USDA's weekly Crop Progress Report shows that nationwide, the US Corn crop is unchanged from last week at 65 percent good to excellent. Soybeans are unchanged at 64 percent good to excellent - Cotton fell 2 points this week to 37 percent good to excellent and Sorghum fell 6 points to 44 percent good to excellent.

Winter Wheat in the Southern Plains is now 16 percent planted in Oklahoma and Kansas, and Texas is ahead at 29 percent planted with 5 percent of their crop already emerged.



Oklahoma's spring-planted crop conditions were mixed. Corn conditions fell 1 point this week to 61 percent good to excellent. Soybean conditions improved 4 points to 39 percent good to excellent. Cotton conditions rated 28 percent good to excellent, down 8 points from a week ago, and Sorghum conditions were unchanged from a week ago at 59 percent good to excellent.

The Oklahoma Corn crop is now 56% harvested versus 30% at this point a year ago- while the Oklahoma Grain sorghum crop is now 28% harvested versus 10% a year ago.

In Kansas, conditions are steady with corn and sorghum both unchanged at 38 percent good to excellent and cotton unchanged at 40 percent good to excellent. Conditions for soybeans improved 13 points to 51 percent good to excellent

Texas's spring-planted crop conditions are mixed as compared to last week with Corn conditions unchanged at 41 percent good to excellent, and Sorghum conditions unchanged at a 47 percent good to excellent rating. Cotton conditions declined to 22 percent good to excellent from last week's 28 percent rating. Soybean conditions improved to a 34 percent good to excellent rating from last week's 27 percent good to excellent.

Pasture and Range Conditions for the 48 states dropped two points from last week to 25 percent good to excellent. Oklahoma has declined 1 point to a 33 percent good to excellent rating - Kansas improved 1 point to 33 percent good to excellent - Texas declined 2 points to a 17 percent good to excellent rating.

Oklahoma AgCredit supports rural Oklahoma with reliable and consistent credit, today and tomorrow. We offer loans for land, livestock, equipment, operating costs and country homes (NMLSR #809962) to farmers, ranchers and rural businesses across 60 counties. As a cooperative, we are owned by the members we serve. Through our Patronage Program, we have returned more than $74 million to our members since 1997.

For more information on our services or to find a location near you, visit our website here.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded Oklahoma State University (OSU) $5.5 million as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. The purpose of these funds is to increase knowledge about local weather systems in the lower atmosphere, enabling the safe integration of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Advanced Air Mobility aircraft into the National Airspace System.

Senator Mullin (R-OK) and Representative Lucas (OK-03) were the sponsors of the congressionally directed spending that made this funding possible. NIST’s authority is under the jurisdiction of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, of which Congressman Lucas serves as Chairman. This project also received support from Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce and Payne County Commissioner Chris Reding.

“I’ve been proud to see my Alma Mater – Oklahoma State University – take initiatives in the aerospace industry and weather data sciences. I’ve spoken with President Shrum about the immense progress being made on campus in recent years, and it’s clear this community-funded project will only further its impact,” said Congressman Frank Lucas. “Those of us in Oklahoma know firsthand how important accurate weather predictions are to our livelihoods, and the funding made possible by this congressionally directed spending will enable OSU to take great strides in enhancing weather prediction through Unmanned Aircraft Systems. I’d like to thank President Shrum for her efforts and am excited to see what positive results this project will bring to our state.”  

How Intentional Heterosis Can Improve Reproductive Efficiency with Bob Weaber

Earlier this year, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays talked with Bob Weaber of Kansas State University about being intentional with heterosis.

While crossbreeding has been around for quite a while, Weaber said heterosis capitalizes on having a breeding plan and what an operation wants to achieve with genetics. When structuring breeding systems to leverage heterosis and breed complementary, Weaber talked about how hybrid vigor becomes more prominent and intentional.

“Because of the really high input costs, producers are now interested again in proving reproductive

efficiency and longevity of cows,” Weaber said.

For a few reasons such as high input costs or interest in sustainability, Weaber said the importance of managing efficiently through heterosis is becoming a priority in many operations. Regardless of the size of an operation, Weaber said a producer can be successful in using crossbreeding in a convenient way.

On Friday, September 20, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News released the new Monthly Oklahoma Retail Feed Cost report. This new report provides producers of all sizes with current price information for the most common feeds and feed ingredients sold at retail feed distributor locations across Oklahoma in bagged and bulk (per ton) form, including organic corn and soy meal. Using this report, small and large producers alike can make more informed purchasing decisions tailored to the needs of their operation. The report will be released monthly and will include feed prices in effect during the month of release. 

This new report, developed in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, complements the Bi-Weekly Oklahoma Production Cost report that provides current price information on the most common fertilizers and fuels used in farm production. 

The first report shows that Bulk Cattle Cubes with 20% protein are priced at $342.71 per ton. Those same cubes in fifty-pound bags have a retail price of $10.44 per bag.

Bulk 14% protein creep pellets are on average across Oklahoma priced at $307.57 a ton while those same creep pellets in fifty-pound bags are priced at $9.00 per bag.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation. Through a series of Cooperative Agreements, this national network will connect distressed borrowers with individualized assistance to help them stabilize and regain financial footing. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) made this announcement today at the Farm Aid Festival in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“I started my off-ranch career as a Farm Advocate, working hand-in-hand with other tireless farmer advocates. Having someone with experiences in ag finance help producers work through financial difficulties can be the difference between them losing the farm or prospering,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “The Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network underscores our dedication to farmers and ranchers receiving the tailored support they need. These partnerships also illustrate that USDA acknowledges the importance of these advocates and sees them as part of the solution to ensure program access for all farmers, ranchers, and producers.”

Network partners include Farm Aid, Rural Advancement Foundation International, the University of Arkansas, the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Center at Alcorn State University, and the University of Minnesota. Through this initiative, we are collaborating with community-based organizations to better serve financially distressed producers. Network partners will provide farm loan policy training to the community-based organizations so the organizations can work alongside FSA to help producers understand financing available through FSA, ensuring that when they visit an FSA office, the partner organization representative and FSA staff can better assist.

The Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems rule proposal is the latest effort by the Agricultural Marketing Service to address perceived inequities within the typical commercial broiler grower’s contract arrangements with poultry companies like Tyson, Pilgrims, and others. This is in addition to the recently passed Transparency in Poultry Grower Contracting and Tournaments rule, which became active on February 12, 2024. The proposed new rule would also modify the Packers and Stockyard Act. If implemented, the new rule would affect poultry growers in two substantial ways: 1. It would change the primary way most contract broiler growers are paid by modifying or replacing the traditional “tournament pay ranking system” (only applies to companies using such a ranking system) and 2. it would establish documentation requirements for any additional capital improvements recommended or required by the company. The comment period for this rule closed on August 9, 2024. The final results of this proposed rule may be impacted by the recent SCOTUS decision in Loper Bright on federal agencies’ rulemaking power to implement such rulings. 

The traditional tournament pay system allows for the grower’s pay per pound to be adjusted up or down, or “ranked”, from a stated base pay rate according to the cost of growing the company’s birds on individual contract farms. Broiler growers are typically subject to “pluses and minuses” above or below a stated base pay per pound. This ranked pay system has been in place for most contract growers in some form for several decades. The most often noted concern is that it can cause growers to receive a lower pay rate based on factors not fully in their control. Many companies recognize this potential and have contingency plans that offer growers relief from such situations, though not all agree on how those are handled or when they are appropriate.