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)