Oklahoma's Latest Farm
And Ranch News
|
|
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
|
|
|
|
Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
- Southern Plains Winter Wheat Plantings Behind Last Year and Oklahoma Pasture and Range Ratings Worst in the US
- Derrell Peel Sees More of the Same in Latest Cattle on Feed From USDA
- Clay Burtrum Talks Drought Needs for Cattle Producers
- Rural Renewal Symposium Planned for Oct. 5
- Brent Brewer with the Farm Stress Management Team Talks About Mental Health Awareness for Ag Producers
- As Drought Persists, Forecast Continues to Show Low Chances of Rain Throughout the Next Few Weeks
- Dairy Defined: Butter and Cheese Keep Dairy's Rise Constant
- Finally- A Personal Word- Say a Prayer for the Gulf Coast of Florida
|
Southern Plains Winter Wheat Plantings Behind Last Year and Okla. Pasture and Range Ratings Worse in the US
|
As drought continues to take its toll on the Southern Plains, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas see a drop in pasture and range ratings in this week’s Crop Progress Report. As for winter wheat plantings, Oklahoma and Kansas have fallen behind the previous year, while Texas remains strong with plantings ahead of last year and the average by a significant amount.
One more word on the Pasture and Range ratings- Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma are ground zero for awful conditions- a week ago- the worse ratings in the country were found in Nebraska (78%)- this week- that dubious honor goes to Oklahoma. All three states are in the 70s for poor to very poor ratings- Oklahoma at 75%, Kansas at 71% and Nebraska at 70% poor to very poor.
Oklahoma:
Winter wheat planted reached 21 percent, down 5 points from both the previous year and normal. Winter wheat emerged reached 4 percent, even with a year ago and the average. Wheat planted is up 8 percent from last week.
Cotton bolls opening reached 61 percent, down 5 points from the previous year but up 3 points from normal. Cotton conditions rated 8 percent good to excellent, 38 percent fair and 54 percent poor to very poor. (Since last week, poor to very poor conditions have gone down 9 percentage points.)
Corn dented reached 96 percent, down 1 point from the previous year but unchanged from normal. Corn mature reached 72 percent, down 6 points from the previous year but unchanged from normal. Corn harvested reached 31 percent, up 5 points from the previous year and down 2 points from normal. Corn conditions rated 27 percent good to excellent, 33 percent fair and 40 percent poor to very poor. (Since last week, good to excellent corn conditions have decreased by 5 percentage points.)
Pasture, Range and Livestock:
Pasture and range conditions were rated 6 percent good to excellent, 19 percent fair and 75 percent poor to very poor. Livestock conditions rated 31 percent good to excellent, 47 percent fair and 22 percent poor to very poor.
Since last week, good to excellent range and pasture conditions have decreased by 3 percentage points and poor to very poor conditions have increased by 6 percentage points.
To view the Oklahoma Crop Progress Report, click here.
|
The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program knows this is a hard time for farmers and ranchers. We want you to know we are still open, and we are still here for you. The Ag Mediation program is a free service that provides mediation to agriculture producers who may need help with ag-related disputes.
At Oklahoma Ag Mediation, we have been helping people in agriculture resolve conflicts since 1987. We know firsthand about working together to resolve conflicts, so you don’t have to go through the court systems. Let our professional mediators help you. Mediation is allowed for lease issues, farmer/neighbor disputes, family farm transitions, and more. These services are available at no cost for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers in all 77 counties. For more information, you can go to ok.gov/mediation, or give us a call at 800 248 5465.
|
Derrell Peel Sees More of the Same in Latest Cattle on Feed From USDA
|
In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am visiting with Oklahoma State University Livestock Market Economist, Dr. Derrell Peel, talking about the latest Cattle on Feed Report released by the USDA this past Friday.
“The September Cattle on Feed Report showed that placements of cattle during August were 100.4 percent of last year,” Peel said. “Marketing’s during August were 106.4 percent of last year, and that gives us an on-feed total that is just fractionally above a year ago of 100.4 percent.”
Peel said the September report did not have any major surprises and the numbers were close to expectations.
“It is a continuation to some extent to what we have been seeing,” Peel said.
At some point in time, Peel said feedlot inventories will come down, but for now feedlots have been successful at holding those inventories by placing lightweight cattle ahead of schedule. The drought has helped that, Peel said, by pushing more cattle into town.
The placements being on the high side of expectations is a sign that we are continuing to move lighter-weight cattle more quickly than normal.
“It is really consistent with what you see,” Peel said. “If you look at Oklahoma auction volume, feeder cattle volume for the last six weeks or so, it is up about 19 percent from last year’s total feeder cattle volume. Within that volume, the number of feeder cattle going through the actions that are over 600 pounds is down about 7 percent while the number of cattle that are under 600 pounds are up- It was up like 61 percent on a year-over-year basis.”
All of these factors reinforce that the drought is forcing producers to wean calves early and move them to town earlier. If they were summer stockers, Peel said, they may have been pulled early and marketed at a lighter weight because the feed has run out.
To view the September Cattle on Feed Report, click here.
|
Clay Burtrum Talks Drought Needs for Cattle Producers
|
As the next meeting of the Emergency Drought Commission will take place this Friday, KC Sheperd, Farm Director, caught up with Vice President of Operations at Farm Data Services and cattle producer, Clay Burtrum, talking about what immediate needs are during this time for cattle producers as far as drought concerns go.
Two months ago, Burtrum said, the biggest concerns on cattle producers’ minds because of the drought were hay and feed availability. Today, he added, the big concern is water for their cattle.
Burtrum recommends sourcing your hay from someone reliable because there are scams right now. For Burtrum, he said hay is going anywhere from $200 per ton for failed crops such as milo, corn, soybeans, and even cotton. Burtrum said he has seen grass hay going for around $170 a bale.
“On the trucking, if you check with your county offices at FSA, and if you are in the drought areas of a D3 or greater, they have the ELAP program where they help pay for that trucking,” Burtrum said. “So, check with your county FSA offices and make sure you get all the documentation where you can sign up to get that trucking assistance paid for.”
Burtrum said during the Emergency Drought Commission meeting, a big part of the conversation was how to best use the state funds to aid producers during these dry times. Popular ideas included a focus on well drilling, solar pumps, and long-term water resource issues.
“I’ve talked to many producers across the state as I travel, and some of them are already hauling water,” Burtrum said.
|
|
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
|
|
Rural Renewal Symposium Planned for Oct. 5
|
Oklahoma State University will host the third annual Rural Renewal Symposium on Oct. 5 at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater.
The event, which unites stakeholders and researchers from across the U.S. to share current rural renewal research, will take place 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with check ins beginning at 8 a.m.
The symposium will be held in-person for the first time since its start in 2020. More than 150 people representing 39 states participated in the inaugural symposium, which was hosted in a virtual format.
“We expect participants from a variety of states, such as Florida, Virginia, Nebraska and Texas,” said Tyson Ochsner, one of the co-directors of OSU’s Rural Renewal Initiative. “It is great to be able to bring this group together to advance research for rural people and places.”
The Rural Renewal Initiative began in 2019 and includes a team of diverse researchers and external partners committed to improving quality of life in rural Oklahoma communities and beyond through interdisciplinary research, student involvement and community engagement.
The symposium is meant to foster collaboration among rural renewal scientists on issues facing rural communities while promoting related research, according to Audrey King, a co-director of the initiative. Research from three of the program’s seed grant projects and eight rural scholars will be presented at the symposium.
“Watching research come full circle, from developing an idea to sharing results, is satisfying and exciting,” King said. “I look forward to hearing from students about their summer research experiences.”
|
|
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.
|
Sponsor Spotlight
National Livestock was founded in 1932 in Oklahoma City. National’s Marketing Division offers cattle for sale weekly at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City. The Finance Division lends money to ranchers across several states for cattle production. The Grazing Division works with producers to place cattle for grazing on wheat or grass pastures.
National also owns and operates other livestock marketing subsidiaries including Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction in Ada, Oklahoma, OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the nation’s premier livestock video sale, Superior Livestock Auction. National offers customers many services custom made for today’s producer. To learn more, click here for the website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.
|
|
|
Brent Brewer with the Farm Stress Management Team Talks About Mental Health Awareness for Ag Producers
|
September is Suicide Awareness Month in Oklahoma. Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to visit with Brent Brewer, who serves on the American Farmers and Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union Farm Stress Management Team. Brewer talks about ways to check on one’s personal mental health, and that of others, and how to reach out for help.
As a member of the Farm Stress Management team, Brewer is trained on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of stress and suicide and how to teach others to do the same.
In the last five years, Brewer said rural suicide has increased by almost 30 percent.
“There are a lot of things that have probably contributed to this, no doubt, the fact that farming in rural settings has become tougher due to the fact of the input cost,” Brewer said.
Other factors that can contribute to the declining mental health rate in the ag industry include low availability of labor, weather conditions, and age. All of these factors combined, Brewer said, have made the perfect storm.
“We are in a political arena right now that is really tough, and it seems we are just pounded by news of our politicians every day and the situation of the wars going around the world,” Brewer said. “All things that add to anxiety and constant pressure on us.”
Brewer said it is important to reach out and talk to those close to you rather than keeping things to yourself, like many of those in the agriculture industry tend to do.
|
As Drought Persists, Forecast continues to show Low Chances of Rain Throughout the Next Few Weeks
|
Drought continues to be an issue across Oklahoma(as seen by our most recent Drought Monitor pic). According to state Climatologist Gary Mcmanus, those who have seen rain over the past 30 days have continued to see it evaporate. He says the bulk of the state in the 20-24 day range for not having at least a tenth of an inch of rain in a single day is obviously going past 31 days a week and then probably building. As for the quarter-inch map, McManus says you can see that periods in some parts of the state will go past two months. Seasonable Temperatures are still above normal, and its going to stay that was for at least the next week.
It's incredibly dry throughout the state, and McManus says there's not much great news as it will only worsen. We've seen long periods between rainfall events, with the most rain occurring in August. Oklahoma's lakes and farm ponds continue to dwindle.
Fire season starts later this fall, and McManus says it will probably be here early thanks to the drought-inducing forced dormant and dead vegetation or fuel loads. However, he says We won't have to wait for that first killing frost; the drought is taking care of that. Our average first frost is about a month away, after all.
McManus says we will see some cold fronts move through the state, but it's not likely they will generate any rainfall. He says the closest we can see some rain events happening is at least two weeks out.
|
Dairy Defined: Butter and Cheese Keep Dairy's Rise Constant
|
While we won’t know until Friday whether U.S. per-capita dairy consumption will officially rise for the seventh time in eight years, we do know from preliminary data that domestic use of butter and cheese reached records in 2021. Then again, that’s far from a surprise.
Though other dairy products have had their ups and downs (mostly up), for the past decade butter and cheese have been Old Reliables, with neither ever seeing consumption decline a single time. Their rising popularity has offset drops in fluid-milk consumption (the typical, and inaccurate, trope that anti-dairy activists use to pronounce “death” upon the industry) and is a big part of the industry’s continued success and bright future.
Dairy, as an industry, is in constant evolution, from advances in science to innovations in sustainability. But throughout, “bring on the butter” and “more cheese, please” have been continual refrains. The data shows it, and there’s no reason think those words won’t echo for years to come.
|
Finally- A Personal Word- Say a Prayer for the Gulf Coast of Florida
|
As we wait on rain here in the heartland- that's not the issue along the west coast of Florida this morning. As some of you may know- we have enjoyed spending time in Florida over several years now. Jan and I consider Sarasota our home away from home and I have spent many mornings walking the beaches of their most famous barrier island- Siesta Key.
My heart aches a bit this morning as we watch the reports of Hurricane Ian bearing down on this community- knowing that while God's beauty will still be there come Thursday and Friday after the storm- many of the landmarks that man has built may not be- and things will never be quite the same.
If you believe in prayer- I ask that you join me this morning in praying for people we have gotten to know over the years that make their home there- work there and are facing an uncertain future.
It's a good bet that the barrier islands- including Siesta- in that area will all be under water by early Thursday morning- as winds will blow and rain will fall.
And in the ag industry- we have friends inland a few miles that are cattle producers and farmers and they are getting ready for crazy amounts of rain and flooding- especially along any stream that ends up in the Gulf. Pray this day before Ian arrives allows them time to prepare for onslaught.
Thanks for allowing me to share this- if you are a Facebook person- I have posted a couple hundred videos over recent years of sunrise- you can search for them via the hashtag #siestasunrise. Enjoy one of those if you would like- one of these days- I hope that we will have the chance to do that again.
|
|
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.
|
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.
|
Wholesale Boxed Beef Prices were mixed- Choice Beef was down 79 cents and Select Beef was up $4.04 on Monday 09/29/2022.
Click on the Button below for the latest report from USDA Market News
|
Oklahoma National Stockyards had 7,100 head on Monday, September 26, 2022.
Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady, except for 6 weights and few 8 weights 3.00-6.00 lower. Feeder heifers 2.00-6.00 lower. Steer and heifer calves 10.00-15.00 lower. Demand moderate for all classes. Several un-weaned calves included today and these selling to limited demand. Quality mostly average. Temperatures have cooled off some and in the mid 80's but extended forecast remains dry.
Click below for the complete closing report.
|
The Joplin Regional Stockyards had a total run of 5,858 head on Monday, September 26th.
Compared to last week feeder steers under 600 lbs. traded 9.00-15.00 lower with heavier weights 2.00-8.00 lower. Feeder heifers traded 3.00-6.00 lower. Supply and demand was moderate.
Click on the button below for details of the trade as compiled by the USDA Market News Service.
|
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..
|
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.
|
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior 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
|
|
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.
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 lawyers and one of the world’s largest food companies.
But that’s exactly what happened when Joey’s family farm became the focal point in a series of nuisance trials that attracted national and international media attention. While his neighbors leveled charges of environmental racism in hopes of winning multi-million-dollar verdicts, Joey was left wondering how this could happen to a man who has always taken pride in playing by the rules.
Search for Road to Rural Prosperity and subscribe on your favorite Podcast platform.
To hear this podcast, you can click here or tap below:
|
|
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.
|
|
God Bless!
Reach Out To Us:
|
|
Tim West
President/General Manager
Rural Oklahoma Networks
405-317-6361
***************
Mike Henderson
Director of Sales
405-615-4922
|
|
KC Sheperd
Farm Director
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405-443-5717
|
|
Ron Hays
Senior Farm/Ranch Broadcaster
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network
405.473.6144
|
|
|
|
|
|
|