USDA's weekly Crop Progress Report shows that nationwide, harvest is expanding- the US corn crop is now 81% harvested- Soybeans are 89% harvested and the US Cotton crop is now 52% harvested.

Dry weather has Winter Wheat plantings in Oklahoma well behind the 5-year average of 80% at 59 percent with 36 percent of our crop emerged. Our neighbors are much closer to the five-year average with 87 percent planted in Kansas with 63 percent of their crop emerged, and Texas now stands at 70 percent planted with 46 percent of their crop emerged.

This is the first week of winter wheat conditions for the season, and Oklahoma's rated 21 percent good to excellent and 33 percent poor to very poor. Kansas's were 38 percent good to excellent and 20 percent poor to very poor. Texas's conditions rated 11 percent good to excellent and 35 percent poor to very poor.



Oklahoma's cotton and soybean harvests are underway with cotton at 30 percent, equal to a year ago, and soybeans at 35 percent harvested, down 9 points from a year ago.

The Oklahoma Corn crop is now 90 percent harvested up 4 points from this point a year ago - while the Oklahoma Grain sorghum crop is now 57 percent harvested versus 56 percent a year ago.

The Kansas corn harvest reached 89 percent, up 2 points from last year. The Soybean harvest is 7 points behind a year ago at 84 percent. The Sorghum harvest is 1 point ahead of a year ago at 67 percent. Kansas cotton is 44 percent harvested, up 10 points from a year ago.

Texas's corn and Sorghum harvests are complete.

Their cotton harvest is 48 percent completed, well above 42 percent a year ago. The soybean harvest is 83 percent complete, 5 points ahead of this time a year ago.

Pasture and Range Conditions for the 48 states declined 4 points from last week to 19 percent good to excellent. Oklahoma has declined 9 points to a 7 percent good rating - Kansas improved 1 point to 17 percent good to excellent - Texas is unchanged at an 11 percent good to excellent rating. Missouri now stands at 21% Good - down 1 point this week versus last.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau works to improve the lives of all Oklahomans by supporting our state’s agriculture community. As Oklahoma’s largest general farm organization led by Oklahoma farmers and ranchers, OKFB takes grassroots values and advocates for agriculture at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C., to ensure our way of life continues for generations to come. Farm Bureau hosts leadership events, supports our state’s agricultural youth and connects consumers with agriculture in order to build a brighter future for our state. Become an OKFB member today online at okfarmbureau.org/join. Together, we are rural Oklahoma.

During the Drought Commission Emergency Meeting today, Farm Director KC Sheperd got to talk with Oklahoma Conservation Commissioner Trey Lam to talk about the drought relief programs available.

The meeting was led by Lam, Pete Nichols of Washita County, Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, Josh Emerson of McIntosh County, and Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

The Water Well Resources program was slated to end this past June but has been extended until December 31st due to a shortage in water well drillers. Once the program ends, the $4 million that remains unused in the program will become available for other programs.

“When we cut it off in June, there were still people who hadn’t gotten their ponds cleaned out, so at that time we made the decision to prioritize their needs,” Lam said. “We will be contacting them to see if they still need the work done, did it themselves and need to be reimbursed, or want to cancel.”

Dr. Derrell Peel Says Cattle On Feed Numbers Are Consistent with 2023

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays talked to OSU Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel after the latest USDA Cattle of Feed Report was released on Friday afternoon, and despite reduced cattle numbers, cattle on feed are consistent with 2023 numbers.

Dr. Peel said that the report showed September placements at 98% of a year ago, marketings were 102% of a year ago, and the on-feed number as of October 1 is even with a year ago at 100% of last year.

“This report was pretty well anticipated,” Dr. Peel said. “Placements were on the upper end of our range of pre-report estimates, but I don’t think this will cause any particular reaction.”

According to Dr. Peel, the average monthly on-feed total for the past year has been 100% of the previous year. “That’s pretty amazing, given that we know there are less cattle in the country and feedlots have been able to hold these inventories,” he commented.

We will have more with Dr. Peel in tomorrow's Beef Buzz here in the Daily Email- note there is a second Blue Box below which is a link to the weekly Derrell Peel analysis as provided in the Cow Calf Corner.

State Climatologist Gary McManus spoke last week on the Southern Plains Climate and Drought Update Webinar. Farm Director KC Sheperd featured comments from his presentation related to the problems Oklahoma’s drought is causing for wheat planting, wildfires, and reservoir levels.

Looking at the map above and on the left, McManus said the dark green places are the major wheat-growing areas in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. “Most of that area is in a drought area, the red-hatched area. That is the significant portion of the winter wheat crop trying to be planted in drought conditions. A lot of that has been dusted in.”(jump to the story on our website to actually see the map)

According to USDA’s Crop Progress Report, Oklahoma’s winter wheat is 59 percent planted, a 15 percent drop from the five-year average.

The dry conditions have also caused an uptick in wildfires. McManus said, “Even though we are still in the transition phase, between warm and cool seasons, we have had a widespread freeze already, so the vegetation is transitioning to a cool season state" and he adds that a major problem with wildfires may well be ahead. (Witness the Logan County wildfire seen on Monday)

From yesterday's Mesonet Ticker- here's what just maybe could happen rain wise in the next few days- unlike anything we have seen for weeks and yes months.

According to Gary McManus- "This all starts Wednesday with a possible round of severe weather. Severe winds and large hail are the most likely hazard. There will also be a marginal chance of severe weather in the northwest on Tuesday as the front moves through."

Much of this rain that is being predicted will happen starting Friday and into the weekend.

Keep Praying for Rain(Wednesday night prayer meeting is coming!)

“Early voting” – officially known as in-person absentee voting – begins at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday for the November 5 General Election.

Early voting will be held Wednesday, October 30 through Friday, November 1 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, November 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. No excuse is needed to vote early, but voters must provide proof of identity when checking in at their early voting site. More information about accepted forms of identity is available on the State Election Board website.

As a reminder, early voting sites are not the same as polling places. Each county has at least one early voting site; however, some counties may have more than one location. A list of early voting locations is available on the State Election Board website. (Voters must vote in the county where they are registered to vote.)

The State Election Board recommends that voters view or download a sample ballot before heading out to their voting location. Sample ballots can be found using the OK Voter Portal. All voters will be voting on presidential electors and State Corporation Commissioner. There are also two state questions on the ballot and judicial retention. Some voters may also have congressional, legislative, county, and/or local elections on the ballot. A full list of elections by county is available on the State Election Board website.

Voters with questions should contact their County Election Board or the State Election Board for more information.

URL GUIDE:

Accepted Forms of Identity:  https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voters/proof-of-identity.html.

Early Voting Locations: https://hosting.okelections.us/earlyvote.html

Sample Ballot: https://oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.html

OK Voter Portal: https://oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.html

List of Elections:  https://hosting.okelections.us/electionlist.html

County Election Board:  https://oklahoma.gov/elections/about-us/county-election-boards.html

State Election Board:  https://oklahoma.gov/elections/about-us/contact-us.html