Oklahoma

Oklahoma farmers and ranchers will soon see additional drought relief money from the state

Published

2 years ago

October 10, 2022

Oklahoma farmers and ranchers will soon see additional drought relief money from the state

Oklahoma’s present drought is the worst the state has skilled in at the very least 10 years, and the dry, scorching climate situations are particularly hitting farmers and ranchers exhausting.

The bone-dry climate continues to make it troublesome to develop hay, and it hasn’t helped pastures develop for cattle to graze on. A scarcity of rain and rising feed prices have additionally pushed some livestock producers to make some robust selections, like feeding winter hay provide early.

“We usually aren’t even fascinated by feeding hay till at the very least one other 45 days,” mentioned livestock producer Josh Emerson. “And we’re already feeding just a little little bit of hay.”

To assist offset the detrimental prices of drought, Stitt signed a invoice on Oct. 4 to ship $20 million to the Emergency Drought Reduction Fund, which was established through the 2022 common legislative session. The $20 million is along with the $3 million in aid funds the Emergency Drought Fee allotted throughout the state’s 77 counties earlier this week.

“This yr’s excessive drought situations have created unprecedented challenges for our agricultural producers, and as governor, I’ll at all times do every part I can to assist Oklahoma’s nice farmers and ranchers,” Stitt mentioned in a press release. “I’m proud to have partnered up with the Legislature to ship this much-needed aid.”

All of Oklahoma is at the moment experiencing some form of drought, with a overwhelming majority of the state in a extreme to distinctive drought, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Emerson mentioned he’s felt the burdensome prices of drought and inflation firsthand this yr. He lately paid for a properly pump and pipeline set up to arrange an previous water properly, which value about $2,000. After it rained earlier in June, he paid $16,000 for a load of fertilizers, however solely acquired half of the cash again after it stopped raining later that month.

Not solely have the dry situations made it troublesome for Emerson to develop hay, nevertheless it’s additionally dried out a number of of the ponds his almost 400-cow herd depends on for water.

“I’ve acquired in all probability 20 to 25 ponds,” Emerson mentioned. “And I’d say eight of them are dry and a number of other others will probably be dry in a couple of weeks if we don’t get some runoff.”

“I’ve acquired in all probability 20 to 25 ponds,” Josh Emerson mentioned. “And I’d say eight of them are dry and a number of other others will probably be dry in a couple of weeks if we don’t get some runoff.”

However Emerson mentioned he’s hopeful the $20 million aid funds will particularly assist farmers and ranchers with water provide.

“It’s going to positively assist, Emerson mentioned. “I imply, it is only a drop within the bucket of what the necessity is, however it can positively assist.”

If the Emergency Drought Fee allocates the $20 million equally to its emergency drought aid program, initiatives that may qualify for aid funds would come with properly drilling, pumping services, pipeline, pasture faucet, watering services, heavy use space safety, cowl crop planting, forage and biomass planting (excluding Bermuda grass) and pond cleanout.

Whereas Emerson waits to use for drought aid funds at his native conservation district, he plans to proceed to wash out his ponds and transfer his cattle to the closest water tank his previous however newly working properly pumps into.

“There’s a complete lot of issues towards us,” Emerson mentioned. “However farmers and ranchers are everlasting optimists. So we’re gonna preserve doing what we do, and preserve praying for rain.”

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Oklahoma

No. 3 Oklahoma State overpowers No. 5 NC State wrestling 34-3 in Stillwater

Published

3 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

No. 3 Oklahoma State overpowers No. 5 NC State wrestling 34-3 in Stillwater

The NC State Wolfpack won the first bout in their match against Oklahoma State, but those three points were the only ones NC State would earn all night, as the Cowboys dominated the Pack 34-3 in front of a wild home crowd.

🤼 MORE COLLEGE WRESTLING 🤼

Cael Hughes put the Cowboys on the board first with six huge team points via a pin over two-time All-American No. 7 Kai Orine of NC State; teammates No. 15 Carter Young and No. 14 Caleb Fish also added decisions in the first half of the dual at 141 and 157 pounds, respectively. No. 4 Tagen Jamison, meanwhile, added five points at 141 pounds with his fiery tech fall against Tyler Tracy of NC State.

Oklahoma State’s 197-pounder Luke Surber headlined the second half of the dual with his technical fall over No. 26 Christian Knop 18-2 for five team points of his own, while all four of his other teammates — No. 6 Cameron Amine, No. 3 Dean Hamiti, No. 3 Dustin Plott and No. 3 Wyatt Hendrickson — settled for decisions.

The Pack wrestled Oklahoma State tough, particularly in the heavyweight match where U23 world champion Isaac Trumble had fellow U23 world champ Hendrickson in some trouble, but Hendrickson survived and held on to his undefeated record.

The Cowboys win over NC State gives the program its ninth victory against the Pack and a second dominant ACC win over a top-ten team this season. Oklahoma State will have No. 22 West Virginia and No. 7 Northern Iowa next on the schedule though the match that will be circled on the calendar now is the Cowboys’ meeting with the No. 2 Hawkeyes on Feb. 23.

Complete results:

WEIGHT	BOUT RESULT	TEAM SCORE
125	No. 11 Vince Robinson over No. 2 Troy Spratley, 7-3	3-0, NC State
133	Cael Hughes over No. 7 Kai Orine, FALL	6-3, OSU
141	No. 4 Tagen Jamison over Tyler Tracy, 21-5	11-3, OSU
149	No. 15 Carter Young over No. 33 Koy Buesgens, 5-2	14-3, OSU
157	No. 14 Caleb Fish over No. 12 Ed Scott, 12-5	17-3, OSU
165	No. 6 Cameron Amine over No. 32 Derek Fields, 5-2	20-3 OSU
174	No. 3 Dean Hamiti over No. 19 Matty Singleton, 8-4	23-3, OSU
184	No. 3 Dustin Plott over No. 11 Dylan Fishback, 5-0	26-3, OSU
197	No. 7 Luke Surber over No. 26 Christian Knop, 18-2	31-3, OSU
285	No. 3 Wyatt Hendrickson over No. 4 Isaac Trumble, 10-4	34-3, OSU

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma women’s basketball NCAA Tournament resume for March Madness: Jan. 13

Published

11 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma women’s basketball NCAA Tournament resume for March Madness: Jan. 13

The Oklahoma women’s basketball team split a pair of SEC games last week.

OU (14-3, 2-2 SEC) suffered an 81-77 road loss to Mississippi State on Thursday. It then bounced back with a 77-62 home win over Texas A&M on Sunday.

OU dropped from No. 10 to No. 13 in the AP Top 25 Poll. It was ranked No. 11 last week in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, which will release this week’s rankings on Tuesday.

Each week, The Oklahoman will take a look at OU’s recent results, break down how its NCAA Tournament resume has changed and compare it to the competition. Here’s where the Sooners stand as of Monday:

Oklahoma basketball results last week

Jan. 9: Mississippi State 81, Oklahoma 77

OU stumbled in its 81-77 road loss to Mississippi State on Thursday. The Sooners committed 21 turnovers, which the Bulldogs converted into 25 points. This marked OU’s first loss to an unranked opponent this season, and the team dropped to 1-2 in SEC play.

Jan. 12: Oklahoma 77, Texas A&M 62

OU bounced back by earning a 77-62 home win over Texas A&M on Sunday. Raegan Beers recorded 16 points and six rebounds, but she exited the game with an apparent shoulder injury late in the third quarter and didn’t return. OU head coach Jennie Baranczyk didn’t have an update after the game on Beers, who’s averaging team highs of 17.2 points and 9.2 rebounds.

Oklahoma basketball NET rankings: No. 12 (last week: No. 11)

Quad 1 record: 3-3
Quad 2 record: 1-0
Quad 3 record: 1-0
Quad 4 record: 9-0

Bracketology projections

ESPN: No. 4 seed vs. No. 13 Drake in Norman (Region 3) as of Jan. 10.

Next up: Missouri

Matchup: Oklahoma (14-3, 2-2 SEC) vs. Missouri (11-8, 0-4 SEC)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. Thursday; Lloyd Noble Center in Norman

Livestream: SEC Network+

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Governor Signs NIL Order Allowing Direct Athlete Payments

Published

18 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma Governor Signs NIL Order Allowing Direct Athlete Payments

Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt has signed an executive order that allows colleges and universities within the state to directly compensate student-athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

This decision builds on the framework established by Senate Bill 1786, passed in 2024, and positions Oklahoma as a trailblazer in navigating the complex and rapidly evolving world of collegiate athletics.

Stitt’s order addresses a pressing issue: the fragmented and inconsistent NIL rules across the country.

While the NCAA and major conferences inch toward a settlement in the In College Athlete NIL Litigation, which could eventually allow direct payments, the timeline for a resolution remains uncertain.

Stitt’s action ensures that Oklahoma’s programs won’t have to wait.

By empowering universities to pay athletes now, the executive order eliminates the competitive disadvantage that could arise if other states or conferences move faster.

“This executive order ensures that these student-athletes have access to the same opportunities as their peers in other states,” Stitt said in a statement to The Oklahoman. “It’s about leveling the playing field and maintaining the competitive edge that defines Oklahoma athletics.”

The directive shields Oklahoma’s universities from potential fallout if no settlement is reached or if revenue sharing fails to be universally adopted.

Even in the absence of a federal resolution, Oklahoma schools will be equipped to support their athletes directly. This foresight guarantees stability in a landscape defined by uncertainty, setting a standard that other states may soon follow.

Crucially, the order prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars for NIL payments, instead allowing the creation of foundations to act as clearinghouses for third-party contributions. These foundations provide a transparent and legally sound mechanism for entities to support athletes without fear of reprisal from organizations like the NCAA or athletic conferences.

Stitt’s move also addresses a unique challenge within Oklahoma’s collegiate landscape.

The state’s four Division I programs: The Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, and Tulsa Golden Hurricane compete in different conferences, each with its own NIL policies.

This fragmentation risks creating inequities among schools, but the executive order establishes a unified approach, ensuring all institutions can operate on a level playing field.

The response from Oklahoma’s university leaders has been overwhelmingly positive.

Oklahoma Sooners president Joseph Harroz Jr. praised the measure’s potential to support student-athletes while preparing institutions for the eventual transition to revenue sharing.

“This action strengthens our ability to recruit, retain, and cultivate extraordinary talent, positioning our student-athletes for success in every aspect of their lives,” Harroz said.

Oklahoma State president Kayse Shrum echoed these sentiments, highlighting how the order benefits both athletes and fans.

“Today’s executive order brings exciting possibilities for our institutions, our student-athletes, and our fans,” Shrum stated.

By enabling direct NIL payments now, Stitt’s executive order accelerates the shift from collective-driven compensation models to the more comprehensive revenue-sharing systems widely seen as the future of collegiate athletics.

This proactive approach ensures that Oklahoma’s programs won’t be left behind, even as federal and legal discussions drag on.

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