Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Ross Wilson Applauds Cattle Feedlot Efforts to Increase Negotiated Cash Trade
- Hilliary Communications to Launch $45 Million in Fiber-Optic Infrastructure Expansion in Rural America
- CattleFax CEO Randy Blach Says Inflated Prices are Here to Stay
- National FFA Convention Rolling- Reagan Klassen of Hydro in the Spotlight
- Evaluating Money Saved When Purchasing Feed on Cost per Unit of Protein and Energy Basis
- Fire Weather Watch in Effect in Oklahoma Panhandle Ahead of Developing Storms
- Expansion Partners to Heal the Harvester
- Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation and Soil Health Institute Unveil New U.S. Regenerative Cotton Program
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Ross Wilson Applauds Cattle Feedlot Efforts to Increase Negotiated Cash Trade |
It was good to have the Texas Cattle Feeders Association Convention earlier this week in Oklahoma City. I spoke with Ross Wilson, Texas Cattle Feeders Association president and CEO. TCFA took time during their Convention to honor Ross for his 37 years of service to the Association- including the last couple of decades as the group's CEO and President.
Pictured above is Ben Weinheimer and Ross Wilson at the meeting- Weinheimer will assume the role of CEO January first as Wilson steps down- he will continue to work on special projects for the industry. (we talk with Ross about his retirement in our interview that you can access below)
As for our conversation with Wilson- we started with the 75% plan.
“The industry is working hard to see if we cannot fix this on our own before the focus pivots to a government mandate,” Wilson said. “I think we will have great reservations about trying to work with the current administration and leadership in Congress to create a meaningful mandate of any kind.”
Wilson acknowledged cattle producers are facing issues when it comes to price discovery, market leverage and transparency. He said TCFA leadership has urged members to participate in the 75% Plan.
“The jury is still out,” Wilson said. “Our guys have done a really good job of meeting the goal of roughly 10,000 head a week in negotiated trade, but there are some changes that need to happen.”
We also talked about the regulatory environment and discussion of reviewing GIPSA, Livestock Mandatory Reporting, Mandated Cash Trade and More- and it sounded similar to a conversation we had with Ross back in 2010 after a Livestock Marketing Workshop regarding GIPSA in Ft Collins- Click here to listen to that visit from over 11 years ago- it's a history lesson that today's conversation is NOT new.
Also, after serving TCFA for 37 years, Wilson announced his retirement. Hit the blue button to learn more.
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Hilliary Communications to Launch $45 Million in Fiber-Optic Infrastructure Expansion in Rural America |
Hilliary Communications announced today that it will be investing more than $45 million in rural America to expand affordable, high-powered fiber optic internet where traditional bank loans and infrastructure programs are not readily available. The area of greatest impact will be in southern Oklahoma, beginning in the Lawton region and stretching as far east as Talihina.
“Our state has made great strides in moving Oklahoma’s ranking in broadband access from 47 to 35 in just three years,” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said. “It takes all of us working together to continue to make this progress, and I applaud Hilliary Communications for always being on the front lines of competing and bringing to Oklahoma resources to advance our shared Top Ten mission.”
Companies Hilliary Communications is working with to roll out services are: Oklahoma Western Telephone Company, Texhoma Fiber LLC, Southern Plains Cable LLC and Tatum Telephone Company.
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CattleFax CEO Randy Blach Says Inflated Prices are Here to Stay |
Whether you are purchasing gifts ahead of the holiday season, fuel, cattle feed and more, odds are you are paying more thanks to inflation. Inflation is a hot topic at this year’s Texas Cattle Feeders Association Convention. We caught up with CattleFax CEO Randy Blach at the convention to talk about inflation.
Blach spoke to TCFA members, telling them inflation is here to stay, impacting everything for the next several years.
“I do not know how you could slow it down,” Blach said. “You got an economy that is not fully back on board … not only in the U.S. but around the globe.”
Ultimately, costs to produce goods and services will trickle down to folks like cattle producers and feeders, Blach said. Inflation will translate into tighter cattle numbers in the future, he added.
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For our farmers who have either- always have had cotton on their farms- or those who have more recently have added the fiber crop to their operations- we have a new daily report starting to be heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk- and we appreciate the Oklahoma Cotton Council for their support in making this a reality.
Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report
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National FFA Convention Rolling- Reagan Klassen of Hydro in the Spotlight |
Things are getting busy in Indianapolis at the 94th National Convention of the FFA- and there are a bunch of Oklahoma FFA members vying for top honors again as we get back to a mostly in person convention.
At the top of the heap is Reagan Klassen of Hydro-Eakly FFA- who is a finalist for the Star Farmer of America award.
Klaasen’s SAE involves raising a diverse selection of cattle and crops. Her land and equipment are rented from her parents with a family discount, but she said the most helpful thing they’ve done for her has been to encourage her.
“My parents and I made it a big goal to become an Oklahoma Star Farmer and potentially an American Star finalist like I’ve done,” she said. “My parents really talked me into starting my SAE at a very young age and always encouraged me to have a very strong SAE that was very diverse.”
The diversity of her SAE is something that keeps her busy. She currently owns around 30 cows with dozens of calves, and she continually rotates a variety of crops — peanuts, wheat, black-eyed peas and more — on over 300 acres of land. Klaasen plans to double the number of cows by the end of 2022.
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network weekdays-
if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click below for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays and KC Sheperd on RON.
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Sponsor Spotlight
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Evaluating Money Saved When Purchasing Feed on Cost per Unit of Protein and Energy Basis |
Weekly, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist Mark Johnson offers his expertise in the cattle industry. This is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow-Calf Corner" published electronically by Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about money saved by evaluating purchased feed on a cost of nutrient basis.
Last week we looked at how to evaluate feeds based on cost per unit of crude protein (CP) and energy (TDN) basis rather than just purchasing based on price per ton or bag. The final point of that article was this: determining the most cost-effective ration or supplement should be based on the feeding or supplementation objective. Many factors impact the nutrient requirements of cattle. This week we take a closer look at a specific goal and show the money saved by evaluating purchased feed on a cost of nutrient basis.
The Scenario & Objective
We have 60 mature cows, average weight of 1,300 lbs., due to calve in late January, entering the last trimester of pregnancy, cows are in a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 5.5. We have ample standing forage in the form of native grass which forage analysis indicates is 5% CP and 55% TDN. On grass of this type, cows should consume 1.9 - 2.0% of their body weight resulting in forage dry matter consumption of 25 lbs./day. Knowing that reproductive efficiency is highly correlated to nutrition, our objective is for cows to maintain current weight and BCS until calving.
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Fire Weather Watch in Effect in Oklahoma Panhandle Ahead of Developing Storms |
Yesterday: A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Cimarron and Texas Counties. A dryline was expected to form and push across the Oklahoma Panhandle and potentially into portions of western Oklahoma resulting in an uptick in fire danger ahead of a cold front bringing rain and storm chances during the evening and overnight hours. The highest fire danger indices will reside in the Oklahoma Panhandle where temperatures in the low-to-mid-80 F degrees.
Fire danger indices will also increase in portions of western Oklahoma, although rates of spread in rangeland fuels will generally be less than 200 feet per minute, offering good probabilities for successful initial attack.
Today and Thursday: Fire danger will be conditional upon rainfall associated with storms developing Tuesday evening and overnight. Current forecast data indicates that areas west of may not receive areal wetting rainfall amounts. Unless wetting rainfall is realized, post-frontal dryness and stout northwest winds over drying fuels will present potential for elevated fire danger. Central and eastern Oklahoma is currently expected to receive wetting rainfall amounts dampening fire danger potential.
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Expansion Partners to Heal the Harvester |
In a profession that involves backbreaking labor, life-altering financial decisions and the favor of Mother Nature, farmers and ranchers are especially vulnerable to mental health issues.
The number of Oklahomans who struggle with a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression jumped 25% during the pandemic. Other research also published by the Oklahoma-based, nonpartisan Healthy Minds Policy Initiative reported the state’s rural suicide rate has increased 27% since 2017, compared with a 3% rise in urban areas. That’s why the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry requested help from the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and OSU Extension to develop Heal the Harvester, a Project ECHO line of assistance for rural Oklahomans. Hundreds of Project ECHO programs worldwide connect community providers with support specialists through virtual sessions on learning and mentorship. OSU’s Project ECHO offers several training courses on topics, such as addiction medicine and pediatric psychiatry.
Heal the Harvester launched in October to help increase awareness of needs and resources to support rural residents experiencing mental health crises.
“Life in agriculture is sometimes tough and isolating,” Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma secretary of agriculture, said . “Producers are certainly some of the most resilient people, but natural disasters, disease, retailer demands, market uncertainties and misconceptions, and a seemingly growing list of other issues, wear on everyone.”
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Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation and Soil Health Institute Unveil New U.S. Regenerative Cotton Program |
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation and the Soil Health Institute today announced a founding grant to launch the Institute's U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund (USRCF), a unique, farmer-facing, science-based initiative that will support long-term, sustainable cotton production in the United States, with the goal of eliminating one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the atmosphere by 2026.
"Our support of the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund, led by the Soil Health Institute, continues Cotton Incorporated's holistic approach and producer focus for achieving the environmental and economic benefits generated by improving soil health," Kater Hake, vice president of agricultural and environmental research at Cotton Incorporated, said.
The USRCF will initially operate in four states – Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and Georgia and will look to expand into Alabama, North Carolina, Missouri, California and Oklahoma as these nine states represent 85 percent of U.S. cotton production. The Soil Health Institute will work closely with cotton farmers to help them measure and monitor the environmental, societal, and economic benefits of soil health management systems on their operations. Through the USRCF, improvements in soil health and carbon sequestration will be measured through an approach developed by the Soil Health Institute called soil health and soil carbon targets.
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Developing- We Got Rain- But Not Huge Quantities from the system now working across Oklahoma- here's the 5:30 AM View courtesy of the Oklahoma Mesonet- Click on the Graphic to see it realtime |
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OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.
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Today's First Look:
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.
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Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices are unavailable this morning- USDA website is giving us errors- we will return wiht this daily report tomorrow once they fix their glitch.
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Oklahoma National Stockyards had a final count of 7,966 head of cattle for their Monday, October 26th run...
Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 2.00 higher. Feeder heifers 2.00 - 4.00 higher. Demand moderate to good for feeder cattle. Cattle futures higher today following a bullish Cattle on Feed Report Friday. Steer calves 5.00 - 7.00 higher. Heifer calves 2.00 - 5.00 higher. Demand very good for calves under 500 lbs.; moderate for other weights. In most cases, un-weaned calves continue to see the typical big discounts from their weaned counterparts.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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OKC West in El Reno had 2,500 head for their Tuesday calf sale on October 27th.
Compared to last Tuesday: Steer and heifer calves traded mostly steady. Calves that were long weaned and multiple rounds of shots sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand moderate to good, very good for weaned calves. Cooler temperatures are in the forecast for the rest of the week.
Click below for the USDA Market News report for the Tuesday trade.
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Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures - click below for the latest update on the Livestock and Grain Futures Trade..
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Okla Cash Grain:
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture- The report available after the close of the Futures Trade for that day.
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Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor
KC Sheperd, Associate Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
Chelsea Stanfield, Farm News and Email Editor
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Rural Oklahoma is full of some of the greatest success stories throughout the entire state and is the main reason Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity dives into these stories regularly, bringing you insight into the great things happening in and to rural Oklahoma. We will bring you stories covering rural life, agriculture, energy, healthcare, tourism, and politics affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
As we continue along the Road to Rural Prosperity- In our latest Ag Perspective Podcast, KC Sheperd talks with Jed Green, the founder of the group ORCA- Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action. They discuss the problems that have developed in rural Oklahoma because of the explosive growth of medical marijuana production in the state- and of the need for better regulation of the industry- as well as recognition of the economic benefits Green believes are a part of the arrival of this industry.
To find out more about our full series of Podcasts on The Road to Rural Prosperity- click or tap here.
To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma Cotton Council, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, Union Mutual Insurance, the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, and KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update.
For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- at NO Charge!
We invite you to check out our website at the link below too that includes an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.
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God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
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Tim West
President/General Manager
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
2401 Exchange Avenue,
Suite F
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
405.317.6361
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Ron Hays
Director of Farm Programming
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
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