August 24, 2012

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

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August 24, 2012

2012 OFB August Area Meetings LEFT – OFB field representative Holly Carroll gives an update to District 2 members and reminds them to take advantage of their membership benefits during the district’s Area Meeting in Hobart on Aug. 13.

RIGHT – Caddo County Farm Bureau board member Lance Shenold (center) discusses upcoming policy concerns with District 3 Director Rodd Moesel (left) and Caddo County President Wayne Taggart during the District 3 Area Meeting on Aug. 14 in El Reno.

LEFT – Atoka County Farm Bureau board member Jerry Henderson reads through his policy development book at the District 5 Area Meeting in McAlester on Aug. 14.

RIGHT – District 8 Director Billy Gibson highlights the importance of OFB’s policy development process at the District 8 Area Meeting on Aug. 14 at the Seminole County Farm Bureau office.

LEFT – Creek County Farm Bureau board member Calvin Crenshaw reviews a water policy handout during the District 9 Area Meeting on Aug. 16 at the Tulsa County Farm Bureau office.

In This Issue • August Area Meetings • Spradling on FOX News • Governor’s Food Drive • Women in Ag Conference • Drought Assistance Program

Spradling discusses effects of drought on FOX Business

OFB President Mike Spradling responds to questions from FOX Business anchor Melissa Francis.

FOX Business News anchor Melissa Francis interviewed OFB President Mike Spradling on Aug. 13 about the drought’s impact on U.S. farmers. She specifically asked Spradling about President Barack Obama’s announcement to purchase $170 million worth of meat, poultry and catfish to assist livestock farmers through the drought.

“If we have to dump a lot of livestock on the market because of the drought, because there’s no water in the ponds and no feed in the bins, then certainly that’s going to drive the prices down,” Spradling told Francis.

“If we take some of those livestock off the market, that will help the price to the American farmer. The problem is will be it enough and will it be in time?”

Spradling also spoke to Francis during the interview about the immediate need to pass a new farm bill.

To find a link to the FOX Business News story or to read the USDA news release about the $170 million purchase, go to okfarmbureau.org and click on “News.”

Member Benefits • Stroke Prevention Plus is a mobile vascular screening company that offers OFB members a discount on screenings for stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral vascular disease and osteoporosis.

Contact your local county Farm Bureau office today to learn more.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau to continue participation in annual Governor’s food drive

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 Convention Awards Deadline October 5 • Oklahoma City Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405 Governor’s Food Drive October 15 - November 15 • Statewide Contact: Rebecca Frazier, Gov.’s Office rebeccarfrazier@yahoo.com State Resolutions Meeting October 16 & 17 • Oklahoma City Contact: Chris Kidd, (405) 523-2402

OFB President Mike Spradling visits with Gov. Mary Fallin during her annual Governor’s Food Drive kick-off luncheon on Aug. 13 at the Governor’s Mansion. The food drive will begin Oct. 15, and every county Farm Bureau office will serve as a drop-off site for food donations. OFB has participated in the Governor’s Food Drive every year since it’s inception three years ago.

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

Currently online: • Agricultural News – Oklahoma Farm Bureau features a new agriculturerelated story every day on its site. Read about both AFBF and state Farm Bureau news by visiting the homepage.

• Harvest Watch – OFB’s four farming families are reviewing harvest and planning for other summer activities on the OFB Harvest Watch blog. See our OFB homepage to click on the logo.

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OALP Class XVI includes OFB members, staff Several OFB members and two staff members have been selected to participate in the next class of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program. OALP is a twoyear program designed to help participants utilize their understanding of people and their knowledge of economics and government to solve problems and exploit opportunities for Oklahoma agriculture.

OFB members participating in the program include: Patty A. DeWitt, Cherokee; Jamie Doyal, Cement; Brent Howard, Headrick and Rusty Roush, Clinton.

OFB staff members who were selected are Chris Kidd, director of state and national policy, and Justin Whitmore, north central Oklahoma field representative.

To learn more about OALP, visit the organization’s website at oalp.okstate.edu.

Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference The 2012 Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference took place Aug. 9-10 at the Moore-Norman Technology Center in Moore and offered a variety of sessions to help producers successfully manage risk for families, farms and businesses.

Session topics included contracts and leases, marketing strategies, specialty crops and gardening. Jim Whitt, founder of Purpose Unlimited; Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb and 2011 Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson were all keynote speakers, while Rep. Phil Richardson, Rep. Leslie Osborn, Rep. Lee Denney and Sen. Ron Justice provided information on legislative actions that affect state agriculture and small business owners during a legislative panel discussion.

In addition to a full slate of workshops, more than 160 attendees benefitted from the numerous networking opportunities between participants, conference experts and informational booth exhibitors.

Comanche County Women’s Committee Chairman Georgia Doye (left) visits with Oklahoma State University extension assistant Jennifer Jensen (center) and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture market development coordinator Jason Harvey during the 2012 Oklahoma Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference in Moore.

Caddo County women gather for annual luncheon

OFB Women’s Committee Chairman Kitty Beavers (left), FBW District 3 Director Sharlene Lambring, Cindy Scaffetta, Elizabeth Strecker and Linda Taggart work together during Caddo County’s Rural Urban Luncheon on Aug. 11. More than 25 women attended the annual luncheon held at the Caddo County Farm Bureau office in Anadarko.

Cindy Scaffetta of Scaffetta’s Gourmet Foods in Anadarko speaks about starting her family’s business and the products they sell, which are available in several specialty grocery stores across the state.

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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

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

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

Macey Panach, 523-2346 Traci Morgan, 523-2346 Perspective/Online News Editor Perspective/Online News Editor Monica Wilke, 523-2303 Executive Director Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Sam 523-2347 ViceKnipp, President of Communications/PR Vice President of Communications/PR Marla Peek, 523-2437 Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Director of Regulatory Vice President of PublicAffairs Policy

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

Conservation Districts applaud action by Conservation Commission, Governor Fallin to make drought assistance funds available Oklahoma farmers and ranchers looking for help to cope with drought conditions now have additional options available to them thanks to the announcement by Governor Mary Fallin that $1.4 million will be made available through the statewide Conservation Cost-Share Program administered by the Oklahoma Commission.

Joe Parker, president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, said that the timing couldn’t be better for the announcement.

“The conservation districts of Oklahoma are glad to see these funds available to help producers throughout the state,” Parker said.

“The weight of this drought continues to press

down on Oklahoma agriculture. Any help we can provide in this time of need should be priority one.”

On Aug. 13, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission took action to make monies available for additional conservation work through the statewide cost-share program.

This move by the Commission makes these funds available to agriculture producers attempting to cope with the record drought by installing various conservation practices including pond construction, well drilling, connection of pasture tap hydrants to water systems and grass plantings in pastures damaged by the drought. These funds can also be utilized to control invasive species like the

Eastern Red Cedar, a move that can also help reduce fuel loads for wildfires.

According to OACD’s Executive Director Clay Pope, producers should contact their local conservation district to check on the availability of funding in their area.

“Our local district boards will be prioritizing the use of these funds and working to make dollars available to producers as quickly as possible,” Pope said. “We would encourage anyone interested in these funds to be visiting with their local conservation district office and their local board members. We are glad these resources are available and we want to do all we can to help.”

ODAFF, OFB officials visit fire command post While returning to Oklahoma City after a recent board meeting at the farm of OFB President Mike Spradling on Aug. 7, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry board members stopped at a fire command post at the convergence of Highways 48 and 33, south of Mannford. At the request of local fire departments, ODAFF temporarily provided a unified command structure for the Freedom Hills-Mannford fire, which burned 58,500 acres. Rep. Skye

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McNiel updated the Secretary of Agriculture, OFB leaders and others on her successful efforts to provide emergency hay for livestock in the burned area.

Rep. Skye McNiel (center in blue shirt) talks to Department of Agriculture and OFB officials about the wildfire’s effects on local livestock. Pictured from left: OFB President Mike Spradling; OFB Director of Regulatory Affairs Marla Peek; Rep. McNiel; Jamison McNiel; Keili McEwen, Gov. Fallin’s liason; Paike McNiel; Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese and Sen. Eddie Fields.