Oklahoma Wheat Harvest at 95% Complete- Kansas at 59%- 25 Points Behind Normal

Another week of widespread rains and cooler weather boosted the national corn condition rating for the second week in a row, and soybean condition also improved slightly following several weeks of declines. The southern plains wheat harvest made some progress despite July rains slowing the process.

Texas and Oklahoma are close to done- at 93% and 95% respectively- while Kansas has advanced to 59% complete- compared to 93% done at this point a year ago and the 84% five year average.

Oklahoma:

Winter wheat harvested reached 95 percent, down 5 points from the previous year and down 3 points from normal.

Corn silking reached 47 percent, up 10 points from the previous year and up 12 points from normal. Corn conditions rated 79 percent good to excellent, 12 percent fair and 9 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 76 percent good to excellent, 19 percent fair and 5 percent poor to very poor. 

Soybeans planted reached 87 percent, down 6 points from the previous year and down 2 points from normal. Soybeans emerged reached 81 percent, up 6 points from the previous year and up 9 points from normal. Soybeans blooming reached 6 percent, up 2 points from the previous year but down 1 point from normal. Soybean conditions rated 72 percent good to excellent, 17 percent fair and 11 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 62 percent good to excellent, 20 percent fair, and 18 percent poor to very poor.

Cotton squaring reached 30 percent, down 7 points from the previous year and down 6 points from normal. Cotton conditions rated 51 percent good to excellent, 42 percent fair and 7 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 56 percent good to excellent, 38 percent fair, and 6 percent poor to very poor. 

Pasture and range conditions rated 71 percent good to excellent, 23 percent fair and 6 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 67 percent good to excellent, 22 percent fair and 11 percent poor to very poor.



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.



2023 Junior Wheat Show to Be Held in Stillwater on July 18

I had the chance to catch up with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission Executive Director, Mike Schulte, about the upcoming 2023 Junior Wheat Show.

“We have had a little bit of a shorter timeline, probably for students to get their samples clean, ready and submitted, but the visual portion of the Junior Wheat Show competition will take place on Tuesday, July 18 at the Payne County Fairgrounds,” Schulte said. “That is the location we have had it at the last 20 years for the visual portion.”

If exhibitors are not able to be there in person, Schulte said they can submit samples through the mail to the Payne County Fairgrounds at 4518 Expo Cir E in Stillwater, OK 74075. Those samples must arrive through the mail before Friday, July 14, Schulte added.

The judging will take place on July 18, Schulte said, and if contestants are there in person, sample taking will begin before 8 a.m.

“After 8:30 a.m., after everybody is checked in, then we will start the judging right then at that point in time,” Schulte said.

Lower-end Beef is Becoming Less Popular as Consumers Crave High-Quality

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with the Cargill Beef Sustainability Lead, Nick Hardcastle, about consumers’ desire for a high-quality beef product.

“It has pretty much shown over the past few years, we have increased grade year-over-year through Covid, and demand has flourished, in all honesty,” Hardcastle said.

Consumers have a taste for high-quality beef, Hardcastle said, which has created a standard for the future. Hardcastle also talked about his involvement in branded beef programs.

“I know we have at least ten sorts within our facility that specifically have some sort of quality value to them,” Hardcastle said. “Most of those sorts start breaking down in the Choice category. The reason being is that retailers, food service, like to have opportunity there to buy something that fits their specific program.”

A specific sorted program creates value, Hardcastle said, because it is seen as a guarantee of quality on the menu at restaurants or in the meat case.

This Presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. 

Impacted Area: Texas and Oklahoma 

Triggering Disaster: Severe Winter Storm

Application Deadline: December 8, 2023

Investing in Future Generations: United Sorghum Checkoff Program Unveils Curriculum for Grades Kindergarten through 12th

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program launched its first Farm-to-School Curriculum, an agricultural education initiative that aims to integrate the science and production of sorghum, in addition to its nutritional value, into classrooms across the United States.

“We are thrilled to provide teachers with comprehensive materials that incorporate various aspects of sorghum into subjects from STEM to Language Arts,” Sorghum Checkoff Director of Food Innovations & Institutional Markets, Lanier Dabruzzi MS, RD, LD said. “This initiative underscores our commitment to agriculture education and our goal to inspire the next generation to recognize and utilize the potential of sorghum in their lives and the world around them.”

The curriculum provides educators with an array of engaging resources that introduce students to the importance of sorghum as a sustainable, versatile and flavorful grain that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. The program also aims to ignite the passion for agriculture in the next generation, cultivating an understanding and appreciation for sorghum.

OSU researchers using sound technology to study bass populations

Oklahoma State University Ag Research experts are studying the population size of shad fish in Arkansas reservoirs to help maintain bass fishing for anglers.

OSU graduate student Joe Dittmer and Dan Shoup, professor in the OSU Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, are using hydroacoustics technology to sample shad populations, which are small schooling fish that travel in packs and serve as a primary food source for temperate bass.

Hydroacoustics is the study of sound waves in water. These sound waves can provide researchers valuable information. In this case, they are determining the size of shad populations to evaluate the bass’ food supply.

Fishing has a large economic impact in the U.S. According to the American Sportfishing Association, U.S. anglers have an economic output of $148 billion annually with Oklahoma contributing $2.5 billion and Arkansas generating $1.2 billion. Lusk said that in 2017, there were an estimated 267,352 licensed resident anglers in Arkansas with a top three preference for black bass. These anglers have invested nearly $3 billion in their fishing and boating equipment. Oklahoma anglers also travel into Arkansas to bass fish. 

Legislation to Preempt Prop 12 is a “Race to the Bottom”

Last week, Representative Ashley Hinson (R-IA) introduced House companion legislation to Senator Roger Marshall’s (R-KS) Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act. The bill would preempt state regulation of the pork and poultry industry, including for animal welfare, consumer protection labeling, and food safety.

The bill was introduced in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in National Pork Producers Council v. Ross, which upheld a California law that bans the in-state sale of pork, eggs, and veal from animals “confined in a cruel manner.” The decision has been celebrated by anti animal ag groups as a victory against the worst factory farm abuses, and a win for state authority to expand protective measures, affirming that states can regulate goods within their borders.

Agricultural activists groups cheered the Supreme Court ruling- while the ag industry is looking for relief from Congress.

One of the groups that is speaking out against Congress moving to negate Prop 12 is Food and Water Watch- they released a statement yesterday and we are sharing that with you this AM via the link in the blue box below.

Heavy Rains Across the Middle of Oklahoma from OKC Westward

From our vantage point in Oklahoma City- it has been a noisy and very wet night- we have had at least two inches of rain at our abode and it's still raining as we get ready to hit the send button this morning. A lot of Oklahoma is painted with a very colorful radar this morning as this system is moving east- the map above is linked to the Mesonet so you can check current rainfall totals this morning in real time.

It does appear as this system moves east- it will stay mostly in the southern half of the state.

Sulphur wins the 24 rain sweepstakes with over 4 inches- and Woodward has over three inches at the time we grabbed this image.

Chances of rain- 10% to 30% remain on the forecast board into this next weekend and heat is set to really be turned up- triple digits are on the horizon by Wednesday.

Can you say sauna?