The rainfall from this much anticipated storm system now confined to southeastern Oklahoma this morning did not disappoint in the Oklahoma Panhandle, the western tier of counties and across southern Oklahoma south of I-40. 

However, based on several conversations I have had with wheat farmers and others in the north central part of state- rain totals that measure in the tenths of an inch are less than what was being prayed for and needed.

Here's the graphic showing Mesonet rainfall totals as of early this morning:

 




Panhandle totals from two to three inches happened as the system headed toward the body of our state yesterday morning- then as the day unfolded we saw the limited rainfall from Woodward eastward to Tulsa or thereabouts north of I-40.

As you can see, there are lots of two inch rain totals in southern Oklahoma- from Mangum and Altus eastward to McAlester.

The heaviest totals to this point are those five inch totals that include Madill with 5.19 inches and Tishomingo with 5.46 inches.

For some reason- no totals are available from Leflore and McCurtain Counties- but when it is all said and done- those counties- especially McCurtain will be getting the rain it needs to put a major dent in the extreme drought seen in recent Drought Monitors.

Based on current forecasts- most of the rain for the next couple of days for Oklahoma will be in the southeastern half of the state- really mostly in the southeastern quarter of the state.

Next week- rainfall chances, according to Jed Castles with News9, may jump up on Tuesday- he's talking 50%- maybe areas in northwest and northcentral that missed this dose of moisture will get wetter this next go round.

The big weather worry this morning- the INCREDIBLE MONSTER of a Hurricane that Patricia has become- at 200 mph winds, it may slam into Mexico by early Saturday morning. 

While it's too early to really know- It could bring more rainfall our general direction next week.

For the second year in a row, the dollar per head beef checkoff will be fueling runners at the 40th annual Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. this Saturday. A group of 55 runners from 19 states will be fielded under the Team Beef banner during the run and will be participating in related activities throughout the weekend. One of those runners from the state of Oklahoma is Jamie Cummings, who is involved in the Agritourism activities of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. She is excited to meet popular D.C. running blogger and mother of three, Dorothy Beal of the Mile Posts Blog.


"Super excited she's representing beef also," Cummings said. "She's got a huge following."


Social media is being actively used to promote the marathon, but also Team Beef. On Twitter, they will be using the hashtags #BeefFuelsMCM and Oklahoma will also be using #BeefLove. Team Beef will also update information on their Facebook page, where you learn about the team itself and their activities this weekend at the Marine Corps Marathon in the nation's capital.  Click here to listen to the full interview with Cummings.

Cotton harvest for 2015 has been active even as wheat growers have been planting their 2016 crop. On this weekend's edition of SUNUP, Oklahoma State University Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson talks cotton and wheat market outlook with SUNUP's Dave Deken.

For Cotton- cash prices in the Altus area are around 61-62 cents. Futures prices are ranging from 63 to 65 cents.  "They're probably covering the variable cost of production, but they're not covering the total cost of production," Anderson said. "That means they can produce a couple years at these levels. They are going to have to keep those belts tightened, but over time they've got to cover that total cost of production to stay in business."

Global cotton prices are relatively low right now. Anderson said that's because of high production and ending stocks. U.S. production this year is estimated at 13.3 million bales. That's lower than the average of 16 million bales. He said world production this year has been estimated at 107.4 million bales. That's well below the average of 121 million bales. Anderson said prices are being held down by the global ending stocks of 107 million. That's well above the average of 86 million bales. With excess cotton globally, it's going to take some time before prices can move higher.

A similar situation exists for wheat after three record world crops in a row. Large global stocks of wheat depressed prices over this past year- and continue to do so.

Dave and Kim also get into the Economics 101 discussion  about the global wheat situation and marketing options in Dr. Anderson's regular SUNUP segment that will air this weekend. 

Click here to listen to the full interview.

  

The National Cotton Council opposes any efforts to further limit U.S. cotton policy in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) December Ministerial in Nairobi, Kenya.


That was one of the key messages NCC President/CEO Gary Adams delivered here Wednesday in his testimony before the House Agriculture Committee's hearing: "Foreign Subsidies: Jeopardizing Free Trade and Harming American Farmers."


Adams testimony came as the Memphis-based NCC continues its active engagement with U.S. trade officials at the WTO, as well as with Congress, to ensure U.S. trade negotiators maintain a firm commitment not to accept any further concessions to U.S. cotton policy.  Click here to read more about Adam's testimony at the House Agriculture Committee's hearing.

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is calling on senators to come to the table and finalize a plan to establish a voluntary national framework for the labeling of foods containing GMOs in the wake of a hearing yesterday on Capitol Hill to examine the issues surrounding agricultural biotechnology. The hearing, before the Senate Agriculture Committee, showcased officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency-the three agencies charged with affirming the safety and market use of this technology. Additionally featured was a group of professionals at all stages in the food and farm supply chain, who talked about the impacts of biotechnology and its potential regulation on their particular industry sectors.


"We've seen our champions emerge from both sides of the aisle in the House, and we've seen interest in getting a solution put in place in the Senate," said ASA President and Texas farmer Wade Cowan. "But we can't afford only to flirt with this concept anymore; now is the time to come to the table, to commit, and to put a national plan in place to give consumers information they want about their food, while avoiding stigmatization of the technologies that farmers need to grow more food while using fewer resources."


The plan advocated by ASA, as a part of the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, would establish a voluntary national standard for foods containing biotechnology, as well as those companies that wish to market their products as non-GMO.  Click here to read more.

 

I wanted to give you a quick reminder of the regular Superior Video Livestock Sale happening this morning on DISH Nework Channel 232 and on the internet at Superior Click to Bid.Com.

20,300 will be selling- details are available here.

**********

USDA has updated us on the latest cold stock numbers for pork and beef- and they are really huge.

Total red meat is a record high for the month of September, since the data was first recorded in 1916- beef stocks are 31% higher than that of a year ago- while pork supplies in the freezer are up 19% from a year ago.

More details are available here.

**********

Finally- we wanted to also remind you of the Kris Black Cream of the Crop Bull Sale that will be happening on Monday- October 26th at 1 PM at the Black Ranch near Crawford, Oklahoma.

Details of the tremendous set of bulls to be offered are available on their ranch website- click here to jump there to learn more.