KC Sheperd visits with Dakota Moss of Livestock Risk Services. When the pandemic hit in 2020 the cattle markets along with the rest of the world suffered. Many farmers and ranchers altered their marketing plans on crops and livestock to try and prevent a loss in the down Covid markets. This led to cattle being held months longer than planned hoping for a better market. Unfortunately for many farmers and ranchers they had no choice but to sell much heavier cattle into a down market. Resulting in a lower $/cwt price and profits lost. Sheperd and Moss discuss some alternative options for producers with the Livestock Risk Protection program.

Farm Director, KC Sheperd, talks with Carl Josefy about all things FSA-related. Josefy explains various FSA programs available to producers and contradicts the misconception that these programs are only available to a small number of operations. “It is always a pleasure to be able to get in front of producers to let them know what is occurring with the Farm Service Agency,” Josefy said. “We have a lot of programs going on, and it does overlap.” The newly announced Emergency Relief Program, Josefy said, is aimed at aiding commodity and special crop producers. This program, he added, includes 10 billion dollars in assistance to agricultural producers that were impacted by wildfire, drought, hurricane, winter storms, and other eligible disasters that occurred across the country during the calendar year of 2021.

Chisholm Trail Milling is a joint dream of two businessmen from different states and from different parts of the food chain- Oklahoman Brady Sidwell who farms and has been moving his business into value added products brings the expertise of wheat farming and merchandising that wheat while Graison Gill is a nationally known baker and miller from New Orleans, La. They have come together in Enid, Oklahoma to establish a commercial mill that produces niche high quality fresh flour that is Identity Preserved wheat of a single variety that comes from the Oklahoma State Wheat Breeding Program. Ron Hays talks with first Graison and then Brady about how this makes the wheat/flour/bread product that flows thru this part of the food pipeline higher quality and fresher than it ever has been before.

Ron Hays talks with Don Schieber, the 2022 winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Agriculture Award, which is the highest award given by the Governor of Oklahoma to honor distinguished Oklahoma agriculture producers. This prestigious award honors leaders in the agriculture industry who exemplify personal values, performance, and achievement. Governor Kevin Stitt presented Schieber his award during the Oklahoma celebration of Ag Day on March 24th- after riding with the honoree in a mule drawn wagon up Lincoln Blvd to the front steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol. Schieber is the 25th award winner and becomes the newest inductee into the Oklahoma Ag Hall of Fame. Ron and Don talk about his career in production agriculture- his work on behalf of wheat farmers with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and US Wheat Associates that included traveling to 26 countries taking the Oklahoma wheat production story to buyers of wheat around the world. Don is a major supporter of the wheat breeding work of Dr. Brett Carver- having provided ground on his farm in Kay County for an OSU wheat Variety Field Plot for 17 years. They also talk about his love of football- which took him onto the gridiron for fifty years as a football referee across Oklahoma. Don also offered advice to younger farmers in today's challenging environment about what he has learned on his way to farming, operating a seed cleaning business and raising a family in rural Oklahoma.

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays sat down and talked with the Director of the National Ag Law Center Harrison Pittman. The Center is located at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Ron and Harrison discuss what Ag Law is- and dove into a whole list of issues that have real world impacts on farmers and ranchers- Prop 12 in California, the Supreme Court's consideration of WOTUS, ESA and the impact on Ag Chemicals, Right to Repair and more.

It's a year end conversation between Oklahoma Third District Congressman Frank Lucas and Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Senior Farm/Ranch Director Ron Hays. They talk about the recently passed extension of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Measure as well as the Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021, the continued wait on the US Department of Justice investigation into the major meat packers, Congressman Lucas' work on the Science Committee, his continued intentions to return to the House Ag Committee in time to be a part of writing the next Farm Bill and a comparison of Congress when he first arrived in Washington in the mid 1990s and today.

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- especially in areas where legal operations are being established.

As ranchers and dairymen and women across Oklahoma prepare their operations for fall, another round of deworming cattle comes to mind. Ron Hays talked with Harold Newcomb, technical services manager and veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, about parasite control strategies ahead of the turn of the season. Newcomb said parasite control is important for three reasons: an infestation causes an animal to reduce their feed intake, lag in production - whether that is measured in weight gain, milk production or reproduction, and negatively affects their ability to viral vaccines and diseases. “If you think about it, parasites are one thing that that animal is facing every day of its life when it’s out there grazing,” Newcomb said. “You get parasite control right and a lot of other things look good.”

As pasture and range conditions continue to deteriorate, according to the latest Crop Progress Report by the USDA, suggest tight hay supplies ahead. Katelyn McCullock, director and senior economist for the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC), told Ron Hays that hay prices are rising. Right now, 45% of the continental U.S. is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought conditions, most of which is in the western half of the country. Some of the areas being hit the hardest are known to produce much of the Nation’s Alfalfa Hay crop. While some of the other hay crops are produced east of the Mississippi River, a good amount is also grown in drought-stricken areas of the country. As drought conditions creep eastward, larger areas of the Great Plains, including Oklahoma, are beginning to struggle. “Nationally, alfalfa prices hit over $200 per ton, which is important because of where we are in the marketing year,” McCullock said. “There is not going to be a substantial amount of hay brought in to decrease the price, from here on out.”

As continue along the Road to Rural Prosperity- In our latest Ag Perspective Podcast, KC Sheperd talks with the leading animal behavior authority in the world, Dr. Temple Grandin. KC and Dr. Grandin talk about the concept of Sustainability and the proper handling of beef cattle, how to treat your cattle the right way, the concept of Stockmanship, how to get an animal ready for the show ring and the amazing memory that cattle have- and how understanding that memory can help you lessen the stress on your cattle and yourself as you work with beef or dairy animals. Dr. Grandin has been honored by Universities and Organizations around the world- including in 2010 when Oklahoma State University created an endowed professorship in animal behavior in honor of Temple Grandin.