Midwest Farmers Pivot from Corn to Beans in Prospective Plantings-  Less Corn, More Sorghum in Oklahoma  

The Prospective Plantings report from USDA released Monday morning by the Agriculture Department indicates that America's farmers are preparing to plant 91.7 million acres of corn, 4 percent less than a year ago and the lowest amount planted to corn since 2010.

"The forecast gives us an indication of what farmers intend to plant but everything depends on the weather," said AFBF crops economist Todd Davis. "It remains to be seen whether or not farmers can plant their corn and soybeans in a timely fashion without a repeat of the problems seen in 2013 in the Western Corn Belt," he said.

According to Davis, if realized, this year's corn planting would be the fifth-largest corn crop since 1944. With 91.7 million acres planted and average yields, final 2014 U.S. corn production is forecast to come in between 13.2 and 13.4 billion bushels.

The soybean planting estimate came in at 81.5 million acres, a 6-percent increase from the 2013 crop. If realized, this would be a record number of soybean acres planted, Davis noted. Likewise, the final U.S. soybean production could set a record of between 3.4 and 3.5 billion bushels.  Click here to read more about the U.S. plantings report.

Producers surveyed across Oklahoma intend to plant an estimated 300 thousand acres of corn in 2014, down 19 percent from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Sorghum acreage was estimated at 330 thousand acres, up 3 percent from the 2013 acreage.

Planted acreage intentions for soybeans were down slightly, to settle at 340 thousand acres, while canola planted acreage was estimated at 250 thousand acres, a 22 percent increase over the 2013 acreage. Canola acreage continues to grow in Oklahoma.  You can read more about Oklahoma plantings by clicking here. 

You can also access yesterday's full NASS plantings and stocks reports by clicking here.

Recent Rains Leave Drought and Crop Conditions Unimproved Across Oklahoma and Southern Plains 

Recent rains did nothing to ease drought conditions across Oklahoma.  Overall 95 percent of the state is categorized in a drought, remaining unchanged from the previous week. Oklahoma has received just over half of its normal amount of precipitation since the beginning of the growing season.

As a result, small grains continue to be rated mostly fair to poor. Winter wheat jointing reached 38 percent by Sunday, 11 points behind the previous year and 25 points behind the five year average.  Forty-four percent of the crop was listed in fair to poor condition, 39 percent was in fair shape and only 17 percent was listed in good condition.  Canola conditions were rated 62 percent poor to very poor.  Click here for the Oklahoma Crop Weather report.

Dry conditions also prevailed across southwest Kansas, with some light snow and rain falling in the eastern half of the state and parts of the northwest.  The winter wheat condition was rated seven percent very poor, 18 percent poor, 43 percent fair, 30 percent good and two percent excellent.  Jointing was lagging badly with five percent reporting jointed last week compared to 12 percent last year and a five-year average of 21 percent.  The Kansas Crop Progress and Condition report is available by clicking here.

Across Texas, a lack of precipitation slowed development of the winter wheat crop in the Southern Low Plains. Small grains in the Cross Timbers showed signs of recovery following recent precipitation. Both winter wheat and oats were beginning to head in South Texas.  Fifty-nine percent of the state's wheat crop was considered poor to very poor, 30 percent was fair, ten percent was good and only one percent was rated excellent.  Click here for the full Texas report.

Sanders Says Canola Progress May be Behind Schedule, but Full Yield Potential Still There

Spring temperatures are starting to take hold and this year's canola crop is coming out of dormancy after an unusually hard winter. Heath Sanders, field specialist with the Great Plains Canola Association, tells me that the crop cosmetically looked bad coming out of the winter, but appearances are deceiving. He spent some time in the field recently and says the canola is greening up nicely from south to north and there is a lot of variation from one stand to the next in terms of the crop's progress and condition.

" There have been so many things that have gone on this year it's been very hard to pattern why one field looks so good and you can drive down the road a mile and you're like, 'What in the world has happened?' It may be the same variety. It may be the same planting date. All these things are thrown into the bag. But things are starting to turn around.

"We've got some stands that are thin. And, canola doesn't have to be real thick to be a good crop and that's one thing guys have got to keep in mind. If they've got two or three plants per square foot, that's still a good stand for canola to reach full yield potential."

You can catch my conversation with Heath by clicking here.

 

Late Spring Adds to Cattle Management and Marketing Challenges

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, writes in the latest Cow-Calf newsletter:

A myriad of factors are at work in cattle and beef markets now. Spring has arrived according to the calendar but it isn't obvious yet in many parts of the country. Cold weather continues to delay grass green-up in many regions in a fashion that is reminiscent of last year. In some parts of the country it is not only cold but wet. Other parts of the country are cold and dry and getting drier in some cases. Oklahoma captures this contrast well with parts of the state that have received abundant moisture recently while persistent drought in other areas is moving into the fourth year. Warm weather will produce forage growth in wet areas but in the dry regions the clock is ticking on spring forage prospects. Moisture is critically needed in drought regions in the next 30-60 days. Hay supplies on December 1, 2013 were up sharply from 2012 record low levels in the country and in most individual regions as well. However, the extended cold spring has resulted in increased hay use in many areas and carryover hay supplies will be minimal in some areas.    

Record feeder cattle prices this spring may increase seasonally a bit more into midyear. However, grazing demand for summer stockers may be limited soon if drought conditions persist or expand. Heifer and breeding cow markets have strengthened thus far in the year but are also contingent on forage conditions. Herd expansion plans are on the ground in many regions but the ability to follow through with those plans is critically dependent on moisture in the next few weeks. If drought conditions abate in dry areas considerable more female demand may yet be revealed this spring. 

Click here for the rest of Derrell Peel's latest analysis.

 

Obama Administration Removes Barriers to Food and Agriculture Exports

In 2013, the Obama Administration opened markets worldwide by resolving unwarranted sanitary (human and animal health) and phytosanitary (plant health) barriers to the exportation of a wide range of food and agricultural products. While each country should implement necessary measures to protect human, animal, and plant health, some countries impose arbitrary import restrictions to protect their products from foreign competition. Expanding U.S. food and agricultural exports improves income for farmers and ranchers across rural America and supports jobs for workers in the food and agricultural sector. Our efforts helped the United States to export a record $148 billion in food and agricultural products in 2013. Exports of agricultural products supported over 929,000 U.S. jobs.

USTR's fifth annual Report on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures identifies the Administration's ongoing efforts to eliminate discriminatory or otherwise unwarranted measures that impede U.S. food and agricultural exports. These unjustified barriers harm U.S. farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, workers, and their families and deprive consumers around the world of access to safe, high-quality American food and agricultural goods. 

Click here to read more.

 

Scott Daily Horse-Training Seminar Featured at 2014 Oklahoma City Farm Show

The 2014 edition of the Oklahoma City Farm Show kicks off this Thursday and runs through Saturday at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Previously named the Southern Plains Farm Show, it has featured horse trainer Scott Daily for the last several years. He will again be on hand this year to showcase his low-stress method of horsemanship. He will appear twice each day, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., all three days.

"I enjoy going there," Daily said.  "I enjoy seeing the people. I get a lot of people who come to every session that I do and I want to thank them for all their support... It's a great show there. I really look forward to it."

Daily said he has several challenging horses lined up to train this year including a couple of stud horses that have never been broke.

"I think one of the stud horses I'll be using there is an older horse. He never has been ridden, just halter broke. He was just used to breed mares and the guy kind of wanted to see if the horse could kind of ride around and different things. I'm really looking forward to it."

At the farm show, Daily will be working in a portable round pen by Priefert. Radio Oklahoma network will be giving away the pen in a drawing on Saturday.

You can read more of this story or listen to my interview with Scott by clicking here.

 

A Battle Plan to Deal with Palmer Amaranth

Perhaps the Poster Child of Resistant Weeds is Palmer Amaranth.  Researchers have found weed resistant Palmer Amaranth in 26 states to date- including in Oklahoma. Some of the latest Land Grant writings on this weed comes from the University of Illinois weed science program that has developed some recommendations to manage Palmer amaranth - which can reduce corn and soybean yields to nearly zero if not effectively managed.  

Weed science researchers at the university say there are three general principles of Palmer amaranth management. One is that prevention is preferable to eradication because it uses tactics to prevent weed seed introduction and weed seed production. Another is that it's not uncommon for annual herbicide costs to at least double once Palmer amaranth becomes established because there are no soil or foliar-applied herbicides that provide sufficient control of the weed throughout the growing season. The last principle is control of Palmer amaranth shouldn't be less than 100-percent.