Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Wheat Harvest Reaches 20% Complete With Rains Falling Across the Wheat Belt
- Farmer Sentiment Plummets as Production Costs Skyrocket
- Register Now for Women in Agriculture Conference Coming Up in August
- Southern Plains Perspective Blog Post: Burnin' and Browsin' for Resiliency and Profit
- Dr. Wesley Tucker Advises Ranchers Against Overstocking to Increase Revenue in the Long Run
- OSU's Mark Johnson Tells Ranchers to Act Now to Add Value to Weaned Calves
- Oklahoma Girls Jentry Squires and Sierra Walter Chosen as American Angus 2022 Interns
- Local Student Awarded $2,500 Dairy MAX Scholarship
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Wheat Harvest Reaches 20% Complete With Rains Falling Across the Wheat Belt |
During the wheat harvest season, the Oklahoma Wheat Commission releases a Hard Red Winter wheat harvest report- here is the latest report from the Wheat Commission as of June 7, 2022.
The past couple of days and this weekend, harvest has been making progress in Southwest Oklahoma around Grandfield, Frederick, Lone Wolf, Hobart and Altus. Harvest also has made progress in parts of Central Oklahoma around the Cashion, Okarche, Kingfisher, Omega and Watonga areas. Test weights have dropped some in these Southern and Central regions with more 58 and 59’s being reported; however, 60 pound test weights are still being received in all locations that are taking wheat. In Northern Oklahoma on early samples, it is thought test weights will still be favorable because the wheat was not fully ripe.
Yields have gotten better as harvest has moved North, in the Cashion, Okarche, Kingfisher and Omega region. We have had reports from 15 bushels to as high as 64 bushels per acre. (The average for this region is being reported in the high 20’s to low 30’s.)
It is important to note in several areas of South Central Oklahoma with locations at Apache, Chickasha, Minco, Hinton and Hydro, producers have really not had an opportunity to get a good start, so nothing has been reported from these locations as far as yield and test weights.
Proteins across Oklahoma are ranging from 10 to 17 percent, but overall the majority of the crop is in the 12% to 14% range, with much higher proteins in the Western corridors of the state reporting in the 13% to 15% range. It should be noted we are seeing reports for sprout damage now occurring in locations across the state, but the sprout reports have been minimal with reports of 2% to 5% on some loads depending on variety and location. The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is now calling Oklahoma wheat harvest 20% completed.
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Oklahoma AgCredit supports rural Oklahoma with reliable and consistent credit, today and tomorrow. We offer loans for land, livestock, equipment, operating costs and country homes (NMLSR #809962) to farmers, ranchers and rural businesses across 60 counties. As a cooperative, we are owned by the members we serve. Through our Patronage Program, we have returned more than $74 million to our members since 1997.
For more information on our services or to find a location near you, visit our website here.
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Farmer Sentiment Plummets as Production Costs Skyrocket |
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped to its lowest level since April 2020, down 22 points in May to a reading of 99. Agricultural producers’ perceptions regarding current conditions on their farms, as well as their future expectations, both weakened this month. The Index of Current Conditions dipped 26 points to a reading of 94, and the Index of Future Expectations fell 21 points to a reading of 101. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This month’s survey was conducted May 16-20.
“Despite strong commodity prices, this month’s weakness in producers’ sentiment appears to be driven by the rapid rise in production costs and uncertainty about where input prices are headed,” said James Mintert, the barometer’s principal investigator and director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. “That combination is leaving producers very concerned about their farms’ financial performance.”
The Farm Financial Performance Index declined 14 points to a reading of 81 in May. The percentage of producers who expect their farm’s financial performance to worsen in 2022 compared to last year rose from 29% in April to 38% in May. Over the course of the last 13 months, the Farm Financial Performance Index has fallen 41% below its life-of-survey high of 138 set in April 2021.
The Farm Capital Investment Index drifted to an all-time low in May and is down 30 points from this same time last year. In the May survey, only 13% of respondents said this is a good time to make large investments in their operation, while 78% said they viewed it as a bad time to invest in things like machinery and buildings. Half of the producers in this month’s survey said their machinery purchase plans were impacted by low farm machinery inventory levels, up from 41% in the April survey, suggesting that supply chain issues are at least partly responsible for the ongoing weakness in the capital investment index.
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Register Now for Women in Agriculture Conference Coming Up in August |
Mark your calendars for August 4-5th, 2022
Champion Convention Center, Oklahoma City
Education | Networking | Resources
The Oklahoma Women in Ag and Small Business conference provides risk management education in the areas of production, marketing, financial, legal and human risks inherent to women owned operations. Four general sessions and 24 concurrent workshops focusing on educational information and resources to mitigate and manage risks through implementation of new methods and tools.
Conference Site and Hotel
Come for the Education – Stay for the friendships
The 2022 conference also provides participants opportunities for informal networking with other women in agriculture at the Champion Convention Center. We encourage everyone to reserve a room for a special rate through Women in Ag Conference at the Hilton Garden Inn. Enjoy hotel amenities with breakfast daily. Take advantage of the OKC Outlet Mall shopping very close by along with dinner out at various local restaurants. Use this time to gain knowledge, but also enjoy a little social recreation and time with other likeminded women. We all need a little break from home now and then!
Special Guest Keynote Presenters
Brooke Clay Taylor with Rural Gone Urban will give an uplifting and motivating presentation about living the life you want, professionally and personally, despite obstacles and challenges.
*Sponsored by Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Brandi Buzzard, rural life blogger Buzzard’s Beat will talk about “Making Your Own Luck.” Brandi Buzzard is a cowgirl, rancher, working mom and wife. For more than a decade, she has also been a passionate agriculture advocate, while helping others share their agriculture story.
Both keynote presenters will provide a break out session during the conference focusing on marketing, telling your story and selling your brand!
Joni Nash, day two opening session. "Being a Leader for Rural Development in Your Community."
Sponsorships
The Statewide Women in Ag and Small Business Conference is provided by Oklahoma Extension Reinvesting in DASNR funds, along with private sponsorships making it possible to hold this amazing educational event. Sponsorships in support of women in agriculture enterprises from local agriculture organizations, agencies and businesses are critical to the success of the conference.
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For our farmers who have either- always have had cotton on their farms- or those who have more recently have added the fiber crop to their operations- we have a daily report heard on several of our Radio Stations- It's Called Cotton Talk!
Click on the Button below to listen to our most recent report
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Southern Plains Perspective Blog Post: Burnin' and Browsin' for Resiliency and Profit |
There is a new blog post out from the Southern Plains Perspective talking about increasing profits while implementing risk management practices and how addressing climate change and profitability can go hand in hand.
Here is a sneak peek:
I’m always on the lookout for great examples of how the same farming and ranching practices that help producers adapt to the extreme weather events that climate change is exacerbating can also help their bottom lines. Too many times folks assume that the actions needed to help address environmental challenges will result in reduced profits for anyone who tries to implement them on their land when the exact opposite is often the case. Today I have a great example of how different management practices on pasture and rangeland can help make a rancher more money while at the same time building drought resiliency and reducing wildfire risk and it comes courtesy of the fine folks at Oklahoma State University (OSU).
On May 13th, 2022 OSU hosted the “Burnin’ and Browsin’ field day at their Range Research Station in Stillwater Oklahoma. I have to say that it was honestly one of the best field days I’ve ever attended. The purpose of this event was to highlight the research that the University has been doing using goats and cattle in a multi-species grazing system, in conjunction with patch burning, to help control woody invasive species, adapt to a more extreme climate, reduce wildfire fuel load and increase overall profitability.
Part of an overall collaboration between research, teaching, and extension faculty from Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and the University of Nebraska called the ‘prairie project’, the OSU research highlighted how a rancher can increase their profitability by using patch burn grazing to improve range conditions while increasing income by incorporating goats in with cows. The goats, as browsers, work in conjunction with the grazers (cows), eating the woody plant species that the cattle find unpalatable. Through this work, OSU has shown that you can run roughly two goats for every cow in most range conditions and not change overall stocking rates. This means more income from the incorporation of goats while maintaining and potentially increasing your revenue stream from cattle since the cattle will perform better as range conditions improve.
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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network weekdays-
if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click below for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays and KC Sheperd on RON.
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Sponsor Spotlight
The vision of the Oklahoma Beef Council is to be a positive difference for Oklahoma's farming and ranching families and the greater beef community, and its mission is to enhance beef demand by strengthening consumer trust and exceeding consumer expectations.
To learn more, visit
And Check out this video below that helps you learn more about the Beef Checkoff- .
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Dr. Wesley Tucker Advises Ranchers Against Overstocking to Increase Revenue in the Long Run |
In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am featuring comments from University of Missouri’s Dr. Wesley Tucker in a recent podcast put out by Dr. Jaymelynn Farney. Tucker talks about the importance of having an adequate amount of grass to sustain a producer’s cow herd numbers.
One of the keys to surviving and thriving in the beef business, Tucker said, is about having flexibility in terms of grass availability.
“I will argue that one of the biggest things I can do to protect myself is not being overstocked,” Tucker said. “Because unfortunately, when we are overstocked, we really limit our options.”
When a producer becomes overstocked, Tucker said, they are forced to take their cattle to town and sell regardless of how the market looks. Planning ahead, Tucker added, allows a producer to get the best price for their cattle.
Individuals with extra grass, regardless of herd numbers, have the flexibility to wait until the market recovers before they send their cattle to the feedlot, Tucker said.
“We all get this evil desire that we want to own more cows,” Tucker said.
A term Tucker calls, “egonomics”, refers to the event where producers have too much pride to reduce their cow numbers. Many times, Tucker added, a producer will equate their worth with how many cows they run.
“Our feeling of self-worth comes from how many animals we run, and unfortunately that gets us in dangerous territory as we continue to add just a few more and we lose all flexibility in our operation as to how we utilize that grass,” Tucker said. “The other thing I will mention is the idea that forage sells a whole lot better wrapped in calf hide than it does cowhide.”
Running the maximum number of mature mama cows, Tucker said, locks us into a situation where we can’t have any flexibility in our marketing program for our calves.
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OSU's Mark Johnson Tells Ranchers to Act Now to Add Value to Weaned Calves |
This week, Mark Johnson, Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist at Oklahoma State University offers his cattle breeding expertise. This is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow-Calf Corner" published electronically by Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about adding value to weaned calves.
Added value can be captured through marketing preconditioned weaned calves or retained ownership past weaning. Along with weaning at least 45 days, preconditioning includes several practices that add value to cattle for the buyer and seller. Beyond this, additional weight gain can be added by growth implants, adding further value to your calves.
Bovine respiratory disease is the biggest issue for stocker operators and feedlots. Fully vaccinated and preconditioned calves have been shown to have reduced sick pulls in the receiving pens by 90% and decrease chronics by over 70%.
Castrated steers bring $5-10/cwt more than bulls, and as they get bigger discounts for bulls increase. Intact bull calves are 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to get sick, and total gain during receiving is reduced, affecting total performance for the entire ownership period.
For spring calving herds, now is the time to castrate, dehorn, implant and get the first round vaccinations into calves when they are two to four months of age. The second round of vaccinations can be given at, or prior to, weaning. Act now to add value at weaning and beyond.
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Oklahoma Girls Jentry Squires and Sierra Walter Chosen as American Angus 2022 Interns |
Investing in tomorrow’s professionals is an important part of the culture at the American Angus Association®. This summer, the Association welcomes seven interns to contribute to multiple departments and entities including Angus MediaSM and Angus Genetics Inc. Throughout the program, interns will work alongside industry experts to advance skills, expand their professional network and be immersed in the cattle industry. Interns come from across the globe and bring various backgrounds to the Association.
Sierra Walter will serve the Association as the communications intern. Originally from Hydro, Oklahoma, Walter attends Oklahoma State University as an agricultural communications senior with a minor in agricultural economics. Walter was raised on a small cattle ranch where she was heavily involved in showing and raising horses. She is excited to learn more about the cattle business while strengthening her communication skills.
“I truly feel blessed to work alongside professionals who are extremely talented and passionate within their trade,” Walter said. “I am looking forward to gaining hands-on experience and new skills to hopefully better serve agriculturalists.”
Jentry Squires, originally from Kingfisher, Oklahoma, will also serve as one of two events and education interns. Squires is a graduate of Butler Community College and is a current agricultural communications and animal science junior at Oklahoma State University. Coming from a swine and cattle background, Squires hopes to gain knowledge from industry professionals specific to the cattle sector as well as enhance youth members’ experiences at junior events.
“I am looking forward to learning about the many large and successful events the Association coordinates,” Squires said. “Additionally, I hope to play a small role in contributing to the success of junior shows and bring an exciting experience to exhibitors.”
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Local Student Awarded $2,500 Dairy MAX Scholarship |
Ali Bowman of Stillwater, Oklahoma, was selected to receive a 2022 Dairy MAX scholarship. Bowman is one of three students to receive a $2,500 scholarship award from Dairy MAX to go towards their college education. The Dairy MAX scholarship program honors dairy farmers’ commitment to their communities and giving back to the next generation.
“Dairy farmers believe in the next generation,” said Marty McKinzie, Dairy MAX's chief growth officer. “The Dairy MAX scholarship program is not only a great way for the organization to support our members and the youth but illustrates the dairy industry’s commitment to giving back to their communities. We are honored to have these three students represent Dairy MAX and the industry.”
Bowman is a sophomore at Oklahoma State University studying animal science focusing on livestock merchandising. Bowman is heavily involved in the dairy industry both off-campus and on campus, where she serves as the calfhood manager. Bowman knows how important it is to give back to the next generation and plans to obtain her Master’s degree in rural community development and youth engagement.
“Throughout the course of my education and then after, I wish to continue my journey within the dairy industry,” said Bowman. “I want to give back to an industry that has shaped me into the person that I am today by advocating for and engaging youth within the dairy industry.”
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OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.
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Today's First Look:
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.
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Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices were mixed- Choice Beef was up $1.84 and Select Beef was down $1.53 on Tuesday 06/07/2022.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
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OKC West in El Reno had 1,500 head on Tuesday for their calf run- with sharper higher prices reported.
Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold 8.00-12.00 higher. Demand good to very good. Heavy rainfall across most of the trade area last weekend has grazing cattle in very good demand.
For their yearling sale on Wednesday 6/08/22- they expect to sell 6,000 head- including 2,500 feeder heifers and 3,500 feeder steers.
Click below for the complete closing report.
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Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures - click below for the latest update on the Livestock and Grain Futures Trade..
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Okla Cash Grain:
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- as reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture- The report available after the close of the Futures Trade for that day.
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Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Hall of Fame Farm/Ranch Broadcaster and Editor
KC Sheperd, Farm Director and Editor
Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
Reagan Calk, Farm News and Email Editor
Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager
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Rural Oklahoma is full of some of the greatest success stories throughout the entire state and is a big reason why Oklahoma is on track to become a top 10 state.
The Road to Rural Prosperity dives into these stories, bringing you stories covering rural life, agriculture, energy, healthcare, tourism, and politics affecting rural America.
The Road to Rural Prosperity is here to tell stories about rural America, for rural America.
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Our Latest RRP takes us to Altus, Oklahoma. Farm Director, KC Sheperd, talks with Carl Josefy, the Jackson County, Oklahoma FSA Executive Director 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 lot of programs going on, and it does overlap.”
The newly announced Emergency Relief Program, Josefy said, is aimed at aiding commodity and special crop producers. This program, he added, includes 10 billion dollars in assistance to agricultural producers that were impacted by wildfire, drought, hurricane, winter storms, and other eligible disasters that occurred across the country during the calendar year of 2021.
Search for Road to Rural Prosperity and subscribe on your favorite Podcast platform.
To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Great Plains Kubota, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit Corporation, Oklahoma Beef Council, Oklahoma AgCredit, Union Mutual Insurance, the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, and KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update.
For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- at NO Charge!
We invite you to check out our website at the link below too that includes an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.
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God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
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Tim West
President/General Manager
Rural Oklahoma Networks
405-317-6361
***************
Mike Henderson
Director of Sales
405-615-4922
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KC Sheperd
Farm Director
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405-443-5717
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Ron Hays
Senior Farm/Ranch Broadcaster
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
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