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Oklahoma Cotton Production: Forecasted at 450,000 bales (480-pound bales), a major increase from 270,000 bales in 2024. Yield: Forecasted at 785 pounds per acre, up from 701 pounds per acre in 2024. Harvested Area: Forecasted at 275,000 acres, up from 185,000 acres in 2024.

Oklahoma Winter Wheat Condition: The report notes that as of November 23, 24 percent of Oklahoma’s winter wheat crop was rated in “very poor to poor” condition due to drought-related impacts.

National corn production for grain is forecast at 16.75 billion bushels, up 1 percent from last month and up 12 percent from 2024. If realized, this would set a new U.S. production record. Based on conditions as of December 1, yields are expected to average a record-high 186.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from the previous forecast and 6.7 bushels above last year. 

Senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays continues his conversation with Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, who emphasizes the importance of being seen in a positive light before controversy arrives. Weeman stresses that producers cannot afford to be passive or reactive when criticism surfaces. Instead, she urges livestock operators to get ahead of misinformation and build trust early within their communities.

Weeman says, “One of the most important things that we can do is be proactive… so that people know who you are, they understand your perspective on the issue, and they know to call you when it comes up.” She encourages producers to engage through social media, local organizations, farm tours, and conversations with media—anything that builds relationships before issues take root. “It’s a lot harder to defend than it is to be proactive,” she adds.

When it comes to staying ahead of activist pressure, Weeman underscores the value of unified efforts. “There’s strength in numbers,” she says, advising producers to lean on strong state associations like those in Oklahoma. She notes, “If you’re not at the table, you’re not part of the conversation,” urging livestock operators to amplify their voices through commodity groups and Farm Bureau engagement.

Hale noted that just over 7,000 head came through—“compared to 13,000 a year ago”—but emphasized that the smaller run wasn’t due to weather, just “tighter numbers.” Even so, he said the sale “was a barn burner almost from the start,” gaining steam throughout the day.

Hale highlighted the unprecedented demand for grazing and stocker cattle. While feeder cattle were strong—“six to 10 higher… and a little under 800 pounds up to 30 higher”—the calf market stole the show. Hale said calves were “15 to 30 higher, spots of 40,” and he wasn’t convinced some lots weren’t “50, 60 higher than a week ago.” He added that five-weight cattle bringing “24.50 to 25.50 a head” reflected just how aggressive buyers were.

According to Hale, this surge is being fueled by good weather, strong wheat pasture prospects, and the looming holiday break. Buyers wanting to get cattle turned out on wheat simply pushed harder. Demand, he reiterated, is “very, very strong for stocker cattle.” He believes the market has returned to solid fundamentals, saying, “We might even out-raced our punt coverage in some areas, but it’s still an extremely strong market.”

In a discussion about energy solutions for farms, Mike Newland, director of agricultural business development for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). Newland highlighted the importance of backup power systems, especially during extreme weather. He emphasized the vulnerability of the current electrical grid, noting, “Our grid is probably more vulnerable today than it has been in a long time, and that’s due to power plants, the old ones, coming offline, and all the AI technology that’s coming online.”

He explained that propane-powered generators can either supplement existing systems or fully power a farm continuously, ensuring that critical operations remain functional during outages. Newland also references the Department of Energy’s resource adequacy report, which he encourages producers to read.

Addressing financial considerations for growers, Newland described incentive programs available to support the transition to propane-powered equipment. He said, “Anybody that’s investing in propane powered equipment around the farm, we have a very unique program…farmers can get a rebate from us up to $10,000 when they purchase propane powered equipment.” 

In a recent cow-calf article, Mark Johnson says that cattle selection is the process by which we determine which animals become parents, how many offspring they will produce, and how long they will remain in our breeding herd. When we select replacement heifers or herd bulls we are practicing selection. When we cull old, open cows or ornery herd bulls we are practicing selection. The focus of this article is on replacement selection.

Specifically, the best way to determine which animals will become the parent stock in our commercial cow-calf operation. After we have analyzed our production system, identified our breeding objectives and determined the traits on which to apply selection pressure, the goal is to identify the animals with the best genes and let them reproduce.

The animals with the best genes are said to have the best Breeding Value (BV). BV, based on the additive genetic effect of individual genes (across the genome), serves as the best indicator of an animals genetic value as a parent. BVs are trait specific. Since BVs are based on the effects of individual genes, they represent the part of genotype which can be passed from parent to offspring. Successful selection is based on identifying the animals with the best BVs (for traits of primary economic importance) to become our next generation of parents.

The 32nd Annual Tulsa Farm Show is set to take place December 11–13, 2025, at the SageNet Center at Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This premier agricultural event will bring together farmers and ranchers from across the region to explore the latest in agricultural technology, ranching equipment, and services. With over 300 exhibitors, including event sponsor Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Tulsa Farm Show remains one of the nation’s largest agricultural exhibitions held under one roof.

Scott Guttormson, Show Manager, shared his excitement: “We are thrilled to celebrate the 32nd Annual Tulsa Farm Show this year! This event provides an excellent opportunity for farmers, ranchers, and exhibitors to come together and showcase the newest innovations in agriculture. We are proud to have the continued support of Oklahoma Farm Bureau as our official sponsor.”

Farmers and ranchers from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas regularly attend the Tulsa Farm Show, making it an essential end-of-year event. Admission and parking are free for all attendees. The SageNet Center, a key venue at Expo Square, boasts over 350,000 square feet of exhibit space and is one of the largest clear-span buildings in the world, making it an ideal setting for showcasing large equipment and exhibits.

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