The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture crop progress report rates 74 percent of the US Corn Crop as being in good to excellent condition- unchanged from a week ago, 19 percent fair and 7 percent poor to very poor. Harvested corn reached 9 percent, 3 points below average. National soybean conditions remain unchanged from a week ago in the good to excellent ratings- still at 73 percent while soybeans are 20 percent fair and 7 percent poor to very poor. The national grain sorghum condition is up 1 percentage point from a week ago at 66 percent good to excellent, 28 percent fair and 6 percent poor to very poor. Harvested sorghum reached 29 percent, right on par with the average. National cotton conditions increased slightly by 1 point from last week in the good to excellent ratings- at 48 percent, 36 percent fair, 12 percent poor and 4 percent very poor. Harvested cotton reached 6 percent, just under the average by 1 point. For the complete USDA Crop Progress report, click here.



In the weekly crop progress report from USDA, Oklahoma corn dented reached 82 percent, down 11 points from the previous year and down 16 points from normal. Corn mature reached 67 percent, down 7 points from the previous year but down 16 points from normal. Corn harvested reached 20 percent, down 11 points from the previous year and down 24 points from normal. Sorghum harvested reached 24 percent, up 1 point from the previous year but up 6 points from normal. Soybeans setting pods reached 88 percent, unchanged from the previous year and from normal.  Cotton bolls opening reached 39 percent, up 11 point from the previous year but down 4 points from normal.


Click here for the full Oklahoma report.   



Cotton harvest is progressing in areas across Texas, while sugar cane aphids create growing concern for sorghum producers in the High Plains. Corn harvest was 63 percent complete, 5 points higher than last week and equal to normal. Mature corn reached 75 percent, 4 points below normal. Sorghum harvest was 61 percent complete, 1 point higher than last week and just 3 points below normal. Across the state, sorghum was 78 percent mature, which is 2 points higher than the five-year average. Soybeans dropping leaves were at 71 percent, 3 points lower than normal. Cotton harvest was at 9 percent, 4 points lower than normal. Cotton bolls opened were at 31 percent, 17 points under the 5-year average.

Click here for the full Texas report.


Corn condition in Kansas rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 26 fair, 55 good, and 11 excellent. Corn dented was 96 percent, near 95 both last year and average. Mature was 65 percent, equal to last year, and near 64 average. Harvested was 17 percent, behind 22 last year and behind 29 average. Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 25 fair, 55 good, and 15 excellent.  Sorghum condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 21 fair, 58 good, and 17 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 92 percent, near 89 last year, and ahead of 75 average. Mature was 29 percent, near 33 last year, but ahead of 19 average. Harvested was 5 percent, near 6 last year and 3 average. Cotton condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 29 fair, 64 good, and 4 excellent.


Click here for the Kansas report.

Dr. Derrell Peel explores the many decisions producers must make when buying stocker cattle in his latest Cow/Calf Corner newsletter. Below, he tries to illustrate certain fluctuations in the market that if interpreted correctly, can be helpful in determining the right time to buy for your particular stocker operation.

Gary Hawk, is one Oklahoma dairy farmer who can say he is still running and operating his family's dairy. Today, a seasoned professional, Hawk says the dairy business is at one of its worst times ever. I caught up with Hawk at the Oklahoma State Fair to discuss his perspective on the remaining dairies like his in the state.


"Dairy is probably as bad as it's been in the last six years," Hawk said. "It's really hard."

While the price of milk steadily declines, feed costs contrarily do just the opposite - compounding the financial situations for dairy farmers like Hawk. A situation bankers can't seem to grasp, he says.

According to Hawk, Oklahoma went from 1,200 operating dairies in the state to approximately 200 in just ten years' time. He says it's hard for people to stay in business, especially when younger generations are showing little interest in keeping the family farms going. He says he doesn't see much good in the future of the Oklahoma dairy business.


"We're dying out," Hawk said. "We need people to understand that we need to be in business. They think 'I can go to the grocery store and get everything I want,' but it's not that way."

Click here for the full story or to listen to my full conversation with Gary about Oklahoma's dairy industry.

In Case You Missed It- last week, our TV colleagues at News9 in Oklahoma City offered another look at both sides of State Question 777, the Right to Farm Constitutional Amendment Proposal. In the special report voiced by Kelly Ogle, Jessica Wilcox of Fairview expressed her concern about extremist groups that want to restrict the ability of Oklahoma farmers and ranchers to raise their animals and crops for food.

But Kim Barker, who ranches in Waynoka says he thinks the ag community is being too hard on groups like HSUS.  In the report, he says "animal rights and environmental groups, even if they don't have the answers, often raise good questions. Sadly, he said, most farmers automatically discount anything associated with them.