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We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network weekdays- if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click here for this morning's Farm news from Carson Horn on RON.
Let's Check the Markets!
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.
FedCattleExchange.com has 2,982 head of cattle on their showlist for the Wednesday,
May 2nd sale of finished cattle - click here to jump to the website.
Oklahoma National Stockyards had estimated receipts at 11,500- with Feeder steers steady to 3.00 higher with exception to 700-850 lbs. bringing 2.00 lower- the full report available here.
Joplin Stockyards had almost 7,000 on Monday-with steer and heifer calves and yearlings steady to 3.00 higher. Click or tap here for their complete report.
Today's First Look:
mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Each afternoon we are posting a recap of that day's markets as analyzed by Justin Lewis of KIS futures- click or tap here for the report posted yesterday afternoon around 3:30 PM.
Okla Cash Grain:
Futures Wrap:
Feeder Cattle Recap:
Slaughter Cattle Recap:
TCFA Feedlot Recap:
Our Oklahoma Farm Report Team!!!!
Ron Hays, Senior Farm Director and Editor
Carson Horn, Associate Farm Director and Editor Pam Arterburn, Calendar and Template Manager Dave Lanning, Markets and Production
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Oklahoma's Latest Farm and Ranch News
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
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Howdy Neighbors!
Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update.
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 Wheat Crop Conditions in Oklahoma, Kansas Continue to Deteriorate While Texas Sees Slight Uptick
The latest crop progress numbers released by USDA on Monday afternoon shows the wheat crop in the Southern Plains continues to struggle along in its development with both Oklahoma and Kansas experiencing some deterioration this week in their respective wheat crop conditions - Texas, however, saw some slight improvement from the week before.
To review the complete Crop Progress report released on Monday afternoon- click or tap here.
Checking in on our southern plains states- while dry conditions continue to persist across much of Oklahoma, the state received enough rain over the past week to keep the drought conditions from worsening - winter wheat jointing reached 86 percent, down 10 points from the previous year and down 9 points from normal. Winter wheat headed reached 35 percent, down 39 points from the previous year and down 25 points from normal. Winter wheat's condition in Oklahoma rates this week at 66 percent poor to very poor, 25 fair and 9 good to excellent.
In Kansas, limited info includes the latest wheat ratings - winter wheat condition rated 16 percent very poor, 34 poor, 37 fair, 12 good, and 1 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 52 percent, well behind 89 last year and 77 for the five-year average. Headed was 2 percent, well behind 41 last year and 24 average.
Finally, in Texas, the high plains continues to deal with hot, dry and windy conditions that prevail across most of the state while precipitation remains low. Small grains have not shown much freeze damage from the freeze experienced two weeks ago. Winter wheat in the Northern High Plains started to head. Some producers in the Low Plains and the Cross Timbers were cutting wheat for hay because of the poor crop conditions. Wheat and oats harvest started in areas of South Texas. Winter wheat's condition in Texas this week rates 61 poor to very poor, 23 fair, and 16 percent good to excellent.
Both Oklahoma and Kansas showed some signs of deterioration this week versus a week ago in the Southern Plains winter wheat crop, while Texas had some slight improvement this week in its combined poor to very poor crop rating - Oklahoma's poor to very poor rating increased by two percentage point from 64 percent a week ago to 66 percent this week. The Kansas crop worsened by one percentage point - rising from 49 percent poor to very poor last week to an even 50 percent this week - and the Texas wheat crop actually improved some decreasing from 64 percent poor to very poor last week to 61 percent poor to very poor this week. |
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Oklahoma Senate Turns Down Changes to SB888- Preserving Existing Tax Credits for Established Wind Farms
Despite impassioned pleas that the state no longer can afford to pay subsidies to the Oklahoma wind industry, the State senate late Monday rejected House amendments to a bill to eliminate the refundability of tax credits.
The vote was 18-23 against the House amendments to SB888.
"We're subsidizing an industry with a subsidy we can't afford," argued Sen. Marty Quinn of Claremore who led the effort on the Senate floor.
"I'm not against wind," he professed. "But this program has become unaffordable."
New Senator Casey Murdock of Felt led the opposition to the amendment. "Why in the world would we run legislation that kicks sand in the face of investors and say 'we don't want you in our sandbox'?"
He suggested it would be a case of Oklahoma going back on its word.
"I"m a man of my word! Wonder why the teachers don't trust us? We have a reputation of going back on our word and it's time to change that."
Read more comments from Senators that were with Casey Murdock in this effort by clicking or tapping here.
One note- Aaron Bribeck with News9 reports that the bill goes to Conference between the House and Senate- but the reality is that with lawmakers wanting to end the session this week- the clock will probably run out on this being considered in 2018.
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With Dry Conditions on the Rise, Derrell Peel Advises Producers on Strategies to Survive a Drought
With dry conditions rapidly expanding in the state, Dr. Derrell Peel advises beef producers this week to develop a drought management plan now to be prepared to survive and make critical decisions in the face of a potentially extended drought.
"We never know how long a drought will last but whether it's a few weeks or a few months or possibly many months, it's important, not only to figure out how to survive the drought, but to manage for the post-drought period during the drought," he writes. "At the end, business survival is an economic question, not a just a matter of how many cattle we can hold onto for another two weeks...or a month...or whatever."
Peel says a comprehensive, detailed plan will help remove as much emotion as possible and will make it easier to make tough, timely decisions. He says a producer should take inventory of their available resources and consider all possible situations that could affect how they ration out their available feed, forage and water and design your plan to stretch your resources to fit that time frame while also reconciling the needs of your herd.
A good plan will include a contingency strategy for identifying when herd liquidation is needed and what core group of animals should be last on the list and maintained for rebuilding. Peel also says it's essential to have action dates and to follow the plan. Dates can be revised as needed if conditions change but not having dates results in emotional anguish and the temptation to "hang on for a few more days" that often results in bigger long-term consequences.
Click here to read more of Peel's advice on how to develop a strategy for your herd's survival during a drought.
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National Pork Board Spotlights US Pork Industry's Focus on Safeguarding Our Natural Resources
In light of a recent court ruling in North Carolina regarding hog production, the National Pork Board is now working to build awareness of the pork industry's commitment to preserving the environment and practicing sustainability and stewardship.
Over the last decade, the use of technology has played a leading role in helping pig farmers across the US raise more pork using fewer natural resources than ever before.
According to academic studies, U.S. pig farmers have over the last 50 years reduced the amount of land use for production by 78 percent, reduced water use by 41 percent, and had a carbon footprint that was 35 percent smaller - and progress continues.
Additionally, pig farms carefully and properly manage the manure that is produced and recycle it as a valuable nutrient fertilizer for crops.
To educate the public on the pork industry's commitment to environmental stewardship, the National Pork Board developed the We Care Platform to promote the safe and responsible management practices of US pork producers.
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Sponsor Spotlight
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Market Analyst Calls for More Pragmatic Approach to Deal with Volatility Upon Revelations from GAO
Beef Market Analyst Glynn Tonsor recently shared his take on a report compiled by the Government Accountability Office on a study investigating what factors led to the dramatic decline in cattle prices from 2013 to 2016. According to Tonsor's conclusion after reviewing the report, the study found no "boogeyman," as he says, to blame as the single culprit behind this volatility. The industry had insinuated that perhaps packers were doing something inappropriate to influence the market when they requested the GAO to launch this investigation. Not to Tonsor's surprise, the report instead suggests that a combination of drought and several variations in the dynamics of supply and demand were in fact what caused prices to fall.
"To me, it's an example where the industry is pausing and kind of looking for somebody to blame for what has been going on," Tonsor said. "And, while I'm not against analysis, we need to understand what is going on in markets. The cattle industry has a long history of pausing to do some of that - to find a 'boogeyman' at times and I'm not always sure that is productive."
Instead of looking for someone to blame in these situations, Tonsor suggests that more could be accomplished if the different segments of the industry worked to increase cooperation among themselves - rather than taking a divide and conquer approach.
"If you synthesize this report, there isn't a 'boogeyman' around the corner per se," he continued. "That's what the report concludes in the 2013-2016 series of why the cattle market responded the way it did and I just don't think it's super productive for us to keep looking for those smoking guns."
Listen to Tonsor offer his opinions regarding this recent report out from the GAO, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.
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USDA's NRCS Encourages Affected Ranchers to Apply for Western Oklahoma Wildfire Initiative
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service in Oklahoma has opened a round of sign-ups for participation in the Western Oklahoma Wildfire Initiative which will be made available to affected producers in Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Harmon, Harper, Roger Mills and Woodward Counties. Those that qualify will receive technical and financial assistance to help improve and reestablish grazing lands throughout western Oklahoma.
The funding will be made available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to help plan and implement conservation practices that address priority local and state resource concerns.
Those interested in participating should apply at their local USDA Service Center by June 1, 2018. Click here for more information about the program including a link to source materials. |
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Want to Have the Latest Energy News Delivered to Your Inbox Daily?
Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.
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ThisWeek- Wheat Tour Kicks Off, Okla Wheat Estimate Comes Today and Okla FFA Welcomes USDA Deputy Stephen Censky to OKC
A total of 96 Crop Scouts will be fanning out across Kansas and small parts of Nebraska and Oklahoma the next three days this morning as the 2018 Wheat Quality Council Tour gets underway- we will have coverage of the 2018 tour from Chris Kirby and Don Atkinson representing the Oklahoma Wheat Commission on the tour- in fact- we have a preview of the tour with an audio interview that Don did with Dave Green of the Wheat Quality Council- click or tap here to listen to their conversation.
We usually follow the tour on Twitter- the hashtag to know is #WheatTour18.
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Speaking of estimating the size of the 2018 Wheat Crop- the annual reporting session for the Oklahoma Wheat Crop happens this morning at 10:45 AM- as the concluding item of the Oklahoma Feed and Grain Association annual meeting underway at the Waterford Marriott in northwest Oklahoma City.
There is little doubt going in that this crop will be poor- at best- our hope is that the number is not in the category of being DISMAL.
We will be spending time there- and Carson Horn will be helping us provide you coverage from the Waterford.
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Of Course- the BIG EVENT today and tomorrow in downtown Oklahoma City is the 2018 Oklahoma FFA Convention- the Opening General Session is this morning- and addressing that session will be the Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture- Stephen Censky.
We will have the chance to talk with the Deputy this morning in advance of his comments to the thousands of Oklahoma FFA members- we look forward to that but more importantly- looking forward to getting a charge from the energy that comes when Blue and Gold jackets are EVERYWHERE in downtown OKC!
Piper Merritt of Owasso FFA is the current National Vice President for our region- she is on the program and our friend Riley Pagett- former national FFA President- and now the Government Relations Director for FFA in our nation's Capitol.
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Oklahoma Cattlemen's Assoc. Invites Members to Attend Quarterly Board Meeting in Stillwater, May 4
The next Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association's quarterly board of director's meeting will be held Friday, May 4 at the OSU Animal Science Arena in Stillwater, Okla. As always, this will be an open meeting and all OCA members are invited to attend.
Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., followed by an educational component on the reproductive readiness of cows conducted by Brennan Lewis, Embryo Division manager at Reproduction Enterprises, Inc. The program will finish with the board of director's meeting.
Those that plan on attending are asked to please RSVP to assist in lunch preparations. Click here for instructions on how to register.
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Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment, American Farmers & Ranchers, Livestock Exchange at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Stillwater Milling Company, National Livestock Credit Corporation, OERB, Oklahoma AgCredit, 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! You can reach us at the following:
phone: 405-473-6144
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