USDA released its December Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports on Tuesday, and Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with Allendale’s Rich Nelson to talk about the latest agricultural report.

USDA cut corn ending stocks by 200 million bushels (mb), aggressively improving its forecasts for exports and ethanol production. The new ending stocks estimate, 1.738 billion bushels (bb), is 62 mb below the lowest pre-report trade estimate.

According to Nelson, it was the largest decline ever seen in a December report, which are normally relatively quiet. As he explained, fifty mb of that decline was the result of higher corn for ethanol numbers – production numbers are 4% over last year and exports are doing well; however, 150 million bushels were added to exports.

“Even before we hear our new president’s official trade policy, USDA came out very confidently and made a clear statement. In other words, they feel like these strong exports on the corn side will last and are valid rather than merely tied to pre-trade policy buying,” Nelson explained.

As for the December Crop Production report- only cotton and oranges were reported in the latest report. The United States upland cotton production is forecast at 13.8 million 480-pound bales, up 17 percent from last year's 11.8 million bales. Yield is expected to average 782 pounds per acre, down 113 pounds from 2023. Acreage expected for harvest is estimated at 8.44 million acres, 34 percent higher than last year.

Oklahoma Upland cotton production is forecast at 290 thousand bales, 38 percent higher than 2023. Yield averaged 442 pounds per acre, compared with 560 pounds last year. Acreage harvested, at 315 thousand acres, is up 75 percent from last year. The last three years have been seen Oklahoma cotton farmers produce less than half a crop compared to the production seen in the 2016 through 2021 production seasons.

The Oklahoma Wheat Commission promotes greater use of wheat in domestic and international markets through research, market development and public education.

Our Commissioners develop policy and programs, direct the funding, represent producer interests and, of course, promote Oklahoma wheat!

Learn more about the Oklahoma Wheat Commission by clicking here for their website

The Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (Scientific Report) has been submitted to the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is now available online. The departments have opened a 60-day comment period to collect input from the public on the Scientific Report. The comments received will be used to inform the development of the next edition of the Dietary Guidelines. Additional information on submitting public comments can be found by clicking here.

Livestock producers and their trade groups are very upset about the push for less red meat and more lentils and other beans. In the Executive Summary- the Committee makes this statement which seems to form the basis for their push in that direction: “Evidence indicates that when reducing butter, processed and unprocessed red meat, and dairy, substitution or replacement with a wide range of plant-based food sources, including plant-based protein foods (e.g., beans, peas, and lentils), whole grains, vegetables, or monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) - and PUFA-rich vegetable oils and spreads, is associated with cardiovascular disease risk reduction.”

The Fifth Annual Cattlemen’s Congress: Celebrating Unmatched Success

The Cattlemen’s Congress is a stock show for cattlemen and women managed by cattlemen and women. The Cattlemen’s Congress is an opportunity for breeders across North America to showcase their top genetics and connect with fellow beef producers in a central location, in the heart of cattle country. Set for January 4 – 16, 2025, in Oklahoma City, the event is not one to miss.

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, is catching up with Chairman of the Board for Cattlemen’s Congress Tyler Norvell in this episode of Beef Buzz, talking about the fifth annual Cattlemen’s Congress and the great success it has become in the five years since its inception.

To Norvell, the success of the show five years later is unreal. “I am sitting in the same chair I was in when Bob Funk and Jarold Callahan called me in the fall of 2020 and told me that we were going to try to do this deal, and I thought there was no way it would ever happen. If it did, it would be a one-year deal, but five years later, here we are.

“It has been awesome to be a part of. It’s been incredible for the cattle industry, and incredible for our state.”

Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the “Cow Calf Corner,” published electronically by Dr. Derrell Peel, Johnson, and Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about ways to advocate for the beef industry.

Only 2% of US citizens work in production agriculture. It is a foregone conclusion that virtually everyone reading this article is among that 2%. Therefore, we understand where food comes from, that beef cattle under our care and management have a higher standard of living than if they were released back into the wild. That beef production serves as a great example of sustainability and over the long term, the grazing ecosystem (consisting of soil, plants and cattle) can and does flourish when managed according to science and good animal husbandry. The point of this topic is to help understand that the other 98% of our population are far removed from production agriculture and therefore have a limited understanding of that knowledge. Two to three generations ago, a much larger share of the U.S. population was directly involved in the production of food.

As a result of our efficiency, technology and good management in a free enterprise economy, US citizens spend a smaller percentage of their disposable income on food than any other country in the world. Currently, each American Farmer or Rancher provides the food for approximately 160 people. Accordingly, our high degree of efficiency has resulted in only 2% of our population being “needed” to produce food. The beef industry is not unique in this respect. The dairy, grain production and poultry industries have all dramatically improved production capabilities and efficiency over the past 50 – 60 years. The efficiency of production agriculture has created the perception that food can be taken for granted. Our business plan should include helping consumers (the other 98%) understand beef production and advocating for our industry.

The Oklahoma House of Representatives today added to its transparency portal a government efficiency survey intended to root out duplication of services, waste and inefficiencies in state government. 

This initiative piggybacks on the federal effort to eliminate government waste through the newly-created federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“We will work hand-in-hand with President-Elect Trump and our federal delegation on broader efforts to make government more efficient with DOGE,” said House Speaker-Elect Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. “We want to ensure our state government is working as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. As lawmakers, we want the assistance of Oklahomans who have first-hand experience with duplicative and wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.”

Oklahomans can enter any examples they have experienced of state governmental waste or duplication into the easy-to-use portal, which will be submitted to House budget leaders for review to be utilized during legislative budget hearings and the crafting of the FY26 state budget.

Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, has been named to key leadership positions for the upcoming legislative session. Pederson will serve as Chair of the Select Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Vice Chair of the Agriculture and Wildlife Committee, and as an Assistant Majority Whip.

“It’s an honor to serve in these roles, and I’m grateful for the trust placed in me by Pro Tem Elect Paxton,” Pederson said. “Agriculture is a cornerstone of Oklahoma’s economy, as Vice Chair of the Agriculture and Wildlife Committee, I look forward to continuing to advocate for policies that support our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”

As Chair of the Select Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Pederson will help oversee funding for critical state agencies, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of all Oklahomans.

In his role as Assistant Majority Whip, Pederson will work with Senate leadership to build consensus and advance legislation that reflects the priorities of Oklahoma citizens. Pederson will begin serving in these roles once the 2025 legislative session begins on Feb. 3.

ASA , NCGA and AFBF React to Monarch Butterfly Threatened Listing

In response to its proposed “threatened” listing of the Monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act, the American Soybean Association is calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to hold a transparent process based in science to engage the public and gather feedback. The process can take up to a year and allows numerous points for public input. Meantime, ASA encourages soybean farmers to “keep on keeping on” with their conservation efforts in support of Monarchs and their habitats.

Brandon Wipf, ASA board member and soy grower from South Dakota, is ASA’s liaison with Farmers for Monarchs, an agriculture-based group with the purpose of protecting the butterfly through conservation. Wipf said of FWS’ decision, “Farmers are proud to be part of the solution when it comes to protecting both the environment and species. We have long adopted voluntary conservation practices that support wildlife and specifically, Monarch butterflies. We welcome this opportunity to share our story and ensure any future listing decision is grounded in sound science and allows farmers the flexibility to continue growing soy productively, sustainably, and using practices that help Monarch populations thrive.”

The proposed threatened listing decision was long expected. It begins a year-long process to determine if FWS’ proposed decision is warranted and what protections may be needed to safeguard Monarch populations. The process, known as a 4(d) rule, allows flexibility to design a suite of appropriate, effective protections. In addition to the 90-comment period announced by FWS that starts Dec. 12, the process includes public hearings and other opportunities for engagement. Importantly, any decision is required by law to be based on the best available science and commercial data, including data regarding conservation efforts already in use. ASA encourages soybean growers to provide feedback on the proposal and share what steps farmers currently take to be good environmental stewards.

Besides the soybean group- the National Corn Growers as well as the American Farm Bureau weighed in on the announcement by the Fish and Wildlife Service on the Monarch butterfly. Click on their names to see their reaction to the move by the Biden Administration as they get ready to step aside for the Trump Administration next month.