USDA's weekly Crop Progress Report shows that nationwide, the US Corn crop is unchanged at 65 percent good to excellent rating. Soybeans only dropped 1 point to 63 percent good to excellent - Cotton fell 2 points this week to 29 percent good to excellent and Sorghum was unchanged at 45 percent good to excellent.

Dry weather has Winter Wheat plantings in Oklahoma well behind the 5 year average of 47% at 32 percent with 14 percent of our crop emerged. Our neighbors are much closer to the five year average with 32 percent planted in Kansas with 21 percent of their crop emerged, and Texas now stands at 51 percent planted with 26 percent of their crop emerged.



Oklahoma's cotton and soybean harvests are underway with cotton at 9 percent, up 4 points from a year ago, and soybeans at 8 percent harvested, down 3 points from a year ago.

The Oklahoma Corn crop is now 66% harvested up 21 points from this point a year ago - while the Oklahoma Grain sorghum crop is now 38% harvested versus 28% a year ago.

The Kansas corn harvest reached 67%, up 7 points from last year. The soybean harvest is 5 points behind a year ago at 30 percent harvested. The Sorghun harvest is inline with a year ago at 26 percent. Kansas cotton is 10 percent harvested, near 8 percent from a year ago.

Texas's corn harvest is nearly complete at 95 percent, 13 percentage points ahead of last year. Their cotton harvest is 33 percent completed, near 31 percent a year ago. Sorghum harvest is also almost finished at 93 percent, a 6 point increase from a year ago. The soybean harvest in a little more than half finished at 56 percent, 5 points ahead of this time a year ago.

Pasture and Range Conditions for the 48 states fell one point from last week to 25 percent good to excellent. Oklahoma has declined 2 points to a 29 percent good to excellent rating - Kansas declined 7 points to 20 percent good to excellent - Texas dropped 6 points to a 14 percent good to excellent rating. Missouri now stands at 41% Good to Excellent- off four points this week versus last.

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.

While attending the 2024 FFA National Officer Training Session hosted by Oklahoma State University, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays talked to Kylee Falasco, a National FFA Officer candidate who will represent Oklahoma at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 23 – 26.

Falasco grew up near Weatherford, Oklahoma, and at the tender age of nine decided that she wanted to show sheep like her friend, Ashton. Her mom surprised her by readily agreeing, but the local ag teacher preferred pigs, so that is where she got started.

“I got rooted in agriculture through the livestock industry,” she said. “I eventually ended up in an eighth-grade ag class, then made the transition from the green jacket to the blue jacket. I ended up really loving it.”

She smiled as she admitted that she joined FFA because she showed pigs, but stayed in the club because of the opportunities and experiences it provided her.

We will be covering Kylee's progress and the many other Oklahoma FFA members who will be chasing their dreams in Indianapolis later this month- and we are proud to announce that our coverage of the 2024 National FFA Convention will be powered by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau.

Strategies for Cattle Producers Facing Dry Conditions: Timely Advice from Livestock Risk Services

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays caught up with Dakota Moss, Livestock Risk Services President, to discuss LRP and potential alternatives that may fit some producers’ needs better as the year’s final quarter brings increasingly dry conditions.

As they plan their strategies going forward, producers have to consider their forage supplies and how long those supplies might last..

“Here at Livestock Risk Services, we specialize in Livestock Risk Protection,” Moss said. “If someone is looking to take cattle all the way to March and May next year on wheat pasture, they need to look at some different options compared to LRP.”

“For a producer wanting wheat pasture calves this fall, LRP may not be an option,” Moss stated. “Because if they run out of forage or if the wheat doesn’t even come up, they may be better off talking to a broker about hedging or puts or calls options and use those more flexible strategies. LRP is a great tool, but once you put those cattle on that policy, you can’t get out of it until it expires.”

If cattle on an LRP policy do have to be marketed prematurely, their coverage is voided and the full premium is still owed. Moss suggests that you carefully consider your production options this fall and winter before utilizing LRP on stocker cattle you may have on your place.

Another major hurricane is set to hit Florida and the Gulf Coast by midweek, just after Helene hit, leaving millions without power and devastation on its path.

State Climatologist Gary McManus says this one looks nasty, “With Milton forecast to hit the western coast of Florida

broadsides late on Wednesday or early Thursday, possibly still a major hurricane after intensifying over the next couple of days.”

So, what does this mean for Oklahoma? McManus says not much, “We are still dominated by this mid-fall Dome of Death over the western half of the U.S.; the same Dome of Death that is helping keep Milton headed east. And apparently this

dome still ain’t budging anytime soon.”

This week Oklahoma will see above-normal temperatures with below-normal precipitation for the next two weeks or so. McManus says there is some hope that we might see something break through possible 10+ days out, but McManus says that is still in ‘fantasy cast’ territory for now.

https://ticker.mesonet.org/To Read more from McManus on his daily Ticker.

Congressman Josh Brecheen released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ October 7th terrorist attack on Israel:

“One year ago today, we lost 1,200 innocent lives at the hands of Hamas terrorists. Many of these victims, who were raped and murdered, included women, the elderly, children, and even babies. Hamas terrorists took more than 250 hostages—97 of these hostages remain unaccounted for, including four Americans. America must continue to work to free the remaining hostages and get them home safely.

I pray for the victims and their families and hope that one day they can find peace. October 7th is a day we will never forget and is a day that can never happen again. As Israel’s right to exist continues to be under attack, America must stand with Israel in its right to defend itself against terror,” said Congressman Josh Brecheen.

Oklahoma State University’s Pesticide Safety Education Program will partner with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to host two unwanted pesticide disposal days in the Oklahoma communities of Fairview and Atoka.

When and where:

8 a.m. - 1 p.m.,

Oct. 24,

Atoka County Fairgrounds

2071 W. Liberty Rd., Atoka

8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Oct. 22

Major County Fairgrounds

808 E. Highland St., Fairview