Yesterday, I had the chance to talk with Congressman Frank Lucas about the House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s 2024 Farm Bill proposal which was released last week. Lucas is the former Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and now serves as the Senior member of the committee, aiding in the completion of the 2024 Farm Bill.

The markup of the 2024 Farm Bill is scheduled for May 23, 2024- click here for current details as found on the House Ag Committee website.

“We don’t need to rewrite the entire Farm Bill,” Lucas said. “We did that in ’14 when I was Chairman. We modified and improved in ’18, and now it is time to do that process again. By looking at the commodity title, conservation and development, and all of those sections, I think the Chairman has done an exceptional job, and I think we will be pleased with what we see.”

Lucas said the controversial part of the bill will most likely be the nutrition title, as this title is usually the main priority of Democrats in the committee.

“When the Biden Administration first came in, they had a Democrat majority in the House and Senate,” Lucas said. “Their goal was to spend money, not just in conservation but across the entire gamut of the Federal Government. The allocated moneys that could not be spent in a timely or orderly fashion. In this Farm Bill, we are going to reallocate those dollars to existing programs like EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) that have demonstrated themselves time and time again.”

Lucas and Hays also talked more about crop insurance ,support for conservation and market promotion programs, the OFF Act, GIPSA provisions, and more.



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For the U.S., winter wheat was 69 percent headed, which was 11 points ahead of 58 percent at this time last year and 12 points ahead of the five-year average of 57 percent. 9 percent of the crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 from the previous week but still up considerably from 31 percent a year ago. The percentage rated very poor to poor held steady at 18 percent.

In Oklahoma, winter wheat conditions rated 51 percent good to excellent, 35 percent fair and 14 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 53 percent good to excellent, 35 percent fair and 12 percent poor to very poor. This time last year, conditions rated 10 percent good to excellent, 38 percent fair and 52 percent poor to very poor.

Oklahoma's pasture and range conditions rated 57 percent good to excellent, 36 percent fair and 7 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 53 percent good to excellent, 36 percent fair and 11 percent poor to very poor. This time last year, pasture and range conditions rated 33 percent good to excellent and 49 percent poor to very poor.

Kansas Wheat Crop Conditions have improved to 33% good to excellent this week- versus 31% a week ago. Ninety percent of the Kansaas crop is now headed- versus 73% one week ago- the crop remains at least a week ahead of normal dverlopment.

In Texas,  winter wheat conditions rated 39 percent good to excellent, 39 percent fair and 22 percent poor to very poor. Last week’s conditions rated 42 percent good to excellent, 35 percent fair and 23 percent poor to very poor. This time last year, conditions rated 23 percent good to excellent, 32 percent fair and 45 percent poor to very poor.

2024 Oklahoma Wheat Harvest Has Begun

According to the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Mike Schulte, Oklahoma wheat harvest has started in multiple locations in Southwest Oklahoma over the weekend, with the wheat being 10 days ahead of normal schedule.  It has been reported that over 100,000 bushels was received between locations at Grandfield and Devol. Trucks have also been received at Frederick. Early cutting has also started around Temple, Walters and Chattanooga. Test cutting has taken place around Altus with some producers hoping to start this afternoon(Monday).

Early reports in all locations show test weights ranging from 60 to 63 lbs. per bushel. (The wheat reported at 60 lbs. per bushel was at a higher moisture level, so producers are hopeful as moisture goes down test weights will still go up.)

Proteins ranging from 11.1% to 12.5% with more of the proteins on early cuttings being reported in the 11.9% to 12.5% range. Early yields being reported at 40 to 45 bushels per acre. Higher yields are predicted on intensively managed wheat. Keep in mind this region has been considered the bright spot of the state for growing conditions this year. The state has received a large amount of hail damage in South Central, Oklahoma last night with large amounts of hail damage in other regions of Southwest Oklahoma and Northern Oklahoma over the past two weeks. 

A more comprehensive report will be published on Thursday, May 23, 2024.

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with Vice President of Governmental Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Ethan Lane about House Committee on Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson’s 2024 Farm Bill proposal.

“We know what is in the draft and we are very comfortable with the product that GT and his team have put together,” Lane said. “This is a bill that comes from a team that has paid a lot of attention to ensuring that the cattle industry’s priorities are addressed, that this bill is a product that should be bipartisan, even though it is not being treated that way by that minority party in the House of Representatives or said Democrats for that matter at this point.”

Lane said the 2024 Farm Bill aims to address some of the larger issues impacting the cattle industry.

“The reality is that the Inflation Reduction Act created 20 billion dollars in conservation in funding before the Farm Bill process started, but with constraints that don’t exist in the Farm Bill writ large, or haven’t up to this point,” Lane said. “GT’s draft seeks to get that money back into a broader strategy for ensuring that those programs keep up with inflation. There is funding in place to increase money going to valuable programs for producers across the country. That is going to be a fight because Democrats feel like they have something there with this climate-focused implementation of popular programs like EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program).”

NAWG President Keeff Felty Provides Farm Bill Comments and Wheat Harvest Update

Last week after the Farm Bill session featuring the Republican leader of the Senate Ag Committee, Farm Director KC Sheperd had the chance to talk with Oklahoma farmer and National Association of Wheat Growers President Keeff Felty about priorities for wheat growers in the 2024 Farm Bill.

“The high points were reiterating our asks since June 2022 and focusing on some of the things that are being put forward by Chairwoman Stabenow and her proposed legislation and language,” Felty said. “The Senate language has not been released yet, so we don’t have an official version.”

Felty also emphasized the importance of completing a Farm Bill during this current Congress. Between the House and Senate Farm Bill proposals, Felty said the House version leans more toward the priorities of NAWG.

Switching gears to Oklahoma’s wheat harvest, Felty said the crop looks above average. He expects combines to start rolling pretty quickly and expects Harvest to start by the end of this week in Jackson County.

“Wheat Crop looks pretty good, above average. We have not been overly wet, but we have had timely rains,” Felty said. “I think it has potential.”

National Sorghum Producers commends the House Committee on Agriculture as they commence markup this week on the 2024 Farm Bill, particularly in the face of economic uncertainty and rising costs for U.S. sorghum producers. NSP is optimistic the proposal by Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson will bolster much-needed protection and relief for America’s farmers and ranchers.

“NSP is very pleased with the commitment and efforts of Chairman Thompson, and the entire House Ag Committee in ensuring a robust farm bill for sorghum producers,” NSP Chairman Craig Meeker, a sorghum farmer from Wellington, Kansas, said. “We are eager to assist the committee in advancing a bill that will reinforce the safety net, strengthen crop insurance and conservation programs, which are key provisions for sorghum farmers.”

The committee’s focus on putting “more farm in the farm bill” by enhancing Title I is an essential improvement to the strength of U.S. agriculture producers. The legislation also includes critical improvements to crop insurance that encourage participation and help strengthen the safety net, the expansion of conservation funding by incorporating Inflation Reduction Act funds into the farm bill baseline, increased funding authorization for the Foreign Market Development (FMD) and Market Access Program (MAP), and the authorization for Section 9005 and other “orphan” programs that have previously lacked consistent support but are important to U.S. sorghum ethanol producers.

“In the lead-up to the 2024 bill, the House Ag Committee has conducted multiple hearings, listening sessions and meetings where NSP highlighted the priorities of the National Sorghum Producers,” Meeker said. “We are confident the committee is poised to deliver a farm bill that will significantly benefit sorghum producers across the United States, and we look forward to working with committee members to advance this important legislation.”