The line of storms that has moved across Oklahoma is still bringing rain to parts of southeastern Oklahoma early this morning. Following Wednesday's storms, clear and cooler conditions are anticipated for today, with morning lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s and afternoon highs in the mid-60s to low 70s.

Rain and storms are expected to return by Saturday morning in western and central Oklahoma, lasting through Monday, with the potential for very heavy rainfall in a “training rain” event.

With projected rainfall over 4 inches in some areas, localized flooding could be a concern, though with currently dry lakes, ponds and rivers, significant flooding is unlikely.

The Mesonet rainfall map above shows some totals above two inches in north central and northeastern Oklahoma- you can click on the map to jump over to the Mesonet to check on specific locations for their rainfall totals from what appears to be our first in a series of rainfall events.

While the rain expected through Monday won't wipe out the drought conditions in the state- they will put a nice "dent" in them in many locations.

Midwest Farm Shows is proud to produce the two best Farm Shows in the State of Oklahoma annually- the Tulsa Farm Show each December and the Oklahoma City Farm Show each April.

The Tulsa Farm Show is Oklahoma’s premier agricultural and ranching event- and returns to the SageNet Center (Expo Square) December, 12-13-14, 2024. 



Now is the ideal time to contact the Midwest Farm Show Office at 507-437-7969 and book space at the 2024 Tulsa Farm Show.  To learn more about the Tulsa Farm Show, click here. 

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays talked to OSU Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel about how the drought is affecting beef producers and how they are making decisions concerning their herds.

“For the last four weeks, the overall inventory numbers have shown sharply higher weekly auction totals for the combined auction report for Oklahoma,” Dr. Peel shared. “I think that’s clearly a function of drought conditions, water supplies, and maybe not so much pasture and hay – I think that is still holding in there, but in a lot of places, the lack of water is forcing producers to make decisions.”

As a result, calves are being moved earlier than usual. Dr. Peel described a similar situation during the drought of 2022, and by late October and early November, when numbers normally peak, they began to drop.

“All of these things are going to combine to impact where we are on January 1 for the overall inventory numbers,” Dr. Peel said.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Annual Gathering: Policy, Leadership, and Celebration

The much-anticipated Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention is planned for November 8-10, 2024, at the Omni Hotel and Convention Center in Oklahoma City. At the convention, Farm Bureau members will share their positive outlook by celebrating a year of grassroots achievement and programs as they look to create a brighter future for agriculture and rural Oklahoma. Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with Dustin Mielke, OKFB Vice President of Communications & Public Relations, to get the scoop on the convention.

“This is our largest annual gathering of Farm Bureau members throughout the year,” Mielke said. “Our members come together to hear from speakers, and we will have some breakout sessions as well. Of course, we’ll conduct our official Farm Bureau business where we’ll set our policy for the year, elect some new leaders for the organization, and hopefully, just get together and have a good time.”

Governor Kevin Stitt will speak during the Friday opening session, as will U.S. Representative Kevin Hern, who represents the Tulsa area in Oklahoma. U.S. Representative Frank Lucas will speak at the Saturday dinner and award ceremony, and will also be celebrating his American Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award which he accepted in January. U.S. Senator James Lankford will lead the Sunday worship service. Fellow Oklahoman and Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center research associate Bart Fischer will be featured at the Saturday evening dinner and awards banquet.

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and United Egg Producers have released an updated economic impact study that highlights the positive impact the poultry industry has on jobs, wages, and federal and state revenue in the United States.

The study breaks down poultry into three subcategories: broilers, turkey and eggs. The broiler industry provides 1,375,952 jobs, $90.9 billion in wages, $449.5 billion in economic activity and $36.7 billion in government revenue.

The data is hosted on interactive websites that can be viewed collectively or by individual product, and then sorted nationally, by state, congressional district, state house district or state senate district, and county.

For more information about the U.S. chicken industry’s economic impact visit: www.chickenfeedsamerica.org.

Exploring Consumer Appetite for Regenerative Agriculture: A 2024 Consumer Trends Report highlights a growing interest in regenerative agriculture. The in-depth study, commissioned by Regenified™, a leader in regenerative agriculture verification, involved 850 U.S. consumers, segmented into General Consumers and Values Based Shoppers. The data revealed a key finding during analysis: the emergence of a subset of consumers spanning both groups—dubbed the Emerging Regenerative Market—who demonstrate significant interest in regenerative values and a desire to purchase regenerative products. The findings present a major opportunity for brands and retailers to meet this growing demand.

The Emerging Regenerative Market creates an exciting opportunity for brands and retailers to meet the rising demand.

The report, undertaken from July 9th to 26th, 2024, provides benchmarks on consumer awareness, interest, and purchasing intent in regenerative agriculture. While the data reveals an increasing recognition of regenerative practices, it also highlights the need to increase understanding and access. Consumers preferences for certification, nutrient density, and product availability underpin the opportunity for market expansion.

The October 16, 2024, edition of Southern Ag Today indicated a slightly bullish wheat situation within the United States (Welch, 2024). Today’s article discusses this further using three charts: U.S. Wheat Imports by Country, Wheat Production by Country, and Ending Stocks by Country. Wheat is a global crop, with the U.S. accounting for just 7% of the world’s wheat supply (Welch, 2024). Thus, U.S. fundamentals may not be the best indicator of a bullish outlook. Generally, the U.S. has a few uses for wheat, including food, seed, feed, and exports. Year over year, we see similar quantities of wheat used for food, seed, and feed. Significant changes in demand, which could result in a bullish outlook, typically occur due to changes in exports. 

Mexico is the largest importer of U.S. wheat. China is a vast producer – typically keeping most of its production for domestic use – but it is also a significant importer. In 2023, China imported more wheat than usual due to quality deterioration. This situation is unlikely to occur again in 2024, as China is projected to have above-average production (Figure 2) and standard quality. However, the U.S. could see a price increase due to smaller production and ending stocks in the European Union (Figures 2 and 3). The E.U. has had a bad year of production with low quality in crucial wheat-producing countries, including Germany and France. Consequently, E.U. stocks are projected to be the lowest since 2000. French wheat, similar to U.S. soft red winter, is used for food products like cakes, cookies, and pastries, requiring lower-protein wheat. German wheat is similar to U.S. hard wheats, including hard red winter wheat, and it is often used for bread and pizza dough.