Oklahoma Rain Raises Wheat Pasture Prospects 

Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Derrell S. Peel analyzes market conditions for wheat pasture in the latest Cow-Calf Corner of the Extension newsletter.

Much of Oklahoma has received some rain the past ten days, with a broad swath of the state receiving significant rain this past weekend. Recent rain totals vary from less than one inch up to about three inches. Moisture combined with cooler temperatures (and cooler soil temperatures) has wheat producers thinking about planting wheat for grazing. While conditions are developing favorably at this time, additional timely moisture will be needed to make wheat pasture a reality. Nevertheless, some wheat planting could begin in the next couple of weeks.

Market conditions for winter grazing appear to be favorable as well, though producers may need to consider stocker enterprises that are somewhat different than the traditional stocker system. Historically, there is a strong preference for very lightweight stockers in Oklahoma, with many stocker calves purchased in the 375-500 pound range. With typical winter gains, this often results in feeders marketed in late February or early March at weights ranging from 675 to 750 pounds. This system worked well in the past and, in fact was often the most economical stocker alternative. Cattle markets have changed dramatically and may make this system much less attractive if not infeasible this year.

The 2012 drought reduced feeder prices this summer with impacts expected to continue until next summer due to high grain prices. Lightweight calf and stocker prices dropped sharply through July but have bounced back strongly in the past two weeks. Four-weight steer prices in Oklahoma have increased about $15/cwt. since the end of July. Heavy feeder prices dropped less than calves but have recovered only about $4/cwt. in the past month.

To read more of Derrell's assessment of wheat pasture economics, click here.

Rainfall Does Little to Improve Crop Conditions Across Oklahoma 

Every Oklahoma Mesonet station recorded rainfall during the past week with a state average of 0.89 of an inch. Most of the precipitation fell over the weekend, but was only a fraction of what is needed for drought relief, and has had little effect on the row crops in the ground. Conditions for corn, sorghum and soybeans were rated mostly fair to poor, while cotton was rated mostly poor and peanuts were rated mostly good. Hay conditions continued to be rated poor to very poor. Click here for the weekly Oklahoma Crop Weather report.

Most of Kansas received much-needed rain, but row crops improved only slightly. Corn harvest is 25 percent complete, with 74 percent of the crop listed in poor or very poor condition. For more of the Kansas Crop Progress report, click here.

National Crop Progress Report Shows Early Corn Harvest and Awful Pasture Conditions

USDA's Crop Progress report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released Monday confirmed the continuing early harvest season. Six percent of the corn is harvested in the 18 most corn producing states so far this season, while the average for the time of year is approximately two percent.

This week, 11 states reported harvesting corn this early in the season. Indiana, Iowa and Pennsylvania began harvesting since last week's report. According to the NASS report, 26 percent of the corn crop is mature and 76 percent is dented. This time last year, seven percent of the crop condition qualified as mature.

While harvest continued, corn condition took a slight dip from last week, with 22 percent in good to excellent condition and 52 percent in very poor to poor condition, one percent higher than last week. Undesirable soybean condition similarly increased one percentage point from last week with 38 percent in poor to very poor condition.

OSU-Developed GreenSeeker Sensor Now Commercially Available

Trimble has introduced the GreenSeeker handheld crop sensor, an easy-to-use measurement device designed to assess the health of a crop. Readings taken with the GreenSeeker handheld can be used to make objective decisions regarding the amount of fertilizer to be applied to a crop, resulting in a more efficient use of inputs.

This is the commercial version of the Pocket NDVI sensor that Oklahoma State University developed in 2010. The first pocket sensors were given to select producers as a way to field test the new technology. With the feedback received from those using the Pocket Sensor, OSU worked closely with Trimble in the development and vetting of the GreenSeeker Handheld unit. After rigorous testing OSU concluded the GreenSeeker handheld and the original GreenSeeker unit produced the same values and could be used interchangeably. The introduction of a low cost, user friendly NDVI sensor will aid in the implementation and adoption of the N-Rich Strip and Sensor Based N recommendations, not only in Oklahoma but across the world.

Operators position the handheld sensor over a plant, pull the trigger, and the GreenSeeker handheld instantly calculates the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which represents the health of the plant. By gathering several readings from plants throughout a field, users can better determine the overall health and needs of a crop. This can result in a more efficient use of fertilizer, which benefits both the farmer's bottom line and the environment.

Click here to read more about OSU's GreenSeeker technology.

Biofuels Organizations Call on President to Support Renewable Fuel Standard

Growth Energy and seven other biofuel organizations sent a letter to President Obama outlining the importance of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), explaining the inherent flexibility of the RFS to deal with a short crop, as caused by this year's drought. Additionally the letter went on to explain the many counterintuitive consequences of waiving the RFS.

"While the Environmental Protection Agency has the fiduciary duty to review the petitions filed by state governors, I felt it was critical that the industry communicated the importance of the RFS and how a waiver will not accomplish the goal of bringing down grain prices," stated Tom Buis CEO of Growth Energy.

"Trying to blame the ethanol industry is disingenuous and misplaced. The true culprit is Mother Nature and there is no tool available to alter the unpredictable," Buis continued. "Currently there is a tremendous amount of misinformation surrounding the drought and ethanol production and educating policymakers on the facts is a top priority."

You can read more from Tom Buis and the full letter to President Obama by clicking here. 

Livestock Veterinarian Hopes to Bring Common Sense to Congress

Ted Yoho was recently selected as the Republican nominee for Congress from Florida's third district. He defeated a much more well-financed opponent and in this editorial outlines what he hopes to bring to Washington should he be elected in November.

Last week, I was incredibly honored as the people of north central Florida's third congressional district chose me to be their Republican nominee for Congress. It was a great victory in so many ways. For one, we were a rag-tag campaign with only one paid staffer (our campaign manager, Kat Cammack) and a handful of dedicated interns and volunteers. We raised only $300,000 compared to the massive war chest of $2.5 million that my opponent Rep. Cliff Stearns was sitting on. I had never run for or held political office in my life. We were facing a conservative congressman who had been in office for 24 years. There were two other local politicians in the race as well, making it a difficult contest. To say the least, the odds were against us.

I've been a large animal veterinarian and small business owner for the last 30 years. My wife Carolyn and I worked our way through college and built our version of the "American Dream." No one ever gave us anything - we worked for it. When we won, reporters descended on our campaign from all over the nation asking everything from how we won to what we were planning to do. A lot of them couldn't believe that a small country veterinarian could be Florida's next congressman. Reporters even asked if I owned a suit.

Going from farm to farm and ranch to ranch, you become acutely aware of how government affects people's lives and you pick up a kind of "barnyard philosophy." As a large animal veterinarian, you don't survive long without some common sense. It was through my work as a vet that I came to realize that our government was lacking the most basic principle in Washington; common sense. 

Click here to read more from Ted Yoho.

Lawmakers Ask Governor to Block Taxpayer Dollars to Non-Profits

State Reps. Paul Wesselhoft and Sally Kern this week delivered a letter to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin asking her to block tax dollars that would go to non-profit organizations.            

"We do not think tax dollars should go to non-profit organizations. I believe this spending is unethical and, if not illegal, at least contrary to the spirit of the Oklahoma Constitution," said Wesselhoft, R-Moore.            

"Although we approved appropriations to various agencies, we have found that some of that money will be spent on non-profit organizations," said Kern, R-Oklahoma City. "When lawmakers pass a state budget, they intend that the money be spent by the agency appropriately. Tax dollars are intended to fund government programs, not other organizations. I think it is a terrible practice and we are calling for it to stop." 

You can read the full letter to Governor Fallin and more from Reps. Wesselhoft and Kern by clicking here.