The obstacles to getting the U.S. beef checkoff increased at the federal level are huge. The underlying act and order would have to be opened by Congress and supporters of the current beef checkoff are fearful that could actually jeopardize the checkoff funds the beef industry currently has. A lot of states with large cattle populations are now looking at creating a secondary state beef checkoff to supplement those federal dollars. The state of Texas has set up a secondary checkoff which has been operating for the past year. Oklahoma has been looking to do something similar. Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey said the drive to get signatures is underway and going well.


"Boy, we've just had extreme acceptance and a lot of support for that," Kelsey said. "Now we have a long way to go. We've got to get 5,500 signatures and that's a big mountain, but we think we can get it done. We're going to work hard to do that this fall."


The signature drive has been aided by the support of several general farm organizations, livestock markets and even the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association (OJCA). Kelsey said having a secondary checkoff would impact all of the state's cattle producers, regardless of age. If you sell cattle and pay the checkoff, then you are eligible to sign the petition and are eligible to vote on the proposal. Kelsey said it's an important lesson for the state's future cattle producers.


I featured Kelsey on the Beef Buzz. Click or tap here to listen to today's Beef Buzz.

The folks at the OCA have a dedicated page and links to the secondary state beef checkoff- it can be seen by clicking or tapping here.

The nation's winter wheat planting was progressing nearly exactly on schedule. That's according to the latest crop progress report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additionally, the nation's corn and cotton harvest was on track with the five-year average. Sorghum and soybean harvest progress remains ahead, while peanut harvest remains slightly behind.


Winter wheat planting reached 64 percent complete. That's near the average of 66. Thirty-three percent of the crop has emerged. That was three points behind average.


USDA reports corn harvest has reached 42 percent complete. That was near the five year average of 43. Harvest progress ranged from 88 percent complete in North Carolina to 15 percent complete in Colorado and North Dakota. Total progress came within one percentage point of the five-year average. The quality of the corn crop was unchanged with 68 percent in good to excellent condition.


"While estimates of the crop in the northern regions of the Corn Belt could still shift as harvest gets further underway, we can now see a clearer picture of the 2015 corn grown over much of the country," said National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling, a grower from Maryland. "Despite difficulties with early season flooding, the overall crop is on track to have the second-highest national average yield on record. At NCGA, we continuously work to grow demand for this sustainable, abundant crop as our nation's farmers work hard to get it in the bins."


Sorghum harvest was 51 percent complete. That was well ahead of five-year average of 44. The quality of the crop rated 66 percent in good to excellent condition.


Soybean harvest was 62 percent complete, eight points ahead of the five-year average. The soybean crop condition was steady with last week, with 64 percent in good to excellent condition.


Cotton harvest was 22 percent complete. That was near the five-year average of 25.   Cotton bolls opening was at 89 percent, ahead of the five-year average of 84. Crop condition was downgraded slightly with 47 percent of the crop in good to excellent condition.


Click here for the full national crop progress report.

Warm, dry conditions aided canola and wheat planting and harvest in Oklahoma this past week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports canola planting was 73 percent complete. That's down nine points from normal and emergence reached 30 percent. The state's wheat planting reached 65 percent and 32 percent of the crop has emerged. Oklahoma wheat farmers are now starting to plant fields that will likely not be grazed- but will be managed for grain production only.

In the spring planted crops- corn harvest reached 71 percent complete behind the five-year average of 83. Sorghum harvest was 50 percent done. Peanuts were 17 percent harvested, soybeans were 12 percent harvested and cotton was just getting started with one percent of the crop harvested. Click here for the full Oklahoma report.


Kansas wheat planting and fall harvest was progressing quickly with dry conditions. USDA reports the state's winter wheat planting was 69 percent complete. That's near last year's 65 and five year average of 70. Corn harvest was 76 percent complete. That's well ahead of last year's 55 and the average of 68. Sorghum harvest was 37 percent complete. That's ahead of the 24 average. Soybean harvest was 31 percent complete and cotton was eight percent harvested. Click here for the full Kansas report.


Many areas of Texas received precipitation last week, slowing winter wheat planting and harvest activities. Winter wheat planting was 48 percent complete. That's behind last year's 62 and the five-year average of 58. Corn harvest was 67 percent complete. That's behind the average of 78. Soybeans were 60 percent harvested. That's well behind the average of 74. Sorghum, peanut and cotton harvest was running near the five year average. Sorghum harvest was 69 percent complete. Peanuts were 29 percent harvested, while cotton harvest was 24 percent complete. Click here for the full Texas report.

Top national nonprofits are gathering during World Food Prize this week at the Iowa Hunger Summit to announce the official launch of a new campaign, Vote to End Hunger (VTEH). The campaign will mobilize grassroots supporters and influencers to urge 2016 presidential candidates to focus on ending hunger and poverty, and creating opportunity in the United States and across the world.


Hunger is a significant but solvable problem, both in the United States and internationally, but it requires leadership and a commitment from our president and Congress. One out of every seven U.S. households - more than 48 million Americans - struggles to put food on the table. These numbers include 5.4 million seniors and 15 million children. Around the world, 795 million people experience hunger every day.

The coalition has produced a website to advocate for this issue- click here to take a look.

 

 

The team from Oklahoma Union FFA was the overall high team and had three of their team members place in the top ten of the FFA Senior Division at the 2015 Tulsa State Fair 4-H and FFA Livestock Judging Contest.

Oklahoma Union was 19 points better than second place Tuttle in the Senior FFA Division, while the squad from Kingfisher FFA placed third- the three Senior Division FFA high placing teams were the three highest judging teams in the overall contest that included Senior and Junior FFA teams, as well as Senior and Junior 4-H teams.

High Individual for both 4-H and FFA at the Tulsa contest was Ty Taylor of Oklahoma Union.

Click here to see a picture of the winning Oklahoma Union FFA team and details about the top individuals and top teams in all four divisions of the contest- Junior and Senior FFA and 4-H.

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Speaking of the Tulsa State Fair and livestock judging, they also had a Collegiate livestock judging contest on Saturday- and the guys and gals at Oklahoma State University dominated this competition- continuing the pattern of success being seen this fall by the team coached by Blake Bloomberg.

Oklahoma State fielded two teams in the contest- and the OSU Orange team ran away from the rest of the field- winning by 74 points over second place Western Illinois State University. Kansas State placed third and the OSU Black team placed fourth.

The top two individuals in the contest came from the OSU Black team- Ricky Burns and Kyndal Reitzenstein.

To see the complete collegiate results- including the four year school results as well as the JUCOs- click here.