Acreage History and Yield Reports Will Help Producers Prepare for New Farm Bill 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced today that farmers should start receiving notices updating them on their current base acres, yields and 2009-2012 planting history. The written updates are an important part of preparing agricultural producers for the new safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill.


"We're sending these reports to make sure that farmers and ranchers have key information as they make critical decisions about programs that impact their livelihood," said Garcia. "It's important that producers take a few minutes to cross check the information they receive with their own farm records. If the information is correct, no further action is needed at this time. But if our letter is incomplete or incorrect, producers need to contact their local FSA county office as soon as possible."


Verifying the accuracy of data on a farm's acreage history is an important step for producers enrolling in the upcoming Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. Later this summer, farmers and ranchers will have an opportunity to update their crop yield information and reallocate base acres.


"We're working hard to prepare and educate farmers on the new programs created by the 2014 Farm Bill," added Garcia. "I encourage producers to bring their USDA notice to any scheduled appointments with the local FSA county office. This will help ensure they have the information they need with them to discuss the available program options."


By mid-winter all producers on a farm will be required to make a one-time, unanimous and irrevocable election between price protection and county revenue protection or individual revenue protection for 2014-2018 crop years. Producers can expect to sign contracts for ARC or PLC for the 2014 and 2015 crop years in early 2015. 

Click Here for the timeline for enrolling in Farm Bill programs.

Peel Says Forage Conditions Improving in Oklahoma 

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


 More rain and moderate temperatures reignited forage growth in Oklahoma in the last half of July. After briefly stalling under hot, dry conditions in early July, timely rains the past two weeks have recharged surface soil moisture and contributed to improving subsoil moisture conditions. The majority of the state received between one and nearly 5 inches of rain in late July. Over the past 60 days, which captures most of the rain that began the third week of May, the entire state has received between 4 to nearly 17 inches of rain, which is 100 to 200 percent of normal for nearly all parts of the state.


According to the latest Drought Monitor, 60 percent of the state is in moderate or worse drought conditions (D2-D4), down only slightly from 65 percent in mid-May. However, the percent of the state in extreme or worse drought (D3-D4) is at 23 percent, down from 50 percent in mid-May and, of that, the area of exceptional drought (D4) is now less than 5 percent, down from 30 percent before the rain started in May. Waves of timely rain this summer combined with mostly moderate temperatures have allowed significant improvement of soil moisture conditions.


Pasture and range conditions show similar improvement with the percent poor and very poor now at 19 percent compared to 44 percent in May. Currently 45 percent of state pastures are rated good or excellent compared to 22 percent in May. The percentage of pastures in fair condition is mostly unchanged since May.

Improved forage conditions present several cattle and forage management and marketing opportunities this fall.  Click Here to read Peel's recommendations.
 

Summer Rains Help Southern Plains Row Crops 

Overall, Oklahoma row crop conditions continued to be rated mostly good to fair and were progressing quickly. Rain events over the past few weeks helped row crop development last week. Corn condition was rated 73 percent good to fair. Corn silking reached 91 percent complete by Sunday and 58 percent of corn had reached dough stage. Corn development is ahead of last year, but remain behind the five-year average. Sorghum headed reached 50 percent complete and 15 percent was coloring by the end of the week. Soybeans blooming reached 38 percent complete by week's end. Peanuts pegging reached 85 percent complete by Sunday. Hay harvest was in full swing, with good yield reported. Second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 93 percent complete and third cutting was 50 percent complete. Pasture was improving statewide, but heavy runoff was still needed to fill ponds and lakes.  Click Here for the full Oklahoma report.

The majority of Texas received measurable rainfall last week. Producers in the Upper Coast and Lower Valley are preparing for corn harvest in the upcoming weeks. Corn continued to mature ahead of normal with 99 percent of the crop silking, 87 percent in dough stage, 75 percent dented and 45 percent mature. Sorghum had 90 percent headed and 39 percent harvest. Soybean blooming has reached 76 percent and setting pods is at 65 percent. Cotton continued to progress with 57 percent setting bolls. Peanuts were still in the pegging stage in South Texas. Hay harvest was active across the state last week, with some producers in the Trans-Pecos working on their fourth and fifth cuttings of alfalfa. Rainfall has helped pasture conditions in the Northern Plains, while conditions began to deteriorate in the Edwards Plateau due to dry weather and producers in South Texas began to provide supplemental feed.  Click Here for the full Texas report.


 Beneficial rains were welcomed in southwest and south central Kansas, while moisture was limited in other areas. Where the rains missed, row crops were stressed. Corn silking was 94 percent and corn in the dough stage was 51 percent. Both ahead of last year, but near average. Sorghum headed at 26 percent. Soybeans blooming at 73 percent and setting pods at 38 percent. Cotton squaring at 66 percent and setting bolls at 15 percent. Alfalfa hay third cutting was 46 percent complete. Pasture and range conditions are mostly rated in good to fair condition. Topsoil moisture rated 13 percent very short, 34 percent short, 51 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture rated 19 percent very short, 33 percent short, 47 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.  Click Here for the full Kansas report.

Canola Conference 2014- Talking Weed Management with Dr. Angela Post

Extension Weed Specialist at Oklahoma State University, Dr. Angela Post, was able to offer a silver lining to those who were trying to grow canola this last year and ran into a growing season of virtually no rain and half a crop as a result. She told us that the dry conditions were not conducive to very much weed pressure- and that as a result, "we didn't add much to the seedbank for this year."


Dr. Post was one of the speakers at the 2014 Canola Conference held in Enid the end of July, as she discussed the 2014 canola growing season and how producers may want to approach 2015 planting when it comes to weed management and control. 

A common theme when we talk with weed experts is the need to catch them early(the weeds- not the experts)- and Angela was singing that tune to canola growers in Enid and Altus this past week- and to us as well. She says that's a hard sell in Oklahoma- as we are very used to waiting until the last moment to pull the trigger on management practices because of all the curve balls that Mother Nature throws our way.

You can read more and listen to our conversation with Angela by clicking or tapping here- we talk about the benefits of doing your weed control stuff early and also we get an update from her on her current research efforts at the University.

For users of our App- we are compiling all of the Canola Production interviews that we got in the Canola section of the App- so far, we have updates posted there from Heath Sanders, Kim Anderson, Bambi Sidwell and now Angela Post.  We also have an earlier overview of the 2014 growing season with Josh Bushong that you can check out.   

Nation's Corn, Soybeans and Cotton Crop Still Looking Better Than 2013 

The nation's corn crop is starting to show some wear, but remains to be in better condition than a year ago.  In the latest crop progress report released Monday by the US Department of Agriculture, showed 22 percent excellent, 51 percent good, 20 fair, five poor and two in very poor condition.  Overall condition remained steady in the excellent category, dropped two points in the good category, gained one point the fair category, unchanged in poor and it added one point in the very poor category.  As of Sunday, 90 percent of the crop was silking, 36 percent in the dough stage.

This week USDA reports 85 percent of the crop is blooming and 57 percent of the nation's crop is setting pods. Soybean crop condition is holding steady across the board with 16 percent in excellent condition, 55 percent good, 23 fair, five poor and one in very poor condition. 

The condition of nation's cotton crop remains in better shape than a year ago with 86 percent in excellent to fair condition.  Across the 15 - growing region 11 percent was in excellent condition, 42 percent good, 33 percent fair, 11 percent poor and three percent very poor.  Cotton squaring is at 95 percent and 68 percent setting bolls.

Winter wheat harvest has reached 90 percent complete.  Harvest continues in California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington.  Spring wheat harvest is on track with the five year average with harvest 97 percent complete.  Harvest is wrapping up Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota.

Click Here for State-By-State Details. 

Oklahoma Wheat Farmers in 38 Counties Can Sign Up for SCO for 2015 Crop

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced continued progress in implementing provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill that will strengthen and expand insurance coverage options for farmers and ranchers. The new Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), available through the federal crop insurance program and set to begin with the 2015 crop year, is designed to help protect producers from yield and market volatility.


"America's agricultural producers work hard to produce a sufficient amount of safe and nutritious food for the country," said Secretary Tom Vilsack. "It's critical that they have crop insurance options to effectively manage risks and ensure that they do not lose everything due to events beyond their control. Following the 2014 Farm Bill signing, USDA has made it a priority to ensure the Supplemental Coverage Option was available to help farmers in this upcoming crop year."


For Oklahoma Wheat Producers, farmers in 38 counties will be eligible for the SCO and can sign up for the supplemental coverage between now and September 30, 2014. According to Dr. Jody Campiche with Oklahoma State University, the following counties have made the list for this program in wheat:


Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cimarron, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Jackson, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Logan, Major, McClain, Noble, Oklahoma, Osage, Ottawa, Payne, Roger Mills, Texas, Tillman, Wagoner, Washita, Woods and Woodward Counties.

Click Here for more information on SCO coverage.  

Southern Plains Beef Symposium Set for Saturday in Ardmore- Packing a Lot of Info Into One Day

It's one of the top ONE DAY Cattle Conferences in the country- and the Southern Plains Beef Symposium returns to the Ardmore Convention Center this coming Saturday, August 9th.

Today's beef industry climate is perhaps unprecedented with stratospheric cattle markets and volatile input costs. Cattle producers are challenged as never before to remain profitable in a sustainable way.

This year the theme of the Symposium is  "Expanding???  Factors to Consider."  

Featured speakers include Dr. Ron Plain of the University of Missouri who will offer a market update and brings a unique perspective in that he not can talk cattle markets- but he is one of the best hog and pork market observers out there.  Also on the program this year is Texas rancher Donnell Brown.  

You can get more information- including registration details- by jumping here over to our Calendar on our website.