USDA Offers Renewal Option for Expiring CSP Contracts, Extends Deadline 

Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Jason Weller announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering a renewal option through Tuesday, March 31, 2015 for eligible agricultural producers and forest landowners with expiring Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts. These producers must be willing to adopt additional conservation activities aimed at helping them achieve higher levels of conservation on their farms, forests and ranches.


USDA will also extend the deadline for general sign-up CSP applications until Friday, March 13, 2015 providing farmers, ranchers, and private forest managers two additional weeks to apply for this funding round of $100 million.


"CSP producers are established conservation leaders who work hard at enhancing natural resources on private lands," Weller said. "This contract renewal period will provide greater opportunities for these conservation stewards to voluntarily do even more to improve water, air and soil quality and enhance wildlife habitat on their operations. By extending the deadline for general sign-up applications, we are ensuring that landowners will be able to take advantage of a program that will enroll up to 7.7 million acres this year."


Changes in the 2014 Farm Bill will allow CSP participants with expiring contracts to renew them by exceeding stewardship thresholds for two or more existing natural resource concerns specified by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or by meeting stewardship thresholds for at least two new natural resource concerns such as improving water quality or soil health. NRCS administers CSP.


About 9,300 contracts covering more than 12.2 million acres are nearing the end of their five- year term and can be renewed for an additional five years. The agricultural producer or forest landowner must complete all conservation activities contained in the initial contract before a renewal can be granted.

To read more, click here.  

Farmers Using Technology to Feed Growing Population in Safe, Sustainable Way- Bayer's Jim Blome

The challenge for farmers involved in modern production agriculture is to overcome the misinformation and distrust that seems to dominate the thinking of consumers across the United States. Jim Blome, CEO of Bayer Crop Science LP, told participants at the 10th annual Ag Issues Forum on Tuesday that a recent survey shows that 94% of consumers have no direct connection to production agriculture and that leaves the door wide open to consumers hearing bad information on the internet about how food is produced and believing it.  


In an illustration that has been told by others, Blome mentioned there are many consumers who have no problem standing in line all day waiting for a chance to buy the latest iPhone, but demand that their food should be produced by a farmer with a team of mules. 


To feed a growing population, Blome contends that farmers need all of the technology we have today and a lot more in the days ahead. He adds that Bayer is engaged in trying to find those new ideas in crop production that will allow producers to succeed in raising safe and sustainable crops, investing a billion dollars annually in their research and development efforts. He told us in a conversation after his presentation to the Ag Issues Forum that Bayer will be launching five new technologies this year to help farmers- and plan to roll out as many as 30 new innovations by the year 2022.  

More of Jim Blome said and our full conversation can be heard by clicking here.

Congressman Mullin Touts Need for Local Control in Spending Conservation Dollars

Congressman MarkWayne Mullin wants federal funding to have more local control. In speaking at the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) 77th Annual State Meeting, Oklahoma's Second District Congressman shared he believes local officials should administer federal dollars for conservation, similar to funding for education.


"Education is better administrated on local levels, so is our conservation needs," Mullin said. "No one understands it better than those that are living in it. Like I have said many times, no one knows my land better than I do. So why should bureaucrats from Washington D.C. be telling me how to administrate programs, that we know how to do better ourselves."


One of agriculture's biggest federal challenges has been new regulations coming from the Environmental Protection Agency. Mullin said this agency needs to understand this is a partnership, not a dictatorship He said Oklahomans work in partnership with our neighbors, the state and with conservation programs, but when EPA comes in, its their way or else.  

With Republicans leading the House and Senate, Mullin is optimistic Congress will make more progress this year. Sam Knipp of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau interviewed Mullin at the conference.  To read more or to listen to the full interview, click or tap here.   

Don Close Says Decline in Pastureland Could be Weak Link of Herd Expansion

The U.S. cattle industry is already starting to see some solid herd expansion, Rabo AgriFinance Senior Analyst Don Close said the expansion seen in 2014 exceeded his expectations, but more is needed. He said there is a dire need to increase cow numbers, as those calves could provide the support need for the industry's infrastructure of feed yards and processing plants.  


Now that herd expansion is taking place, Close wonders if grass availability will become a limiting factor. Over the last ten years, US Ag Census Data has shown the 2002 and 2012 Census showed total pasture acres declined by about six percent or 31 million acres.


"I think as long as we were in a situation when cattle numbers were declining faster than acreage numbers, it kind of went under the radar," Close said.


Now with the potential for sustained growth in this industry, Close said this may push producers to weigh options that require less land. According to a new report from Razorback Food & Agribusiness (FAR) Research and Advisory group. The report, "Outside In: Confined Cow-Calf Production as a Viable Model for Rebuilding the U.S. Cow Herd Numbers" finds that more innovation is paramount to the growth of the U.S. cattle sector.  To read or to listen to my interview with Close on how herd expansion can take place, by clicking here. 

AFR/OFU Addresses Policy Priorities and Goals for 2015

The state's budget, water resources and consumer education are among the top priorities of the American Farmers and Ranchers/ Oklahoma Farmers Union organization for 2015. At their recent annual convention, members outlined their policy and organizational goals for the coming year. 


With the projected shortfall in state revenue, AFR President Terry Detrick believes the state's budget is going to be biggest issue in the legislature this year, so brand new issues will likely not get a lot of attention. The organization looks for some returning issues to be discussed such as the state's water resources. Detrick said AFR is opposed to selling water out-of-state.


"We're not opposed to whatever we need to do to utilize water in-state, but we definitely do not believe in 'a taking without adequate compensation', to the parts of the state where that would come from," Detrick said. "Because that is their resource and recreation from that is a big part of their economy and we have no more right to take that away from them, then somebody else would have to take away our right to farm."


On a federal level, AFR shares a different view from their national affiliation of the National Farmers Union on the beef checkoff. Detrick said they are very much in favor of the national beef check off.  In my interview with Detrick at their annual meeting, he also discusses some of the goals for the coming here.  Click here to read or to listen to the full interview.  

OSU Agricultural Economics Faculty, Students Honored

Faculty and students of the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics were honored for their achievements at the recent Southern Agricultural Economics Association annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.


"The SAEA is one of our leading professional organizations," said Mike Woods, agricultural economics department head. "The participation by our students and faculty was outstanding. Recognition by peers in our profession is particularly important and impressive, and helps showcase the excellence of our teaching, research and Extension programs."


Brian Whitacre, associate professor and OSU Cooperative Extension economist, received the SAEA Teaching Award for his AGEC 4723 rural economic development class.  The Oklahoma Quality Beef Network received the SAEA Outstanding Extension Program Award.  Woods was honored with the SAEA Lifetime Achievement Award.  To read more about these honorees, click here.