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It's time for the Friday Farm Funny! Farming and ranching can be stressful, so enjoy a little laugh!

USDA Confirms First U.S. Wildlife Detection of New World Screwworm in Texas Elk as Border Surveillance Expand

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed the first detection of New World screwworm in wildlife in the United States, identified in an elk in Pecos County, Texas. The elk was located on a game ranch and was officially reported after being harvested by a hunter.

In response to the confirmed case, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) will modify a previously established infested zone, while the USDA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conduct enhanced wildlife surveillance throughout the area.

This detection highlights the critical role hunters, landowners, outdoor enthusiasts, and wildlife professionals play in helping detect and stop the spread of NWS.

Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, announced the selection of eight fertilizer manufacturing projects to receive funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply Program.

The eight selected projects represent more than $1.34 billion in total proposed investment, including approximately $573 million in proposed USDA funding, to strengthen domestic fertilizer manufacturing, reduce America’s dependence on foreign suppliers, and increase long-term fertilizer availability for American farmers.

Under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership, USDA launched the $500 million FIELDS Program to expand domestic fertilizer manufacturing and address one of the most significant supply chain vulnerabilities facing American agriculture. 

The Great Plains sky is hosting one of nature’s most extraordinary seasonal spectacles as millions of monarch butterflies travel southward. For agricultural producers and rural land stewards across Oklahoma, the autumn arrival of the monarch serves as a visual indicator of habitat health across the Southern Plains.

Navigating a journey of up to 2,000 miles from the northern United States and southern Canada down to the high-altitude fir forests of central Mexico, these winged travelers depend heavily on Oklahoma’s working lands, rangelands, and native pastures as vital pit stops to rest and refuel.

Oklahoma sits directly along the central funnel of the eastern monarch butterfly migration corridor. Cold fronts moving across the Plains provide the tailwinds needed for these insects to glide efficiently southward, covering up to 70 to 100 miles in a single day.

National FFA CEO Scott Stump Looks Ahead to FFA’s 100th Anniversary and the Future of Agriculture

National FFA CEO Scott Stump says the organization’s mission of preparing young people for careers in agriculture remains as important as ever as FFA celebrates its 99th National Convention in Indianapolis.

With membership reaching more than 1 million students, Stump says the organization is focused on expanding opportunities across the agriculture industry while preparing for its 100th anniversary in 2027.

In a conversation with Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays, Stump reflected on FFA’s growth, its evolving membership and the importance of connecting students with agricultural careers, whether they come from a farm or ranch background or are discovering the industry for the first time. Our coverage of the 2026 National FFA Convention is powered by Hilliary Communications, Always Innovating, Because Every Community Matters.

Senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Don Close of Terrain about the cattle market, recent disruptions affecting feedlots, and the outlook for rebuilding the U.S. beef cow herd. Despite ongoing uncertainty, Close says tight cattle supplies and strong consumer demand continue to support a positive market outlook.

Reflecting on his years of involvement with the cattle industry and TCFA, Close said one encouraging development is the number of young people entering the business. “We always want to say that we don’t have any or enough young people coming into the industry,” Close said.

“You get to looking around from when I was around before, there’s a lot of young guys in here. So I think there’s some real optimism on that front that we do have a future.” However, the industry continues to face challenges, including disruptions that have made it more difficult for feedlot operators to plan and move cattle.

Visitors attending the Stockyards Stampede in Oklahoma City’s historic Stockyards City had an opportunity to learn more about dairy production and where their milk comes from, thanks to an educational exhibit from Southwest Dairy Farmers.

Oklahoma Farm Report intern Haden Snelson spoke with Suzie Reece, Oklahoma mobile dairy classroom instructor for Southwest Dairy Farmers, about the organization’s traveling dairy classroom, the current state of Oklahoma’s dairy industry and the importance of connecting consumers with agriculture.

Reece travels to schools, fairs and community events with a mobile dairy classroom designed to demonstrate the milking process and educate the public about dairy farming.

Oklahoma is seeing some improvement in drought conditions following recent rainfall, offering relief after months of hot, dry weather across much of the state. Exceptional drought has shrunk by 9.39% this week, reflecting the impact of heavy rain across parts of Oklahoma. However, drought remains widespread, and additional rainfall will be important as the state continues to recover from drought.

According to the Drought Monitor, exceptional drought has decreased by 9.39% this week, now covering 7.16% of the state. Moderate to extreme drought conditions in the current period affect 89.19% of the state. At this point, 10.81% of Oklahoma has only abnormally dry conditions, the lowest tier on the drought monitor.

According to the 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook map, eastern Oklahoma is leaning above a 40-50% chance of rain, while western Oklahoma is leaning above a 50-60% chance through October 31st.

Checking the Markets...

Traders grew tired of being the main force behind the cattle complex's bullish surge and opted to let the contracts close mildly lower through Thursday's end. October live cattle closed $0.67 lower at $229.75, December live cattle closed steady at $231.12 and February live cattle closed $0.37 lower at $233.45. 

Boxed beef prices closed lower: choice down $3.12 ($369.47) and select down $4.93 ($350.41) with a movement of 123 loads.

And in keeping in perfect alignment with the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts closed lower too. October feeder cattle closed $1.72 lower at $346.10, November feeder cattle closed $1.90 lower at $346.92 and January feeder cattle closed $1.82 lower at $344.

Click here for our Markets Page on OklahomaFarmReport.Com- there you will find our latest reports on cattle auctions, boxed beef, cash grains and market analysis.

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