Corn, Soybean and Pasture Crop Ratings All Slip in Latest Week

For the third week in a row, the nation's corn and soybean conditions declined on USDA's weekly Crop Progress and Condition report. Corn in the very poor to poor category increased five percentage points to 14% and corn rated good-to-excellent dropped 7 percentage points to 56%.

Ten percent of the corn crop is silking, compared to 5% last week and a 3% average. Scott Newsom with DTN says "This means the crop continues to mature during the worst of this year's hot and dry weather conditions."

Soybean conditions also plunged, with the percent of the crop rated very poor to poor increasing three percentage points to 15% and the portion of the crop rated good to excellent falling a like amount.

For the 2012 Soybean crop, "The steady decline continues to indicate a less likely chance of the crop making trendline yield," Newsom said.

To read more or catch a link to the full USDA report, click here.

Winter Wheat Harvest Virtually Complete in Oklahoma and Kansas 

Winter wheat harvest is virtually complete in Oklahoma and Kansas and is nearing completion in Texas, according to this week's Crop Progress and Condition Report. 

Ninety-six percent of the Oklahoma harvest is now in the bin, well ahead of the 28 percent five-year average for this time.

The official beginning of summer brought summertime temperatures with it including a 107-degree reading in the Panhandle at Beaver. High temperatures across the rest of the state rose into the 90s. Rains earlier this month alleviated drought conditions for a short period, but the drought has worsened over the past week. The latest drought monitor indicates two-thirds of the state is abnormally dry, and 15 percent is experiencing a severe drought. Click here for the full report on Oklahoma.

Wheat harvest in Kansas is reported to be 98 percent complete by last Sunday, putting the state about three weeks ahead of the five-year average. Only the eastern half of the state experienced significant rainfall last week.  Click here for the Kansas report.

In Texas, About 85 percent of the winter wheat is reported as harvested. Wheat and oats that had not been harvested for grain were grazed out or chopped for silage in the Cross Timbers. Throughout the High Plains, wheat harvest was progressing well. Harvest was reported to be over in the Blacklands.  The full Texas report is available by clicking here.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Leader Disappointed with Senate Farm Bill

The U.S. Senate's approval of a farm bill on June 21, is drawing mixed reviews from Oklahoma farmers and ranchers.   The main concern, said Scott Neufeld, Fairview, is the lack of price protection in years when commodity prices are low.

"We're disappointed that most of the risk management tools included in the Senate bill are revenue based with very little focus on the price components of actual marketing," Neufeld said. "There is no mechanism to manage risk when steep price declines happen, and they will happen, and when they may last for several marketing years."

As chairman of Oklahoma Farm Bureau's Farm Bill Committee, Neufeld closely followed the Senate's actions and believes they fell short of passing legislation that could truly help Oklahoma agriculture. 

You can read more of Scott Neufeld's concerns about the 2012 Senate Farm Bill by clicking here.

2012 Beef Cow Slaughter Shows Less Drought Impact...and More?

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University extension livestock marketing specialist, takes a look at slaughter cow numbers in the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter:

Beef cow slaughter so far this year is down over 9 percent compared to the same period last year. In the last 6 weeks, beef cow slaughter is down nearly 16 percent compared to last year. These data clearly reflect improved drought conditions compared to last year, especially in the Southern Plains. So far this year, beef cow slaughter in federal slaughter Region 6, which covers the 2011 drought region, is down over 19 percent compared to all other slaughter regions in which the remaining beef cow slaughter is down 5.2 percent. In the last 6 weeks, Region 6 beef cow slaughter is down nearly 31 percent year over year while the rest of the country is down nearly 9 percent.

Last year, the situation in the Southern Plains was in sharp contrast to the rest of the country. At this time last year, the year to date total beef cow slaughter for Region 6 was up 12 percent from the same period in 2010, while the rest of the country was down 11 percent leading to a national total that was down nearly five percent. In other words, last year at this time, the growing drought impacts were offsetting decreased beef cow slaughter in other regions which reflected industry attempts to stabilize or increase beef cow numbers.   

Click here for more of Derrel Peel's analysis of beef cow slaughter trends.

USDA Project Test Water-Saving Practices in Dry Areas

A USDA project is trying out new ways to save water in places where farmers need it the most.

Saving water supplies in drier parts of the nation is the goal of a U.S. Department of Agriculture effort. A USDA Natural Resources Conservation grant is funding a three-year demonstration project, administered by the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District and Texas Tech University to show how strategic irrigation and crop system management can save water and help farmers.

Harold Grall is a farmer in Moore County, Texas. "This is, I think, good use of money. Instead of just direct payments to a farmer, we can show that we are using these resources, money resources to, you know, help especially in this area with our farming practices."

Nearly $500,000 in grant money will go to farmers, researchers, foundations and other groups trying out water-saving practices.

You can read more about this grant program by clicking here.

Choice Boxed Beef Up Slightly, Finished Cattle Lower, Czerwien Says

In this week's beef report with Ed Czerwien of the USDA Market News Office in Amarillo, Texas, we saw the choice cut market end last week at $196.63 cwt, about a dollar lower than the previous Friday.

The total spot volume was 1,071 loads, steady with the previous week. The total volume moved for all cuts was 8,518 loads, higher than we've seen since this time last year.

The general trend in the finished cattle trade was mostly $3 lower with live sales last week mainly at $116 cwt, dressed business was $187 to $190.

The harvest weights continued to increase in some areas but appear to have plateaued in other areas.

You can listen to Ed's full report by clicking here. 

This N That- We "Welcome" Triple Digits Across Oklahoma & Peterson Talking Farm Bill With Mike Adams  

The majority of Oklahoma Mesonet stations hit one hundred degrees or hotter yesterday afternoon- the hottest day of the year so far across Oklahoma on a border to border basis.  I counted a bakers dozen Mesonet stations that "only" hit 98 or 99 degrees as their high- hottest actual temperature was out in Buffalo at 109 degrees. Gary McManus, our Associate State Climatologist, says that Wister had the honor of the highest heat index yesterday afternoon- at 110 degrees- hot temps and higher humidity add up.  

Gary says of the immediate outlook- "Watch for the above normal temperatures to continue for awhile. Might not always hit 100 degrees, but it looks to stay above normal for the short-to-medium term.  Click here for his latest rant which is also known as the Oklahoma Mesonet Ticker.   

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The top Democrat on the House Ag Committee, Collin Peterson of Minnesota, spent about ten minutes yesterday with Mike Adams on the radio talk show, Agritalk.  Our friend, Keith Good, who runs the Farm Policy blog summarized the conversation very well- click here to read his full piece- but here are a couple of the high points-

Peterson says "on balance the Senate did a pretty good job with the farm bill."

Peterson says that he gives high marks to Frank Lucas on how things are going in the House Ag Committee.

When July 11 arrives and the House Ag Committee marks up their version of a farm bill- it will be done in one day.

Peterson admits he is nervous about getting a farm bill done with the House Ag Committee mark up backed up to after the Fourth of July- but he sees a pathway to get it done- he says the House Ag Committee will do their work- and it will be up to the House Leaders in the GOP to allow floor time to get it to conference with the Senate. Peterson says there will be consequences if House leaders block the bill- "If they screw this up, I think they're going to pay the price in farm country in the election."