December 16, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley, This is Aglife. My name is Bob Quinn,
with you for the next hour talking about agricultural production
here in the valley and all across the country. Well friends,
and National Weather Service issued its weather outlook for the
winter season. Rod Bain talks this morning with USDA meteorologists
Brad Rippey.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
What does the outlook for winter weather across the US
look like. USDA meurologist Brad Rippey says the Climate Prediction
Center's late November forecast for the winter months indicates Lininia.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Is expected to rule the roost when it comes to
temperature and precipitation patterns for the winter of twenty twenty
five twenty six.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
In fact, recent weather developments resemble expectations for winter conditions.

Speaker 3 (00:44):
Some of these cold air masses that are building in
from western and northwestern North America punching into the northern
plains in the Midwest, are very consistent with what you
would expect during a li Ninia winter, and that is
exactly what we have seen developed over the last couple
of months.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Before providing a breakdown of forecasted temperatures and precipitation ranges
by region this winter, Rippey also offers this caveat.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
The individual storms can vary greatly from that overall pattern,
and certainly any individual storm can kind of break free
of that pattern.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
First, the temperature outlook for the Cottondental US for deceburb, January,
and February.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
Showing expectations for below normal temperatures across much of the
northern United States, stretching all the way from Washington State
eastward through the Northern Plains, as far south as Nebraska,
and into much of the Midwest as well.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yet, Ladina in the winter time usually comes in the
southern tier of the nation with.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Generally warmer than normal conditions at least average, so we
do expect above normal temperatures from California through the Southwest,
and then from the Gulf Coast extending northeastward into the
mid Atlantic and southern Atlantic States.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
What about precipitation potential rain or snow during the winter months.

Speaker 3 (01:54):
Linina winters often come with a double precipitation maximum across
the Northern United States. One area where we do expect
to see above normal precipitation would be the northern Rockies
and northern High Plains. That, of course would be in
the form of snow, so you might expect to see
some significant snow across parts of the Northwest, extending to
the northern High Plains. The second precipitation maximum would be

(02:16):
across the lower Midwest, and so you look at the
Ohio Valley in the eastern corn Belt. That is another
area expected to see unusually wet conditions during the winter.
That could be either in the form of rain or snow,
depending on each individual storm system. Meanwhile, with Laminia, we
do expect drier than normal conditions to dominate, and that
would include southern California through the southern Great Plains and

(02:37):
extending through the Gulf Coast region into the lower Southeast,
and extending as far north as the mid Atlantic States.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Broad Bain reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington.

Speaker 4 (02:48):
D C.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Well, friends, the Hodle Bay season can also be the
scam season. We have a report coming up on recognizing
scams and how to avoid a scam going forward. That's
ahead on Aglife. Bob Quinn. Here was some farm news
this morning. Friends. The unfortunate part of the holiday season
is arise in the number of scams across the country.

(03:10):
Chad Smith starts us off.

Speaker 5 (03:12):
The latest research from an AARP survey shows eighty nine
percent of US consumers were targeted by fraud during the
last year. Gift card, charity delivery, and online shopping schemes
tend to spike at this time of year. John Vascoll,
Oklahoma State AARP Director, says scammers or targeting everyone, regardless

(03:33):
of their age.

Speaker 6 (03:34):
The finding is underscore. The consumers need to stay vigilant
during the holiday shopping season and be mindful of scammers.
The risks are everywhere in today's take forward life. Text messaging,
peer to peer payment apps like cash app and Venmo,
and social media are also places where criminals are lurking,
even ordering packages at Risky thirty percent of adults report

(03:54):
having a package stolen from their front porches.

Speaker 5 (03:56):
The risks of apps like cash app and Venmo have
jump because three out of four consumers used them in
the past year, up from seventy percent in twenty twenty four.
The electronic risks don't stop there, as social media scams
are also spiking.

Speaker 6 (04:11):
Almost forty percent of consumers reported experiencing fraud after buying
something through social media, a noticeable jump from the previous
year's thirty five percent. Consumers also place a lot of
unearned trust in social media commerce. Despite the high level activity,
only fifty percent of consumers in the survey correctly identified
that social media ads are often untrustworthy.

Speaker 5 (04:34):
One third of survey respondents report receiving gift cards that
have been tampered with. Scammers record in the number and
pen and then drain the funds as soon as those
cards are purchased.

Speaker 6 (04:46):
It's important to educate yourself. In a test of ten
true false questions about safe financial practices, only twenty seven
percent of the respondents answered seven or more questions correctly.
While safer payment methods like credit cards but haming more prevalent,
major knowledge gaps still persist.

Speaker 5 (05:03):
If you think you or someone you know has been scammed,
the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline can help you. These are
AARP volunteers who devote their time to helping others. The
number is eight seven seven nine zero eight thirty three sixty.
Learn more on Wednesday night at six thirty pm Central
Time on RFDTV or online at AARP dot org, Forward

(05:26):
Slash AARP Live. Chad Smith reporting Well Frans August.

Speaker 1 (05:32):
Pork exports reached two hundred thirty six thousand metric tons,
just one percent below a year ago, valued at nearly
six hundred eighty six million dollars. The real standout remains Mexico,
where shipments jumped eight percent, with the value up nine
percent to more than two hundred and fifty two million dollars,
the second highest on record. Dan Halstrom, president and CEO

(05:52):
of the US Meat Export Federation, says twenty twenty four
closed out as a record year in both volume and value,
underscoring strong demand and the competitiveness of US pork worldwide.

Speaker 7 (06:06):
Right now, we're down slightly, but you look at a
Mexico which set a record last year. We're on pasis
and another record easily. Same thing with Central America, same
thing with Columbia. The drag on pork slightly down has
been Asia, especially in the first quarter of this year,
but since then Japan and Career making a comeback. So
we may well end up with a very similar story
as last year, and maybe very close to a new

(06:28):
record again this year.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Mexico remains the top customer for US pork, and Halstrom
says that creativity in how pork is showcased has played
a huge role. What started during COVID with food trucks,
street events and inventive ways to put pork in front
of consumers continues today, keeping demand strong and engagement high.

Speaker 7 (06:48):
Our team down there very creative. They've got a beef
truck and a pork truck series that we work on
where they come to events could be a retail event,
could be a food service event, and they have tasting
as an education there on the spot. They also have
a Grill Academy, which is an eighteen wheeler where they
come in and do smoking events and other concepts. But
you know, this is kind of typical of the global consumer.

(07:09):
They're wanting options, they're wanting something different.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
Dan Hallstrom, President and CEO US Meat Export Federation, talking
pork exports this morning, farm US. You are listening to
WAG Life.

Speaker 8 (07:20):
It's another agnews up to green movement slowing into mid
December and Washington signaling tider spending overside more after this.

Speaker 9 (07:30):
Before I started working as a soil scientist, before I
became assistance engineer, before I got started in aerospace, I
was a kid making discoveries. I did my first live experiment.

Speaker 5 (07:41):
I've found Oxisin school in four h in foro h
in four h.

Speaker 9 (07:48):
One million new ideas. Learn more and see how you
can help at four dash h dot org.

Speaker 8 (07:59):
Green Train insportation showed mixed signals league last month, with
rail volumes down week to week but still running above
last year. Barge traffic fell sharply compared with twenty twenty four,
and ocean freight held steady. Railroads originated just under twenty
five seven hundred grain car loads, and shuttle premiums remain

(08:22):
elevated despite easing slightly. It suggests logistics capacity remains tight
even as movement slows. Seasonally, Bard shipments decline nearly a
quarter from a year ago, and that could pressure river
basis as whenter logistics take hold. Fuel costs offered some relief,

(08:43):
with diesel prices dropping more than nine cents per gallon,
though they remain above last year. At the same time,
trade head winds persist as US agax sports to China
down more than fifty percent so far this year. It's
led by deep declines and soybeans, cotton, and feed grains.

(09:04):
It's China leans more heavily on South America, adding to uncertainty.
White House signaling tighter federal spending discipline. It's another RAG
news update.

Speaker 9 (09:15):
At the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention in Denver,
we caught up with Michael Gerghi from Student Loan Advisor.

Speaker 10 (09:22):
I think the biggest thing to remember when it comes
down to student loans and student loan forgiveness is that
you have to be very, very vigilant because it really
can be one of the biggest empowering choices of your
life to go out and get this degree inside of
the veterinary field, or it can be a tremendous roadblock
if it's not managed properly. So we really try and
encourage that as the overarching team and the top line
piece of advice that we give the books.

Speaker 9 (09:41):
There's more valuable information on AVMA dot.

Speaker 8 (09:43):
Org American Cattle News Today, I'll look back at how
markets ended the week last week more after this.

Speaker 9 (09:54):
Before I started working as a soil scientist, before I
became assistance engineer, before I got started in aerospace, I
was a kid making discoveries.

Speaker 11 (10:03):
I did my first live experiment I found outside of
school in four h In four h in four h.

Speaker 9 (10:11):
One million new ideas. Learn more and see how you
can help at four dash h dot org.

Speaker 8 (10:22):
Take care a look at how markets ended the week
On Friday, Oliver Slope blue line futures.

Speaker 12 (10:30):
At the closed February live cattle features a dollar forty lower,
settling att to twenty nine to fifty five for the week,
though that was still two dollars and forty cents higher.
January feeder cattle features lost four dollars and thirty cents today,
settling at three thirty nine ten or the week a
wopping five cents higher. However, on this outside February lean
hog features gain thirty five cents, settling at eighty four

(10:51):
fifty two. That extended gains for the week to two
dollars and twenty five cents, which marked the third consecutive
weekly gains.

Speaker 6 (10:59):
This morning sociale box feed report was mixed.

Speaker 12 (11:01):
Choice cuts lost eighty five cents to three fifty seven
to twenty six, and Select cuts gained a dollar thirty two.
Yesterday's five area average price for live series was reported
at to twenty six thirty one, which is firm with
what we've seen in recent reports. Daily slaughter was reported
at one hundred and twenty three thousand head yesterday. That
was up from last week, but down about two thousand
from the same day last year. That put the week

(11:23):
to date total as of yesterday afternoon at four hundred
and eighty four thousand head that's nine thousand more than
last week at about five thousand head less in the.

Speaker 6 (11:32):
Same period last year.

Speaker 12 (11:33):
CMME Feeder Cattle Index yesterday afternoon three forty five forty seven,
the fourteen day average true range for live cattle and
feeder cattle had been declining recently, along with the CME
c VALL indices for the two markets. Live cattle Seavall
lost twenty six sticks today to close at nineteen point
four seven, the lowest level since November three.

Speaker 8 (11:53):
As for cash trade last week in the North and
the South both two thirty and dress to three point
fifty five. The expectation cash done early this week. American
Cattle News.

Speaker 1 (12:08):
This is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.

Speaker 13 (12:14):
We have discussed stress on the farm before, but how
stressed are your animals? Our guest today is doctor Nicole Sanchez,
a research animal scientist with the USDA Livestock Issues Research Unit,
and she discusses stress on the farm, but not from
the farmer's point of view, from our animals.

Speaker 14 (12:31):
Well.

Speaker 15 (12:31):
Stress is all around us and we may not experience
stress every day, but our animals can, and they're hidden
can be hidden stressors such as sickness. Sickness is a
stressor to animals. We have keep stress and then natural
disasters can significantly influence our stress responses in what our
cattle and human sysm all experience. So stress is an
important aspect, and so it's the body's reaction trying to

(12:53):
get us back to our baseline, to our normal after
being thrown off by some kind of stressor consist of
three different things.

Speaker 14 (13:01):
The first is the stressor itself. It's a stimulus.

Speaker 15 (13:04):
It can be a barking dog that may be a
psychological stressor for our cattle, and so the animal takes
these signals in initiates aer stress response, and this is
mediated by different stress hormones within the body that have
different physiological effects on the body such as increased respiration,
changes in heart rate and blood flow, and subsequent effects
on different body systems from digestion to reproduction and immunity.

(13:27):
We have social stressors. This can include the mixing of
unfamiliar animals. This can happen with transportation or when we're
having to readjust different groups.

Speaker 14 (13:36):
There are very psychological stressors.

Speaker 15 (13:37):
So some examples include new surroundings and so for transporting
or moving animal to a different part of the farm
and to a different farm. In general, there are also
nutritional stressors a large diet or too little diet, or
whether we're having contamination or poor quality of feed. These
can affect and be a stressor on the animal. And
then of course there's physical stressors injuries that an animal
and experience. Extreme weather, cattle processing, cattle, castration, or branding

(14:03):
can be physical stressors for our cattle. And stress is
important because it can disrupt many different maintenance behaviors, usually behaviors,
whether that's increased respiration, agitation. Stress can affect virtually all
body systems, and so our whole body is responsive to stress.

Speaker 13 (14:18):
So now that we know that stress is coming from
all these different locations, what's the solution so.

Speaker 14 (14:23):
Further stress response. The first step is perception the stress.

Speaker 15 (14:26):
So if we're talking, for example, a caxine, a predator
such as a dog or a coyote, it's going to
sense that stress and it's going to elicit a reaction
within the body. And so the higher brain centers are
going to perceive the stress and these hormones then send
a signal through the blood to the adrenal plan that
sits on top ofar kidneys, and this results in the
production of the stress hormone Cortisol results probably one of

(14:47):
the most well known stress hormones. It's one that's tapilly
discussed and depending on various factors such as breed and
gender or sex, we can see different effects. Stress can
be alleviated in many different ways. The first management looking
at our different processes are handling of our cattle and
making sure that we're using calm animal handling and movement,

(15:08):
and if there's any other factors that we can do
that may alleviate even psychological stressors such as shadows and
things like that. So cattle do adapt to environments, they
adapt to stressors, and so if you're handling cattle daily
or weekly, they're going to ge accustomed to that and
you're going to see decreases in that stress response. Usually
temperamental cattle may not calm down as much, but we
do see calming and so gradual introduction gradual changes are

(15:31):
better than things that have to change quickly, and sometimes
that's out of our control with sudden changes, but it's
doing our best to alleviate that stress or to minimize
us stress. A lot of times with these stressors, we're
not able to completely eliminate them, but if we can
reduce the effects, you're going to have a significant, potential
positive impact on that animal and the way they respond.

(15:52):
So many different factors can influence those response to stress,
and the whole body can be influenced by stress from growth, reproduction, health.
But through proper planning and changes of management and advitation
and management and some of these tools that producers can use,
maybe some of these nutritional supplements to reduce the negati
effects that we see on the SOURSS response as well
as improved community in our calves and our cows.

Speaker 13 (16:13):
Comments from doctor Nicole Bertick Sanchez, USDA research animal scientists
with the Livestock Issues Research Unit here on Dairy Radio.

Speaker 16 (16:21):
Now, Pappaul, why can't we telegraph while riding a horse?

Speaker 7 (16:25):
Soon?

Speaker 9 (16:26):
There ain't no one to blame but Jeffro.

Speaker 17 (16:28):
He was riding Old Betsy the stallion tip tapping away
at his telegraph quin blame ran right into the side
of the saloon.

Speaker 5 (16:36):
Well, if Jeffro can't do it, neither should you don't
text and drive.

Speaker 11 (16:41):
Visit stop, text, stoprex dot org.

Speaker 4 (16:44):
A message brought to you by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration Project yellow Light and the AD Council.

Speaker 18 (16:49):
And I'm Bill Baker Dairy Radio.

Speaker 17 (16:51):
Now, irrigation efficiency for nutcrops is critically important. I'm Patrick
Cabana with the California Trina Report, part of the vast
AD Information Network. Tobias of Care is a UCA and
R irrigation and soils management specialist. He's based in Cerrent County.

(17:11):
He's been on the job for three years.

Speaker 19 (17:14):
What are the low handing food is number one. You
definitely want to make sure that your your irrigation delivery
systems are working as efficiently as possible. As you know,
different irrigation methods have certain design limitations. The most efficient
irrigation systems mainstream which are out there, are basic micro
irrigation systems. These are stuff like driplines, microsprint clerves, that

(17:38):
kind of technology. Now, so technologies are well well designed
and implemented, and.

Speaker 17 (17:43):
You have to ensure that irrigation efficiency with these systems.

Speaker 19 (17:47):
In the region of ninety percent and above. That basically
means that out of one hundred percent of water that
you're putting ninety percent is being used by the tree.

Speaker 17 (17:56):
So here's really the bottom line is you.

Speaker 19 (17:59):
Want to have your using working efficiently, your PANSA working efficiently.
You don't have blockages within your system deliversys you gonn alike.

Speaker 17 (18:07):
That's Tobias so Care. He's a UCA and R farm
advisor in Kerrent Counties specializing in irrigation efficiency. And you
know it's critically important.

Speaker 20 (18:17):
You've probably been told that to reach a millennial farmer
you have to go digital hmm, Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest,
LinkedIn and online publication or maybe a podcast hmm, but
which one?

Speaker 21 (18:32):
Oh?

Speaker 20 (18:32):
And how receptive is this age group to your sales
pitch during non work social time. Maybe the best place
to reach a farmer with a farming solution message is
when they are well, quite frankly farming. You know, it's
easy for us to find them during the day, as
most farmers are behind the wheel of a pickup truck
or farm equipment with the radio on. Listening to this

(18:54):
station for the ag Information Network of the West News.
If you'd like to deliver information about your terrific product
or service, give us a call and we'll connect you directly.
With our community of loyal farmer listeners reach real farmers
right here, right now as they listen to what is
important to their farm operation. They trust us, They'll trust you.

Speaker 17 (19:16):
With the AG Information Network. I'm Patrick Kavanaugh.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
It is an important partnership in the realb of US
agricultural trade. USDA and entities not as ag cooperator groups.

Speaker 21 (19:27):
Ag cooperator groups are really the representatives of the producers
back at home that are looking to export their aducts
all around the world.

Speaker 2 (19:35):
Agriculture Undersecretary for Trade and for at Agricultural Affairs Luke
Lindbergh says ad cooperator groups offer significant insight into potential
issues that happer market access of their commodities and goods.

Speaker 21 (19:48):
When I was being confirmed for this capacity, and shortly
after confirmed, I met with ag cooperators in a series
of roundtable meetings to discuss their top priorities. Market access
continues to be the number.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
One priority collaboration between USDA. Of these groups that identify
size based evidence it used to open or expand ford
markets for US farm and food products.

Speaker 21 (20:11):
We get trade information from them. One of the things
that inhibits agricultural trade is the reality that sometimes foreign
buyers and foreign governments disadvantage our farmers for a variety
of different reasons. We often call them non tariff barriers.
Sometimes with an actual tariff that's a challenge, but in
many cases there may be non tariff barriers where they

(20:34):
might disadvantage us based on some kind of disagreement on
a final sanitary issue or some other barrier that they
want to erect against our farmers and ranchers.

Speaker 3 (20:43):
And so we work with those groups to.

Speaker 21 (20:44):
Make sure we identify the science based truth and we
go advocate for them, and we're continuing to find ways
all around the world to give our folks a chance
to compete.

Speaker 22 (20:54):
The federal truck weight limit has not been updated since
the nineteen eighties and remains capped eighty thousand pounds. Kelsey Camp,
the Associated director of Government Relations for the National Cattleans
Beef Association, said raising that limit could bring significant benefits
for agriculture and transportation efficiency.

Speaker 4 (21:14):
Our current Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill expires at the end
of next year, so that's something that we are working
on now. We're hoping to see text of that bill soon,
and NCBA is really focused on including a couple of
our most prominent transportation priorities in that bill. One of
those is increasing truck weights for federal interstates, and another
one is exempting livestock hollers from hours of service regulations

(21:38):
as well as electronic logging device mandates.

Speaker 22 (21:41):
When it comes to cattle haulers, Camp said, the National
Cattleans Beef Association supports a pilot program that would allow
states to opt in on whether they want to increase
the trucking weight limits.

Speaker 4 (21:52):
We're focused on a pilot program that would be a
state opten that would allow trucks up to ninety one
thousand pounds with a six to actual to travel on interstates.
We'd be able to follow the same amount of cattle
on four trucks instead of five, which would do a
lot for our supply chain resiliency.

Speaker 22 (22:08):
Again, that is Kelsey Camp, the associate director of government
Relations for the National Cattle and to Be Association. There's
no question that high fertilizer prices have been difficult to
deal with for months. But what's ahead? Josh Linnville, vice
president of fertilizer at Stone ACKs, talks about nitrogen.

Speaker 23 (22:27):
So far, everything looks like it's a big run here
this fall for anhydrous. Everybody who has had a chance
to go out there, for the most part, has done
so we think it's going to be a big fall run. However,
you're starting to see a lot more of the estmates
next year for the corn crop, it's getting bigger. We'd
use ninety three million last big deep dive for the
fertilizer kind of forecast S and D now starting.

Speaker 3 (22:43):
Here's some numbers.

Speaker 23 (22:44):
Ninety four ninety five is getting tossed out there, so
tremendous amount of demand is expected on the nitrogen side.
Globally speaking, we still got some problems. I don't know
go away very soon. Yeah, there's been some things have help,
but overall S and D is still tighter than it
should be.

Speaker 22 (22:56):
Lynnville talked about podash.

Speaker 23 (22:59):
I still think we're okay. Potash prices are good. They
make sense for SUS screen values. Yeah, they can always
be cheaper, but I think the potash manufacturers has done
a great job of putting a price war it needs
to be. I think demand will be solid there. Phosphate,
we still have big problems, and that's gonna be the one.
I think everybody's going to listen say, yep, I don't
like phosphase at all. I don't think that's getting amed
better anytime soon. The tariff situation that Trump announced on
late Friday, at least the Trump administration announced that helps.

(23:21):
It's not the silver bullet. We are still a world
that has China, who's typically the world's largest export eight
or ten million ton. I will be thrilled if they
hit four and a half million ton this year. And
I don't know if aybody else who can step up
and fill that gap.

Speaker 22 (23:32):
Postate and potash or recently added to the critical Minerals
list which Lynnville set is good news.

Speaker 23 (23:39):
I will take any attention we can to help smooth
the road, remove red tape and things like that. Potash
I don't get as worked up as some people do
when I look at the potash market, not only domestically
but globally. I see that as the best supplied market globally.
You've got a lot of production out there, you got
a lot of tons that are available. You have got
actually more tons that are coming online. And in fact,
the BHP, a major magning company, was building the A

(23:59):
facility up in Jams in Canada. They're delaying the project
part of its due for cost over and but part
of it. They said that medium term outlook for potash
is solid.

Speaker 22 (24:06):
A gam as josh Linnville of stone X.

Speaker 24 (24:09):
It's time for California AGG Today on the AGG Information Network,
I am Haley ship Well. In news out from the
Almond Board of California, they're announcing that they have voted
to discontinue their funding of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics
Service Objective Measurement Report, ending a decades long approach to

(24:30):
estimating the state's almond crop. The decision follows extensive consultation
with growers, handlers, and other stakeholders, as well as air
review by the Almond Forecast Task Force, which developed recommendations
for the Almond Quality and Food Safety Services Committee. Now,
according to an ABC press release, their goal is to
ensure crop estimates remain factual, unbiased, and better aligned with

(24:53):
the industry's evolving needs. Stakeholders have increasingly raised concerns about
the report's ability to add accurately account for variables such
as expanding crop sizes, diverse production practices, and varying weather
conditions across California's almond growing regions. Well, the Objective Measurement
Report will end NAS will continue to publish the California

(25:15):
Alemend subjective forecast each May. ABC emphasized its commitment to
providing accurate, timely industry information and will continue working with
USDA and partners to refine future crop estimation methods.

Speaker 16 (25:29):
Increasing your Almand yield can seem like a tough nut
to crack, but it doesn't have to be. Protect your
crop with Maravon funga sided bloom for added resiliency against frost,
long lasting, broad spectrum disease control, and proven yield results.
See that wouldn't tough at all. Maravon funge a side

(25:50):
number one in bloom for all the right reasons. Always
read and follow labeled directions.

Speaker 20 (25:56):
For over forty years, the AG Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world, agriculture. The AGG Information Network gives you worldwide
updates from local producers to regional organizations, from major crops
like wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to specially crops
like apples, almonds, and cherries. We report on stories that

(26:17):
mean the most to you online at aginfo dot net.
The AGG Information Network trusted and transparent journalism lasting for
the next generation.

Speaker 24 (26:25):
This is California AG Today on the ag Information Network.
Find more agricultural news at aginfo dot net.

Speaker 1 (26:32):
Bob Quinn here with a special report this morning. We're
friends the Stockyards City Cowboy Christmas Parade brought a special
guest to Oklahoma City this year, and amid the festive atmosphere,
man in red showed up. Let's hear from Santa Claus.

Speaker 11 (26:45):
Folks, I'm here with Santa Claus. The most exciting interview
of the year. He is a special guest has made
a special appearance here in the Stockyards in Oklahoma City.
Santa just to start. After centuries of delivering Christmas chere,
what still makes this night so special for you?

Speaker 25 (27:01):
The smiles on the children. Nothing compares with the smiles
on the children on Christmas Morning when they opened that
special present.

Speaker 11 (27:07):
Do you still get excited on Christmas?

Speaker 25 (27:08):
Ever?

Speaker 11 (27:09):
Is it all just kind of muscle memory for now
you've been doing this for quite some time.

Speaker 25 (27:12):
No, it's exciting for me every year and every single present.
I love what we're doing and what we're bringing, and
we're bringing joy and that's the whole purpose of Christmas
is to spread joy.

Speaker 11 (27:23):
I was just gonna ask have you started checking your list?
Maybe you've done the first round? Have we even checked
it twice yet?

Speaker 25 (27:28):
Haven't finished the second? But I did finish the first,
and I was surprised. The Naughty list is down a
little bit this year, so people are being better. We
also started a new list a couple of years ago,
especially for little brothers, called the at Least I Tried List.
A lot of people made it, so they're not on
the Naughty List this year.

Speaker 11 (27:44):
How nice of you to include those little brothers. It's
hard to be nice sometimes, you know, all the time.
It's nice you'll get to spread a little Christmas year
to them as well. That's right.

Speaker 25 (27:51):
Did they deserve it? And you know, I've known some
little brothers that did try hard. They didn't quite make it,
but the at least they.

Speaker 11 (27:56):
Tried, at least they tried. I love that. Well, how
are the rein deer feeling to Are we getting any
big jitters heading into the night?

Speaker 25 (28:02):
Oh no, The reindeer are up for this. They've trained
for it all season, they've been prepping the last month
and they are ready to go. Of course, with fog
like we've got some places I'm going to use nine
this year, instead of just eight, we'll have Rudy out
front with that bright red nose.

Speaker 11 (28:16):
Ooh nine. How exciting new Christmas tradition. I love that.
I was gonna say, Rudolph is kind of a celebrity
in my household. He's my personal favorite. Is Ruelf aware
that he's kind of a global celebrity or does he's
just not even know? He's just in for the job.

Speaker 25 (28:29):
Well, he loves the job and he would do it anyway,
but he kind of likes the fact that people recognize him.

Speaker 11 (28:33):
First, do they have a favorite tree? I have to know.
I always would make a reindeer mix and put it
in my yard, or sometimes even carrots. But what should
the children be leaving out for the reindeer this year?

Speaker 25 (28:43):
Well, the reindeer mix is wonderful. They all love it,
and carrots are always great. Reindeer love carrots. I've got two, though,
Dunder and Blitz them, my very first two reindeer.

Speaker 11 (28:51):
They like bell peppers, bell peppers. I never would have
guessed that. Luckily, I think I have some in the fridge.
I'll have to lay him out. Okay, but what about you, Sanna,
do you have favorite tree that you like? Left by
the tree.

Speaker 25 (29:01):
Well, I'm very fond of milk and cookies once the
hass of eggnog's not a bad idea, but I have
to be careful with it. It's a little heavy. Other
countries leave me different things though. Here everybody thinks milk
and cookies are a light snack. But as I travel
across Europe, in Italy they leave me wine and fresh bread,
And in Scotland it's not uncommon for them to leave
me a small meat pie and a dram so it's

(29:23):
hard to get out of Scotland.

Speaker 11 (29:24):
Sometimes I can imagine this sounds like the best job
in the world. Well maybe Oklahoma City. Maybe Oklahoma as
a whole will have to find something special to leave
you tonight.

Speaker 25 (29:32):
Well, Oklahoma is always special. I have lots of friends here.
I always enjoy it here, and the parade that they
do back at the first of the month in stockyards
is great.

Speaker 19 (29:40):
Fact.

Speaker 25 (29:40):
The reindeer get kind of jealous that I won't let
them come, but adults panic when they see flying reindeer
in the daylight.

Speaker 11 (29:45):
Yes, I can imagine. Yeah, it's such a special event.
And we love spreading Christmas yere. That was so much fun.
But I have to ask about your better half. You
get to do all of these super fun sightings and
you get to have the best night of the year.
Does she ever get a little bit jealous? Or she
may be the brains of the operation back home.

Speaker 25 (30:01):
She does take care of a lot of things for me.
She takes care of all the Christmas feast, she takes
care of my clothing. She makes all of my clothing
for me, and she kind of organizes the elves. I
don't do as good a job as she does keeping
them in line, because when you think about it, it's
like having a whole workshop full of little children. Mom
does a better job.

Speaker 11 (30:19):
I was going to ask, is December just like the
most frantic time of the year. Do they get a
break in January after Christmas? How does that work for
the elk?

Speaker 25 (30:26):
Yes, we do. We wait about ten days after Christmas,
just so we can make up for all the little
mistakes that happen here and there and the things that
got left. Once in a while, a present will get
dropped someplace and we have to deliver it a couple
of days later. But once we get to about the
sixth of January, which is the last day of Christmas,
it's epiphany. Those of you that have heard the song
the Twelve Days of Christmas and wondered what it meant,

(30:48):
don't let an adult tell you Christmas is just one day.
It's twelve days long. And after those twelve days, the
elves all get a break. Some of them go to
the tropics, some of them go ski in Colorado or
other place vices. Some of them go to Norway and
visit the reindeer farm.

Speaker 1 (31:03):
Chat with Santa this morning. That provided by Casey Shepherd
with the Radio Oklahoma Network out of Oklahoma City Farm News.
You're listening to AAG Life.

Speaker 26 (31:13):
From the AAGG Information Network. I'm Bob Larson with your
agribusiness update.

Speaker 4 (31:17):
Well.

Speaker 26 (31:17):
AG Secretary Brook Rawlins send a letter to Governor Gavin
Newsom demanding California band and a proposal that redistributes agricultural
land based on race, ethnicity, and national origin. This comes
as a draft proposal is considered that facilitates land transfers
and financial assistance exclusively to certain minorities. Rowlin's rights. Hard
working agricultural producers all deserve a shot at the American
dream and should not be shut out because of their race, ethnicity,

(31:40):
or national origin. American farmers reacted to the USDA's new
twelve billion dollar aid package with cautious relief, saying the
funds may help some producers but won't offset major financial
strains facing the industry. The payments, a one time bridge
program aimed at helping farmers manage high input costs and
market disruptions, are designed to provide temporary relief as producers

(32:00):
prepare for planting season. Farm Leaders continue to urge policy
makers to pursue long term market solutions alongside emergency support,
and US dairy markets are seeing major softening and domestic
prices even as dairy output in some export categories a
swell butter prices drop nearly a dollar a pound compared
to a year ago, while cheddar cheese and other block

(32:20):
cheese prices declined forty to fifty cents. These shifts reflect
both abundant domestic supply and weaker demand for standard dairy products.
US exports of value added dairy like certain cheeses and
butter surged.

Speaker 16 (32:32):
Increasing your almond yield can seem like a tough nut
to crack, but it doesn't have to be. Protect your
crop with maravon funge sided Bloom for added resiliency against frost,
long lasting, broad spectrum disease control, and proven yield results.
See that wouldn't tough at all. Maravon Funge a side

(32:53):
number one in Bloom for all the right reasons. I
always reading, follow labeled directions.

Speaker 27 (33:00):
Today we're talking with aphids and white flies about sefena
insecticide from basf.

Speaker 28 (33:05):
We just get nailed with it. So tell us, how
are you feeling really really weird and you still want
to devour this field? No way, bro, There you have it, folks.

Speaker 27 (33:16):
Safena insecticide is specifically engineered to disorient aphis and wifelies
so they can't eat, and when they can't eat, they
can't destroy.

Speaker 29 (33:23):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with sefena insecticide. Always
read and follow label directions. Get the equipment and trucks
you need. At Richie Brothers Los Angeles Auction December eighteenth
and nineteenth. This absolute unreserved auction is open to the
public and registration is free. For more details, visit ourbauction
dot com.

Speaker 1 (33:41):
Bobquin back to wrap up AGLI for today, friends, North
American fertilizer markets are shaken Dennis Sky reports from Canada.

Speaker 18 (33:49):
Fertilizer industries on both sides of the Canada US border
are making their case for continued supply of Canadian podash.
That response follows President Trump's most recent tariff threat saying
he might place severe tariffs on Canadian fertilizer in order
to increase output by the American industry. The association representing

(34:13):
the US fertilizer industry believes that meeting US farmer demand
through domestic supplies would simply be impossible. Potash is one
of three critical nutrients needed to grow a healthy crop,
especially corn and potatoes. Canada has the largest available potash deposits,
with Saskatchewan being the world's largest producer, followed by the

(34:36):
other two largest exporters, Russia and Belarus. The US does
mine around four hundred thousand tons of its own potash
supplies annually, but American farmers use another five million tons
beyond that amount. Those five million tons of potash come
almost entirely from Canada. This, according to Stuart Smith, an

(34:58):
agricultural professor at the University of Saskatchewan.

Speaker 30 (35:01):
Given that we export about fifty percent of our potash
to the US, I just don't think there's any way
you could scale that capacity up tenfold in the matter
of a few months, because seating starts for them in February.
In the southern US.

Speaker 18 (35:14):
The US fertilizer institutes Veronica and n I agrees with Smith.
She explains that American potash deposits are not nearly as
large or as readily available, and large scale mining extraction
of those deposits would take between ten and fifteen years.
Existing Canadian potash mines are the largest in the world

(35:36):
and immediately adjacent to the United States. As such, the
US agricultural industry depends heavily on Canada for its annual
potash requirements.

Speaker 31 (35:47):
US growers would very much like to see additional production
for mind nutrients like potash and phosphorus that can take
at at least ten years. There are only three major
exporters in the world. Russia and Belarus are the other two.
Much rather get our potash from our friends in Canada.

Speaker 18 (36:02):
Meanwhile, the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture says
that President Trump's comments of hiking tariffs is enough to
gyrate world market prices for fertilizer. Keith Curry, who farms
in Southern Ontario says that in the event Trump does
increase those tariffs, his recent announcement of a twelve billion
dollar farm bailout would be largely eaten up by the

(36:25):
fertilizer price increases that American farmers would experience.

Speaker 32 (36:30):
Even just the talk is really creating a lot of
unstable markets out there, and that cost would go directly
on to the margins of the US farmers. We just
turned about the twelve billion dollar bail at any bail
of money they may receive might be offset by further
cost going up.

Speaker 6 (36:43):
And this is why we need to have those conversations
with our colleagues.

Speaker 32 (36:46):
South of the border to make sure that they're putting
pressure on the president to make sure he doesn't farm with.

Speaker 18 (36:50):
The industry and improve reporting from Canada. I'm Dennis Guy
with that.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
Friends, out of time for today, thanks for joining us
back tomorrow morning with another edition of Bag Life.