Wheat Harvest 20 Percent Complete in Oklahoma Amidst Scattered Rains Across the State

Below is an Oklahoma Harvest Report by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission:

Oklahoma Wheat harvest continues in Southern Oklahoma, as light rains have scattered across the state in several places since Monday afternoon. Some places have received 2/100ths while others have received over 1 ½ inches depending on location. (It has been reported some places in Southwest Oklahoma might have received 1 and 3/10ths of moisture and on the other side of a town or county no rain was received at all.) Despite the rain, several locations in Southern Oklahoma are still reporting good quality wheat on what is being taken in. Heavier rains have brought test weights down some.  Most locations are still reporting averages to be 60 lbs. per bushel or higher. Several locations down in South Central Oklahoma are reporting ranges still from 61-65 lbs. per bushel.

Moisture has been ranging from 11.5-13%. Yields on wheat being taken in as harvest progresses has been favorable to this point. Most are reporting 30 to 40 bushels per acre depending on the location. (Several instances of 50 bushel wheat being reported where timely rains were received.) Some high management intensive producers in rare instances have reported yields in the mid 70’s to low 80’s. (Keep in mind the reporting on the yield is still mainly being reported on the region in the state that is predicted to a have the best wheat.) Elevator managers have some concerns as harvest progresses further North that the test weight and quality will not be as favorable since we continue to receive larger amounts of moisture in these regions. Protein averages are being reported in a wide range from 10.5% to 13.5% depending on location. Some have reported protein to be as high as 15.5% on few select fields. Average for all areas being reported is 11.5% to 12.5%

The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is calling Oklahoma Wheat harvest 20% complete.



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 www.oklabeef.org. Also, don't forget to like its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oklabeef for stories on Oklahoma's ranching families and great beef recipes. 

And Click here to check out this video below that helps you learn more about the Beef Checkoff-

At the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to talk with Suzie Reece of Southwest Dairy.

For the first stop of the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Bedlam Road trip, Reece had the chance to bring her milk cow, “Snickers,” to ODAFF and provide a demonstration on milking.

“Snickers and I travel the state and teach about the dairy industry,” Reece said. “This program is paid for by dairy farmers that are hard at work on their farms, milking cows so that we have milk and dairy products to purchase at the grocery store.”

Most of the milk consumed by Oklahomans, Reece said, is produced locally.

“There are dairy farms in every state in the United States producing milk for people who live there,” Reece said. “I am representing the dairy farmers here in the state, including Braums, and going to schools and teaching about how dairy farmers are working hard to produce that milk for us to have the luxury of going to the grocery store and purchasing.”

The most frequently asked question Reece said she is asked when traveling is, “Why is your cow so skinny?”

Travelers do not see many dairy cows when driving down the highway in Oklahoma, Reece said, because they do not graze out on pasture, but instead are close to the dairy barn so they can be milked throughout the day.

“The Auction Way” with 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Champ, Will Epperly

At the 2023 Livestock Marketing Association Convention, I had the chance to visit with Will Epperly, who is the 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion. This weekend, the 2023 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion will be selected.

Will Epperly, from Dunlap, Iowa, was named the 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion at the 58th annual competition held at Shipshewana Auction & Trading Place, Shipshewana, Ind., and presented by the Livestock Marketing Association.

“Ironically, the last 12 months have been fun, but it took me 12 years to win this contest,” Epperly said.

Epperly said he has dreamed of becoming the World Livestock Auctioneer Champion since he was a young child.

“My father had taught me long ago to set a goal and how you are going to achieve that goal and to never quit and never give up,” Epperly said. “I live by that today. I never give up, and I never quit when I set my mind to something. I find some way around it no matter what.”

Epperly said he believes auctioning is the best way to sell, no matter what the product is.

“I think the auction way is the only way,” Epperly said.

During Cattlemen’s Conference, I had the chance to talk with the president of Certified Angus Beef, John Stika, about room for improvement in the cattle industry.

“As we talk about genetics, to make genetic progress, you have to begin to find those sires and those genetic lines that move you forward,” Stika said.

Ranchers have to tackle the task of putting consumers’ needs first while also managing their own profitability, Stika said, as economically important traits come into play alongside consumer-important traits in raising beef cattle.

“We can still do better,” Stika said. “I think we can still continue to put more into marbling.”

Stika said the cattle industry has not reached its maximum potential just yet.

“I say that because of the economics that are there,” Stika said. “We have really doubled the volume of Certified Angus Beef certified cattle out there over the last several years, and yet the premiums paid continue to go up. I think that speaks to the demand that is there for quality for our brand, for Prime, and for other brands as well.”

It is critical to select for multiple traits, Stika said, to ensure traits are not being left behind. The cattle industry has come a long way, he added, since the 1991 National Beef Quality Audit.

Summer BBQ isn’t Complete without Beef

As beef advocates, we know that a summer BBQ isn’t complete without beef! And beef would not be beef without cattle farmers and ranchers. While grilling season kicked off last month on National Beef Burger Day, it is just the beginning! This month we want you to continue sharing how your family celebrates meaningful moments with beef, grilling season inspiration, and highlighting your efforts on the farm/ranch to produce great-tasting beef!

Read below for more ideas on how to get started this month. Let us know what you are highlighting this month by sharing your posts and memes in the MBA Facebook group and tagging Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. in your social media posts.

• Highlight your favorite grilling tips, your go-to grilling cuts, or your favorite marinades and rubs.
• Share what a day in the life of a farmer/rancher looks like during the summer months
• Make and share a video about how to properly determine the doneness of beef

NMPF Board of Directors Names Gregg Doud New President and CEO

The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors today unanimously voted to name Gregg Doud, a globally recognized agricultural leader, as its next president and CEO, succeeding Jim Mulhern, who is retiring at the end of the year.

“Dairy farmers across the nation are pleased to endorse a true champion of agriculture, someone who both understands the hard work we do and the opportunities and challenges we face both here and abroad,” said Randy Mooney, chairman of the NMPF Board. “NMPF has long been blessed with leadership that’s been able to take its advocacy for dairy to a higher level. We strongly believe that Gregg Doud more than amply provides the expertise, the background, and the passion we will need as we navigate a challenging, but promising, new era.”

Doud has served in numerous leadership roles in trade association and government work in his more than 30-year career in agricultural policy and economics, most recently at Aimpoint Research, a global intelligence firm specializing in agriculture and food. From 2018 to 2021 he served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative, appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate, where he led numerous successful efforts to create a fair, prosperous environment for U.S. agricultural exports, including the U.S.-China “Phase One” agreement and the USMCA negotiations.

Before that role, the Kansas native served as president of the Commodity Markets Council, a trade association for commodities exchanges and industry counterparts; as senior professional staff on the Senate Agriculture Committee; and as chief economist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, among other roles.

2023-24 Agriculture Youth Council Members Announced

15 students from across Oklahoma have been selected to serve on the 2023-24 Oklahoma Agriculture Youth Council. The council is hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

The AYC was created in 2019 by Sec. Blayne Arthur to develop future agricultural leaders by teaching professional skills, exposing members to diverse agricultural operations, and offering short-term job experience in agriculture fields. The 2023-24 group will receive industry exposure and experimental learning during multiple sessions throughout the upcoming school year.

Council members will meet once a month during their year-long term. AYC sessions will include visits to Oklahoma agricultural companies and organizations, opportunities to learn about the legislative process, and job shadows with industry professionals.

For more information on the Agriculture Youth Council, visit https://ag.ok.gov/agriculture-youth-council/.