Below is the latest wheat harvest report issued by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission on June 6, 2024:

Oklahoma wheat harvest just got started again late yesterday afternoon and last night in most regions, with a lot of test cutting going on in Northern Oklahoma.  Producers in all regions of the state are hopeful to get moving today. Harvest will be moving from the Oklahoma/Texas border to the Oklahoma/Kansas border. The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is calling wheat harvest for the state 25% complete.

Reports in all locations show test weights ranging from 59 to 65 lbs. per bushel for the most part. We have some regions now reporting some 58lb. to 59 lb. test weights in parts of Southern Oklahoma, but overall most test weights are still holding at 60lbs. or higher across the state. Proteins ranging from 9% to 13.5%, with an overall average of proteins being reported higher than last week now at 11.7%. Early yields being reported at 40 to 50 bushels per acre in most regions. Higher yields being reported on intensively managed wheat with some yields on a few fields being reported in the mid 60’s to low 70’s. It is thought that in parts of Northwest Oklahoma the wheat in some areas has recovered, however there are still several parts in far Northwest Oklahoma and the Panhandle that will have lower yields due to persistent drought. The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is calling the state 25% complete with harvest. The next Oklahoma Wheat Commission Harvest report will be published on Monday, June 10, 2024.

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Severe Drought or Worse Conditions See Significant Improvements in this Week’s Oklahoma Drought Monitor

According to the latest Oklahoma drought monitor report, exceptional drought and extreme drought remain at zero percent, unchanged from the start of the calendar year.

Severe drought or worse is now at 1.41 percent, down from last week’s 6.72 percent.



Moderate drought or worse is now at 14.51 percent, down from last week’s 14.68 percent.

Abnormally dry or worse conditions are now at 27.23 percent, down from 29.60 percent.

According to the 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook map, the eastern third of the state is leaning below a 33 to 40 percent chance of precipitation through June 15th. The central third of the state is standing at a near-normal chance of precipitation through June 15th. The western part of the state along with the panhandle is leaning above a 33 to 40 percent chance of precipitation through June 15th.

Farm and Ranch Preparedness Before Extreme Weather Events with OSU’s Rosslyn Biggs

Farm Director KC Sheperd recently had the chance to catch up with Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Dr. Rosslyn Biggs to discuss strategies for ensuring animal and human safety during extreme weather events, with a focus on tornadoes, wildfires, and droughts.

Ideally, Biggs said producers should have made preparations before storm season in Oklahoma to ensure the safety of their livestock and themselves.

“We want to think about human safety first, and animal safety next and have a plan for those things- particularly if we need to evacuate,” Biggs said. “As we enter later summer, depending upon if we have had rain or haven’t had rain, we want to be thinking about wildfires as well. How we are going to respond to that is really kind of top of mind in being prepared.”

Later into the summer, Biggs said being aware of how rainfall amounts will impact prussic acid or nitrate levels in forages is critical.

“Our classic kind of grass we are worried about there is Johnson grass, and those indications of how that can impact animals grazing directly, and/or how we are going to hay those, and things related to the prussic acid, which is cyanide and nitrates as well,” Biggs said.

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am visiting with Kansas State University Extension Livestock Market Economist, Dr. Glynn Tonsor, about the latest K-State Meat Demand Monitor. The MDM project is funded in-part by the beef checkoff and the pork checkoff and has been produced regularly since February of 2020.

To check out the latest Meat Demand Monitor released on May 29, 2024, click here!

In the latest report, Tonsor said in May compared to April of 2024, willingness to pay for retail (grocery store purchases to prepare at home) was higher in five out of the eight categories tracked in the monitor. Food service demand had a different trend, Tonsor said, as demand for eating out during dinner meals was down in seven out of eight categories tracked.

Tonsor said lower demand for eating out is consistent with financial sentiment and concerns that are ongoing.

Regarding a figure called “Protein Values” in each MDM report, Tonsor said consumers rate their top four priorities and least four priorities when purchasing meat portion out of 12 choices: taste, freshness, safety, price, nutrition, health, appearance, convenience, hormone or antibiotic-free, animal welfare, origin traceability, environmental impact.

“Taste, freshness, safety and price regularly are top determinants for the typical or middle-of-the-road U.S. resident,” Tonsor said. “The more production practices- sometimes we call them social issue items-such as environmental impact, origin traceability, animal welfare, and use of hormones or antibiotics have negative numbers on these charts.”

Oklahoman Francie Tolle Selected to Serve as USDA RMA Deputy Administrator for Compliance

Below is a statement from Marcia Bunger, the Administrator of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), regarding Francie Tolle’s new position within USDA RMA:

I am so pleased and excited to announce the selection of a new Deputy Administrator for Compliance, Francie Tolle.

She brings to the role so many areas of expertise, including time with the Farm Service Agency, as well as RMA Insurance Services and Product Management.

Perhaps most importantly, in my opinion, she has decades of personal knowledge and hands on experience as a farmer and rancher. Along with her husband Chuck, and two married sons, she operates a farm in Oklahoma, growing wheat, row crops, and raising cattle among other things.

“Over the last nine years at RMA, I have appreciated and enjoyed the opportunities to collaborate with the Compliance staff on numerous projects,” says Francie, who has directed the Product Administration and Standards Division for the past six years. “Now, as I start the position as the new Deputy Administrator, I am excited about the future of working alongside and leading a team that plays such a vital role in strengthening the crop insurance program.”

Bunger adds that RMA is extremely fortunate to have Francie’s broad knowledge and experience to lead this critical Compliance mission!

This week on SUNUP is Oklahoma State University Extension grain market economist Kim Anderson. During this week’s edition, Anderson talks about tips for selling wheat and the crop markets.

“We had a good run up in wheat at about $1.85,” Anderson said. “Everybody is excited. It has backed off about 35 to 40 cents- somewhere around $6.50 per bushel in Pond Creek. It will be about 40 cents less down in the Altus/Snyder area, or if you go up to Weatherford, probably 30 cents less. The panhandle is 10 cents less.”

During the June through August time period, Anderson said the average price for winter wheat in Oklahoma is $5.80. Currently, the price is above average, and the stocks-to-use ratio for the U.S. and the world is at about average.

Regarding wheat harvest, Anderson said rains have slowed things down a bit, but when harvest began, things were ahead of schedule.

“I think harvest has come along relatively well,” Anderson said.

As always, Anderson recommends producers sell their wheat during the June through August time period.

USDA Offers Disaster Recovery Assistance to Agricultural Producers in Oklahoma Impacted by Recent Tornadoes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers across Oklahoma recover from recent tornadoes and severe weather. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.  

USDA Disaster Recovery Assistance:    

Producers who experience livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality or sell injured livestock at a reduced price may be eligible for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). To participate in LIP, producers will have to provide acceptable documentation of death losses or evidence of reduced sales resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) no later than the annual program payment application date, which is 60 calendar days following the calendar year in which the loss occurred. The LIP payment application and notice of loss deadline is March 3, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses.   

Meanwhile, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides eligible producers with compensation for feed and grazing losses. For ELAP, producers are required to complete a notice of loss and a payment application to their local FSA office no later than Jan. 30, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses.  

“Staff at your local FSA county office will connect you with the programs best suited to meet your needs based on your reported losses or damages,” said Steve Kouplen, State Executive Director for FSA in Oklahoma. “To help us assist you, please be prepared to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses, and report damages and losses as soon as you are able to evaluate disaster impacts on your operation.”