Drought Intensifying Across West Central Oklahoma

Drought is intensifying across west central Oklahoma due to above average temperatures and lack of moisture. The latest US Drought Monitor report shows the expansion of extreme drought (D3) and severe drought (D2) while rainfall this week helped to slightly improve extreme drought (D3) and severe drought (D2) in the panhandle. There is also some relief across the far northwest.


The US Drought Mitigation Center reports over 80 percent of the state is rated abnormally dry to exceptional drought. That's worse than a year ago when 73.8 percent received a drought rating.    You can see the latest Drought Monitor map above that shows 2.25 percent of the state is in exceptional drought (D4), 14.26 is in extreme drought (D3), 29.64 is in severe drought (D2), 24.25 percent is in moderate drought (D1) and 10.1 is abnormally dry. That leaves 19.5 percent of the state without a drought rating.


In the weekly Oklahoma Mesonet Ticker, State Climatologist Gary McManus said over the last three weeks, the statewide average high was 95 degrees which was 2.8 degrees above normal and moisture has been limited across much of the state. In the west central region less than one-half inch of rain has fallen, making August 1 - September 4 the third driest period since 1921. The impact of drought is showing up with soil moisture deteriorating, low lake levels and some counties implementing burn bans.

McManus said this combination of loss of moisture and warmer temperatures are the basic ingredients for flash drought intensification. At this point it is hard to determine if this would really be considered a flash drought situation that is caused by the sudden stop of appreciable moisture coupled with above normal temperatures creating a relatively sudden increase in short-term drought impacts or if this is just "re-intensification" as drought is already in place over most of the state.  Click here to read more about Hurricanes and Tropical Storms could be bringing moisture to Oklahoma.

Conservation Stewardship Program Renewal Deadline Looms 

The clock is ticking for farmers and ranchers whose 5 year Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) enrollment contracts expire this year. Re-enrolling land for another 5 years requires a renewal application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the end of the re-enrollment period is rapidly approaching - farmers and ranchers who enrolled land in CSP in 2010 have until September 12, 2014 to initiate the re-enrollment process.


"We have been notified that as of August 21st, 5,328 CSP renewal applications had been processed, out of the approximate 20,000 farms and ranches that are up for potential renewal," said Traci Bruckner, Senior Policy Associate at the Center for Rural Affairs. "While renewal applications have dramatically increased in the second half of August, we still have a ways to go. And we strongly encourage farmers and ranchers that are eligible for renewal to get to their local NRCS office before the September 12th deadline to file their re-enrollment application paperwork."


According to Bruckner, the Conservation Stewardship Program is a voluntary stewardship incentives program, administered by NRCS, designed to reward farmers, ranchers, and foresters for maintaining existing conservation, as well as for the adoption of additional conservation measures that provide multiple environmental benefits that run beyond the farm or ranch. This program pays producers for clean water, better soil management, improved habitat, energy efficiency, and other natural resource benefits.  Click here for more about re-enrolling into CSP.

Mitloehner Slams Research Blaming Cattle for Excess Methane Emissions

This week on the Radio Oklahoma Network, Dr. Frank Mitloehner of the University of California Davis has talked about the beef industry sustainability, green house gas emissions and its carbon footprint. A study came out earlier this year that declared beef industry the worst of all animal meat proteins when it comes to green house gas emissions in citing old science. Mitloehner said its this type of study that the beef industry needs to be aggressive with as far as pushing back and letting the public know its not true.
He its a fact that ruminant animals by nature generate the most green house gases.


"Because, they have a large fermentation vat inside which is the rumen and that's a beautiful thing, because it allows us to use something that we can't digest directly which is cellulose and make it into protein," Mitloehner said.   


As a byproduct you also get methane emissions that are belched out largely by cattle. Because pigs and poultry are not ruminants, they don't do that. Mitloehner said that means ruminant animals like cattle and sheep production is higher in the carbon footprint than the other livestock species. 


I recently caught up with Dr. Mitloehner recently at his UC Davis office.  Mitloehner said the numbers cited in this research paper were far off and have been heavily criticized. He is not concerned that a single scientist in the world comes up with the study like that and published it. He is much more concerned who published it, because in his opinion this paper should have never passed peer review.    

Click or tap here to read or to listen to this latest Beef Buzz segment with Dr. Mitloehner about the tremendous story of the US cattle producers- beef and dairy.  

Texas Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) Update

Since the August 27 update, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received confirmation of one new case of Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) in horses. The premises is located 3.5 miles southeast of Waco in McLennan County, the first case reported in this county. Three premises have been released in Travis County, five premises have been released in Bastrop County, and one premises in Williamson County has been released.


To date, 58 premises in 12 Texas counties have been confirmed with VS. Currently affected counties include: Bastrop, Falls, Guadalupe, McLennan, Travis, and Williamson counties. Of the 58 premises, 23 have been released. Six counties have been released from quarantine: Jim Wells, Kinney, Nueces, San Patricio, Val Verde and Hidalgo counties.


The newly identified infected premises are currently under quarantine by the TAHC. Affected horses will be monitored by regulatory veterinarians while under quarantine. Premises are eligible for quarantine release 21 days after all lesions have healed. 

Click here for the latest USDA-APHIS situation report.  

Port of Catoosa Impacts Far More Than Oklahoma Agriculture

The Port of Catoosa is important part of Oklahoma's agricultural economy as well as the entire region. Last week a media event was held at the Port of Catoosa to highlight the economic importance of having this inland water way. One of those presenting at the event was Gavilon Location manager Phil Guettermann, who is in charge of Gavilon's grain efforts at the Port of Catoosa where most commodities are brought in by truck or rail.


"We load up out about 98 percent onto barge to go down to the Gulf of Mexico," Guettermann said. 


Gavillon has two facilities on the Port of Catoosa. One facility holds four million bushels and the newer facility on the east side holds 1.5 million bushels. These two facilities serve Oklahoma, southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and a little bit of Arkansas.


"This is the furthest inland waterway, so we can access grain from the midwest to go directly onto barge," Guettermann said. "This is the quickest way to get grain down to the Gulf." 


Click here to read or to listen to my interview on how the Port of Catoosa is important to the region's agricultural industry. 
 

Oklahoma Crop Consultant Ready for Fall Canola Planting

Respected and well-known for his expertise as a crop consultant in the US Southern Plains, Gene Neuens is concentrating on the upcoming winter canola planting season which begins this month. "Early planting has its pluses and minuses," Neuens, who has management of farm cooperatives and development of commodity marketing programs in his quiver of skills.


"Agronomic research tells us winter canola should be planted in a 30 day period between September 10 and October !0, he said.. "This period of time has proven to be best for giving the crop plenty of time to establish itself and grow well. September10-October 10 is also the suggested time to plant canola to be eligible for the USDA Risk Management Agency crop insurance program."


Neuens urges farmers to make sure their canola crop insurance applications have been turned in on time and to double-check with their insurance agents that all costs and fees have been paid. If producers haven't done so yet, he urges them to select a fertilization program established for canola and apply it as soon as possible.  Click here to read more about preparing to plant canola from Gene Neuens.

Superior Aims for Labor Day XXXV Sale Next Week 

It is one of outstanding signs of fall arriving soon- Superior Video Livestock Auction's annual Labor Day sale coming this next week September 11 and 12- originating from Denver, Colorado.  

As always, there will be an excellent set of stocker and yearling cattle- but there will also be a tremendous of females that can go back to the ranch.  Superior will have over 4,000 bred Heifers and Cows (3000 Bred Heifers, 1200 Bred Cows and 42 Pairs) selling next week.  The Bred stock starts with lot 8363 on Friday Sept 12th.

In all, over 65,000 head will be selling next Thursday and Friday.

You can preview any of the lots here and for more information, click or tap here for the full set of details about Labor Day XXXV.  You can also call and talk to the great folks at Superior at 1-800-422-2117.