Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are pleased to have American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company as a regular sponsor of our daily update- click here to go to their AFR web site to learn more about their efforts to serve rural America!

It is also great to have as an annual sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to be serving agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. Johnston has opened up four million bushels of additional storage space for the 2010 wheat crop. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website!

And we are proud to have P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy as as one of our regular sponsors of our daily email update. P & K is the premiere John Deere dealer in Oklahoma, with nine locations to serve you, and the P & K team are excited about their new Wind Power program, as they offer Endurance Wind Power wind turbines. Click here for more from the P&K website.

If you have received this by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.

Reports this morning show that Alfalfa County has received- especially in the northern half of the county- over three inches of rain- while Beckham County has topped the four inch amount of rainfall in some parts of that county.

At this point, there is a flash flood warning for Beckham, Custer and Roger Mills County.

Click on the link below for the 24 hour precipitation map on the Oklahoma Mesonet- it gives you a good feel of where the rain has been falling in large amounts overnight.

Click here for the Oklahoma Mesonet realtime 24 hour Precip Map for Oklahoma

Included as a member on this Commission is Dr. Bob Smith of Stillwater, who is a private practitioner and a feedlot consultant, after being a part of the faculty at the Oklahoma State University Vet Medical School for many years. Besides Dr. Smith, others on the Commission are Dr. Carolyn Stull, University of California at Davis; Dr. Dan Thomson, Kansas State University; Dr. Dave Sjeklocha, Academy of Veterinary Consultants; Dr. Dee Griffin, University of Nebraska; Dr. Frank Mitloehner, University of California at Davis; Dr. Gatz Riddell, American Association of Bovine Practitioners; Dr. Guy Loneragan, West Texas A&M University; Dr. Hans Coetzee, Kansas State University; Dr. Jan Shearer, Iowa State University; Dr. Janice Swanson, Michigan State University; Dr. Ron Gill, Texas A&M University; Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State University; Dr. Terry Mader, University of Nebraska; Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Beef Cattle Handling Expert, Nebraska; Dr. Joseph Stookey, University of Saskatchewan; Dr. Jeff Rushen, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; and Jennifer Woods, Livestock Handling Expert, Canada.

Click on the link below to jump to our Beef Buzz today to hear comments from Dan Thomson of K-State about this Commission- and how they hope to take away the high ground that groups like HSUS have tried to seize in the arena of Animal Welfare and well being. It's a good story- hope you will take time to go to our website and take a listen to what Dan Thomson has to say about this commission.

Click here for the Beef Buzz today with Dan Thomson of K-State on the North American Commission on Animal Well Being.

The latest Oklahoma report tells us that "Some wheat fields across the State experienced heavy losses due to the severe weather last week. A number of wheat acres have been disastered out and other acres that were to be harvested for grain will be cut for hay. Wheat heading was virtually complete by week's end. Sixty-seven percent of wheat was in the soft dough stage by week's end, up 26 points from the previous week, but still six points behind normal."

For the spring planted crops- "Last week's thunderstorms restricted planting of row crops, however, some areas welcomed the rainfall. Eighty-three percent of corn had emerged by Sunday, up seven points from the previous week, and only two points behind normal. Seedbed preparation for sorghum reached 79 percent complete, a two point increase from the week before, but six points behind normal. Soybean seedbed preparation increased by five points during the week to reach 75 percent complete, while soybeans planted reached 38 percent complete. Peanut seedbed preparations were virtually complete by week's end, just one point behind normal. Peanuts planted reached 62 percent complete, three points ahead of normal, while peanuts emerged reached 37 percent complete, four points ahead of normal. Cotton seedbed preparations were virtually complete by Sunday and continue to be on target with the five-year average. Cotton planted increased eight points, but remains 13 points behind normal."

Click here for the full report from NASS on Oklahoma Crop Weather Conditions as of May 24.

On-farm energy audit evaluations in Oklahoma will be funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in fiscal year 2010. Applications for this and other conservation programs are accepted on a continuous basis. However, applications must be submitted no later than June 18, 2010 to be considered for funding in 2010. Oklahoma expects that $90,000 will be available for the development of these energy audits during 2010. Eligible applications will be funded in the order they are received until funds are exhausted. The energy audits will be individually tailored to ensure coverage of each farm's primary energy uses such as milk cooling, irrigation pumping, heating and cooling of livestock production facilities, manure collection and transfer, grain drying, and similar common on-farm activities.

Click on the link below to learn more- or contact your local NRCS office for more information.

Click here for more on the NRCS Efforts to Help Improve Energy Efficiency Down on the Farm

"Fields that still fit these criteria and were treated with an at-plant systemic or seed treated insecticide have already shown signs the residual effect of the inseciticide is wearing off," he says. These fields need to be monitored closely as heavy infestations may destroy terminal buds resulting in stunted cotton plants. Treatment, Pitts says, is advised when the numbers of thrips averages one or more per true-leaf present. Thus far, Pitts says, thrips in cotton have been highly variable. However, as a word of caution, he says, be very careful to watch those fields where young cotton plants are struggling.

Aphids are appearing in cotton fields very early this year, Pitts says. These are small, slow moving, highly prolific insects that feed primarily on the underside of cotton leaves. The two black tail-pipe like structures protruding from the back of the abdomen of cotton aphids are known as cornicles and are useful in identififying aphids, he says. Cupped leaves, Pitts says, can result when high numbers of aphids feed on young, developing cotton leaves. Heavy, prolonged infestations of this insect can cause severe stunting of young cotton plants. Aphids excrete honeydew, which, under arid late season conditions, can result in a condition known as "sticky cotton" that causes problems when cotton is milled. Pitts says Bidrin or any other product registered for thrips control is effective for aphids. Pitts is stationed at the OSU Southwest Research and Extension Center, 16721, South US HW 283, located south of Altus, Ok., in Jackson County. He can be reached at 580-482-8880.

Click here for the Southwest Research Center website for more information.

The equipment they offer is high quality used machinery- there is no reserve and the equipment will be sold to the highest bidder.

Click on the link below to check out the listing of equipment that will be sold tomorrow- register for a bidder number and you can get int he on the action- it's that simple.

Click here for more on Big Iron Auctions and this week's sale for Wednesday May 26.

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
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.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.