January 13, 2012

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

®

January 13, 2012

Annual OFB events on the horizon...

LEADERSHIP conference 2012 Feb. 20-21 • OKC Marriott Hotel Plan now to attend the annual Oklahoma Farm Bureau Leadership Conference, Feb. 20-21, at the Oklahoma City Marriott Hotel. The annual event is an opportunity for OFB members to meet and network with Oklahoma’s legislators and other elected officials. For reservations, call the Marriott Hotel on OKC’s Northwest Expressway at (405) 842-6633.

More conference details coming soon!

Congressional Action Tour 2012 March 25-29 Washington, D.C.

Feb. 20 Registration Deadline

Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Congressional Action Tour is scheduled for March 25-29, and the registration deadline is only a month away. This year’s itinerary includes two full days of visits with Oklahoma congressmen and senators in the national’s capital along with an extra day of tours and sightseeing opportunities.

OFB members interested in the trip have the option of departing from both Oklahoma City or Tulsa. Limited space is available, and the registration deadline is Feb. 20. For more information about the OFB Congressional Action Tour or to obtain a reservation form, contact Marcia Irvin at (405) 523-2405.

In This Issue • Women in Agriculture • Farm Bill Committee Work • AFBF Commodity Advisory Committee appointments • 4th Quarter Marketbasket Survey Results • Producers optimistic about farming in 2012

Carroll selected to serve as YF&R Coordinator West Central Field Representative Holly Carroll has been chosen to assume the duties and title of Young Farmers & Ranchers Coordinator for Oklahoma Farm Bureau.

Carroll began her OFB career as a field rep in July 2009.

The YF&R program will continue to be administered through the Field Services Department, under the direction of Vice-President of Field Services Thad Doye.

OFB’s YF&R group is planning to participate in several events over the upcoming months including the National YF&R Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich., (Feb. 17-20). Other annual activities include the YF&R Speech Contest on March 13, and YF&R Legislative Day on April 5. Also, see future issues of Perspective for details on the YF&R State Leadership Conference scheduled for later this spring.

YF&R is open to OFB members ages 18 to 35 years old. For more information, email Holly at Holly.Carroll@okfb.org.

Member Benefits • Sears Commercial – The Sears Commercial Customer Advantage Program offers special discount pricing on everyday products for your home. Call (918) 289-1614.

• Air Evac Lifetime – Offers members a

reduced annual fee for emergency air service in rural areas. Contact your county FB office.

OFB highlights 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 okfarmbureau.org.

OFB Calendar Oklahoma Legislature Convenes February 6, 2012 • OKC Contact: Kinsey Money, (405) 523-2539 National YF&R Leadership Conference February 17-20, 2012 • Grand Rapids, MI Contact: Holly Carroll, (405) 205-0069 Commodity Advisory Committee Meeting February 19-25, 2012 • Washington, D.C. Contact: Todd Honer, (405) 205-0090

Legislative Dinner – State Sen. Don Barrington of District 31 (left) talks with Comanche County Farm Bureau member Tom Flood during the Comanche County Legislative Dinner on Dec. 27, in Lawton. With a new year underway, the state legislative session is quickly approaching and county Farm Bureaus are planning their annual legislative events. The next legislative dinner is scheduled for Garvin County, in Pauls Valley on Jan. 19.

See the Jan. 27, issue of Perspective for a legislative preview from Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Public Policy Division.

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

Currently online: • Radio Ag News – OFB produces daily agriculture news stories and distributes them to radio stations in the region. Click on “radio/tv” under the News tab on our home page.

• AFBF Convention in Review – Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders and members recently attend the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Hawaii. See the OFB home page for AFBF convention news.

www.okfarmbureau.org

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AgrAbility Day is March 25 The 2012 AgrAbility Day at the capitol in Oklahoma City is set for Monday, March 26, from 1 to 3 p.m.

AgrAbility Day is an opportunity for the state legislature to learn about the importance of AgrAbility projects in Oklahoma and the need for funding to support its services.

The purpose of the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project is to provide education, service and support to farmers, ranchers and their families who have a disability or debilitating injury limiting their ability to perform essential work tasks.

This year’s event at the state capitol will feature indoor exhibits in the 4th floor rotunda. A variety of disability simulation exhibits also will be on display.

For more information about AgrAbility Day at the state capitol, contact Stacy Bauter at stacy.bauter@okstate.edu or 888885-5588.

Kienholz to receive “Outstanding Woman in Ag” honor Noble County Farm Bureau member and county FB women’s vice chair Denise Kienholz soon will receive recognition as an “Outstanding Woman in Ag” at the 2012 Women in Agriculture Conference, Feb. 9, in Tonkawa.

The Kay and Noble County Conservation Districts are joining with their Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agencies and the USDA Risk Management Agency to host the Women in Agriculture Conference.

Conference organizers plan to highlight the various roles and responsibilities women have in agriculture while also helping them improve their leadership and management skills. This year’s featured speaker is radio broadcaster Ron Hays of the Oklahoma Farm Report.The conference also will include break-out sessions, a vendor area with booth displays and the recognition of four “OutstandDenise Kienholz ing Women in Ag.” enjoys raising Noble County FB’s cattle with her Denise Kienholz and husband, Steve, her husband, Steve, own in Noble County. and operate their farm near Red Rock, where they grow 2,500 acres of wheat, milo, corn, soybeans and hay along with 120 cow/calf pairs.

“There have been a lot of good ladies in our county who have received recognition and I feel honored to be one of them,” she said.

The 2012 Women in Agriculture Conference is scheduled for Feb. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Renfro Center on the campus of Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa. Pre-registration is $15 and forms can be picked up at several community locations in Kay and Noble Counties as well as the county conservation district offices. Pre-registration is due Feb. 1. For more information, contact Kay County’s conservation district office at (580) 362-2438 or the Noble County conservation district office at (580) 336-2003.

Farm bill committee resumes work The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm Bill Advisory Committee met on Jan. 4, to begin another year of work on the upcoming 2012 farm bill. Committee members interacted via phone conference with guest speakers including Dale Moore, Deputy Executive Director of the American Farm Bureau Federation and Bart Fischer, Chief Economist for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture.

Farm Bill Meeting – (clockwise) Keith Kisling of Alfalfa County FB, Matt Muller of Jackson County FB, OFB President Mike Spradling, District 7 Director Roland Pederson, Greg Leonard of Ottawa County FB and State YF&R Comm. chairman Brent Straub.

Members appointed to AFBF advisory committees The American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors has approved members to serve on AFBF’s Commodity Advisory Committee for 2012. The following Oklahoma Farm Bureau members have been selected to serve on commodity advisory committees and will meet Feb. 19 to 25, 2012, in Anaheim, Calif.

Beef Scott Dvorak, Noble County

Cotton Keeff Felty, Jackson County

Equine

Wayne Halvorson, Logan County

Peanuts Richard Wild, Love County

Swine Karen Brewer, Okfuskee County

Wheat Keith Kisling, Alfalfa County

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Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau Postmaster: address corrections to: Published bySend Oklahoma Farm Bureau

Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332 Postmaster: Send address corrections to: Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

Staff Directory Staff Directory Gail Banzet, 523-2346

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

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

Perspective/Online News Editor Traci Morgan, 523-2346 Monica Wilke, 523-2303 Perspective/Online News Editor Executive Director Sam Sam Knipp, Knipp, 523-2347 523-2347 Vice Vice President President of of Communications/PR Communications/PR Kinsey Money, 523-2539 Director of Public Policy Tyler Norvell, 523-2402

Marla Peek, 523-2437 Vice President of Public Policy Director of Regulatory Affairs MarlaKidd, Peek,523-2402 523-2437 Chris Director of of State Regulatory Affairs Affairs Director and National

Spradling appears on Oklahoma Horizon

Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling (middle) discusses what the DOL’s proposed child labor law would mean for farmers with TV host Rob McClendon (left) and Jack Staats with the OK Dept of CareerTech, AG ED (right). The Oklahoma Horizon episode was taped on Jan. 4, and aired Jan. 15, on OETA.

Farmers optimistic in new year According to the latest DTN/The Progressive Farmer Agriculture Confidence Index, producers have a more positive outlook about the health of their farms and ranches right now, compared to when they were surveyed during the 2011 fall harvest.

The latest ACI came in at 110, up a little from 108 from the September survey of growers. Robert Hill, principal of Caledonia Solutions, which conducted the telephone survey, said the uptick in confidence between September and December’s survey results is becoming a trend.

“This reflects the natural tendency of producers to not call it a good year until it’s in the books,” Hill said. “The Ag Confidence Index establishes this as a fact now.”

The DTN/The Progressive Farmer Agriculture Confidence Index is based on farmers’ and ranchers’ attitudes toward variables such as input costs, net farm income and household income. Producers are asked about their current economic situation and whether they think that situation will be better or worse in the next 12 months.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau members also are optimistic about the growing seasons of the new year and are hoping to overcome factors such as the drought.

“My grandpa always says nothing too good or too bad ever lasts too long,” said Cherokee County FB member Mason Bolay. “2012 will be a good year – farming is always good.

You have to be optimistic and adjust for the changing times.”

“I expect 2012 to be better than 2011,” said Noble County FB member Marty Williams. “The cattle market looks great and I expect the grain market to be profitable.”

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Retail food costs show slight decline Retail food prices at the supermarket declined slightly during the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey.

The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $49.23, down $3.89 or about 7 percent compared to the third quarter of 2011. Of the 16 items surveyed, 14 decreased and two increased in average price compared to the prior quarter.

The overall basket of foods was up about 5 percent compared to one year ago.

“Since about the last quarter of 2010, we have seen consistently higher prices quarter-to-quarter on a broad range of marketbasket items,” said AFBF Senior Economist John Anderson. “With this survey, that trend appears to have reversed. While the marketbasket price was still higher yearover-year, the pull-back from recent highs on most of the items in the basket suggests that food price inflation is slowing down substantially.”

Meat and dairy products accounted for about half of the quarter-to-quarter retail price decrease.

Items that increased in price compared to the third quarter were: whole milk, up 10 cents to $3.76 per gallon; and bread, up 4 cents to $1.92 for a 20-ounce loaf.

According to the USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food. A total of 53 shoppers in 18 states participated in the latest survey, conducted at the end of October/ early November.