Schulte said Oklahoma Wheat Farmers Look for Better Times Ahead

The 2014 wheat crop will go down in history as one of the worst crops for Oklahoma farmers since 1957. Oklahoma produced about half of a normal wheat crop. Oklahoma Wheat Commission Executive Director Mike Schulte shared the sentiment of a lot farmers in putting the year behind us and focusing on next year.


"We're hopeful this coming year is going to be much better," Schulte said.


Oklahoma wheat farmers planted the 2015 crop in September and October. Schulte said fall rains arrived at the right times, allowing root development and the crop is tillering very nicely. He said stands everywhere look great and the crop in the western part of Oklahoma is the best its looked in the last five years. With the rains the state has received he is hopeful 2015 will be a much better year for growers.


"With the rains that we have received just over the last couple weeks over the state I think this buys us time until the end of February and then if we could get into the end of February and receive moisture through March and April, hopefully that will give us much better prospects than what we had last year," Schulte said. 
 

I interviewed Schulte about the outlook for 2015. Click or tap to listen to the full interview.  Mike will also be joining me for our weekly In the Field report on KWTV News9 in the Oklahoma City market on Saturday morning at 6:40 AM. 

Anderson Analyzes USDA Supply and Demand Report on SUNUP

This week's report grain stocks report came in close to trade expectations. On this weekend's edition of SUNUP, host Lyndall Stout interviews Oklahoma State University Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson about the US Department of Agriculture's World Supply and Demand Estimate report that came out on Wednesday. Anderson said there were minor changes in the ending stocks for wheat and the report lowered hard red winter wheat exports from 320 million bushels down to 305 million bushels. He said the changes for US corn were even less significant with ending stocks slightly less than two million bushels. He thought the soybean numbers were significant as they came in at 410 million bushels for ending stocks. That was lower than trade expectations of 431 million bushels. Additionally world soybean stocks were lowered.


Looking ahead to this next week, Anderson expects Kansas City wheat prices will trade below $6.20 and probably continue sideways from $5.80 to $6.20. If prices can get above $6.20, then he thinks it is possible for prices to move sideways at the slightly higher level. Corn remains in a sideways trading pattern between $3.75 - $4.00 for the March 2015 contract. Anderson thinks it will continue to remain sideways. Soybeans are also trading sideways from $9.80 to $10.60. Anderson said he looks for sideways trading to continue for soybeans as well but the lower soybean ending stocks could get prices to break through $10.60 but he doesn't think that is likely.


In moving into this holiday period, Anderson believes the markets will be depend mostly on what the funds do in the weeks ahead. He looks for prices to waller around until the January WASDE report comes out. He said that report has much more influence on the market in causing more price movements than the December report. Overall he doesn't expect much price movement for the remainder of December. Anderson said if farmers have wheat in the bin, then they should be marketing some of the crop during these price rallies.  Click here to read more about marketing 2015 crops and the lineup for this weekend's edition of SUNUP.   

Certified Angus Beef Continues to Stand Out Among Competition

Certified Angus Beef has enjoyed a lot success in recent years. CAB has sold 882 million pounds of beef this past year. This becomes the branded beef program's eighth consecutive sales record for the CAB brand. CAB Director for Industry Information Steve Suther said its all about continuing to always look for that next new idea that will help advance the gold standard of branded beef products - CAB.


"We're always looking for new ideas and new research that shows the dollar premium or the dollar advantage connected with aiming for this target," Suther said. "You know the only reason why we have had eight years in a row of continuing record sales is because there is more money in it for the producer, for the packer, for the restaurant and the consumer gets more value."


For decades the US cattle industry has seen the number of cattle declining and now the US cattle herd is at its smallest cow herd since the 1950's. Suther said that is about to turn around as cattle hold back heifers and begin to grow their herd numbers. He said there is an opportunity to do that with higher quality genetics through Angus.  Click here to learn about University of Missouri research that looked at if the market could become flooded with high quality beef. 

US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack Responds to Retirement of Dr. Joe Glauber

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Thursday made the following statement on the retirement from federal service of USDA Chief Economist Dr. Joe Glauber:


"No one has a higher level of credibility on issues impacting the agricultural economy than Dr. Glauber. Farm country and, truly, the country as a whole have been extraordinarily well served by Joe throughout his 30 years of federal service. I will miss Joe's expertise and wise counsel, and wish him well as he begins the next phase of his distinguished career."


Current USDA Deputy Chief Economist Dr. Robert Johansson has been named Acting Chief Economist. Johansson has served as USDA's Deputy Chief Economist since 2012 and holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota. Johansson will assume the duties of Chief Economist beginning January 1, 2015. 

US House Passes Omnibus Approps Measure- Now Waiting on Senate for That and Tax Extenders

The US House passed the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill on Thursday afternoon, funding much of the government through Sept. 30, 2015. National Cattlemen's Beef Association President and Victoria, Texas cattleman, Bob McCan says this appropriations bill contained many of the priorities for cattlemen and women.

"We were very happy to see a number of issues that have affected our producers addressed in this legislation," said McCan. "It is clear that Congress recognizes and agrees that the Administration's regulatory zeal has gone too far and if left unchecked, it will impede the economic growth of rural America." 

Key to the Cattle organization- instructive language from Congress on COOL, the Beef Checkoff controversy and the Waters of the US proposed rule.  While this language offers the opinion of Congress on these issues, it stops short of being a mandate to the Administration- they don't have to follow the letter of these instructions. 

Click here for more on this House vote from the NCBA point of view.

Also released on Thursday evening was a statement from Congressman Markwayne Mullin, who voted for the measure, although it appears he did so holding his nose on some of the provisions within the bill. Here's his statement for you to read from our website.

In both the case of the Omnibus Budget bill and the Tax Extenders measure- they are both waiting votes in the Senate- Senator Harry Reid says the Budget bill will be debated today in the Senate and it has been reported that the Tax Extenders extension for just 2014 will be the last thing the Senate does before ending this session of Congress. 

A new feature at the 2014 Tulsa Farm Show is a trick riding show put on by Oklahoman Melissa Navarre of the famed Beutler Rodeo Family of Elk City. Navarre and her family will present two shows daily at noon the two remaining days, at 2 p.m. on Friday and the last show on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on the east end of the expo. 


I talked with Melissa about how she has been around Rodeo all her life and has been trick riding for 20 years. She says that she has ridden in events from south Texas all the way to Calgary and their famous Stampede.  Click or tap here for a chance to hear the conversation I had with Melissa at the 2014 Tulsa Farm Show.


To learn more about this year's farm show, click here for an earlier overview that we have on our website about the premiere indoor farm show in the state of Oklahoma- the Tulsa Farm Show.

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There will be a "goodbye" reception for several folks within the Plant and Soil Science Department at Oklahoma State University this afternoon at 3:00 PM.  It will be held in room 374 of Ag Hall.

We have mentioned that Dr. Dave Porter, head of PASS, is retiring- but there are several other key players within the department that are either retiring or going on to other opportunities as the old year ends.  Besides Dr. Porter, Dr. Art Klatt is retiring and an email from the department indicates that Dr. Samantha Shoaf, Area Agronomist Rick Kochenower and Stuart Wilson are also leaving OSU.  

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McAlester Stockyards has planned a special Replacement Cow and Bull Sale for tomorrow, December 13rd at their facilities in McAlester.

Over 800 cows and several bulls will be offered- click here for more details or give Julie and her team a call for more details- that number is 918-423-2834.