February 25, 2011 by Matrix Digital Media Inc

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

OFB honors three legislators

2011 Legislative Session

OFB legislation on the move By Tyler Norvell, OFB Vice President of Public Policy

The 2011 legislative session began with the first State of the State address by Governor Mary Fallin. In her address the governor outlined many issues facing the state, but none larger or more important than the state’s budget shortfall, estimated to be $600 million. Governor Fallin proposed filling the budget gap by streamlining state government operations, consolidating agencies and cutting most state agencies' budgets from 3 to 5 percent. She also stressed the importance of agriculture in our state and for our economy. There were several pieces of legislation supported by Oklahoma Farm Bureau that were heard in committee. HB 1310 by Rep. Phil Richardson passed the House Agriculture, Environment, and Wildlife Committee, unanimously. It is the legislative vehicle carrying the compromise language between the OFB and the veterinarian community. HB 1310 calls for those performing (See page 2)

OFB to sponsor cattle sale during Farm Show Oklahoma Farm Bureau is sponsoring the Herd Builder Private Treaty Sale during the 7th annual Southern Plains Farm Show, presented by Midwest Shows, Inc. The sale is set for April 7, 8 and 9 at the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. The sale, an expansion of the popular Bull Sale, will include all breeds - heifers, bred heifers, cow-calf pairs and more. The sale will be open to everyone attending the farm show for all three days of the show. “Oklahoma Farm Bureau is excited to offer producers the opportunity to showcase all breeds of beef animals,” said Thad Doye, OFB vice president of Field Services. “Producers can choose to bring a group of (See OFB to sponsor, page 2)

February 25, 2011

Three state legislators received Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Meritorious Service Award during the farm organization’s annual leadership conference in Oklahoma City Feb. 21. The Meritorious Service award is presented to legislators who have a strong voting record for Farm Bureau issues and show support for rural and agricultural issues. The awards are based on a county Farm Bureau’s nomination and evaluation of the lawmaker’s adherence to the values and issues important to rural Oklahoma. Receiving the award were Reps. Leslie Osborn, Tuttle, and Steve Kouplen, Beggs, and Sen. Brian Crain, Tulsa. Rep. Osborn was instrumental in helping Farm Bureau and other rural groups defeat State Question 744, which could have increased property taxes. She is Assistant Majority Floor Leader and Vice Chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources and Regulatory Services Committee. She also serves on the Agriculture, Wildlife and Environment Committee and Economic Development, Tourism and Financial Services Committee. Osborn was nominated by (See OFB honors, page 4)

Rep. Steve Kouplen

Rep. Leslie Osborn

Sen. Brian Crain

OFB Leadership Conference

ABOVE – From left: Tom Holcomb, Rep. Jerry McPeak, Dennis Kester and David Leatherwood shared a laugh during the legislative reception at Leadership Conference Feb. 21. See more photos online at www.okfarmbureau.org.

During Gov. Mary Fallin’s keynote address to OFB leaders, she proclaimed Feb. 21-25 as Farm Bureau Week and also became a Farm Bureau member.

Member Benefits • KJD Enterprises – Offers a $150 cash

rebate to all OFB members on the purchase of a new K/D front end loader.

• Beef Verification Solution – A comprehensive cattle program utilizing radio frequency identification technology and provides solutions for livestock data collection, management and communications. 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 YF&R Speech Contest March 14 • OSU-OKC Campus Contact: Chris Kidd, 580-228-4001 YF&R District Scholarship Deadline March 15 • Statewide Contact: Chris Kidd, 580-228-4001 National Agriculture Day March 15 • Nationwide Website: www.agday.org

OFB to sponsor cattle sale during Farm Show... (continued from page 1) animals, or one individual animal. This sale is a unique and great marketing opportunity for all producers of cattle.” Producers interested in offering animals for sale should contact Doye at 405-523-2307. Fees for participation are: Bulls - $100; Heifers/Bred Heifers – $50; and Cow-Calf Pair – $75. More information about sale animals will be posted at the Midwest Shows website, www.farmshowsusa.com, as details become available.

YF&R Speech Contest, Scholarship apps available Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee has made available applications for its upcoming speech contest and scholarship program. The Speech Contest will be held Monday, March 14 on the OSU-OKC Campus in Oklahoma City. The scholarship program offers nine $1,000 scholarships, one per each OFB board district, to high school seniors majoring in agriculture at college. More details and applications are available online at www.okfarmbureau.org.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online Monitor the latest Farm Bureau and agricultural news and information online at www.okfarmbureau.org. Currently online: • YF&R Conference – An agenda for the annual Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference is now available for download online. The four-day conference will be held March 31 - April 3 at the Quartz Mountain State Lodge. • Legislative Update – Recent legislative activity on Oklahoma Farm Bureau priority legislation is updated frequently on OFB’s Web site. Public Policy staff record action on legislation of interest to keep members informed.

www.okfarmbureau.org 2

OFB legislation...... (continued from page 1) reproductive services in ruminate animals, such as embryo transfer and ultra sounding, “for hire” to be certified. Also, the legislation creates an Animal Technology Advisory Committee consisting of three veterinarians and three producers, with the state veterinarian serving as the non-voting, ex-officio chairman. This committee will be in charge of deciding if any new or evolving technology should be considered an act of animal husbandry or veterinary medicine. Annexation reform is the intent of HB 1296, authored by Rep. David Derby. The bill passed the House General Government Committee with a 15 to 0 vote. This piece of legislation removes the exemptions cities use to avoid getting consent from those who are being annexed into municipal limits. HB 1296 does not stop cities from annexing territory; it just requires them to get written consent of the owners of at least a majority of the acres to be annexed. Also passing committee was SJR 37 by Sen. Mike Schulz. This resolution will ask Oklahoma voters to amend the initiative petition process by requiring an equal percentage of signatures from each congressional district in order to place a state question on the ballot. Finally, several bills opposed by OFB were defeated in committee work the opening weeks of session. Legislation that would have increased the school bond indebtedness cap from 10 percent to 15 percent failed in the Senate Education Committee, while the House Rules Committee voted down a bill that would have added a possible 5 mil increase to ad valorem taxes for schools. ®

OSU Cow-Calf Boot Camp is April 25-27 Cow-calf producers looking for intensive, hands-on training will not want to miss Oklahoma State University’s upcoming CowCalf Boot Camp. The boot camp will be held April 25-27 at the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex in Ada. The OSU Cow-Calf Boot Camp is designed for both new and experienced cattle producers who are serious about increasing their level of management and their bottom line. Enrollment is limited to allow all the participants to work closely with some of Oklahoma’s best livestock specialists and educators. At the camp you will work “hands on” with live cattle, solve management problems in small groups, and have ample opportunity for questions and discussions. Topics covered will include genetics, reproduction, herd health, nutrition, business management and forage management. Space is limited! The cost of the boot camp is $100. The registration deadline is April 4. A special rate for participants is available at the LaQuinta Inn in Ada before April 1. Visit www. osucowcamp.com to learn more and to download a registration form.

Beef Cook-Off seeks winning recipes The 29th National Beef Cook-Off, sponsored in part by the Beef Checkoff, is seeking America’s winning recipes from home cooks and entertaining enthusiasts. The 2011 event is a national search for extraordinary recipes that demonstrate the benefits and versatility of cooking with beef via four uniquely themed contest categories. Learn more about the new contest and cooking themes, including the 5:30 p.m. dinner crunch, retro recipes, fuel up with beef and stir-crazy solutions, at www.beefcookoff.org. The deadline to enter your recipe is April 30 for a chance to win up to $25,000 in cash, plus a trip to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C. Contest updates can also be found on the National Beef CookOff Twitter and Facebook pages.

National FFA Organization seeks young farmers for conference The National FFA Organization is now accepting applications for its 2011 New Century Farmer conference. The exclusive, highly competitive conference is open to college of agriculture students who intend to pursue careers in production agriculture after college. Those selected to attend the conference will be among the first in the nation to learn about the latest technological developments in the agriculture industry, and will receive business management advice from top industry leaders. The program will also help students begin to develop a nationwide network of industry professionals and colleagues to whom they can turn for support when they begin their own operations. The conference is free to those students who are selected and will take place July 24-30 in Johnstown, Iowa. The deadline for applications is March 15. Only 50 students will be selected to participate. Potential participants can learn more about the program and download an application at www.ffa.org/collegiate.

yf&r conference 2011

Quartz Mountain State Resort

The 2011 YF&R Conference will be held March 31 to April 3 at the Quartz Mountain State Resort and Lodge. Contact the lodge at www.quartzmountainresort.com or 580563-2424 by March 15 to reserve your room. The room rate is $93. Babysitting will be available throughout most of the conference. For more, contact Chris Kidd at 580-228-4001 or Chris.Kidd@okfb.org.

thursday, march 31 5 to 7 p.m............................. Registration, Quartz Mountain Lodge 7 to 10 p.m. ..................................................... Cookout at the Pavilion

friday, april 1 7 to 8:30 a.m. .................................. Breakfast & Registration, Lodge 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. .............................. Ag Tours, Lugert-Altus Area Lake Lugert-Altus Dam • Lugert-Altus Irrigation District 12 p.m. ......................................................................... Lunch in the Field 1:30 to 6 p.m..........................................Ag Tours, Altus-Martha Area Irrigation Practices • Cotton Production with Matt Muller • Cotton Growers Cooperative Gin 6:30 p.m. .............................................Dinner, Muller Farm in Martha Provided by Jackson County Farm Bureau Featuring: Rural Issues Discussion with Sen. Mike Schulz 8:30 to 11 p.m. ............................................ Hospitality Room, Lodge

saturday, april 2 7 to 8:30 a.m. ................................................................Breakfast, Lodge 9:30 a.m. ............................................The Power of One Voice, Lodge Keynote Speaker: Andrew McCrea 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. .................. Tour Premium Beef Feedlot, Hobart Lunch will be provided at the feedlot 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. ........................................ Skeet Shoot, Hobart Area Ed Cunnis, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife 6 to 8 p.m....................................Dinner, Kiowa County Fairgrounds Provided by AgPreference of Altus 8:30 to 11 p.m. .............................................Hospitality Room, Lodge

sunday, april 3 7 to 8:30 a.m. ................................................................Breakfast, Lodge 9 to 10 a.m. ................................................... Vespers Program, Lodge 10 to 11 a.m. ..........................................Public Policy Update, Lodge Tyler Norvell, OFB Vice President of Public Policy

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

STAFF DIRECTORY

Non-Proﬁt U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 131 Okla. City, OK.

Traci Traci Morgan, Morgan, 523-2346 523-2346 Perspective/Online Perspective/Online News News Editor Editor Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Sam 523-2347 Vice Knipp, President of Communications/PR Vice President of Communications/PR Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Vice President of Public Policy Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Marla Peek, 523-2437 Vice President of Public Policy Director of Regulatory Affairs Kinsey Money, 523-2539 Marla Peek, 523-2437 Director of Research & Policy Development Director of Regulatory Affairs

USDA introduces online mapping tool USDA has announced the debut of an online mapping tool that captures a broad range of demographic, economic and agricultural data on rural areas across the United States. The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America, developed by USDA’s Economic Research Service, provides county-level mapping of more than 60 statistical indicators depicting conditions and trends across different types of non-metro regions. Nearly 50 million people – 17 percent of the U.S. population – live in non-metropolitan America, covering approximately 2,000 counties. Economic and social challenges facing rural areas and small towns differ greatly from those affecting larger U.S. cities, and vary substantially from one non-metro county to the next. Users can click on a county and view a pop-up box showing data on all the indicators in four categories. In addition, users can view an indicator (e.g., employment data) for the entire country, or can zoom into specific regions, states or sub-state areas, and pan across the U.S. at different scales on the map. Maps can be downloaded for use in documents and presentations, and data are accessible via downloadable spreadsheets. The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America is available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website at http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/ruralatlas.

FFA Day at Farm Bureau

The state YF&R Committee hosted an FFA Day at Farm Bureau Feb. 21. OFB President Mike Spradling addressed students from Waurika, Comanche, Lindsay and Thomas-Fay-Custer FFA Chapters, who learned about the farm organization and leadership opportunities within YF&R.

OFB honors legislators... (continued from page 1) Grady County Farm Bureau. Former OFB President and current legislator Kouplen has a long history of strong support for agricultural and rural issues. Kouplen served 8 years as OFB President prior to his service as an elected official. Kouplen is Rep. Steve Kouplen Assistant Minority Floor Leader and Vice Chairman of the Higher Education and Career Technology Committee. He also serves on the Agriculture, Wildlife and Environment Rep. Leslie Osborn Committee, Energy and Utility Regulations Committee and Transportation Committee. Kouplen was nominated by Okmulgee County Farm Bureau. Sen. Brian Crain Sen. Crain authored the Death Warranty Deed bill, strongly supported by Farm Bureau. He is Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee and serves on the Appropriations Committee and Judiciary Committee. He is also a member of the subcommittee on Natural Resources. Tulsa County Farm Bureau nominated Crain. “All three of these lawmakers have worked tirelessly on behalf of Oklahoma agriculture and deserve our full support,” said Mike Spradling, OFB President.