Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to have KIS Futures as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. KIS Futures provides Oklahoma Farmers & Ranchers with futures & options hedging services in the livestock and grain markets- Click here for the free market quote page they provide us for our website or call them at 1-800-256-2555.

We are also excited to have as one of our sponsors for the daily email Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, with 64 years of progress through producer ownership. Call Brandon Winters at 405-232-7555 for more information on the oilseed crops they handle, including sunflowers and canola- and remember they post closing market prices for canola and sunflowers on the PCOM website- go there by clicking here.

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"We think your animals or horses are your property, and you have the right to choose who works on them," State Rep Don Armes told them after they jammed into a committee room. "These are not people, these are horses. There's a difference.” He added that "I don't hate veterinarians. But, I'm not moving. And I don't want you moving, either." Armes was speaking of some amendments that have been promoted by some lawmakers on behalf of the Oklahoma Vet Medical Association and his reference to moving was talking about sticking with the concept of not giving Vets any ground on this measure.

This issue is more than just an Oklahoma dispute- but has garnered national attention. Lee McGrath is the Executive Director of the Minnesota office of the Institute of Justice, a non profit advocacy group that has represented people in eminent domain and private property rights cases around the country. He says this is a jobs issue for equine dentists and others who want to perform these animal husbandry practices- and a private property rights issue for owners of livestock. (Our story that you can see on the website includes a picture of Lee McGrath at the rally- the picture courtesy of Traci Morgan of Oklahoma Farm Bureau.)

Click on the link below to read more and hear our audio overview with comments from both Don Armes and Lee McGrath. The story we jump you to also has a link to the Beef Buzz that we have done with Senator Mike Schulz and his thoughts on the progress being seen in the Senate.

Click here for more on the Equine Dentistry Debate at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

ERS expects total expenses to remain about the same as last year. Costs for fertilizer and feed are down from 2009. Meanwhile, the 2010 forecast is for a rise of about 2 percent in cash receipts from sales of farm commodities and Government payments are forecast to change little in 2010.

ERS reports that In 2010, the economic conditions for livestock producers are expected to improve, while the economic conditions for crop producers are expected to deteriorate slightly or stabilize.
Soybean receipts are expected to experience the second largest decline, 1.8-billion dollars. And sales of corn for grain—the largest single source of crop cash receipts for U.S. farmers—is expected to decline slightly in 2010.
Despite U.S. cotton demand expected to be the lowest since 1988, and exports forecast at their lowest levels since 2001/02, cotton cash receipts are predicted to be a bright spot for U.S. farming in 2010.

Click here to jump to the ERS site and their briefing on farm income estimates.

The Oklahoma Senate has approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 41. The federal government currently has proposals intended to control pollution by offering economic incentives for reducing emissions—this practice is more often known as cap and trade. SCR 41 by Senator Lamb recognizes the danger of these proposals that would result in significantly higher production costs for many of our state businesses, especially Oklahoma's two principal industries: agriculture and oil and gas.

Lamb cited how President Obama's proposals would directly affect Oklahoma families and the cost to taxpayers. “Not only will Oklahoma industries be affected by cap and trade, but also the pocketbooks of Oklahoma families,” said Lamb, R-Edmond. “With President Obama's plan, Oklahoma taxpayers could see a tax increase of nearly $3,300 per family. Through this resolution, my fellow Senate colleagues and I are standing together saying enough is enough.”

The winter weather has resulted in knocking down finished cattle weights by about 25 to 30 pounds per animal in recent days- and cash cattle prices jumped up $2 per hundred because of tighter market ready supplies. Asking prices this week suggest that we could break into the low 90s on cattle headed to the packing plants this week.
Bids as of yesterday afternoon were $88 to $89, while asking prices were around $91 to $92. We sold cattle last week for $89 to mostly $89.50, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

On today's Beef Buzz at the link below, Dr. Peel talks with us about the current market, as well as an overview of the year ahead. He sees somewhat stronger cattle prices, but the key will be watching your input costs and not allow them to get out of control.

Click here for our Beef Buzz with Dr. Derrell Peel on the weather market in cattle and how it interacts with current demand.

Receiving the award were Senators Mike Schulz, Altus, and Sean Burrage, Claremore, and Representative Ann Coody, Lawton.
Sen. Schulz authored the Livestock Preemption bill that authorizes the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture to be responsible for establishing the care and handling standards for livestock. He is Vice Chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and Chairman of the Tourism and Wildlife Committee. Schulz was nominated by Jackson County Farm Bureau.

Nominated by both Rogers and Tulsa County Farm Bureaus, Sen. Burrage has worked to improve private property laws and clarify that animal waste is not hazardous waste in Oklahoma. He is Vice Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee.
Rep. Coody is Chairman of the House Committee on Common Education and a member of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. Comanche County Farm Bureau nominated Coody.

In district one only one nomination has been received. Kelly Chain, Canton, is the single nomination. This district consists of Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woodward, Ellis, Dewey, Roger Mills and Custer counties.

Alan Mindemann, Apache, is the only candidate for the District Two director. District 2 consists of Beckham, Washita, Caddo, Grady, Greer, Kiowa, Comanche, Harmon, Jackson, and Tillman counties.

District 3 has two candidates: Lee Leeper of Alva and Jeffrey D. Scott of Pond Creek. District 3 consists of Woods, Alfalfa, Major, Blaine, Kingfisher, Canadian, Grant, Kay, Garfield, Noble, Logan, Payne, Oklahoma, or Lincoln.

District 4 has only one candidate, Brent Rendel of Miami. This district is comprised of Osage, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa, Pawnee, Rogers, Mayes, Delaware, Creek, Tulsa, Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Muskogee, Sequoyah and McIntosh counties.

There is still no candidate on the ballot for voters in District 5. Write in candidates are accepted for this and all other districts. If no one is offered, the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a director. District five consists of Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Hughes, Pittsburg, Haskell, LeFlore, Stephens, Jefferson, McClain, Garvin, Murray, Carter, Love, Pontotoc, Johnston, Marshall, Coal, Atoka, Bryan, Latimer, Pushmataha, Choctaw and McCurtain counties.

Click here for more details from the Oklahoma Department of Ag website

Consignments of 100 First-calf Heifer pairs, 500 Bred Heifers, 225 Bred Cows & Pairs, and 50 Bulls will make up this February sale.

For more details, click on the link below.

Click here for the McAlester Stockyards Special Cow Sale coming this Saturday February 20.

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.