In the latest crop progress report released Tuesday May 30, 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture rates corn planted at 91 percent, below last year and the five-year average by 2. Soybeans planted rate 67 percent, lagging last year by 4 points and just below the average by 1. Soybeans emerged rate 37 percent, trailing last year by 5 and the average by 3. Cotton planted rates at 63 percent, 6 above last year and just 1 above the average. For the complete USDA Crop Progress report, click here.


According to the weekly crop progress report from USDA, Oklahoma winter wheat harvested reached 3 percent, down 7 points from normal. Canola coloring reached 91 percent, up 4 points from normal. Canola harvested reached 5 percent. Sorghum planted reached 42 percent, down 2 points from normal. Cotton planted reached 40 percent, up 1 point from the previous year and up 1 point from normal. To view the complete Oklahoma Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.


In Kansas, winter wheat condition rated 9 percent very poor, 16 poor, 30 fair, 38 good, and 7 excellent. Winter wheat headed was 97 percent, near 98 last year and the five-year average of 93. Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 35 fair, 52 good, and 3 excellent. Corn planted was 82 percent, behind 94 last year and 93 average. Emerged was 64 percent, behind 73 last year and 74 average. Pasture and range conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 15 fair, 67 good, and 16 excellent. To view the complete Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.


In Texas, harvest kicked off in a few areas of the High Plains but was slowed by wet conditions in other areas of the state- Uncle Sam now calls wheat harvest 22% done in the state. Producers commented that cotton in the High Plains has been slow to emerge due to cooler temperatures. Pastures responded well to recent rainfall and conditions were mostly fair to good statewide. To view the complete Texas Crop Progress and Condition Report,click here.

To sum up the current winter wheat crop condition here in the southern plains- here's the Good to Excellent Ratings for this week and the change from last week:



Oklahoma   45%       -4%
Kansas         45%       -2%
Texas           31%       -5%



The slight increases in the poor to very poor categories show a bit of sideways improvement compared to the crop's condition during the previous week:



Oklahoma   14%     +1%
Kansas         25%     +1%
Texas           17%      -1%

Over Memorial Day weekend, the Oklahoma Wheat Commission reports that combines were rolling throughout Southwest and central parts of the state. In some areas, it's been noted that yields have been lowered due to heavy rain and hail damage, while other areas are producing better yields with high test weights.

The Wheat Commission has not offered a percent harvested for the Oklahoma crop as a whole- but noted in multiple southwestern Oklahoma communities- harvest is likely 50 to 60% complete.

Overall, grain elevator managers are in agreement that this is looking to be a fairly decent quality crop, with protein levels in Texas so far, being measured within a 10.5-11% range. However, this crop is shaping up to be much smaller than last year, thanks to significantly less acres being harvested.

"This is making the season seem to go much faster," said OWC Executive Director Mike Schulte. "Several managers have been reporting they expect to take in 50 to 60 percent of the bushels in this region they normally take due to the increase in planted cotton acres."

For a town-by-town breakdown of harvest progress and condition, you can check out Schulte's latest report for the Oklahoma Wheat Commission this week, by clicking or tapping here. Schulte's next progress report will is scheduled to be published June 1st.

Oklahoma farmers planting sorghum in June need to be aware that sugarcane aphid infestations before the boot stage can decimate their crop, underscoring the need to budget corrective insecticide application before planting.


Trent Milacek, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension area agricultural economist, is encouraging sorghum growers in Oklahoma, who will be planting this June to carefully consider their budget and operating costs this year. 

According to him, the combined cost of seed, fertilizer, harvesting, pesticide, custom application, equipment, fuel and cash rent - could all total approximately $200 per acre when its all said and done.


"Operations are different in their use of equipment and resources, so the figures will vary with the producer," he said. "A single sugarcane aphid insecticide application is included in the $200 per acre cost estimate."


Assuming these figures are representative of the average producer, a yield of 67 bushels per acre will be required to break even on operating costs at $3 sorghum. Milacek said each producer must consider his or her fixed costs and determine the extra yield required to operate the business and maintain equipment.


"Producers looking to market sorghum in 2017 can currently lock in a cash price of $3 to $3.25 depending on delivery location," Milacek said. "Managing for large yields on highly productive land will help a producer remain profitable."

Keep reading this article on our website, by clicking here, and get all of Milacek's advice before planting your sorghum crop this year.

Since 2004, when a case of BSE was discovered in Washington state, no US beef has officially entered China's market. However, the Trump administration has made it priority to broker a deal to reestablish the beef industry's relationship with China. This year, they have been successful in doing that and July 16 of this year marks the deadline to get the formalities ironed out. According the North American Meat Institute, access to China's market, which represents 12 percent of the world's global export business for beef, could potentially put up to $2.6 billion in the pockets of US cattlemen. Kent Bacus, director of international trade and market access for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says China offers boundless opportunity.


"China has seen exponential growth in imports in about the last five years," Bacus said. "We think there's a lot of unmet demand in the Chinese market."


Bacus says that like many Asian markets, rounds, chuck rolls, tongues and offal cuts are very popular in China and the opportunity to market these products, generally underutilized here in the US, offers the chance to add significant value to beef carcasses.


"We see more competition for those cuts that have been selling very well in Asia," Bacus said. "We could see just the buying power of China is going to hopefully improve the profit margins on those cuts themselves."


Listen to Bacus describe the magnitude of added value that access to China's market will bring to the US with me, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.

Yesterday, 29 U.S. Senate Democrats sent a letter to President Trump expressing strong concerns over recent actions that would have negative impacts on families in rural America. 


President Trump issued a budget proposal last week calling for considerable cuts that, concerned Democrats say would undermine the important rural development mission at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These cuts come on the heels of recently announced plans to eliminate the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development.


In the letter, the Senators objected to the proposed cuts, and urged President Trump to maintain the Under Secretary for Rural Development.


"Small towns and rural communities embody many of our nation's greatest strengths, and the people of these communities deserve every opportunity to raise their families with well-paying jobs and a high quality of life," wrote the Senators. "Our small towns and rural communities, however, experience unique challenges in developing and maintaining infrastructure and providing high-quality health services and education. Understanding and responding to these unique challenges to help these communities create jobs and drive economic growth is the principal mission of USDA Rural Development."

The full text of the letter is available here, plus a full list of senators that joined in signing the correspondence.

Last week, Tom Stephens, a wheat producer from Guymon, was re-appointed to the Oklahoma Wheat Commission board by Oklahoma's Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese.

"We are excited that Tom Stephens has been re-appointed to the Oklahoma Wheat Commission board," said Mike Schulte, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. "His knowledge and experience with wheat production as a farmer and active roles held with the OWC Board and U.S. Wheat Associates Board continue to make him a valuable leader for the wheat industry on both state and national levels."

Stephens will serve as the board's representative for its District II, which includes Beaver, Cimarron, Ellis, Harper, Texas, Woods and Woodward counties.

As a board member, Stephens will work with the other members to develop and oversee the implementation of policy and programs, approve budget expenditures, direct the funding of research, market development and public education, represent district producer interests, and promote Oklahoma wheat.

Click here to review the original announcement by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission about Stephens appointment.

 

June 14th has been set by the Oklahoma Department of Ag for a public hearing to consider the petition delivered to the Agency by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association asking for the right to hold a referendum to establish a beef checkoff at the state level that will be in addition to the current federally mandated beef checkoff dollar that has been collected since the late 1980s.  

 

According to the notice released by the ODAFF:

"The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association filed a petition with the Commissioner of Agriculture on May 15, 2017 for approval to conduct a state assessment referendum pursuant to the Oklahoma  Commodity Research Enhancement Act, 2 O.S. §§ 5-63.1 et seq.

"A public hearing is scheduled for June 14, 2017, 2:00 PM, at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Boardroom for the purpose of receiving testimony on the petition.  If, on the basis of testimony, the Commissioner determines that the petitioning nonprofit commodity organization is representative of the producers of cattle in Oklahoma and that the petition conforms to the purposes and provisions of the Oklahoma Commodity Research Enhancement Act, the Commissioner shall designate the nonprofit commodity organization as representative of the producers of the commodity and authorized to conduct the state assessment referendum."