By Traci Eatherton
The 1,200 residents of Satanta in Haskell County were evacuated Sunday afternoon as firefighters worked to contain a grass fire fed by strong winds.
...Last year's high wheat yield and low wheat prices (click here) have some growers looking at other crops, such as soybeans and corn, for the year. "I drove across the southern tier of (Kansas) counties, and saw a lot of wheat being grazed out. Crops being bailed for hay. And some being sprayed, terminating the crop, which are all indications that farmers may be changing crops," said Romulo Lollato, Kansas State University Extension forage specialist.
Total 2017/18 seedings of winter, other spring, and durum wheat for the 2017/18 marketing year, were reported in the NASS Prospective Plantings at just 46.1 million acres, which is 4.1 million acres smaller than the previous year's plantings. Winter wheat seedings are expected to be 3.4 million acres smaller than for the current marketing year, with durum and other spring planted area down 400,000 and 297,000 acres, respectively....
April 11, 2017
By USDA
Global 2016/17 wheat supplies (click here) are raised 1.7 million tons due to higher projected beginning stocks and a 0.3-million-ton increase in production. The change to beginning stocks stems from a 1.4-million-ton reduction in 2015/16 domestic consumption, primarily in the EU. World exports are lowered 0.3 million tons led by 0.5-million-ton decreases each for Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Partly offsetting are higher projected exports for the EU and Ukraine. Total global consumption for 2016/17 is lowered 0.6 million tons to 740.8 million with a 1.0-millionton decrease in the United States, more than offsetting a small net increase for foreign countries. With supplies rising and use declining, global ending stocks are raised 2.3 million tons to 252.3 million....
April 18, 2017
By Bob Burgdorfer
...“The first fields of corn were planted; (click here) however, fieldwork in most areas was limited to spring tillage and fertilizer application,” the Nebraska report said.
Topsoil moisture was adequate to plentiful throughout the Midwest, with Iowa reporting 99% adequate to surplus, Illinois 96%, Indiana 94% and Nebraska 77%....
...“Central and eastern counties continued to receive rainfall, while most western counties remained dry. The additional rainfall aided pasture and wheat development but continued to delay corn planting in many areas,” the Kansas report said. “Powdery mildew and stripe rust have been identified in some wheat fields.”...
...Oklahoma is still contending with drought conditions in eastern areas of the state, although rain did fall in much of the state. Statewide topsoil moisture was rated 5% surplus, 66% adequate, 22% short and 8% very short....
Any commodity coming out of Oklahoma should be tested for methane contamination. The waters in Oklahoma are contaminated and that includes any irrigation. The fracking in Oklahoma has contaminated the water as well as the land. All products of any kind that will find their way into animal or human consumption should be tested for methane contamination.
