This week on SUNUP, OSU Agriculture Economist Dr. John Michael Riley discusses the highs and lows of current grain and cotton markets.
“A lot of information was given to us on Friday. In addition to the WASDE, we also got the Annual Crop Production Summary, the Quarterly Grain Stocks Report, and the Winter Crop Planning Report,” Riley said. “All of it really was a surprise except for wheat.”
He noted market-positive adjustments to corn and soybean yields and increases in cotton yields which impacted the market negatively. USDA shaved a bushel per acre off of soybean yield and 3.8 bushels per acre off of corn yield.
“Some of that has been expected to be seen, but we didn’t know when USDA was going to bring that into the report,” Riley commented. “As corn and bean harvests were beginning, they started drying up quite a bit in the Midwest and test yields were down quite a bit. We were waiting for that to happen, but it finally did, and it happened in a big way and really surprised the markets in that regard.”
Cotton yield increased almost 60 pounds per acre from what December’s report showed causing the market to react negatively and cotton prices have remained in a down cycle ever since.
Riley advises Oklahoma producers to continue to be aware of the weaker-than-typical basis that local crop markets are experiencing, and the incoming Trump administration’s expected impact on trade.
This week on SUNUP:
- Brian Arnall, OSU Extension soil nutrient management specialist, says the recent heavy, wet snowfall will help the move applied nitrogen through the wheat crop. Dr. Arnall also has tips for producers looking at spring oats for grazing potential.
- SUNUP introduces viewers to Joshua Campbell, the new OSU Extension beginning farmer and rancher specialist. Dr. Campbell has information on the 2025 Oklahoma Local Ag Summit event.
- State climatologist Gary McManus looks at the moisture totals from the recent snowstorm and predicts the extreme cold will return in just a few days.
- John Michael Riley, OSU Extension agricultural economist, says higher cotton yields negatively impacted prices in the latest WASDE report.
- SUNUP has information on the new OSU ExtensionBot.
- Mark Johnson, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, discusses the reasons for a retained placenta in cows.
- Finally, SUNUP travels to Oklahoma County to see how a 4-H Youth Development project uses dog training as a platform to teach children valuable life skills.
