December 17, 2010

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

®

December 17, 2010

OFB announces farm bill committee

Congressman Lucas to chair U.S. House Agriculture Committee Congressman Frank Lucas has officially been elected to serve as the next chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee by his colleagues in the House Republican Conference.

Rep. Lucas, the first Oklahoman to chair the committee, will assume his duties when Republicans take control of the House of Representatives in January for the 112th Congress.

Lucas will address many issues important to farm country in his new role, one of those being the 2012 farm bill. In a statement following his appointment, Lucas said: “It is an honor to continue in this leadership role of the Agriculture Committee where I have served since I was first elected to Congress. As a lifelong farmer from a diverse, agricultural state, I have lived the real world challenges farmers and ranchers face across the country. I will continue to be a strong voice for production agriculture and rural America.

“Oversight is a primary responsibility of Congress and we must fulfill that duty to the American people. We will hold oversight hearings of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has demonstrated a fondness for overreaching regulations that defy Congressional intent and threaten production agriculture and rural economies.

“I will work with my colleagues to enact legislation that eliminates the obstacles for job growth and entrepreneurship throughout rural America.

“And, I will work to make sure we write a market-oriented, fiscally responsible farm bill that will provide America’s farmers and ranchers with the necessary tools and certainty they need to produce the safest, most affordable, most abundant food, fiber, feed and fuel supply in the history of the world,” said Rep. Frank D. Lucas.

From all of us here at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau,

Five leading agriculture producers have been appointed to a newly-formed farm bill advisory committee by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

The five producers are Scott Neufeld, Fairview; Keith Kisling, Burlington; Jimmy Wayne Kinder, Walters; Greg Leonard, Afton; and Matt Muller, Altus.

“This is an outstanding group of leaders who are highly respected around the state for their leadership abilities,” said Mike Spradling, OFB president.

(See OFB announces, page 2)

New leadership in House, Senate

By Tyler Norvell, OFB Vice President of Public Policy The new leadership team for the Oklahoma House of Representatives has been announced by Speaker-elect Kris Steele. Rep. Steele, from Shawnee, will take over after the first of the year and at his side, as a part of the leadership team, will be Reps. Jeff Hickman (Fairview), Dale DeWitt (Braman), Dan Sullivan (Tulsa) and Skye McNiel (Bristow).

Rep. Hickman will serve as President Pro Tempore, which is the second highest elected office in the House. Rep. DeWitt was named House Majority Leader. In that role he will work closely with the state Senate and the governor’s office in moving legislation forward. The Floor Leader position will be filled by Rep. Sullivan (See New leadership, page 3)

Merry Christmas

Member Benefits • Delta Dental Plan of Oklahoma – Offers members a five percent discount on it’s comprehensive dental care program. 877-433-5821 • Beltone Hearing Aid Centers - Offers members a free, no obligation hearing evaluation plus a 15 percent discount on hearing aid purchases at all Oklahoma locations. 800-BELTONE

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 AFBF Annual Meeting January 9-12, 2011 • Atlanta, GA Contact: Melisa Neal, 405-523-2475 National Leadership/YF&R Conference February 3-8, 2011 • Orlando, FL Contact: Chris Kidd, 580-228-4001 State Legislature Convenes February 7, 2011 • State Capitol Contact: Tyler Norvell, 405-523-2402

Kinsey Money joins Public Policy staff Kinsey Money is the newest addition to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau team, joining OFB's Public Policy staff as the Director of Research and Policy Development.

Money graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Communications. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Oklahoma School of Law, where she graduated in May 2010.

Money is a native of Claremore. She most recently assisted the OFB Legal Foundation as a legal intern beginning in 2009.

OFB announces farm bill committee... (continued from page 1) The committee, under the direction of the OFB Board of Directors, will explore and study policy development that would benefit production agriculture. The committee will meet with congressional leaders, state and national farm groups and others as the next farm bill works its way through the legislative process.

“This committee will allow us the flexibility to produce a successful farm bill that is extremely vital to our farmers and ranchers,” Spradling said.

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

Currently online: • Legislative Action – New leadership has been announced in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate. Visit OFB online to see who’s been appointed in leadership and committee positions for the 2011 Oklahoma State Legislature.

• AFBF Annual Meeting – Learn more about what’s on the agenda for the 92nd American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting. The event will be held Jan. 9-12, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia.

www.okfarmbureau.org 2

Private treaty sale was a success Oklahoma Farm Bureau would like to thank all producers who participated in OFB’s 2010 Private Treaty Cattle Sale during the recent Tulsa Farm Show.

A short list of cattle that were not shown at the sale in Tulsa is available from producers taking part.

For more information, contact OFB’s Thad Doye at Thad.Doye@ okfb.org or 405-523-2307.

Former OFB leader featured in book The late Buck Clements, Ninnekah, is featured in a new book, The Red Meat Survivors, published by RANGE magazine.

Buck is one of dozens of great old-timers starring in the 144-page hardback.

Buck was a long-time farmer, rancher and Farm Bureau leader in Grady County. The story was written by Sam Knipp, OFB vice president of corporate communications and public relations, following Buck’s 85th birthday. The book is a compilation of stories written about the hard working souls who have scratched out a living from the land.

OFB members can purchase the book at a 30 percent discount.

Call the toll free number, 1-800726-4348 to order the book.

New leadership...

Kiowa County’s Scott Null, right, visits with OFB Field Representative Holly Carroll at the Farm Bureau booth during the recent Oklahoma Wheat Growers Convention.

Farm women rally in Tulsa Dec. 3-4 Farm Bureau Women from across the state celebrated a year's worth of hard work, learned new ways to be effective volunteers, planned for the coming year and spread Christmas cheer during the group’s annual FBW Rally held at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Tulsa December 3-4.

In addition to valuable sessions aimed at increasing their effectiveness in promoting agriculture, the women took part in fun activities and fellowship opportunities, including a silent auction benefiting Pennies for Friendship and a seasonal craft project. In addition, Farm Bureau Women heard from guest speakers Jim Reese, Oklahoma’s next Secretary of Agriculture, and Lori Fullbright, Tulsa’s News On 6 crime reporter.

For more information on the Farm Bureau Women, contact FBW Coordinator Marcia Irvin at 405-523-2405 or mirvin@okfb.org.

Oklahoma Agriculture Secretary-designate Jim Reese addressed Farm Bureau Women during the FBW Rally in Tulsa Dec. 3.

News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright gave the women safety tips.

Tyler Norvell, OFB Vice President of Public Policy, talked about results from November’s general election.

(continued from page 1) where he will oversee the daily floor activity in the House, while Rep. McNiel will be the House Majority Whip.

The Democrats in the House also recently named their leadership team.

Rep. Scott Inman (Del City) was elected Minority Leader by his peers. Rep. Inman then appointed Rep. Chuck Hoskin (Vinita) to serve as Minority Floor Leader and Rep. Ben Sherrer (Pryor) to serve as Minority Whip.

In addition, Senate President Pro Tempore Designate Sen. Brian Bingman (Sapulpa) has selected Sen. Mike Schulz to serve as Floor Leader.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau is very excited about the opportunity to work with the new House and Senate leadership in the upcoming Oklahoma State Legislature.

To see a complete list of Oklahoma House and Senate committee chair and vice chair appointments, visit Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s website at www. okfarmbureau.org.

AFBF announces video contest for annual meeting There is no doubt about it. Farm and ranch families perform a lot of dirty, tough jobs in the process of providing food and fiber for their fellow Americans. But, the big question is, Can they compete with show host and narrator Mike Rowe, who will be the keynote speaker at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2011 Annual Meeting, Jan. 10, in Atlanta? We will soon find out.

Farm Bureau members from across the nation are invited to shoot and share their best home videos posted to YouTube of just how challenging, arduous and grungy farm and ranch work can be. And, if their real-life farm and ranch jobs are tough enough and compelling in video format, they will have a chance to see their video on the big screen, in front of 5,000 or so other farmers and ranchers attending the 2011 AFBF Annual Meeting, Jan. 9-11, in Atlanta.

It’s all part of AFBF’s “Farm/Ranch Families Work” video contest. The deadline for the contest is Dec. 29, 2010.

(See AFBF announces, page 4)

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Chris Kidd is named YF&R Coordinator Oklahoma Farm Bureau Field Representative Chris Kidd has been named Coordinator of OFB’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Program.

Kidd, of Addington, is excited for the opportunity to grow Farm Bureau’s group of young agricultural leaders.

“There is an untapped group of young producers across our state who can benefit from what Farm Bureau and its YF&R Program has to offer,” he said. “At the same time, Farm Bureau can also benefit from the leadership and experience these young agriculturists bring to the table. I’m excited about the potential of our YF&R Program in the coming years.”

“Having once worked with young people as an agriculture education instructor, I know Chris is up for the challenge,” said OFB & Affiliated Companies Executive Director Monica Wilke. “It’s an exciting time to be involved in agriculture. I hope young producers will take advantage of what the YF&R Program has to offer, which is a strong voice in the future of this organization and the agriculture industry in Oklahoma.”

Kidd will manage the YF&R Program in addition to his county responsibilities as a field representative in the south central section of the state. He can be reached at Chris.Kidd@okfb.org or (580) 228-4001.

AFBF announces video contest... (continued from page 3) Once members have their hard-work videos posted to YouTube, all they need to do is send a link before the deadline date to the contest e-mail address: FBWORKS@fb.org.

The video contest draws on the annual meeting’s overall theme of “Producing Results,” and is well-matched with the subject of hard work, which is often the favorite topic of our keynote speaker Mike Rowe, host of Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs program.

The winning video submitted by a Farm Bureau member will be featured during the 2011 AFBF Annual Meeting Closing General Session on Jan. 10.

For a full listing of contest rules, visit www.fb.org.

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TULSA FARM SHOW – OFB Field Rep. Robin Landrum, left, visited with Mayes County’s Jerry Koelsch during the Tulsa Farm Show Dec. 9. OFB’s presence at the farm show included a display, the fire safety trailer and the private treaty cattle sale.