PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU
®
October 4, 2013
Pederson to lead Oklahoma Farm Bureau Alfalfa County farmer and rancher Roland Pederson has been named president of Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Pederson will serve in the position until the presidential election at the OKFB Annual Meeting in November. “Roland’s experience as a farmer and rancher and his dedication to strengthening rural Oklahoma make him an ideal individual to lead the state’s largest agricultural organization,” said Monica Wilke, executive director of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Affiliated Companies. Pederson has been actively involved in Farm Bureau for 20 years and has held various offices on the county and state level. He has been a state director for eight years and has served as a delegate to state and national conventions, as well as the state resolutions committee. “I am strongly committed to representing Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Affiliated Companies as I serve the remainder of this
term as president of this great organization,” Pederson said. Pederson and his wife, Terry, began their transition into farming and ranching full time with a custom harvesting business. Currently, they produce wheat, milo, corn, soybeans, canola and alfalfa. They also run a cow-calf herd and stockers on wheat pasture. Pederson is an active member in several state and community organizations. Gov. Mary Fallin appointed him to the Agriculture Diversification Enhancement Board in 2012, and he is a member of the Alfalfa Electric Round-up Board. He also serves as a board member at Driftwood Christian Church and as a member of the Burlington Lions Club. He is a graduate of the third class of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program. Pederson earned his bachelors and masters degrees in natural sciences from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
Roland Pederson
Farm Bureau partners with governor’s food drive Drive, Oct. 1-31. In addition, the farm group is encouraging its members and the public to help pick sweet potatoes Oct. 25, at a farm near Albert, Okla., in Caddo County. OKFB hopes to harvest as much as 10,000 pounds of sweet potatoes to donate to the food drive. More information about Governor Mary Fallin meets with OKFB District 3 Director Rodd Moesel during a press conference to kick the pick is available on the OKFB off the fourth annual Feeding Oklahoma Food Drive, website. Oct. 1, in Oklahoma City. “The farming County Farm Bureau offices across and ranching families of Oklahoma Farm Oklahoma are once again serving as food Bureau are proud to support Gov. Fallin’s donation drop off locations for Gov. Fallin’s Feeding Oklahoma Food Drive,” said OKFB fourth annual Feeding Oklahoma Food President Roland Pederson. “We strongly
believe no one should go to bed hungry in a state that is blessed with abundant food production, and this is our way of reinforcing the connection between those who grow the food and those who need it the most.” During an Oct. 1 press conference announcing the food drive, Gov. Fallin said the campaign’s goal is to provide enough food for 1.4 million meals. The food drive is conducted in partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, which serve community soup kitchens, food banks and shelters in all 77 counties. OKFB will continue its ongoing efforts to help end hunger through the Farmers Fighting Hunger campaign. Each year, members bring non-perishable food items to the annual Farm Bureau convention in November. Farm Bureau is also a partner in the Beef for Backpacks program where nutritional beef sticks are added to hungry children’s backpacks for use on weekends and holidays.
Member Benefits • M. Rhodes Company offers OKFB members a 33 percent discount from nationally published prices on an applied basis on ALCOA steel or vinyl siding. For more information, call the M. Rhodes Company at (405) 721-2807.
Asleep at the Wheel to entertain at annual meeting in November
OKFB highlights a benefit in each issue of Perspective as a reminder of the savings available to OKFB members. Find a complete list of savings online at www.okfarmbureau.org/benefits.
OKFB Calendar Resolutions Deadline October 11 • Oklahoma City Contact: Sara Drozdowski, (405) 530-2681 State Resolutions Meeting October 22-23 • Norman Contact: Sara Drozdowski, (405) 530-2681 72nd OKFB Annual Meeting Nov. 15-17 • Norman Contact: Melisa Neal, (405) 523-2475
Asleep at the Wheel Oklahoma Farm Bureau is excited to announce country swing band Asleep at the Wheel will entertain members at the 2013 OKFB Annual Meeting, Saturday, Nov. 16, in Norman. Asleep at the Wheel is an American country music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, but is now based in Austin, Texas. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy
Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than 20 studio albums and have charted more than 20 singles on the Billboard country charts. The band will play on November 16, at 7 p.m. after the annual OKFB banquet. Banquet tickets are $30 and will be available for purchase in the trade show area of the convention center.
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 agriculture-related story every day on its site. Read about both AFBF and state Farm Bureau news by visiting the homepage.
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• OKFB Harvest Watch Blog – The second annual OKFB Harvest Watch blog season is underway. Visit www.okfarmbureau.org and click on the OKFB Harvest Watch link to follow the six farm families.
OKFB District 1 Director Alan Jett (right) visits with Beaver Co. FB board member Loren Sizelove (center) and OSU Rangeland Management Specialist John Weir during a public information meeting on the Lesser Prairie Chicken Range-Wide Conservation Plan in Edmond, Sept. 17
Beef for Backpacks receives largest donation to date
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s Dawn Burroughs announces Sooner Cattle Company of Pawhuska recently donated 52 head of cattle to be used for the Beef for Backpacks program during a press conference at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, Sept. 18. Now in its second year, the Beef for Backpacks program provides nutritious beef sticks for hungry students on weekends and holidays.
Save the date for OKFB Leadership Team’s annual Winter Rally
Make plans now to attend the OKFB Leadership Team’s Winter Rally, Dec. 6-7, at the Simmons Center in Duncan. Participants will enjoy a tradeshow featuring a variety of local vendors; workshops on health, OKFB public policy and tips for the Christmas season; and a fashion show. Saturday will include a bus tour of Duncan and a chuck wagon lunch. To register, please call OKFB Director of Leadership Team Programs Marcia Irvin at (405) 523-2405 or email her at mirvin@ okfb.org. Hotel reservations can be made by calling the Duncan Holiday Inn Express at (580) 251-9627 before Nov 7.
OKFB award deadline is Oct. 11 Friday, Oct. 11, is the final day to submit applications for the following awards, which will be presented during the 72nd Annual Convention in November: The Distinguished Service to OKFB Award is given to a member in recognition of outstanding service in the interest of Oklahoma agriculture. The CHAMPION Award is designed to reward and recognize those members who are working at the local, state and national level to achieve Farm Bureau policy objectives through various activities. The Journalist of the Year Award is presented to the journalist who best describes the importance of Oklahoma agriculture and rural issues to both the farm and non-farm public. The Meritorious Service Award is also due Oct. 11, and will be presented during the 2014 OKFB Leadership Conference, Feb. 17-18. It is given to legislators or other state elected officials whose philosophies or records demonstrate their commitment to the policies supported by OKFB members.
Heart of America Farm Show Jim Pittman (left), Okmulgee County Farm Bureau vice president; Robin Landrum, OKFB field services; Doug Maxey, Okmulgee County extension educator and Rick Clovis, Creek Nation extension educator, admire the detailing on a 2014 Chevrolet pickup during the inaugural Heart of America Farm Show near Beggs, Sept. 20. Chevrolet and OKFB shared exhibit space during the event, and Brenda Westbrook, GM-Farm Bureau brand ambassador, visited with guests as they browsed the show.
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Staff Directory Staff Directory Monica Wilke, 523-2303
Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2501 N. Stiles Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126
Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 131 Okla. City, OK.
Executive Director
Traci Morgan, 523-2346 John Collison, 523-2539 Perspective/Online News Editor
VP of Public Policy and Media Relations
Macey Hedges, 523-2346 Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Communications Director of Corporate Vice President of Communications/PR Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Director of Corporate Communications
Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Dustin Mielke, 530-2640 Vice President of Public Policy
Director of Corporate Communications
Karolyn Bolay, 523-2320 Marla Peek, 523-2437 Communications SpecialistAffairs Director of Regulatory
Fifth-graders encouraged to participate in Oklahoma Arbor Week poster contest Oklahoma Forestry Services is encouraging fifth-grade classes across the state to participate in the 2014 Oklahoma Arbor Week Poster Contest giving students the opportunity to utilize their creativity while learning about the importance of trees. Working with the theme “Trees are Terrific … in all shapes and sizes,” students have until Nov. 29 to submit posters for consideration. Oklahoma’s Arbor Week is the last week of March. “The Arbor Week Poster Contest is a fun way to get kids interested in tree diversity,” said State Forester George Geissler.
“We also provide educators with excellent teaching materials about trees and their value in our environment to use in conjunction with the poster contest.” The winner of the competition will receive a number of prizes including a savings bond and recognition at the Arbor Week Kickoff Luncheon in March at the Governor’s Mansion. The winning poster will be professionally printed for distribution to schools and Arbor Week celebrations throughout the state. The winner’s school will receive a tree to plant on school grounds and the winner’s teacher will
receive a gift card and other prizes. Oklahoma Forestry Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, is teaming up with the Oklahoma Urban and Community Forestry Council and the USDA Forest Service to sponsor the contest and increase awareness about trees. For more information about the contest and educator materials, visit www.forestry. ok.gov/arbor-week or contact Jeri Irby, Oklahoma Forestry Services education coordinator, at jeri.irby@ag.ok.gov or 405-522- 6160.
OKFB’s Collison testifies at interim study John Collison, OKFB vice president of public policy and media relations, discusses the need to protect the privacy rights of individuals during an interim committee study on HB 1556, Sept. 27, at the state Capitol. HB 1556 calls for the creation of the Oklahoma Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Act and is authored by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft and Rep. John Bennett.
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