USDA's weekly Crop Progress Report reports that In Oklahoma, winter wheat harvest reached 95 percent, up 12 points from the previous week and up 30 points from the five year average.

The Kansas wheat harvest is also moving quickly according to the Crop Progress numbers- Kansas has reached the half way point in harvest already at 53%- well ahead of the five year average.

For our spring planted crops in Oklahoma- our good to excellent readings are all in the 60s except for cotton- which is in the 70s: Corn conditions rated 66 percent good to excellent, Sorghum conditions rated 60 percent good to excellent, Soybeans  conditions rated 68 percent good to excellent, and Cotton conditions rated 75 percent good to excellent, .

Pasture and range for the 48 states dropped one point this week versus last and is now at 47% good to excellent- Oklahoma checks in at 58 percent good to excellent- down three points from last week- Kansas is up five points to 60% good to excellent this week- Texas is at 31% good to excellent- down one point from a week ago and our neighbors in Missouri are rated at 82% good to excellent- off one point from a week ago.

The worst places in the US for Pasture and Range ratings are close by- New Mexico stands at 69% poor to very poor while Texas checks in at 41% poor to very poor in this weeks Crop Progress.



The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry. With headquarters in Oklahoma City, the OCA has a regular presence at the State Capitol to protect and defend the interests of cattlemen and cattlewomen.

Their Vision Statement explains the highest priority of the organization- "Leadership that serves, strengthens and advocates for the Oklahoma cattle industry."

To learn more about the OCA and how you can be a part of this forward-looking group of cattle producers, click here for their website. For more information- call 405-235-4391.

Oklahoma Wheat Harvest at 95% Complete with Panhandle Producers Getting Back into the Fields this Week

Below is the latest harvest report from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission released on June 24, 2024:

Oklahoma wheat harvest made good progress in the remaining parts of North Central and Northeast Oklahoma this past week and is pretty well wrapped up in the state except in the Panhandle. Some producers started test cutting again yesterday in the Panhandle and hope to start back up in the fields later this afternoon after the huge rain event last week. No reports on how test weights and yields have been impacted, but we hope to have a better idea with our planned harvest report on Monday, July 1, 2024. 

At the time of reporting, test weights across the state were ranging from 58 to 64 lbs. per bushel. Most test weights are now ranging from 60lbs. to 61 lbs. per bushel across the state. Proteins ranging from 9% to 13.5%with an overall average of proteins being at 11.8% as of today. 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 80’s.

Early-harvested, irrigated wheat in the Panhandle on Tuesday afternoon had reports on wheat making 75 to 85 bushels per acre. Test weights were reported at 59 lbs. to 61 lbs. per bushel on that early-harvested irrigated wheat. A more in-depth report on yields and data will be published next week from the Panhandle once harvest gets moving again in that region. The Oklahoma Wheat Commission is calling the state 95% complete with harvest. 

Allendale’s Rich Nelson: Higher Placements in June Cattle on Feed

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with Allendale’s Rich Nelson about the latest USDA Cattle on Feed Report released June 21, 2024.

Nelson said USDA gave a small surprise with May placements, at 4 percent over last year. Nelson added it is important to keep in mind there have been several months of placement declines in previous reports.

“The trade did look for a little bit lower number, so we might have a small easing of some concern lined up for first quarter and fourth quarter supplies up ahead,” Nelson said.

The on-feed number came out slightly lower than last year, Nelson said, at .01 percent lower. Nelson said these declining numbers did not appear in the report as quickly as expected.



Nelson also talked about heavier carcasses and noted weights are running close to 4 percent higher than last year.

“We do have, at least for now, a temporary period until the end of summer of some adequate beef supplies until numbers do start tightening up again,” Nelson said.

The Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO) is now accepting competitive proposals for a second round of grants to expand high-speed internet access throughout the state, OBO Executive Director Mike Sanders announced yesterday. 

Eligible internet service providers can now submit proposals through a portal on the OBO’s website for a chance to be awarded part of $159 million in federal grant funds through the American Rescue Plan Act’s Capital Project Fund (ARPA CPF). The portal launched on Monday, June 24, and will close Monday, July 8. 

This latest round follows grants awarded from $374 million in ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. In January, the Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board approved projects to serve more than 50,000 homes and businesses in 57 of the state’s 77 counties. 

“The response from our first program exceeded our expectations, so we’re looking forward to building on that momentum,” Sanders said. “For far too long, thousands of Oklahomans have been without this essential service. We have talked about bridging the gap for years and now it is happening.” 

What happens on the farm doesn’t stay on the farm. Ask almost any small-town restaurant, implement dealer, or hardware store in America.

Too many Americans pay too little attention to agriculture. Most don’t own a farm, have any relatives who work on one, or prioritize agricultural operations in their investment portfolio. But what is taking place in smaller communities across the country may force more people to focus their attention on farmers’ well-being.

People are far more connected to farm factors than they understand.

Good times don’t last forever, especially not really good times. Farm incomes soared in 2022 (aid from the federal government helped), but they have collapsed since then. Not all farm owners and operators shared in the prosperity, of course. That is always the case.

But numbers show that 2022 was a strong one, a record year, for the industry overall.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association concludes 2024 Summer Meeting

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association concluded its 2024 Summer Meeting Saturday, June 22, gathering the association’s board of directors, executive committee, four policy committees and its political action committee who laid the framework for the future of the association and the beef industry.

“As we approach the 89th Texas Legislative Session, we must strategically think about what is ahead for our industry,” said Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Carl Ray Polk, Jr. “This effort must be guided by our membership, who have a vested interest in the future of land and livestock in the Southwest.”

Committee meetings held earlier this spring provided a platform where members presented and drafted policies. These policies were then presented to the board of directors who passed, updated and renewed these policies for issues including property tax, animal health vaccines, groundwater rights, and wildfire prevention, mitigation and response.