Facts Are Stubborn Things- Pat Roberts Says Retaliation is Coming- COOL Must Be Repealed 

U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, chaired a hearing Thursday morning on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) and trade retaliation: what is at stake for America's farmers, ranchers, businesses and consumers.


"If you take anything away from my remarks today, I hope it is this: facts are stubborn things, and whether you support COOL or oppose COOL, the fact is retaliation is coming. And this committee has to fix it," Chairman Roberts said.


"Products including beef, pork, cherries, ethanol, wine, orange juice, jewelry, mattresses, furniture and parts for heating appliances are just some of the targets of Canadian retaliation. Mexico has yet to finalize their list, but we expect it to be just as damaging. The U.S. economy cannot tolerate such economic injury.


"I want to emphasize that I understand completely the concerns of some members of this committee. I have encouraged alternatives to be brought forth. But as Chairman of this Committee I must emphasize to my colleagues and all of agriculture that retaliation is fast approaching and the responsibility sits squarely on our shoulders to avoid it."


The ranking minority member of the Committee, Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan agreed with the Chairman that " inaction from the Senate is not an option." However, Stabenow would prefer to "fix" COOL rather than repeal it.


Click here to listen to Senator Pat Roberts with his opening statement at COOL Hearing on Thursday, June 25th.
   

U.S. Senate Ag Committee Hears From Both Sides on Country-of-Origin Labeling

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing Thursday on Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) and Trade Retaliation in addressing what's at stake for America's farmers, ranchers, businesses and consumers.  Representatives from United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA), the North American Meat Institute, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Kansas Livestock Association, New York Wine & Grape Foundation and Archer Daniels Midland Company comprised the panel of witnesses convened to assess the current state of country of origin labeling (COOL) following the recent WTO decision and House action. 

Iowa Farm Bureau President and American Farm Bureau Federation Board Member, Craig Hill said with the latest WTO ruling, the writing on the proverbial wall is clear.  "We urge the Senate to act quickly to repeal the COOL requirements for beef, pork and chicken and prevent Canada and Mexico from taking retaliatory actions that will impact farmers and ranchers all across the nation," Hill said.


To listen to Craig Hill's testimony before the U.S. Senate, click or tap here. 

USCA Director Emeritus Leo McDonnell's testimony represented cattle producers from across the country.  His statements were the sole testimony provided at the hearing supporting COOL.  "Since the late 1980's ranchers have been told that they need to be prepared to compete in the growing global marketplace," he said. "Without question, being able to differentiate our product is fundamental to competing on a global scale. COOL provides a mechanism by which to do just that."

McDonnell's complete opening statement can be heard by clicking here.
  

Ag Leaders Defend Renewable Fuel Standard at Kansas City EPA Hearing

The top leadership of the National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau as well as several other groups were well represented at Thursday's field hearing regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to reduce the volume of ethanol in the Renewable Fuel Standard.


NCGA President Chip Bowling of Maryland and Chairman Martin Barbre joined scores of farmers and others on-hand in Kansas City, Kan., to speak of the importance of domestic, renewable fuels to the nation. The EPA's proposal would cut nearly 4 billion gallons of ethanol from the RFS through 2016, representing nearly a billion and a half bushels in lost corn demand.


"We simply cannot afford - and will not tolerate - efforts to cut the demand for corn, and that's exactly what your proposal will do," Bowling told the EPA. "We cannot let this stand. We've done our part, and our allies in the ethanol industry have done their part. It's time the EPA sided with those of us supporting a domestic, renewable fuel that's better for the environment."  Click here to read more from NCGA.

Farm Bureau called on EPA to rethink its rule to reduce renewable fuels in the nation's gasoline supply. Nebraska Farm Bureau President and AFBF Board Member Steve Nelson, Iowa Farm Bureau's Charlie Norris and Illinois Farm Bureau's Wayne Anderson called the rule groundless and harmful.


"EPA's decision not to follow the intent of Congress when it developed the RFS in 2007 is highly disappointing to all of agriculture," Nelson, a corn and soybean farmer, said. "This proposal is a step in the wrong direction and ignores the benefits ethanol and biofuels have provided Nebraska's rural economy and the nation as a whole."


Click here to read more from American Farm Bureau.

With Congress Passing TPA, Attention Moves to Finalizing Trans Pacific Partnership

Giving the President Trade Promotion Authority is one step closer to reality. The Senate passed the legislation Wednesday with a vote of 60 to 38. Earlier this month, TPA was passed by the House. TPA will allow the White House to send trade deals to Congress for up-or-down votes. National Cattlemen's Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall said this is great news for American beef producers.


"It's huge for us, because we know that in order to make sure that we maintain what we got as an industry and to grow our industry, it's going to require more consumers around the world eating our product," Woodall said. "And the only way we get that done is with trade agreements. So TPA ensures that the United States has the opportunity to go to the table and be a part of crafting these deals that will us the access."


With passage of TPA by the House and Senate, the legislation now moves to the President's desk. TPA will give President Obama and the next President the ability to finalize pending trade agreements. In signing TPA into law, this will help efforts move ahead with the Trans Pacific Partnership. This is a trade agreement between the U.S. and countries in the Asia Pacific region. Woodall said the biggest win for the beef industry will be reducing trade barriers with Japan. Recently, Japan was the largest export market for U.S. beef in totaling $1.6 billion with a 38.5 percent tariff. The TPP negotiations will significantly reduce the tariff, possibly below ten percent and Woodall said that will keep more money in the pockets of producers.


I featured Woodall on our latest Beef Buzz, as heard on great radio stations across the southern great plains. Click or tap here to listen to this feature.

Anderson Urges Farmers to Capture Gains in Wheat Prices Right Now

Wheat prices got a bounce this week. On this weekend's edition of SUNUP, Oklahoma State University Grain Marketing Specialist Dr. Kim Anderson said the bump in the price came from the funds buying wheat contracts.


"Over the last couple months, at one time they were short 111 - thousand contracts, they're probably short 30 to 40 thousand now," Anderson said. "They've been buying to get out those short positions. You buy the market, price goes up. I think the funds are what's driving prices now."


Anderson said the funds are buying contracts, because they have concluded wheat prices are moving sideways to slightly higher, so they wanting to get out of their short positions and get whatever profit they can get.


 
Traders are also watching how El Nino will effect wheat production globally. Anderson said Argentina has been dry during the planting season, so acres look to be lower. If El Nino holds, Australia looks to have lower wheat production and exports next year. China has had too much rain, which is resulting in poor quality wheat. He said China looks to import twice as much wheat this year. If El Nino holds, then the monsoon rains will be weak and that will lower wheat production in India. It has also been dry in major wheat production countries like Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Anderson said all of those factors are driving forces for wheat prices.

Click here to read or listen to Dave Deken's interview with Kim Anderson about the price outlook.  You can also find a complete rundown of this weekend's SUNUP program to be seen on OETA.                                 

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.

Ag Retailers Find IARC Pesticide Findings Create Confusion, Fear Among Consumers

 The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued its second report this year labeling a safe and effective pesticide as a "possible carcinogen (2B)." In March, IARC applied a "probable carcinogen" (2A) designation to glyphosate. This week IARC applied the "possible carcinogen" (2B) label to another popular herbicide, 2,4-D, and is scrutinizing several others.


That's concerning for Agricultural Retailers Association President and CEO Daren Coppock. He said IARC, an agency within the United Nations World Health Organization, conducts initial reviews of compounds to help prioritize cancer analysis. The agency evaluates the potential for carcinogenic hazard of compounds, not whether the compound is a carcinogen, but whether it has the potential to be and should be studied further.


"So, when they come out and identify glyphosate as a probable carcinogen or 2,4-D as a possible carcinogen, all that means is that somebody should take some more look at it, do some cancer screens to find out yes or no, but unfortunately people jump to conclusions, grab that headline and off they go," Coppock said.  


I interviewed Coppock this week in Washington D.C. Click or tap here to listen to the full interview. 
 

This N That- Plains Grains Calls Harvest 71% Done in Oklahoma, In The Field with Ron Sholar, Talking Wild Hogs and a Correction/Update

Plains Grains releases a weekly wheat harvest update for the hard red winter wheat belt each Thursday evening- and this week's report shows that we are now up to 71% of the Oklahoma Wheat harvest now complete, Texas at 74% and Kansas up and rolling with 22% of the expected crop now cut.   

Mark Hodges says they are now starting to get test results from the lab on the 2015 wheat crop- and the early results are showing an average test weight of 58 pounds per bushel.

Read more from their report on the quality indicators from the 2015 crop by clicking here. 

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This Saturday morning- we are looking forward to having Dr. Ron Sholar as our guest for the KWTV News9 weekly interview that we call In the Field. Ron and I will be talking about the 2015 winter canola harvest and also hope to get a quick update on peanut planting and how the crop is looking thus far.

Dr. Sholar wears several hats- two associated with the canola industry and one hat that put on this spring linking him back to the Oklahoma peanut business.  

He is currently the top hired hand for Great Plains Canola, the Oklahoma Oilseed Commission and the Oklahoma Peanut Commission. 

Join us about 6:40 am tomorrow morning during the Morning News Block on KWTV, News9 in the Oklahoma City market. If you miss it- it will be on their website as an audio feature later in the morning- and we will have it on our website- OkahomaFarmReport as well.  

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The Oklahoma Board of Agriculture is hosting a Feral Swine Forum this coming Tuesday, June 30th at the OKC Langston University Auditorium- located at 4205 N. Lincoln Blvd in Oklahoma City.  Start time for the event is 1:00 PM.

Feral Swine- or Wild Hogs if you please- are a growing problem in Oklahoma- and these ornery critters can cause thousands of dollars of damage to crop or pasture land.   

Details about the program are available here. If you have questions- you can call Kandi Batts at 405-522-5488.  

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We had some errors in the story yesterday featuring a conversation we had with Oklahoma Senator James Lankford- those have been fixed and we have also added his reaction to the Supreme Court Decision upholding Obamacare as the Administration has rolled it out- the Senator not pleased with the disregard for the rule of law by the highest court of the land.  Click here for that corrected story featuring Senator Lankford that covers a lot of ground- from RFS to COOL to Obamacare and his transition from the House to the Senate.