According to the Oklahoma Crop Progress and Condition report released on March 13, 2023, winter wheat was rated 30 percent good to excellent, 26 percent fair and 44 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s ratings were 39 percent good to excellent, 21 percent fair, and 40 percent poor to very poor. Winter wheat jointing reached 12 percent, up 5 points from the previous year and up 2 points from normal.

Pasture and range conditions rated 9 percent good to excellent, 31 percent fair and 60 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 7 percent good to excellent, 34 percent fair and 59 percent poor to very poor. 

Livestock conditions rated 42 percent good to excellent, 42 percent fair and 16 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 37 percent good to excellent, 39 percent fair and 24 percent poor to very poor.



Oklahoma Farm Bureau works to improve the lives of all Oklahomans by supporting our state’s agriculture community. As Oklahoma’s largest general farm organization led by Oklahoma farmers and ranchers, OKFB takes grassroots values and advocates for agriculture at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C., to ensure our way of life continues for generations to come.

Farm Bureau hosts leadership events, supports our state’s agricultural youth and connects consumers with agriculture in order to build a brighter future for our state. Become an OKFB member today online at okfarmbureau.org/join. Together, we are rural Oklahoma.



I got the chance to catch up with the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Mike Schulte, and talk about OSU wheat varieties and the 2023 wheat crop.

“it is exciting to see the lineup out of the USDA wheat variety report that came, showing what wheat producers are choosing to plant across the state, and the public research program at Oklahoma State University with their variety development program still standing strong,” Schulte said. “As we make changes in the industry, as we have more varieties coming out of the OSU public research program and more varieties coming out of private companies giving producers more options. There is more competition in all areas, so it is exciting to see that we still are doing so well with the varieties coming out of OSU as producers are using them as mainstays to plant for their crops here in Oklahoma.”

Oklahoma State University varieties continue to lead planted acres of Hard Red Winter Wheat across the state of Oklahoma, according to the March 2023 “Oklahoma Variety Report” from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. For the fifth year in a row, the top four leading wheat varieties planted in the state were developed by OSU with another three listed in the top nine. 

Doublestop CL Plus variety takes the top spot for the second year in a row, with Smith’s Gold moving from the fourth position last year into the number two spot this year. Gallagher and Green Hammer varieties move into the third and fourth spots. The Showdown variety makes a great leap moving from 24th last year to 6th place this year. It should be no surprise to see the movement in Showdown, as it is widely adapted from west Texas to central Kansas, including the Oklahoma panhandle and has a very high yield ceiling. Showdown shows good standability and responds well to grazing with adequate seed density. Showdown also incorporates Hessian fly resistance.

Angus Heifers Top Supreme Purebred Heifer Drive at 2023 OYE

The 2023 Breeding Heifer Show stretched over several days at the Oklahoma Youth Expo- both in Barn 3 as well as in the Jim Norrick Arena. A total of more than twenty breed and influence shows were held with fourteen hundred heifers being evaluated, with the Supreme selection on Monday.

The Angus breed showed well- as the top two heifers in the Supreme Purebred Heifer selection were Angus females.

The Supreme Purebred Heifer was the Angus Champion- her owner was Alyson Friesen, Arnet FFA. (Shown at the top of the story) The Reserve Supreme Purebred Heifer was the Reserve Angus- shown by Jake Allison of Canadian County 4-H.

The Supreme Influence Heifer was the Charolais Composite Champ- shown by Finley Yoacham of Sapulpa FFA. Reserve Supreme Influence Heifer was the Maintainer Champion- shown by Maggie Griswold of Ripley FFA.

Finally- it was a brother and sister team that came away with the Supreme Heifer Bred and Owned Champs- Koy Moonen of Twin Mounds 4-H had the Supreme Champion Bred and Owned Heifer. His sister, Elle Moonen, had the Reserve Supreme Bred and Owned Heifer- the Reserve Maintainer.

The Story linked in the Blue Box below has more details about all the Heifer champs in all three categories. Pics of the other two Supreme Champs in the Breeding Heifer drive can be seen at the bottom of the email

As for tonight- the big happening for OYE is the annual Legislative/Celebrity Showmanship Event- over 100 of the 149 Oklahoma lawmakers will be at the Norrick Arena pairing up with 4-H and FFA exhibitors to learn more about the young person- about their animal and how to properly show a pig, goat, lamb or steer. It's all about reminding the lawmakers what the future of Oklahoma looks like.

Our coverage of all the young people involved at the OYE is powered by Hilliary Communications.

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am visiting with NCBA’s Associate Director for Governmental Affairs, Sigrid Johannes, about the introduction of the Black Vulture Relief Act.

Cattle producers in several states have reported black vultures swooping in and causing problems with their calves. Michael Kelsey, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President, says that several reports in eastern Oklahoma have the birds not only preying on newborn calves- but adds that if given the chance, will eat on the mama cow as she is trying to deliver.

The bill would allow a cattle producer to “take” (capture, kill, disperse, or transport) black vultures that pose a risk to livestock. Additionally, the bill reduces permitting burdens and red tape by instituting a simple report that producers submit once per year detailing the number of black vultures they took. Streamlining the system and lifting the cap on number of black vultures that producers can take is a commonsense approach to managing a fully recovered, aggressive predator species.

“This is a great piece of pretty common-sense and bipartisan legislation that is being led by Congressman John Rose from Tennessee and Congressman Darren Soto from Florida,” Johannes said. “This is a measure that would allow for folks, for agricultural producers, to take black vultures without needing a permit on the front end. It maintains the requirement that you report those incidences of lethal take or just of harassment and things like that, deterrence measures on the back end, in a once-yearly report, but it doesn’t require that producers have a permit before they go and take that action against a predator species that might be harassing and often killing calves and they’re attacking cows.”

Ag Youth Magazine saying Farewell After 35 Years

Farm Director, KC Sheperd, caught up with the owner of Ag Youth Magazine, Larry Peck at the Oklahoma Youth Expo and talked about the magazine’s last run.

Larry Peck and his wife Mary Peck started the Ag Youth Magazine 35 years ago. After countless impressions on Oklahoma’s youth, Peck and his wife have decided to retire the Ag Youth magazine and spend more time with their grandchildren.

“This is our final OYE with Ag Youth,” Larry said.

Peck said he is grateful for the opportunity to work with amazing people through the Ag Youth Magazine.

“Mary and I are just totally blessed to be able to produce a magazine about good positive kids and what they do,” Peck said. Peck and his team travel all over the state, showcasing the youth of Oklahoma as they show livestock. Not only has Peck taken great pictures, but he and his wife also pour into the Youth of the state by providing leadership, mentorship, and scholarship opportunities.

Peck and his wife have been involved in teaching FFA and 4-H for many years, Peck said, which they both enjoyed. Having the opportunity to watch so many young people grow up and have thriving careers after their involvement in the 4-H and FFA, Peck said, has been truly special. They continue to follow the careers of the kids they have taught, watched in the show ring, or helped in some way throughout their careers.

Pioneer Telephone Cooperative Looking Forward to Another 70 Years of Innovations in Connectivity for Oklahomans

KC Sheperd, Farm Director, is visiting with the general manager of Pioneer Telephone Cooperative, Blake Callaham, about increasing broadband access for Oklahomans and innovations in connectivity.

The Pioneer Telephone Cooperative began in 1953, Callaham said, as an electric cooperative.

“Over the last 70 years, we have really taken pride in connecting what matters for our members and all of western Oklahoma, as a matter of fact,” Callaham said. “With that, it has really evolved over the past 70 years, and our main mission has remained the same.”

The main mission, Callaham said, is to connect what matters.

“We believe that path, today, is through fiber internet,” Callaham said. “That is where we are headed, and we are proud of our history.”

In many parts of rural Oklahoma, Callaham said there would not be connectivity if it wasn’t for cooperatives such as Pioneer Telephone taking the initiative to serve in those places that are harder to reach.

“As a cooperative, we take great pride in connecting those members and those customers to what matters most,” Callaham said. “After all, rural America deserves exactly what urban America can receive as well.”

Pics from the Breeding Heifer Supreme Drive-

Above- Finley Yoacham of Sapulpa FFA Showing Her Supreme Influence Heifer

Below- Koy Moonen of Twin Mounds 4-H with his Supreme Champion Bred and Owned Heifer