Howdy Neighbors!

National Corn Statistics show Corn silking reached 94 percent, up one point from the previous year and down one point from the five-year average. Corn Dough reached 58 percent, equal to a year ago and the five-year average. Corn dented reached 14 points, down two points from last year and up one point from the five-year average. Corn Conditions are rated 72 percent good to excellent, down one point from the previous week.

National Cotton Statistics show Cotton squaring reached 93 percent, down two points from a year ago, and down one point from the five-year average. Cotton Setting Bolls reached 65 percent, down seven points from a year ago and down six points from the five-year average. Cotton bolls opening reached 8 percent, down four points from a year ago and down two points from the five-year average. Cotton Conditions reached 53 percent good to excellent, down two points from the previous week.

As for our Summer crops in Oklahoma Corn crop conditions are now at 65% good to excellent versus 67% a week ago. The Oklahoma soybean crop is at 36% good to excellent versus 43% a week ago. Cotton in Oklahoma is at 65% good to excellent, versus 52% last week. Grain Sorghum is at 71% good to excellent, down eight points from a week ago at 79%. Pasture and Range conditions are at 58% good to excellent this week versus 68% a week ago.

“Our three pillars are beef education, legislation and promotion,” said Amarie Bartel, president of the Oklahoma CattleWomen’s Association. “We are promoting the industry from pasture to plate making sure that all folks, whether it be an agriculturist themselves or a consumer, are very aware that beef is a healthy, sustainable protein.” She explained, “On the education side, we educate on best practices for our fellow producers and ensure that the consumer knows more about the industry, that we are good stewards of the land and of livestock, and that beef is a protein they should want in their homes.”

OCW’s president Amarie said she is “excited to continue to uphold the wonderful programs that OCW already does.” These include “beef day at the Capitol,” reading “accurate ag books,” a “kids cattle camp,” and the “beef advocate contest where we train the next generation of advocates.” to name just a few. Bartel added, “I am working on a platform called the gate getter we are not an organization of gatekeepers. We’re gate-getters, and we want everyone to know that they’re welcome to join us in our organization.”

Looking ahead, Amarie said, “We will have our routine quarterly meeting and launch our gate getter speakers and our gate getter tours.” She encouraged members to “mark their calendars for April, that is going to be the Region Four meeting,” bringing together “women of Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas” for industry celebration, fellowship, tours, and learning opportunities. “It kicks off April 17 and 18th,” she said.

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Vice President of Marketing for Express Ranches, Donnie Robertson. “This is our 29th year to have the big event,” Robertson said, regarding the sale this Friday and Saturday. “ Bob’s motto was, it’s never done till it’s overdone, and Bob always wanted to have a big sale, because he loved to entertain.” Robertson explained that Friday will feature fall-calving cattle—“cows that have got baby calves on them and young cattle”—alongside a Friday night party. Saturday, he said, is “what we generally call the big event,” featuring spring pairs, donor prospects, young cattle, and “a really select group of show heifers.”

Robertson expressed excitement about the genetics on display. “We had a bull by the name of Ambitious and a bull by the name of True Balance that we both use extensively. And we’re very happy with the calves. This will be really the first set of calves that we’ve sold out of this Ambitious bull, and we like them.” He added, “We try to offer every need in the big event we think we have something for everyone, regardless if you’re needing a donor cow or a new up-and-coming donor for you.”

The event, Robertson said, attracts buyers from far beyond Oklahoma. “We get a wide band of national people that come from all over, just about every state, for the most part, are represented somehow as they come to the big event.” He emphasized the appeal for all types of cattle buyers, from serious breeders to young people seeking “really good show heifers.”

Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, breaks down key influences on cattle prices in this week’s Cow-Calf Corner.

While the cattle and beef markets are shaped by a wide range of factors, some take center stage at certain times while others fade into the background.

Right now, with cattle markets largely driven by inventory levels and the natural cattle cycle, a few potential market movers aren’t getting much attention. One example is pork and poultry prices. Beef prices remain at record highs, and the big question is whether those levels can hold. So far, shifts in pork and poultry prices appear to be having little effect on beef demand.

Despite being slightly behind in heat units compared to last year, Oklahoma’s cotton crop is showing a lot of promise. According to Jenny Dudak, the Oklahoma State University Cotton Extension Specialist, the crop is currently in an excellent position and progressing as expected.

“Overall, I’d say our cotton crop is looking very good,” Dudak told Farm Director KC Sheperd. “We’re progressing exactly like I would hope we would this year. We’re about mid to peak bloom.”

Vigilance Against Pests is Crucial While the crop’s health is encouraging, Dudak stressed the importance of pest management. She highlighted stink bugs as the primary concern and advised producers to remain vigilant in scouting their fields. Stink bugs can cause significant damage by feeding on developing bolls, which can lead to yield and quality losses. Dudak also mentioned several upcoming opportunities for Cotton producers..

Dave Price writes in American Farmland Owner that Agricultural producers, their families, investors, the medical community, researchers, and the legal system continue to watch Bayer’s defense against thousands of claims that its highly effective weed killers can make people seriously ill. Bayer’s CEO Bill Anderson told investors on Wednesday that it has been working to settle or dismiss thousands of cases as its financial payouts have already topped $10 billion.

The National Pesticide Information Center provides the history of glyphosate, which it stated was first registered for use in the United States in 1974. “People apply it in agriculture and forestry, on lawns and gardens, and for weeds in industrial areas. Some products containing glyphosate control aquatic plants,” the center’s website included.

Whether Glyphosate is Harmful The safety of glyphosate is the subject of debate. While Bayer has agreed to pay out $10 billion to litigants who have claimed harm from exposure to glyphosate, the company has insisted that its product is safe.“…glyphosate is one of the world’s most independently tested and studied herbicides, with about 2,400 studies across 50 years. Independent government research, such as the Agricultural Health Study, funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, has looked at real-life exposure of pesticides on famers for more than 30 years,” Bayer listed on its website.

Oklahoma State University, the Great Plains Canola Association, and the Oklahoma Oilseed Commission will host a regional winter canola meeting in Enid, OK on Aug 14.

Josh Bushong, OSU Extension Area Agronomist said the meeting is an an opportunity to learn about canola variety performance from the past year, as well as future varieties. Specialists from OSU Research and Extension will share their experiences working with the crop. He said production management topics such as pre- and in-season nitrogen applications, winter survival, and harvest management will be discussed.

Bushong notes that questions related to marketing the crop are still a critical topic. He adds that attendees will be able to hear from an experienced grower panel.Bushong said that “with canola acres up the past couple of years, there’s a lot of interest in how the crop performed. Learning from experiences will set the stage for a strong start to the next growing season.”

A recently announced trade and investment agreement between the U.S. and Japan is being met with a sense of relief and optimism by the U.S. meat industry, as it solidifies access to one of the country’s most valuable export markets. The deal was finalized during a visit by Japan’s chief tariff negotiator to Washington, D.C., and follows up on a crucial agricultural agreement from the previous administration.

Dan Halstrom, President and CEO of the United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF), was in Tokyo when the agreement was announced and noted the positive reception. “I think there was a bit of relief in a Japanese trade,” he said, citing conversations with importers, distributors, and exporters. The deal, which also addressed the contentious issue of auto trade, helped ease concerns about potential trade retaliation from Japan. Halstrom emphasized the immense value of the Japanese market, which he described as the second-largest export market in the world for the U.S. In 2024, U.S. beef and pork sales to Japan combined for approximately $3.3 billion, a figure that has been consistently in that range.



The new agreement builds on the foundation laid by a 2020 trade deal, which was critical for putting U.S. red meat on a more competitive footing. “That phase one agreement in 2020 ut us all on a level playing field, even though our duties are higher than some other countries,” Halstrom explained. Currently, U.S. beef faces a 21.6% tariff to enter Japan, but that initial agreement ensured the U.S. was not at a severe disadvantage. The new deal is essential for at least maintaining that status quo.

Checking the Markets...

Boxed beef prices were higher on Monday with Choice at 381.52, up $2.68 from Friday, and Select at 359.61, up $4.52. 

At the Oklahoma National Stockyards- a total of 5,600 head were on hand- Compared to last week: Feeder steers 8.00-12.00 higher, except over 800 lbs mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Feeder heifers 3.00-8.00 higher. Steer calves steady to 4.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs steady to 4.00 lower; over 500 lbs 5.00 higher. Demand very good for all classes. Monday's sale also included a Special Angus Sale. 

OKC West is our Market Links Sponsor- they sell cattle three days a week- Cows on Mondays, Stockers on Tuesday and Feeders on Wednesday- Call 405-262-8800 to learn more.

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