PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU
AUGUST AREA MEETINGS Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s policy development season is underway as farm and ranch leaders in several Farm Bureau board districts have already met to begin the grassroots process of setting organizational policy for the coming year. OFB Districts 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 have met, and the remaining August Area Meetings are scheduled for the coming week. The remaining meetings are: • OFB District 1 Area Meeting – Mon., August 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hunny’s BBQ in Guymon; or Tues., August 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Northwest Inn in Woodward. • OFB District 4 Area Meeting – Tuesday, August 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cattle Rustlers Restaurant in Ardmore; or Wednesday, August 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Stephens County office in Duncan. • OFB District 5 Area Meeting – Thursday, August 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Expo Center in McAlester. • OFB District 9 Area Meeting – Friday, August 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Creek County Fairgrounds in Sapulpa.
Fairview’s Linda
State AITC Conference: Sow, Hoe and Grow
Gunsaulis (left), 2010
Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom (AITC) Teacher of the Year, illustrates an agricultural lesson for teachers attending the recent state AITC Conference in Moore. More than 500 teachers from across the state attended the conference on July 30. Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women and staff members joined other agriculture industry representatives to present sessions during the conference. See more photos on page 3.
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August 13, 2010
OFB President Mike Spradling, right, is interviewed by News 9's Jacqueline Sit and David Young for a story covering potential EPA dust regulations.
Proposed EPA rules on dust detrimental to Oklahoma In a recent interview with News 9, Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling said proposed rules by the Environmental Protection Agency to control farm dust will be detrimental to farmers across the Sooner State. “We as an organization do not feel dust is a pollutant,” Spradling said. “It would almost be impossible to comply with what’s being addressed now from the EPA as in agriculture. We’re doing everything we possibly can.” Spradling was responding to a July 23 letter by 21 senators, including Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson that outlined concerns about the new EPA dust regulations. The senators warned that proposed changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards “would establish the most stringent and unparalleled regulation of dust in our nation's history." In addition, the senators said, “We respect efforts for a clean and healthy environment, but not at the expense of common sense. These identified levels (See Proposed EPA, page 4)
Member Benefits
OFB President Mike Spradling congratulated Logan County’s Austin Kindschi on being named the state safety project winner during the recent Oklahoma 4-H Roundup.
• Sherwin-Williams – Offers members a 15% discount on select items offered at all state stores and 14 border location stores.
• TSC Security, Inc. – Will install a Home
Security System at no cost in any member’s home in exchange for a three-year monitoring service agreement. www.tscsecurity.com
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 9 August 13 • Creek Co. Fairgrounds Contact: Thad Doye, 405-523-2307 August Area Meetings, District 1 August 16 • Guymon and Woodward Contact: Thad Doye, 405-523-2307 August Area Meeting, District 4 August 17 • Ardmore Contact: Thad Doye, 405-523-2307 *Full calendar at www.okfarmbureau.org
OALP Class XV includes OFB members Class XV of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program (OALP) has been announced. Participants include a number of Farm Bureau members and one staff member – Dustin Mielke, OFB Multimedia Producer/Writer. OALP is a leadership development program that has been a joint partnership of Oklahoma State University and the agricultural community since the early 1980s. Other ag and rural leaders, who are also Farm Bureau members, that have been selected for the 15th class of the OALP include: Brian Arnall, Stillwater; Blayne Arthur, Stillwater; Amy Brown, Stillwater; Shannon Cunningham, Jay; Kyle Dorton, Altus; Alisa Hines, Perkins; Shari Holloway, Chattanooga; Durt Murray, Perkins; Orlin Nichols Jr., Beggs; Rhonda Regier, Fairview; Kurtis Sears, Vinita; Vicki Stephens, Guymon; Rodney Sutterfield, Seminole; Bryan Vincent, Ponca City; and Jessica Wilcox, Fairview. To learn more about the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program, visit the group’s website at www. oalp.okstate.edu.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online Monitor the latest Farm Bureau and agricultural news and information online at www.okfarmbureau.org. Currently online: • County Connection – Each county office in Oklahoma has its own unique flavor, created by the mix of its active members. Visit the County Connection page for information on each county Farm Bureau in the state. • Agricultural Headlines – Visit OFB’s “News” page for local, state, national and international agricultural headlines. The agriculture industry’s top stories and current events are uploaded daily to provide the latest information.
www.okfarmbureau.org 2
Trade Show space available at convention Oklahoma Farm Bureau is expanding the OFB 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. Approximately 800 farm and ranch leaders attend the convention each year. The dates and times for the OFB Trade Show are Friday, November 19 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 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, OFB vice president of Field Services, at 405-523-2307 or Thad.Doye@okfb.org.
Valerie Naumann, Muskogee County FBW vice chair, gave a special presentation on the “History and Uses of the Peanut” during the county’s annual FBW Luncheon August 5.
Weather.com features new agriculture application Weather.com now features customizable local weather applications, including an agriculture application where farmers can get their daily forecast with precipitation, and access soil moisture conditions, precipitation reports and forecasts, wind speed and direction and other beneficial information. The application also includes an almanac, growing degree days calculator, seasonal outlooks and agricultural news from across the nation. To access the agriculture application, visit http:// www.weather.com/outlook/agriculture/ forecast/73105.
State AITC Conference: Sow, Hoe and Grow Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women and staff members took part in the recent Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Summer Conference – Sow, Hoe and Grow – which was held July 30. Approximately 500 teachers from across the state attended the conference at the Moore-Norman Career Tech. The Farm Bureau Women and staff joined other ag industry representatives in presenting Ag in the Classroom lessons to the teachers in several rapid fire sessions. The format allowed teachers to move from one venue to the next, gaining information on agricultural lessons available for their classrooms. In addition, teachers heard from Patti Beth Anderson, a comedienne, actress, former teacher and farm girl. Also on the agenda were break-out workshops involving Ag in the Classroom lessons, a roundtable session with an ag expert, and Garden Ideas Make and Take. The teachers also enjoyed a photo op with a P & K Equipment 6000 series tractor set up for the event.
Farm Bureau Women leading sessions were Lowayne Piercey, top; Kitty Beavers, middle; Roberta Hughes, bottom left; and Lena Henson, bottom right. Not pictured, but leading sessions, were Clara Wichert, Marcia Irvin, and Burton and Audrey Harmon.
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Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau Postmaster: Send address corrections to: Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332
Staff Directory
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
Coalition asks for support in stopping SQ 744 In its effort to stop State Question 744 from passing in the November election, the OneOklahoma Coalition is asking for a show of support from individuals, organizations and businesses of all sizes. The coalition is seeking those people who would publicly join the fight. If you are interested in allowing the coalition to publicly list your support against SQ 744 – in coalition literature, publications and its website – please fill out the form below and mail it to Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Attn: Public Policy Division, 2501 N. Stiles, Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Or, you can fax the form to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Attn: Public Policy Division, at (405) 530-2634.
Proposed EPA rules on dust detrimental... (continued from page 1) will be extremely burdensome for farmers and livestock producers to attain. Whether its livestock kicking up dust, soybeans being combined on a dry day in the fall, or driving a car down the gravel road, dust is a naturally occurring event.” To access the News 9 video and news article online, visit www.news9.com and type “EPA dust” into the “Search News.9” field. The news article features additional comments from Oklahoma County Farm Bureau President Curt Roberts. A link to the letter to EPA signed by 21 senators can also be accessed from the page. Comments about this news story on News 9’s Facebook page vary from incredulous to angry. Here are a few excerpts: – “ You have go to be kidding!!! Have these people forgotten where their food comes from?” – “That might be the stupidest thing I’ve heard all week.” – “How STUPID can those people get??? Just that much more expense heaped on our nations farmers!!! Just wait and see what happens to meat and grocery items in your local stores!!! ( and you think the price of gas is high!!!).” To view all of the comments, visit www.facebook.com/#!/NEWS9?ref=ts.
CRP sign-up continues through August 27
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USDA recently announced that a general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program began Aug. 2 and continues through Aug. 27. During the sign-up period, farmers and ranchers may offer eligible land for CRP’s competitive general sign-up at their county or parish Farm Service Agency office. The 2008 farm bill authorized USDA to maintain CRP enrollment up to 32 million acres. Jim Miller, USDA undersecretary for farm and foreign agriculture services, made the announcement during a conference call with reporters. “America’s farmers and ranchers play an important role in improving our environment, and for nearly 25 years, CRP has helped this nation build sound conservation practices that preserve the soil, clean our water and restore habitat for wildlife,” said Miller.