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National Corn Statistics: Corn Dough reached 95 percent, up one point from a year ago and equal to the five-year average. Corn dented reached 74 points, down two points from the previous year and down one point from the five-year average. Corn Conditions are rated 68 percent good to excellent, down three points from the previous week. Corn Harvested Reached 4 percent, down one point from a year ago and up one point from the five-year average.

National Cotton Statistics: Cotton Setting Bolls reached 97 percent, down one point from a year ago and equal to the five-year average. Cotton bolls opening reached 40 percent, down four points from a year ago and down up one point from the five-year average. Cotton Conditions reached 54 percent good to excellent, down one point from the previous week. Cotton Harvested reached 8 percent, up one point from the previous year and up two points from the five-year average.

As for our Summer crops in Oklahoma: Corn crop conditions are now at 66% good to excellent versus 55% a week ago. Corn for grain harvested reached 7 percent.

The Oklahoma soybean crop is at 37% good to excellent versus 33% a week ago.

Cotton in Oklahoma is at 70% good to excellent, versus 65% last week.

Grain Sorghum is at 70% good to excellent, up sixteen points from a week ago at 54%. Grain Sorghum harvested reached 3 percent, down six points from the previous year and equal to the five-year average. Pasture and Range conditions are at 65% good to excellent this week, versus 60% a week ago.

The American Simmental Association (ASA) recently held its annual “Fall Focus” event, a traveling symposium for Simmental breeders and industry members. The event, which relocates to a different venue each year, is designed to serve as an educational forum for producers.

Dr. Alison Meyer of the University of Missouri and Dr. Jamie Porter discussed the implications of cow size and the use of genetic tools to improve cow efficiency. Another session with Dr. Randy Culbertson centered on the critical topic of heifer development. The article notes that Simmental genetics can be particularly helpful in this area, as the cattle tend to be leaner than some British breeds, making it easier for producers to manage their weight and ensure future productivity. A roundtable discussion also explored the future of beef production and its economics.

With Fall Focus complete, the ASA is now preparing for its winter “show season.” This busy period includes shows and events across the country, starting at the American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri, and continuing to the North American in Louisville, Kentucky. The association will also be in Oklahoma City for the Cattlemen’s Congress, an event they have supported since its inception.During these shows, the association will also hold board meetings and sales. Luke Bowman emphasized the importance of these events for members and the broader industry. The full board of directors, including newly installed trustees, will be in attendance at Cattlemen’s Congress to discuss policy and better serve their members.

Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays continues his conversation from last week with Kent Bacus, who pointed out the scale of Brazilian imports to the United States, saying, “Within the first two weeks, Brazil had already filled the volume-based quota for the entire year. They can easily absorb a lot of the lower-level tariffs. But increasing this and having this 76% tariff for the rest of the year is probably going to curtail some of that.”

He emphasized the need to look beyond Brazil alone. “We also have to look outside Brazil. Brazil is not the only market that we import lean trimmings from. We need to make sure that we’re prioritizing trade with our allies and with people that are not going to jeopardize the health and safety of our consumers and our cattle.”

Protecting beef’s reputation remains a top concern. “The fact that you have any beef that could come in here that could potentially tarnish the image, the trusted nature that beef has in this market, that’s a concern for all of us, and that’s why we think it’s so important to engage with our government. We’re very happy that President Trump is taking these corrective actions to get their attention.”

Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel writes in the latest Cow Calf Corner that cattle and beef markets started a strong run up about three years ago in late 2022. Price increases at various levels of cattle and beef markets have had differing impacts on the complex set of market levels in the industry.

The time dynamics between cattle and beef market sectors are complex. Not all margins adjust by the same amount and at the same time. Up to this point, packers have faced most of the losses due to lousy buy-sell margins. Feedlots have avoided much of the margin challenges thus far, largely due to the strongly up trending market combined with the time lag between placements and marketings (extended by more days on feed in most cases) and a sharp decrease in feed costs.

 Feedlot cost of gain is down over 28 percent since the peak in early 2023. Stocker producers are being squeezed hard from both directions as high calf prices increase stocker purchase cost and feedlots are competing more for limited feeder supplies (including lighter weight feeders) due relatively low cost of gain. Retailers have faced relatively less of the margin challenge up to this point due to strong consumer beef demand and ample beef supplies. Beef production is declining faster now, and retailers will face more challenges as beef production continues to decline in the coming months.

After two weeks of “lovely fall’ish weather,” Oklahomans are in for a change as temperatures are expected to return to more normal, and even above-normal, levels for the next couple of weeks. The recent cool front, which brought a respite from the summer heat, is fading away, but residents won’t have to worry about a return to triple-digit temperatures. Instead, the forecast calls for temperatures to threaten the 90-degree mark more often than not.

The return of warmer weather also means an end to the recent rainfall. According to State Climatologist Gary McManus, there isn’t much rain expected to show up in the next week. However, northwest Oklahoma could see some severe storms later today.

Despite the warmer temperatures, the state is transitioning to a more fall-like severe weather pattern. As the jet stream dips farther south, it increases wind shear, making the tornado threat “more non-zero” and raising the threat for large hail. Residents are advised to stay weather-aware as the season changes.

There are benefits to growing up on farms and ranches, among them a strengthened immune system, good work ethic and respect for the land. We also know that youth working in agriculture are seven times more likely to die on the job than their non-agriculture counterparts. The best available data suggest that about 33 children are seriously injured daily and one child dies about every three days in U.S. agriculture. Nearly two-thirds of agricultural injuries are young, non-working children who are bystanders in a dangerous worksite.

Safeguarding Children in Agriculture: An Updated National Action Plan offers a framework of goals and strategies for protecting the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of children living, working and visiting on the nation’s 1.9 million agricultural operations, while keeping them involved in agriculture.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure safe participation of youth in agriculture,” said Andrea Swenson, Ph.D., director of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, which published the document. “The plan emphasizes local input and strong partnerships in addressing the complexities of childhood agricultural injuries. This approach can help ensure that solutions are comprehensive, evidence-based and tailored to the diverse needs of the nation’s ag communities.”

National Farmers Union on Monday announced the start of its annual Legislative Fly-In, bringing more than 250 family farmers and ranchers into Washington to urge Congress to act, for farmers’ sake.  “Farm country is facing a crisis, and America’s family farmers and ranchers need their elected representatives to listen to the challenges they’re facing and take action,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “Farmers are earning less than ever, consumers are paying more and corporate profits are soaring. Our members are here to remind Congress not to leave farmers and ranchers behind.”

Farmers Union members will begin meeting with top officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday morning to share the current, real-world challenges they face on their farms. These conversations will highlight the need for more robust support at farmer-facing USDA agencies such as the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as greater DOJ enforcement of antitrust laws to curb corporate monopolies that squeeze farmers’ profits and drive up the cost of production. 

“Farmers and rural communities are at a breaking point,” said NFU Vice President Jeff Kippley. “Farmers Union members have come to Washington to demand action before we lose even more family farms. They’re here not only to advocate for themselves, but for every family who deserves fair prices at the grocery store and every community whose future depends on the vitality and sustainability of American agriculture.” 

Chris Clayton of DTN is talking about the Farm Safety Net. He writes: The improvements in the farm safety net will offer more support for farmers, though producers of some crops stand to benefit more than others.

That’s the breakdown from a new report released by the Food & Agricultural Research Policy Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri. The report analyzes changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) to the programs for commodity crops — the Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage (ARC and PLC) programs for crops. The report shows a better safety net for commodity producers, but payments won’t begin until fall 2026.

FAPRI released the report at the request of Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. As DTN has reported, farm groups and producers in some states are raising concerns about the low-price environment, rising interest on operating loans, and multiple years of financial losses. There are more calls for a support payment to help producers until those new safety net provisions kick in.

Checking the Markets...

Choice boxed beef closed Monday at $409.69, down $1.07 from the prior session and marking its third straight decline, falling $6.32 over the past three days. Select ended at $385.34, up a modest $0.15, narrowing the Choice/Select spread to $24.35 compared with $25.57 on Friday. Total loads were 118, slightly under Friday’s 120.

Oklahoma National Stockyards had a run of 9,400 on Monday- Compared to the last test 2 weeks ago: Feeder steers and heifers steady to 4.00 lower. Demand moderate to good following multiple days of the cattle futures trading in the red. On Monday- the cattle futures closed on the plus side. Steer calves steady. Heifer calves 2.00-6.00 lower. Un-weaned steer and heifer calves up to 20.00 lower.

Joplin had a sale total of 11,852. Compared to the sale 2 weeks ago feeder steers under 450 lbs. sold 10.00-15.00 lower. Heavier weights sold steady to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold unevenly from 8.00 lower to 10.00 higher.

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.

Click here for our Markets Page on OklahomaFarmReport.Com- there you will find many of the reports we have linked on the right hand column found on the previous format of our email.

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