July 30, 2010

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

®

July 30, 2010

Groups unite to oppose State Question 744

Nominations sought for Cotton Board

ABOVE – OFB President Mike Spradling, left, lists potential ramifications for agriculture should SQ 744 pass during an interview with Tim Spielbusch, Chisholm Trail Broadcasting.

TOP LEFT – Dr. Barry Pollard, an ag producer and general surgeon, discussed the negative impact State Question 744 would have on rural healthcare during a press conference at Johnston Grain Elevator in Enid July 21. The event was hosted by the One Oklahoma Coalition, a group working to defeat SQ 744.

The Oklahoma Policy Institute, a traditionally center-left leaning group, recently released new numbers for the impact of SQ 744. According to the institute, spending on common education would have to increase by nearly $1.7 billion over the measure’s three-year phase-in period.

Court dismisses Texas water lawsuit

The National Cotton Board is seeking producer nominations to represent Oklahoma on the board. All active cotton producers are eligible for nomination.

Interested producers should contact Tom Buchanan at (580) 471-8472. The nomination deadline is August 10.

The Cotton Research & Promotion Act established the Cotton Board as a quasigovernmental, non-profit entity to serve as the administrator of the Cotton Research & Promotion Program. Funded by America’s cotton producers and importers through the cotton check-off, the Program works in all areas of cotton’s pipeline – from the field to the consumer – to keep cotton the number one fiber choice in the U.S. For more on the Cotton Board and the Cotton Research & Promotion Program, visit www.cottonboard.org.

YF&R Summer Conference

By Marla Peek, OFB Regulatory Affairs & Legal Foundation Director Oklahoma’s battle with Texas over water is one step closer to being settled. On July 16, the federal court in Oklahoma City dismissed Tarrant Regional Water District’s (District) lawsuit against the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB). The suit, filed in 2007, originally claimed that Oklahoma’s moratorium on out-ofstate water use was unconstitutional and prevented the District from purchasing Oklahoma water.

In 2009, the Oklahoma legislature passed HB 1483 to better protect (See Court dismisses, page 2)

Young producers attending the recent YF&R Summer Conference feel varieties of alpaca fiber produced on Tom and Judy Kania’s Our Field of Dreams alpaca ranch.

See more photos from the conference on page 3.

Member Benefits • M. Rhoades Company – Offers a 33 percent discount from nationally published prices on an applied basis on ALCOA steel or vinyl siding.

Big 3 Livestock Judging Contest

• Sears Commercial – Sears Commercial is offering OFB members a special discount program with savings on numerous items from mowers and tractors to household appliances.

OFB will highlight a few benefits in each issue of Perspective as a reminder of the savings available to OFB members.

Find a complete list of savings online at www.okfarmbureau.org.

OFB Calendar August Area Meeting, District 2 August 9 • Western Tech. Center in Hobart Contact: Thad Doye, 405-523-2307 August Area Meeting, District 7 August 9 • Cherokee Strip Center in Enid Contact: Thad Doye, 405-523-2307 August Area Meeting, District 6 August 10 • Cowboy Junction in Vinita Contact: Thad Doye, 405-523-2307

OFB’s Tyler Norvell spoke during Oklahoma State University’s Big 3 Field Days July 20 in Stillwater. The three-day livestock judging event is sponsored by OFB’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. Approximately 1,500 youth from across the country attend the event each year.

Court dismisses Texas water lawsuit... (continued from page 1) Oklahoma's water from out-of-state use. HB 1483 did not repeal Oklahoma’s moratorium. HB 1483 requires the OWRB to consider what water is needed in Oklahoma before granting a permit for out of state use. The legislation requires an out-of-state applicant for a water permit to meet a strict application standard. It also requires legislative approval of any permit issued for out-of-state water use.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online Monitor the latest Farm Bureau and agricultural news and information online at www.okfarmbureau.org.

Currently online: • Estate Tax Update – Learn what’s happening on the federal level regarding efforts to amend the estate tax. Should Congress fail to take up estate tax relief this year, the result will be the scheduled $1 million exemption and top rate of 55 percent on Jan. 1, 2011.

• August Area Meetings – OFB is gearing up for policy development season.

A list of August Area Meetings, which signal the beginning of the grassroots path to setting OFB policy, is now available.

www.okfarmbureau.org 2

The District’s original claims were dismissed in November 2009 after the water it sought to acquire through permits filed with the OWRB was found to be subject to the Red River Compact. However, the Court allowed the District to amend its complaint to assert claims based on water not subject to the Compact. After doing so, the State once again filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim.

As part of the District’s amended complaint, it alleged to have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma in which they agreed to work cooperatively to quantify the Tribe’s reserved water rights and to agree to terms in the future which would allow the District to purchase or lease the Tribe’s rights. The District alleged the Tribal surface waters were not governed by the compact and were therefore outside of the Court’s November 2009 order. The Court refused to address the merits of such a claim, stating it was not ripe for review, noting “the central focus is on whether the case involves uncertain or contingent future events that may not occur as anticipated or indeed may not occur at all.” The Court noted the MOU did not convey to the District the Tribe’s water rights since “it is very much an open question whether the Tribe has any water rights at all which are pertinent to plaintiff ’s needs and if so, what those rights are.”

In light of the new water legislation and the expiration of the moratorium, the Court dismissed the case. The water district plans to appeal the decision to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.

Trade Show space available at convention

MEETING – Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling spoke to the National Association of County Agricultural Agents on July 15, during the group’s annual meeting in Tulsa. Spradling told the group during a general session about upcoming challenges facing agriculture and how agricultural policy will play an important role in the industry's future.

OFB is expanding its Trade Show during the 2010 OFB Annual Meeting, which will be held Nov. 19-21 in Oklahoma City. This year’s trade show is moving to the first floor of the Cox Convention Center, and the extra space will allow for more than double the booth space from previous years.

The dates and times for the OFB Trade Show are Friday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 20 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A single booth space is $200, or a double space is $250. Spaces will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

If you are interested in reserving a booth space, or know of anyone who might be, please contact Thad Doye at 405-523-2307 or Thad.Doye@okfb.org.

Ag tours were focus of 2010 YF&R Summer Conference in Shawnee Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee welcomed more than 60 young producers from across the state to the recent 2010 YF&R Summer Conference in Shawnee. The three-day event, held July 23-25, focused on agricultural tours in and around the Shawnee area.

A photo gallery of the 2010 State YF&R Committee Member Jeff YF&R Summer Weeks, left, and Adair County’s Marty Conference is Kester check out the herd on a tour of available at www.

Blackjack Angus Farm. okfarmbureau.org.

Next up for Young Farmers & Ranchers is the annual Livestock Judging Contest in Oklahoma City September 17.

Nowata County’s Trista Milliman pets a friendly alpaca during a tour of Our Field of Dreams Ranch.

YF&R view pecan precessing during a tour of Valley View Pecan Co. on July 24. From left, are Brian Knowles, Amber Fuhrmann, Janet and Mark Merit, and Clint Wilcox.

Shawnee Milling Co.’s Gary Lowrance, center, describes the milling process during a tour of the company July 24. From left, are Casey and Brandon Mote, Lowrance, John Vantrese, Jeff Weeks and Justin Maxey.

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Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau Postmaster: Send address corrections to: Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2501 N. Stiles Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126

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Traci Morgan, 523-2346 Perspective/Online News Editor Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Vice President of Communications/PR Lori Kromer Peterson, 523-2539 Vice President of Public Policy Marla Peek, 523-2437 Director of Regulatory Affairs Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Director of State Affairs

AUGUST Noble County AREA MEETINGS Oklahoma Farm Bureau has announced the 2010 August Area Meeting lineup for each of the nine OFB Board Districts.

August Area Meetings signal the beginning of the grassroots path to setting OFB policy for the next year, so make plans to join us at this important meeting!

All meetings will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

The 2010 August Area Meetings are:

• District 1 Area Meeting – Mon., Aug. 16 at Hunny’s BBQ in Guymon; or Tues., Aug. 17 at the Northwest Inn in Woodward.

• District 2 Area Meeting – Mon., Aug. 9 at the Western Technology Center in Hobart.

• District 3 Area Meeting – Thursday, August 12 at the Canadian County Farm Bureau office in El Reno.

• District 4 Area Meeting – Tues., Aug. 17 at Cattle Rustlers Restaurant in Ardmore; or Wed., Aug. 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Stephens County office in Duncan.

• District 5 Area Meeting – Thursday, August 19 at the Expo Center in McAlester.

• District 6 Area Meeting – Tues., Aug. 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cowboy Junction in Vinita; or Tues., Aug. 10 at the Muskogee County office in Muskogee.

• District 7 Area Meeting – Monday, August 9 at the Cherokee Strip Convention Center in Enid.

• District 8 Area Meeting – Tuesday, August 10 at the Aldrige Hotel in Ada. • District 9 Area Meeting – Friday, August 13 at the Creek County Fairgrounds in Sapulpa.

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Ice Cream Social

TOP RIGHT – Noble County Farm Bureau leader Bob Bolay, right, visited with OFB District 7 Director Roland Pederson during the county organization’s Meet the Candidates Ice Cream Social in Perry July 19.

BOTTOM – Noble County Farm Bureau Directors and Women’s Committee Members served ice cream and homemade desserts to guests at the county’s recent Meet the Candidates Ice Cream Social.

Candidates in local, county and state races attended the social.