now through January 30.

The ladies have asked local AFR Insurance agencies to serve as a local "drop off" for canned goods across the state- learn more about this food drive by clicking here. 

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The Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging team added another major contest championship to their resume this past week- as OSU has won the Overall Team Championship at the 2015 National Western Stock Show in Denver- leading the Cowboys was Blythe Graham of Crossville, Tennessee- who was the 2nd High Individual Overall, 3rd in Reasons, 1st in Sheep/Goats and 7th in Cattle   

Click here for more details about the win by the OSU squad in Denver.

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One of the most likable gentlemen that I have ever met passed away this past weekend- Gene Parsons, the former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Pork Council, died after a brief illness on Saturday- he was 90.

Parsons was honored by the Oklahoma Pork Industry in 1999 when he was named to the Oklahoma Pork Hall of Fame.  

Services to celebrate his life will be at 2pm on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at Life Church (4600 East 2nd Street, Edmond).   

Click here for a look back at his life.