May 18, 2012

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

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May 18, 2012

OFB plans for the future

A select committee of 55 Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders has been chosen to study the future of agriculture and Farm Bureau as part of the American Farm Bureau Centennial Development Project.

Among the project’s priorities are the mission and structure of Farm Bureau, the demographics of Farm Bureau members, policy development, member benefits, communications, technology, political activities and leadership development.

“This is a strategic planning process for the county, state and American Farm Bureau,” said OFB President Mike Spradling. “Meeting the challenges to establish a farm organization for the future requires visionary leadership at all levels. History illustrates that we’ve done this successfully throughout our evolution and we can do it again.”

(See Future, page 2)

More than 50 leaders from across the state meet to discuss ideas for Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s future.

YF&R hosts annual golf classic The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers state committee raised more than $11,000 for the OFB Legal Foundation during the annual YF&R Golf Classic, May 4.

The 10th annual event was held at Stillwater’s Lakeside Golf Course where more than 25 teams competed in a four-man scramble. Prizes were awarded to the top three teams including Wiggins Auctioneers, third place; Cleveland County Farm Bureau, second place and Alfalfa County Farm Bureau, first place.

The golf classic is the largest fundraiser organized for the OFB Legal Foundation and OFBLF Director Marla Peek said she appreciates the YF&R group’s efforts to support the foundation.

“The purpose of our foundation is to support the rights and freedoms of farmers and ranchers by promoting and protecting individual liberties, private property rights (See golf, page 3)

Members of Oklahoma City’s McAfee & Taft law firm participate in the 10th annual YF&R Golf Classic.

In This Issue • Centennial Planning • YF&R Golf Tournament • Legislative Update • OK AgFund Meetings • State FFA Convention • Tillman County FB Scholarship Winners • Noble Co. Women’s Day

Governor signs four more OFB bills Gov. Mary Fallin has signed two more OklahoFARM BUREAU ma Farm Bureau priority Legislative Update bills into law. Also, two other OFB-supported bills that aide in protecting the rights of landowners and those involved in agriculture were signed recently by the governor.

HB 1562 authored, by Rep. Fred Jordan and Sen. Greg Treat, creates the “Landowner Bill of Rights” for landowners facing eminent domain proceedings. HB 1562 was signed by Gov. Fallin on April 30.

HB 2994 was signed into law by the governor on May 1. This legislation requires petitioners or the municipality to seek written consent of the owners of more than half of the land to be included in the street improvement district and assessment. This OFB-requested legislation was authored by Rep. Tom Newell and Sen. Dan Newberry.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau also supported HB 2654. It creates the Energy Litigation Reform Act and declares certain rules paramount for construction to be applied by the courts of Oklahoma in the construction of private agreements and other contracts regarding oil and gas. HB 2654 was authored

by Rep. Fred Jordan and Sen. Rob Johnson and signed by Gov. Fallin on May 8.

Finally, HB 2573, authored by Rep. Pat Ownbey and Sen. Frank Simpson, increases fines for poaching. OFB supports stronger penalties for trespassing and hunting without permission. Gov. Fallin signed HB 2573 into law on May 8.

Member Benefits

• HughesNet – Offers members who are new customers a $99 instant credit at the time of a new HughesNet Account activation. Have your I.D. # ready and call 1-866-556-9661.

• National Car Rental & Hertz Rent-ACar – Offers members special discounts. Call

National Car Rental at 1-800-Car-Rent or Hertz at 1-800-654-3131.

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.

(Future, from page 1)

One particular area Spradling wants to address is the aging demographics of farmers and ranchers.

“Within the next two decades, we are going to need 100,000 new farmers and ranchers across this country,” Spradling said. “We need these producers to be industry leaders, so we are looking at developing more ways to surface these producers and get them involved.”

Committee member Lawrence Sawatzky, Clinton, OK, believes there needs to be more education and information for the public to understand agricultural production.

“We spend so much time as farmers growing food that we forget we need to be doing other things to help the public understand what’s happening on the farm,” Sawatzky said.

The committee held their first meeting in Oklahoma City, May 9. Committee members will meet several more times in the next two years before completing the project in 2014. The centennial project will then be implemented on a five-year schedule leading to the 100th anniversary of American Farm Bureau in 2019.

OFB Calendar Oklahoma Legislature Adjourns May 25 • OKC Contact: Kinsey Money, (405) 523-2539 OFB Safety Seminar June 12-14, 2012 • Tatanka Ranch, Stroud Contact: Justin Grego, (405) 523-2391 FBW Nurse’s Scholarship Deadline June 15 Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405

Planning – Washington County FB President Macy Strom records ideas during the initial centennial meeting, May 9.

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

Currently online: • Member Benefits – It pays to be a Farm Bureau member. From discounts on hotel stays to Chevrolet vehicle purchases, see the Membership button on our site and click on “FB Discount Buyers Card.”

• OFB Harvest Watch – Oklahoma wheat harvest is underway. Follow OFB’s four farming families as they blog about the daily happenings on their farms and ranches. See the home page and click on “OFB Harvest Watch.”

www.okfarmbureau.org

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Safety seminar deadline is May 25 Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s annual safety camp for teenagers is June 12-14, at Tatanka Ranch in Stroud.

The purpose of the seminar is to inform youth on the importance of farm and traffic safety through real-life simulations and a series of safety demonstrations.

OFB safety coordinator Justin Grego said the camp’s main sessions will cover texting and driving, ATV safety, DUI prevention, and farm safety.

Teenagers ages 14 to 17 years are eligible to attend. The application deadline is May 25. For more information about the safety seminar, contact Justin Grego at (405) 523-2391 or visit your county Farm Bureau office for a registration form.

(Golf, from page 1) and free enterprise,” Peek said. “We’re grateful for this annual fundraiser that allows us to continue serving Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers.”

To learn more about the OFB Legal Foundation, please visit ofblegalfoundation.org.

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YF&R Golf Classic Results

1. Alfalfa County Farm Bureau, first place: (from left) Terry Ryel, Curtis McMahan, Eric Smith and YF&R rep Tim Taylor. Not pictured: JJ Louthan 2. Cleveland County Farm Bureau, second place: (from left) Kent Washburn and Traviss Hammer and YF&R rep Tim Taylor. Not pictured: Freddy Wisdom and Kirk Maynard 3. Wiggins Auctioneers, third place: (from left) Bill Hasty, Adam Martens, Todd Gilchrist, Chad Nightengale and YF&R rep Tim Taylor

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District OK AgFund Meetings, May 7-11

LEFT – Grant County Farm Bureau President Ken Ferda (second from right) discusses legislative candidates during the District 7 OK AgFund meeting, May 7, in Enid. Also pictured from left are Mary and Steve Walker of Woods County FB and Ryan Pjesky of Alfalfa County FB.

RIGHT – District 5 Director Gary Crawley (second from left) and other District 5 Oklahoma Farm Bureau members study their local legislative candidates during an OK AgFund meeting in Clayton, May 8.

Additional AgFund meetings were held in Beaver (District 1), Enid (District 7), Ada (District 8), Pryor (District 6), Okmulgee (District 9), Altus (District 2), El Reno (District 3) and Ardmore (District 4).

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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,523-2539 523-2437 Chris Director of of State Regulatory Affairs Affairs Director and National

2012 State FFA Convention Oklahoma FFA students sign up to win prizes at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau YF&R booth at the State FFA Convention, April 30-May 2, in Oklahoma City.

Tillman County FB awards scholarships The Tillman County Farm Bureau Board of Directors recently awarded scholarships to seven high school seniors.

The winners were chosen from senior FFA students at Frederick, Grandfield, Tipton and Chattanooga schools along with senior 4-H members from Davidson schools.

Each student received a $250 scholarship to attend an institution of higher learning as they begin their college career.

The 2012 Tillman County Farm Bureau scholarship winners are listed below.

Riley Akin, Frederick FFA Katrina Easley, Tipton FFA Jose Huerta, Jr., Grandfield FFA Matthew Inscore, Davidson 4-H Nikki Kirk, Chattanooga FFA Austin Palmer, Grandfield FFA Kynzie Pierce, Frederick FFA

See the June 1 issue of Perspective for a list of state YF&R scholarship winners.

Women’s Day – Tyler Powell from the State Office of the Secretary of Environment speaks to the Noble County FB women’s committee during a luncheon in Perry, May 9. Powell discussed the potential of Oklahoma’s compressed natural gas industry.

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