According to the Oklahoma Mesonet, the Climate Prediction Center has issued an “El Nino Advisory,” which means that El Nino conditions have been observed and are expected to continue. Recent rains the state has received don’t have anything to do with El Nino, said State Climatologist Gary McManus.

To have a full El Nino declaration, McManus said many more factors will need to come into play.

According to the latest Oklahoma Drought Map, Exceptional drought has improved again this week, now at 1.45 percent. (Last week was at 2.7 percent.)

Extreme drought or worse has improved significantly, moving from last week’s 24.9 percent to this week’ 9 percent.

Severe drought or worse has improved as well, moving from last week’s 43.18 percent to this week’s 35.72 percent.

Moderate drought or worse has worsened slightly, moving from last week’s 50.44 to this week’s 50.56 percent.

Abnormally dry or worse conditions have also worsened, moving from last week’s 62.87 percent to this week’s 64.59 percent.

To view this week's Oklahoma drought numbers, click the Oklahoma drought map above the story.



Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April.

The Tulsa Farm Show is Oklahoma’s premier agricultural and ranching event- and returns to the SageNet Center (Expo Square) December, 7-8-9, 2023. 

Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2022 Tulsa Farm Show.  To learn more about the Tulsa Farm Show, click here. 

 

World Wheat Market Still Just as Volatile- Russian Production Numbers Continue to Increase

This Week on SUNUP is Oklahoma State University Extension grain market economist Kim Anderson. During this week’s edition, Anderson talks about the latest in the grain markets.

China is in the middle of their wheat harvest, Anderson said, and they have been dealing with heavy rains and hail.

“A good third of their crop is lying down on the ground,” Anderson said. “It is sprouting, and they are looking at losing a significant amount of wheat.”

The biggest news is Russia’s wheat crop, Anderson said, as their production numbers continue to increase.

“Argentina, of course, has some drought,” Anderson said. “They have gotten rain. Their production is questionable.”

Recent rains in Oklahoma have helped those good to excellent winter wheat crop conditions increase significantly over the past few weeks.

“A couple of weeks ago, I was at a harvest price average of $7.75,” Anderson said. “I think I am going to lower that to $7.50. If you look at this volatile range, it is about plus or minus 75 cents, so that gets us $6.75 to $8.25 with an expected of $7.50.”

LMA Works to Stay Ahead of the Needs of Today’s Consumer

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with the president of the Livestock Marketing Association, Mark Barnett, about marketing to today’s consumer.

Barnett has one more year as president of the LMA, as he is serving a two-year term. He operates a cattle livestock auction market on the Kentucky-Tennessee line.

“The best thing to say about the business right now is that the cattle market is good,” Barnett said. “Commission will be better if you are operating on commission.”

Cattle numbers are down, Barnett said, which contributes to those higher prices.

“Probably, our feed is going to get a little bit better priced in the next year or so, and that will help us some, but our numbers in our area probably have changed, and I would say our numbers are probably not going to change back to those numbers we had 10 to 15 years ago,” Barnett said. “The land use has changed. The concern for us is producers are getting older.”

Barnett said he has many long-time customers that he started with that have informed him they are on their last crop, or last sale recently.

Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, had the chance to visit with the head of Sorghum United, Nate Blum, about innovations in the sorghum industry and the Global Sorghum Conference taking place this week in France.

With around 70 active members on every continent, Blum describes Sorghum United as a grassroots organization that involves each part of the value chain from researchers to the consumer.

“This is a global sorghum conference in every sense of the word,” Blum said. “There are people here from all over the world, and many of our team members at Sorghum United who live in some of these places are here, so it is really nice for us to be able to get together.”

The conference is heavily focused on research, Blum said, and brings in researchers from around the world. There have been many conversations about consumer product development at the conference as well, Blum added.

“I know Kansas State has had a big impact on this conference, as a matter of fact,” Blum said.

A big topic of conversation around the world, Blum said, is the different uses of sorghum for food, fuel, and fiber. An example Blum provided is the Texas company, Milex, which manufactures a natural blow-in insulation made from grain sorghum.

Broad-Based Growth for April Pork Exports; Beef Exports Trend Lower

April beef exports were 10% below last year at 111,416 mt, while value fell 18% to $859.5 million. However, the share of production exported was steady with last year and export value per head of fed slaughter ($441.70) was the highest since July.

Beef exports continued to gain momentum in Mexico in April, while exports also increased to South Korea, Europe and Africa. Exports to China/Hong Kong were relatively strong in April but shipments to Japan were down significantly.

Through the first four months of 2023, beef exports were down 8% in volume (437,910 mt) and were 21% lower in value ($3.21 billion) compared to last year’s record pace.

“With U.S. beef supplies tightening, it’s difficult to keep pace with the remarkable export totals posted in the first half of 2022, but exports continue to account for a similar share of production as last year’s record,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “The rebound in travel and tourism – which is now gaining momentum in Asia – and related foodservice opportunities continue to support beef demand. In some countries we have also seen a recent easing of the inflationary pressure on consumers’ discretionary income.”

Halstrom added that for both beef and pork exports, it is imperative that West Coast port terminal operators reach a contract agreement with longshoremen.

County Farm Bureaus partner with OKFB to donate nearly $20,000 to food assistance programs

Forty-six county Farm Bureaus and four county Women’s Leadership Committees across the state along with Oklahoma Farm Bureau donated nearly $20,000 to food banks, food pantries, meal assistance programs and after school programs in Oklahoma.

The OKFB Community Food Assistance Matching Program, which is in its third year, connects county Farm Bureaus with their communities through donations to local food assistance programs, and OKFB matches up to $100 for each county donation – doubling the impact of the gift.

County Farm Bureaus that donated to local food banks include Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Ellis, Garfield, Grady, Greer, Jackson, Johnston, Kingfisher, Latimer, Leflore, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Mayes, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Washington, Washita and Woodward.

Comanche County WLC, Creek County WLC, Garfield County WLC and Noble County WLC also participated in the matching program.

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