Farmers have a limited amount of time to make important safety net decisions. With passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, farmers only have about two months left to elect a program through 2018. Texas A&M Extension Economist Dr. Joe Outlaw said farmers have to make their base reallocation and yield update decisions by February 27th. Farmers will need to elect between the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) programs by March 31st. Outlaw said farmers should not expect to get any relief (or extensions) on these deadlines. 


In choosing between ARC and PLC, both programs have their merits.  Dr. Outlaw said in Texas it looks like ARC will pay well for the first few years, then payments tail off over time. PLC won't offer as much incentive up front, but the program offers security that their crop has a guaranteed price. For example wheat has a target price of $5.50 a bushel. If a farmer selects PLC, they can also purchase Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) with their crop insurance. He said farmers are looking at this option as a way to protect their operation at lower costs will consider SCO, because there are some real cost savings to be obtained.


In looking at the various options, Dr. Outlaw said he will not make these decisions for farmers. He recommends farmers take the time to look at the options and how it work for their farm. He believes the level of complication is directly tied to Congress tailoring this bill to farmers and their yields.

While covering the Red River Crops Conference in Childress, Texas, I caught up with Dr. Outlaw. Click here to read more or to listen to the full interview. 

Nationwide USDA Organic Survey Underway

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) just kicked off the Organic Survey to gather detailed data on U.S. organic agriculture production. The survey is a complete inventory of all known organic producers that are certified, exempt from certification, and transitioning to certified organic production.


"Total organic product sales by farms and ranches in the United States have continued to grow over the last few years, increasing by 83 percent between 2007 and 2012," said USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. "These latest census results show the continued interest in organic agriculture among consumers, producers, and businesses. As we look to the future, the important information we gather will be crucial to capturing the strong private and public sector support to sustain the continued growth of this industry."


Conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Organic Survey is a result of this growing demand for organic agricultural products and data. The survey looks at many aspects of organic agriculture during the 2014 calendar year - from production and marketing practices, to income and expenses. It also focuses on the future of organic production by including producers transitioning to certified organic agriculture.  Click here to learn more about the Organic Survey. 

Letters to Future Generations Part of OSU Cooperative Extension Time Capsules

Members of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service gathered on Oklahoma State University's Stillwater campus recently to send a blast from the past to the organization's future generations.


"Extension just passed its centennial anniversary and among the many interesting items being included in the time capsules we are putting together are letters written by current-day educators and specialists to our future counterparts, giving firsthand accounts about what it was like to be part of Extension today," said Nathan Anderson, Payne County Extension director and agricultural educator.


A state agency that is part of OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, OCES and its county educators and area, district and state specialists play pivotal roles in ensuring the university meets its state and federally mandated land-grant mission by developing science-based educational programs that help Oklahomans solve local issues and concerns, promote leadership and manage resources wisely.  Click here to read more about the OCES time capsules.

2015 Winter Canola Crop Holding on for Rain

The state's winter canola crop is in decent condition, but it could swing either way depending on Mother Nature. Oklahoma State University Winter Canola Extension Specialist Josh Bushong said much of the crop remains in good shape.


"For the most part, the guys that had a decent stand going into winter, still have a decent stand right now, so that has been pretty positive," Bushong said. "We had a little bit of moisture to handle some of the freezes this winter."


With the ongoing drought, there is limited moisture in the soil profile. Bushong said this crop is holding on waiting for more rain. With several days over 70 degrees this week, he is starting to see some regrowth and the crop is starting to break dormancy.   This is also spurring insect and weed pressure. Bushong is seeing Army Cut Worms and Diamond Back Moth larvae in fields in north central Oklahoma. He encourages farmers get out and scout their fields and apply an herbicide or insecticide before the crop bolts. If farmer wait too long, Bushong said they will lower their yield potential.

I caught up with Bushong at the Red River Crops Conference in Childress, Texas.  Read more or listen to the full interview by clicking here.  

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.

Protecting Your Cowherd from Devastating Diseases

There are several diseases cow-calf producers should concentrate on keeping out of their herd by having a good biosecurity program. Kansas State University Veterinarian Dr. Greg Hanzilcek, serves as the director of Production Animal Field Investigations. Hanzilcek said there are a couple of extremely important diseases that producers need to pay attention to, especially Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and Trichomoniasis. These diseases can be introduced from animals being brought into a herd from an outside source.


"They are from animals that we purchased from and we have actually brought in a disease that our herd hasn't had before," Hanzilcek said. "BVD and Trichomoniasis - those are probably two of our biggest concerns on cow-calf operations as far as purchased and as far as the negative impacts they have on the health of the herd." 


In preventing BVD from entering your herd, Dr. Hanzilcek said there are several things a rancher can do to help protect herd health. If a producer is bringing in animals, he said it is important to make sure those animals are not "Persistently Infected" or PI animals. This can be verified in an easy test where you take an ear notch out of each of the animals and send the samples to a laboratory to be tested. He said for a couple of dollars you can make sure these animals are not PI's. Even if they are not PI animals, Hanzilcek said if they have been exposed to BVD in the last week or two and they can bring that into the herd, similar to how flu spreads through exposure in the human population.  

To read more about BVD and Trich or to listen to the Beef Buzz feature, by clicking here. 

Oklahoma Department of Ag Adds Categories to be Honored in Their Annual Call for Nominees to the Ag Hall of Fame

In 1998, the Governor's Outstanding Achievement Award in Agriculture was created to recognize those who have helped lead the industry while demonstrating exemplary personal values and pursuing agricultural achievements in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) is accepting nominations for this award and three new awards through Feb. 13. The expanded program is called the Oklahoma Excellence in Agriculture Awards.


The award winners will be announced at a recognition ceremony on April 1 at the state capitol as part of the state's annual Oklahoma Ag Day celebration. In addition, the winner of the Governor's Outstanding Achievement Award in Agriculture will have a framed plaque installed in the Oklahoma Agricultural Hall of Fame display located at ODAFF headquarters in Oklahoma City.

Additional awards being presented for the first time this year are the Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Award, Outstanding Legacy in Agriculture Award and Outstanding Public Service in Agriculture Award. The Legacy in Agriculture Award is the only one strictly for posthumous nominees. 

It's a short turn around in getting nominations pulled together and submitted- deadline as mentioned above is February 13. Click here to learn more and get the link to the nomination forms.

If you prefer a phone conversation- Jason Harvey at the ODAFF can tell you more- his number is (405) 522-5563.