USDA on Tuesday cut Argentina’s soybean production by 3 million metric tons (mmt) to 49 mmt, while leaving Brazil’s unchanged at 169 mmt. Global ending stocks declined by 4 mmt to 124 mmt, below the range of pre-report expectations. Domestic ending stocks were left unchanged.

USDA cut both Argentina and Brazil’s corn production estimates by 1 mmt, to 50 mmt and 126 mmt, respectively.

USDA released its February Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports on Tuesday. Farm Director KC Sheperd spoke with Rich Nelson at Allendale about the latest Report.

According to Nelson, the latest World Agriculture and Supply Estimates (WASDE) report offered few surprises. “Overall for the discussion point, not really too much to see for some of these numbers,” Nelson commented. Domestic balance sheets for both corn and soybeans remained largely unchanged, with ending stocks considered “more of a normal supply” for corn at 1.5 billion bushels and soybeans at 380 million bushels. Nelson noted the shift from earlier projections of heavier supplies. “Keep in mind, at the start of the year, we were talking 2.1, which will be a heavy supply discussion on this.”

Dating back to 1891, Stillwater Milling Company has been supplying ranchers with the highest quality feeds made from the highest quality ingredients. Their full line of A & M Feeds can be delivered direct to your farm, found at their Agri-Center stores in Stillwater, Davis, Claremore and Perry or at more than 125 dealers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas. We appreciate Stillwater Milling Company’s long time support of the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and we encourage you to click here to learn more about their products and services.

Yesterday, at a House Agriculture Committee hearing entitled Examining the Economic Crisis in Farm Country, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) discussed the recent economic strain on farmers with witnesses representing different regions and commodity groups. Amomng those that Congressman Lucas dialogued with was Dr. John Newton, Executive Head, Terrain, Washington, D.C. 

Lucas: “We’ve spent a lot of time in this room talking about the negative effects of rising input costs on farmers… Whether it’s labor, fuels, equipment, or land rent, farmers everywhere are feeling the strain… Dr. Newton, have you ever seen prices go down in your studies or in your life?”

Newton: “When you look across the farm economy… every single input category is up across the board. We have seen some land values come down a little bit because of where we are in the farm economy, but I think we’ve entered a new level of where costs are going to be from here on out.”

Oklahoma Cattlemen Shine at CattleCon 2025: Insights from OCA’s Michael Kelsey

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays is talking with the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association’s Executive Vice President, Michael Kelsey, about the recently wrapped up CattleCon 2025.

Coverage of CattleCon 2025 is powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

According to Kelsey, this year’s conference was a huge success, garnering around 8,500 cattlemen and women from across the country, including a large number of Oklahomans.

“Our own president is the new vice chair of the Cattle Health and Wellbeing Committee (Dr. Troy Shelby) and a lot of our leadership and membership came in,” Kelsey detailed. “Shannon Ferrel from OSU was one of the speakers. By the way, the three general sessions were the best general sessions I have heard as a whole in a long time at a convention. They were fantastic!”

Oklahoma is in the middle of a winter storm, with the northwestern half of the state dealing with a mix of snow, freezing rain, sleet, and rain. State Meteorologist Gary McManus did report on Tuesday that “amounts have definitely trended down in the last couple of days.”

McManus highlighted the conflicting impacts of the reduced moisture. “That’s a double-edged rake, right? Less moisture, less impactful wintry weather. Less moisture, less drought (or dry spell) relief.”

There are reports of slick roads- some accidents and lots of schools and churches closing on this Wednesday. This system is moving quickly and will be exiting the state by midday today- leaving some snow and slick conditions and cold for today and tonight- that will include temperatures in the single digits in northwest and north central Oklahoma by early Thursday morning.

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) welcome new legislation introduced today that would move the Food for Peace international food assistance program under USDA’s administration. The legislation is sponsored by Representatives Tracey Mann of Kansas, Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Dan Newhouse of Washington, David Rouzer of North Carolina and House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson of Pennsylvania, along with Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and John Hoeven of North Dakota.

“U.S. wheat has long been proud of the role our farmers play in feeding hungry populations around the world,” said USW President Vince Peterson. “Realigning administration of Food for Peace, our flagship global hunger program, to USDA makes perfect sense and ensures that the agency most closely connected with food is equipped to deliver wholesome food from American farmers to those who most need it.”

USW and NAWG have long advocated for “keeping the food in food aid” and have expressed frustration at growing trends in food assistance programs of cash donations and commodity purchases from U.S. competitors.

“NAWG welcomes this legislation that supports American farmers while working to address hunger around the world,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. “Each year, the Food for Peace program buys more than one million metric tons of food, including wheat, to feed millions of starving people in the poorest countries around the world. Under USDA, Food for Peace, this 71-year-old program will feed more people more efficiently and effectively without losing track of starting American foreign policy at home with American farmers.”

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) expressed serious concerns about the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s so-called scientific report in comments filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“While U.S. pork producers are committed to supporting human health and nutrition with safe, wholesome, and nutritious protein – the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s recommendations do not,” said Rob Brenneman, NPPC Vice President and pork producer from Washington, Iowa. “The health of our nation is at risk, as these Guidelines inform all federal nutrition programs – including those affecting our schoolchildren and the military – and provide recommendations to health professionals. We urge this Committee to do the right thing: follow the science.”

The Committee’s most egregious “scientific”

recommendations include reducing and replacing red meat with plant-based proteins, which would lead to several, significant nutrient gaps and deficiencies.

This move will especially put at risk infants, young children, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and older adults, as they require higher amounts of protein and nutrients that are provided by animal-based proteins. With diet-related diseases on the rise and the continued challenge of food insecurity, science-based nutrition is paramount.

In October, NPPC directly addressed the Committee prior to releasing its draft report. Later that month, NPPC again criticized the Committee’s lack of scientific basis for recommending plant proteins as a replacement for animal proteins. 

The Committee’s report will be sent to HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who will write and finalize the Dietary Guidelines. NPPC will continue to work with the Trump Administration to ensure the Dietary Guidelines best serve the health and nutrition interests of the American public.

Oklahoma Genetics Has 20th Annual Meeting Set for Thursday

Things will be cold tomorrow morning when the 20th Annual Meeting of Oklahoma Genetics is set to happen in Oklahoma City.

For those who are interested but can't get away from home because of the weather- I was told that there will be a virtual option that they are setting up.

I will have that link for the OGI meeting for you tomorrow morning in our Thursday email.