USDA Reports Oklahoma Wheat Harvest 41 Percent Complete, Canola 85 Percent Harvested

About 41 percent of the wheat crop and 85 percent of the canola crop were reported to be harvested as of Sunday, the USDA reported. Both harvests were only ten to 15 percent complete at this time last year.

Over two thirds of the state is now rated as abnormally dry or worse and almost 14 percent of the state is considered to be in a drought, with moderate to extreme conditions.

Fifty-five percent of the remaining wheat crop is in good condition; 19 percent is fair; 18 percent is in excellent shape and the remaining eight percent is in poor or very poor condition.

Nationally- Corn Crop Conditions Continue to Slip- Soybean Plantings Race Towards Completion 

You can access the full report by clicking here. 

Wheatwatch 2012: Harvest Continues at Rapid Clip Across Oklahoma

Wheat harvest continued to move at a fast pace this just finished Memorial Day weekend in all parts of the state. Our report from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission says rains have slowed producers down in central Oklahoma, and producers in other regions of the state are hoping Mother Nature will allow them to continue cutting wheat as more storms are predicted for Wednesday. Some hail damage was been reported in central parts of the state.

Producers in Frederick report they are 99 percent complete with wheat harvest. Yields in this area ranged from the mid 30's to the mid 50's depending on where moisture was received this past year. Crop quality conditions look to be good in this region with high test weights and decent protein levels being reported.

Reports from Chickasha indicate this area is 50 percent harvested. Test weights in this area have fallen because of rains. Test weights this past week were reported to be making 57 to 58 pounds. Yields were reported to be making in the mid 40's.

Click here for more reports from different locations across the Oklahoma wheat belt with the percentages of wheat harvest completed.   

North of the border in Kansas- they have harvest reported north of I-70 already- you can check out the Day Four report from the Kansas Wheat website by clicking here- and we have a couple of personal Kansas reports to share with you in our "This N That" section below.  

Drought Planning Would Be Prudent Given Conditions, Peel Says

In his latest column in the Cow/Calf Newsletter, Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, says producers should at least be thinking of-if not actively preparing for-drought conditions. 

With just a couple of days left in May, it appears that the January-May period will be the warmest on record in Oklahoma. Abundant moisture through the winter has slowed dramatically with precipitation across the state averaging just 50 percent of normal in the past month. Four of nine climate regions in Oklahoma have received only about one-third of normal precipitation in the past 30 days. Combining below average rain with above average temperatures and add lots of wind and you have a dramatic increase in dryness that is quickly slowing crop and forage growth. The term "flash drought" is being used to describe the rapid onset of dry conditions in Oklahoma and other regions.

Most of Oklahoma is not in drought at this time and rain at any time will alleviate the current concerns. However, the dramatic slowdown in forage and hay growth is a threat and effective drought management means that planning must occur before the drought is a reality. If current conditions persist, forage availability will soon become fixed and producers will need to evaluate standing forage and hay supplies and make plans accordingly. With painful memories and lingering effects of the 2011 drought still fresh in mind, producers need to consider several important factors should another drought develop.

Derrell has more to say on being ready should the drought re-emerge, and you can read it by clicking here. 

FSA Proceeds With Consolidation Plan; Mayes County Office Gets Reprieve

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its decision on Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office consolidations proposed in January as part of USDA's Blueprint for Stronger Service. In total, FSA will consolidate 125 of the 131 offices originally proposed for consolidation with other USDA service centers, consistent with provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill. USDA's release indicates that the office in Pawnee County, Oklahoma will close as proposed back in January, but that the office in Pryor- the Mayes County office- will remain open.  

Under the Blueprint for Stronger Service, USDA is modernizing and accelerating service delivery while improving the customer experience through use of innovative technologies and business solutions. The Blueprint included USDA's plan to close or consolidate 259 domestic offices including the FSA offices, additional facilities and labs, and seven foreign offices.

USDA followed statutory requirements provided by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill for FSA office consolidations. Two sets of criteria were used to identify FSA offices for consolidation. First, USDA identified FSA offices located less than 20 miles from another FSA office that had two or fewer permanent, full-time employees. Additionally, the proposal included all FSA offices with zero permanent employees regardless of location.

The six proposed county offices that will continue operating are: Lafayette County, Ark.; Boulder County, Colo.; St. Mary Parish, La.; Pamlico County, N.C.; Mayes County, Okla.; and York County, S.C.

Click here for more on the FSA office closure plan. 

Atrazine to Remain Available After Lawsuit Against Syngenta Settles

The settlement of a lawsuit against Syngenta related to the herbicide Atrazine ensures that corn farmers who depend on the important product continue to farm efficiently and safely, the National Corn Growers Association said. While NCGA is concerned about the longer term impacts of unmerited class-action lawsuits against agricultural production, it is important that this case was resolved with an acknowledgement of the safety of atrazine.

"We're relieved that a settlement has been reached that will allow our farmer members to use this proven and safe tool on their farms," said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer. "Atrazine safety has been verified by thousands of studies and numerous reviews by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and we're happy to have this nuisance lawsuit behind us so our growers can move forward and do what they do best - help feed and fuel the world, sustainably."

According to the settlement, the scientific evidence continues to make it clear that no one ever has or ever could be exposed to enough atrazine in water to affect their health when the product is used according to its label. The plaintiffs acknowledge that they have not commissioned and are not aware of any new scientific studies relating to the safety of atrazine. In addition, Syngenta reports that the cost of the settlement to the company is $105 million. According to local news, lawyers for the plaintiffs are expected to receive $35 million of this settlement. 

This N That- Gavilon Sells, Ed Czerwein on Cattle Markets, Rain Slows Harvest- and the Good & Bad of Early Kansas Wheat Harvest 

The closely held Gavilon Group has been sold to the Japanese Grain Handler Marubeni- price tag is $3.6 billion dollars. Gavilon has entered into the southwest Oklahoma grain market in an aggressive way in the last few years- and the Omaha, Neb based group has been rated by several analysts in the industry as the third largest grain trader in the country.  Marubeni Corporation jumps into the position of becoming one of the largest grain traders in the world with this purchase- global trading volume could top 55 million metric tons.  

Cattle markets this last week offered a mixed bag- wholesale boxed beef values rose but cash cattle trade saw price dip- our weekly analysis with Ed Czerwein of the USDA market news office in Amarillo is now available on our website-click here to take a listen to our man who has lots of insight into the inner workings of the cash cattle marketplace.  

While the latest Crop Weather Update spoke of dryness (see our top story above)- May will end up not being all that dry in many parts of Oklahoma based on rainfall thus far this week- plus more in the forecast for the next 24 hours or so.  Rainfall fell where many farmers still have wheat to harvest- and we may have lost some acres to hail where we simply could not get enough machines into locations where the wheat was ripe and ready to harvest.  However, there are still lots of areas where the rain was minimal and harvest may be able to continue today- another round of storms are still being predicted for later today- so for those that have wheat and perhaps a few acres of canola still left- it will be another stressful day for farmers hoping to get their crop out of the field with success. Click here for the latest rainfall totals for the last couple of days across Oklahoma- it's still raining as I write this early this Wednesday morning here at the Hays house. 

Finally- two reports from our email family come from Kansas- first the good harvest report comes from Patrick Zeka who now lives in Oklahoma but has brothers who farm in the biggest wheat producing county in the US- Sumner County(first county you hit when you drive north on I-35 out of Oklahoma). Patrick writes "They've cut about 1,400 acres so far and it is averaging over 62 bushels/acre.  2012's harvest will likely eclipse their all-time record of 60 bushel set in 1997.  My brother said one load on Monday went 64.2 pounds!" HOWEVER- further north towards Salina, long time Daily Email reader Mike Becker wrote us late Monday "I test cut some wheat yesterday afternoon.  Moisture was 13.6.  Test weight 57.  Not very good looking wheat, lots of small kernels. "  he adds that "This is the earliest we have ever cut, never before in May.  Dad will be 82 on June 12th.  He has only cut 4 times in his lifetime on or before his birthday."   

If you have harvest reports you can share- drop me an email- ron@oklahomafarmreport.com- comments and pictures are welcome.