National Corn Rating Improves, Soybeans Unchanged, Cotton Crop Mixed

Corn crop maturity trailed behind the five-year average but the condition of the nation's corn crop has improved slightly. That's according to the latest crop progress report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the top 18 corn producing states in the nation, 69 percent of the crop rated in good to excellent condition. That's up one percent from last week. The major corn producing state of Iowa, the crop rated at 82 percent good to excellent condition. Illinois dropped another point to 61 percent good to excellent.  Corn silking was at 12 percent nationally, which is behind the five-year average of 18.


"Given the wet conditions prevalent over much of the Corn Belt in June, it makes sense that corn fell behind in terms of maturity," said National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling. "Yet, with tasseling still ahead, a more advantageous mixture of sun, heat and well-timed showers could help the crop recover. As is so often true, the conditions prevalent during tasseling will play a sizeable role in determining the size of the crop at harvest."


Nationally, soybean planting was 96 percent complete with 93 percent of the crop emerged. In the top 18 soybean producing states in the nation, the crop condition was unchanged over last week with 63 percent in good to excellent condition. USDA reports 21 percent of the crop is blooming. That's on target with the five-year average.


The condition of the nation's cotton crop was mixed. In the 15 main cotton producing states, USDA reported 57 percent of the crop rated in good to excellent condition. The crop gained one point in the excellent category and one point in the very poor category. USDA reported 48 percent of the crop was squaring, behind the five-year average of 55. Ten percent of the crop was setting bolls. That's behind the average of 14.

Click here for the full national crop progress report.  

Southern Plains Wheat Harvest Reaches Homestretch, Row Crops Progressing

Oklahoma wheat and canola harvest nears competition. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday reported 94 percent of the wheat crop was harvested. That's on target with last year and down one point from average. Canola harvest reached 96 percent complete. The state's corn crop rated 62 percent good to excellent condition. Corn silking was 33 percent complete. That's behind last year by 11 points and 20 points behind average. The state's soybean crop rated 57 percent good to excellent. The cotton crop rated 81 percent good to excellent. Cotton squaring reached three percent. That's down 54 points from last year and down 29 points from average. Sorghum rated 76 percent good to excellent with sorghum headed reaching eight percent. The peanut crop rated 83 percent good to excellent. Click here for the full Oklahoma report.


Hot, dry days helped the Kansas wheat harvest progress quickly. USDA reports harvest gained 39 points over the last week, as harvest reaches 79 percent complete. That's ahead of last year's 66, but behind the average of 83 percent. The Kansas corn crop rated 55 percent good to excellent. Corn silking reached 28 percent complete. That's behind last year's 33, but near average. The state's soybean crop rated 49 percent good to excellent. Blooming was at five percent, which remains behind last year and average. The state's cotton crop rated 61 percent good to excellent. Cotton squaring was at 13 percent. That's behind last year's 19 and the average of 34. Click here for the full Kansas report.


The Texas wheat harvest moves toward competition. USDA reports harvest reached 87 percent complete. That's in line with the five year average. Corn and sorghum harvest is starting to get underway. The corn and sorghum crops rated 63 percent good to excellent. The cotton crop rated 51 percent good to excellent. The peanut crop rated 56 percent good to excellent. Click here for the full Texas report. 
 

Peel Sees Improved Forage Prospects Aiding Aggressive Herd Rebuilding the Balance of 2015

 Mondays, Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, offers his economic analysis of the beef cattle industry- both the livestock sector as well as the wholesale and retail beef trade. This analysis is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner" published electronically by Dr. Peel and Dr. Glenn Selk. In this week's analysis- Dr. Peel focuses on Pasture and hay prospects for the balance of the year: 

"U.S. hay stocks on May 1, the beginning of the hay crop year, were estimated at 24.5 million tons, up 27.9 percent from last year and 73.2 percent above the 2013 drought lows. The 2015 level was the highest May 1 hay stock level since 2005. U.S. hay supplies are projected to be slightly higher this year with lower prices anticipated for both alfalfa and other hay. The Oklahoma May 1 hay stocks level was 1.44 million tons, up 31 percent from one year ago and the highest level since 2008. In Oklahoma, as well as nationally, hay stocks have recovered dramatically from the drought reduced levels in recent years.


"The wettest May on record and more rain in June has impacted Oklahoma hay quantity and quality. The floods in May and June resulted in damage or destruction of some stored hay and some new hay production. Low lying alfalfa fields were flooded long enough to kill the alfalfa in some cases and some grass hay fields near rivers were covered with silt and sand. In many cases hay production was nearly impossible during this period resulting in reduced production and poor quality for hay that was excessively mature when it was finally harvested. In particular, wheat that was intended for hay was delayed to the point that the quality was very low as the wheat moved toward maturity before harvesting. 

Peel says that while the hay quality may be a challenge this year- there is no denying that overall- pasture and range conditions put the industry in a place where the pace of 2014 herd rebuilding could very well be maintained. He adds "With better forage conditions comes the opportunity for Oklahoma cattle producers to implement more aggressive cattle production and marketing plans."   

Click here to read more about the state's improving pasture and range conditions and what that means for cattlemen in marketing feeder cattle and cull cows.  

ONE OTHER NOTE- In the latest Crop Progress Report that we linked to in story number one above- the pasture and range conditions are ten percentage points better as we start July 2015 than a year ago- at 66% in good to excellent condition. With the drought gone- pasture conditions in our part of the world are much better than a year ago- Note these improvements in Good-Excellent ratings versus a year ago:

New Mexico- 52% (plus 44 points)

Texas- 76% (plus 29 points)

Oklahoma- 67% (plus 26 points)

Kansas- 65% (plus 27 points)

Colorado- 63% (plus 22 points) 

Missouri- 72% (plus 13 points)

Only Arkansas in this cluster of states has a decline in Pasture conditions- standing at 56% in good to excellent condition- down 16 points from July 2014.   As Dr. Peel points out- these numbers do not translate into better hay quality with the excessive May rains hurting hay production in several areas. However, it still puts us in a position to keep growing grass the balance of this summer into the fall and allows producers to feel more confident about the carrying capacity of their fields in the months to come. 

EPA Maintains Rigorous Standards with Release of EDSP Tier 1 Results

CropLife America (CLA) commends the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for recently releasing the Tier 1 Weight of Evidence results for the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). The EDSP is the most advanced program in the world for identifying and regulating endocrine disruptors, and CLA applauds EPA for following a risk- and exposure-based approach. The EPA's rigorous testing and science-based regulations contribute to the protection of public health and the environment and ensure that growers have access to increasingly precise crop protection products.


"The crop protection and chemical industries support EPA's development of a two-tiered approach to protect public health from chemicals with unintended, harmful effects," stated Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA. "Through the thoroughly developed approach of the EDSP, EPA can separate effective chemicals that benefit society from ones that should not be near people. CLA members have committed significant resources to develop the EDSP, and our industry will continue to work with EPA to help get effective products to growers so that everyone has access to safe, nutritious and affordable food."


In 2009, EPA issued test orders requiring the Tier 1 screening of 67 pesticide compounds for their interaction with 11 different scientific analysis assays representing the estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways in humans and wildlife. These compounds were chosen based in part on the potential for human exposure through normal agricultural use. The chemicals identified from Tier 1 to have potential interaction with the endocrine system will subsequently move on to Tier 2 of the screening process. The results of the Tier 2 tests will then guide EPA's final determination of whether a substance may have an adverse impact on the endocrine system under normal conditions of use, and any subsequent product regulation change.  Click here to read more. 

U.S. Senate on Deadline to Repeal COOL, OCA Says It's Time to Move Forward

Congress gets back to work this week in Washington D.C. One of their top priories this month is having the U.S. Senate take up Country-of-Origin Labeling. Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey said that has to happen. In June, the House of Representatives voted 300-131 in favor of removing the labels off meat products sold in the United States. Now the legislation waits for action by the U.S. Senate. Kelsey said the Senate needs to pass some repeal language to fix this problem before retaliation kicks in from Mexico and Canada.


"Two of our largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, have been determined in the WTO realm that they have standing in order to retaliate," Kelsey said. "Both of them have made it very clear, especially Canada that beef would be high on the list in terms of retaliation. Some of the figures I have heard from some of my Canadian friends are that they're pushing for 100 percent tariff, basically doubling the cost of U.S. beef, if you will, into Canada and that would be a detrimental effect on our markets. We need a fix."


Some agricultural organizations think that repealing the COOL law is premature and the U.S. needs to wait for the retaliation process to move forward and wait to learn what the retaliation amounts will be. Kelsey disagrees with that concept.


"I just don't see an opportunity in retaliation for us," Kelsey said. "So, let's get by this, let's move beyond this, let's be good trading partners, let's be good neighbors, but let's be profitable for our own industry and not really shoot ourselves in the foot with a big caliber weapon, in my opinion if you will.   I just don't think it's wise for us to wait and see what the numbers are and determine if we can handle that threshold, if you will. Let's get rid of this and move forward."


I featured Kelsey on our latest Beef Buzz, as heard on great radio stations across the southern great plains. Click or tap here to listen to this feature.    

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

Hunger and Horticulture Conference Slated July 30 at OSU

While some people may take the availability of food for granted, many others around the world are undernourished, including one in four Oklahoma children who endure food insecurity on a daily basis.


In an effort to bring light to this problem, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension is offering the Hunger and Horticulture conference July 30. The conference will take place from 12:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center on the OSU campus.


Mike Schnelle, OSU Cooperative Extension floriculture specialist, said the conference is designed for agriculturally minded people who are interested in both domestic and international hunger issues.


"Oklahoma ranks in the top five states in the country for the number of people who are suffering from chronic hunger. The state also ranks 10th in the country for not successfully accessing affordable fresh fruit and vegetables," Schnelle said. "Globally, about 870 million people are undernourished."


Specialists from OSU, as well as industry specialists will be on hand to share their expertise.  Click here to read more or to register for the conference.  

This N That- Rainfall Numbers This AM; Noble Offering Stocker Cattle Session and Superior Week in the Rockies Continues

Rainfall totals from mostly last night are impressive- with more than three inches of rain hitting Cheyenne (3.71 inches), Medford (3.64 inches) and Red Rock (3.40 inches).  

Here's the Mesonet rainfall map as of 5 AM this morning- chances of rain across a good bit of Oklahoma remain high most of today into early tomorrow morning.

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Winter pasture and stocker cattle are complementary resources. There are many risks associated with the production of both as well as some emerging science important for stocker producers. 

To help stocker producers start their winter pasture program right, The Noble Foundation will host a Winter Pasture Stocker Seminar from 1-5 p.m., Thursday, July 9, at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center located at 2610 Sam Noble Parkway in Ardmore.

During the seminar, Noble Foundation agricultural consultants and other industry experts will discuss cool-season forage variety selection, antibiotic use and veterinary feed directives, economic projections for the cattle market, pest management and Noble Foundation research.    

There is no registration fee, but preregistration is requested. For more information or to register- click or tap here- or you can call Maggie Scott for details at 580-224-6375.

BY THE WAY- at that link- you will also see a variety of events that Noble has on top that you can register for and attend- including an upcoming Prescribed Burn Seminar later this month and a Pecan Management Conference in August.

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It's Day Two of the Week in the Rockies Sale from Superior Livestock- with 62,000 head of yearling cattle on offer from throughout the United States.  By any standards- that's huge!   

Check out the sale details and get the link to watch the proceedings today by clicking here. As always- you can call Superior at 1-800-422-2117 for more information.