Road to Rural Prosperity

Cattle Industry Leader Bob Drake sits down and talks with Ron Hays about his lifetime of service in the cattle business. Drake has served as the President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, the last President of the old National Cattlemen's Association and Vice President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. He loves politics and being a change agent for the cattle producer back up at the fork of the...

Since the legalization of Medical Marijuana in Oklahoma with State Question 788- criminals have flocked to the state to set up illegal grow houses because of cheap permits, cheap land and lax rules allowing them to get into the business of growing marijuana in Oklahoma. Ron Hays talks with Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics spokesman Mark Woodward about how these enterprises have invaded Oklahoma- the m...

Oklahoma Farm Report's Ron Hays talks regenerative agriculture and ranching with Jimmy Emmons. Jimmy is a long time resident of Leedey, OK. He is the third generation on the family farm in Dewey County. He and his wife Ginger have been farming and ranching together since 1980. They have a diverse 2000 acre cropping operation growing wheat, soybeans, sesame, sunflowers, irrigated dairy alfalfa hay,...

KC Sheperd talks with three of the country reps that live in Japan and work for US livestock producers in Japan as a part of the US Meat Export Federation team in that important export destination for US Beef and Pork. KC talked to Takemichi Yamashoji, Director, USMEF Japan; Satoshi Kato, Marketing Director, USMEF Japan and Taz Hijikata Director, Consumer Affairs, USMEF Japan at the recent USMEF S...

Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association hosted a Governor's Forum on October 26, 2022- inviting both the Republican and Democratic Candidates for Governor- Only Governor Kevin Stitt chose to attend- and he answered the questions posed by Moderator Ron Hays- questions that offered insights into key issues of interest to Rural Oklahomans.

KC Sheperd talks educational issues impacting Oklahoma with State Secretary of Education Ryan Walters. Walters is also the GOP Nominee running for the State Superintendent of Education in the November General Election. Walters tells Sheperd that “I believe in parents. I believe in our rural communities and our rural schools. I believe they are the backbone of the education system in the state of O...

KC Sheperd shares the story of Joey Carter, a hard-working farmer who was widely regarded as a model citizen in a rural North Carolina town. Carter is the focus of a movie coming out in October called Hog Farmer- the Trials of Joey Carter. He was not the type of person who ever expected to find himself caught up in the middle of a federal lawsuit involving some of the nation’s most ruthless trial...

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 farme...

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...

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, Ok...

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 duri...

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...

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...

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 thi...

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 anim...

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 o...

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 th...

Along the Road to Rural Prosperity- we feature our latest Ag Perspectives Podcast. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Senior Farm Director Ron Hays recently sat down and talked at length with the head of the Oklahoma State University Wheat Improvement Team, Dr. Brett Carver. Ron and Brett discuss what happened during the 2021 wheat growing season as it pertains to the OSU bred wheat varieties- and then Dr....

KC Sheperd talks with Oklahoma's 17th Lt. Governor, Matt Pinnell. Pinnell is also serving as the first Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism & Branding. Pinnell says lots of exciting things have Oklahoma on an upward trajectory- and he shares several highlights in today's conversation. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity Podcast is powered by Banc First, Loyal to Oklahoma and to you.

Host Ron Hays sits down with Sam Knipp, who has been communicating to farmers and ranchers in Kansas and Oklahoma as a farm broadcaster and ag journalist since the 1970s- Most recently, he has been a part of the broadcast and journalism team for the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network- but before that, Sam worked for farmers and ranchers in Public Relations and Communications for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Okl...

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Senior Director for Public Policy Steve Thompson talked with Ron Hays about 2021 Oklahoma Legislative Session in the latest Road to Rural Prosperity. Steve believes "this may have been the best legislative year that I've been a part of- and I've been working on these things in a variety of ways for twenty plus years." He says that the agricultural interests at the Capitol play...

At the 2021 Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association annual meeting on May 4th, we were allowed to record the lunch time conversation between OGFA CEO and President Jeff Hickman and Oklahoma State University President Designate Dr. Kayse Shrum, who will officially become the 19th President of OSU on July first. Learn more about who Dr. Shrum is- personally and professionally- and what her early priorit...

As the 2021 Legislative Session heads into the Home stretch for 2021- Host Ron Hays talks with OCA Executive Director Michael Kelsey about bills that have been passed and the Governor has signed, several bills that are still in play and how the budget bills are starting to come into focus. Ron and Michael also talk about the mood of cattle producers and their concerns- locally and nationally.

Host KC Sheperd sat down with Dr. Brett Carver, Regents Professor Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture, Wheat Breeding and Genetics in his office on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater and talked about a variety of subjects- all relating back to his passion for breeding wheat. He offered his take on how the 2021 wheat crop has handled the historic freeze the southern plains dealt wit...

Oklahoma State Rep Trey Caldwell has started his second term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives- serving as the Deputy Majority Leader. He talks with host Ron Hays about his roots in agriculture and why he is serving in State Government. They discuss redistricting, rural healthcare, education and the state budget process that is making good progress here in 2021- despite the year of Pandemic...