PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU
®
November 15, 2013
OKFB sponsors Oklahoma high school rodeo athletes Hunter Washburn, Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association student vice president, and Tyler Lang (center) present OKFB Executive Director Monica Wilke with a photo of the OKHSRA team as a thankyou for OKFB’s sponsorship of Oklahoma’s high school rodeo athletes. Washburn is a senior from Shawnee who competes in steer wrestling and team roping. Lang is also a senior from Shawnee, and he competes in team roping and cutting. OKFB is proud to support our high school rodeo in Oklahoma!
OSU hosts annual Rural Economic Outlook Conference Agribusiness leaders from across the state gained insight into the latest industry trends during the 2013 Rural Economic Outlook Conference, Nov. 1, in Stillwater. The conference highlighted a variety of topics relevant to decision makers in business and government agencies across Oklahoma and was specifically aimed at agricultural lenders, government officials, agribusiness leaders and producers. “This is an opportunity for leaders in this field to hear and discuss key considerations they should be thinking about for the coming year,” said Damona Doye, acting agricultural economics department head at OSU. This year’s conference keynote speaker was Joel Kotkin, author of The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050. “Joel’s review of and research into demographics provides key insights into prospects for economic growth,” Doye said. “He slices and dices data in different ways to address potential shifts in where people will live and work, as well as what they aspire to
do, and what all that means for agricultural and the rural economy.” The event featured a special focus on water issues affecting agriculture and rural Oklahoma, as well as a panel of OSU experts who offered their current OKFB State Director Tom Buchanan serves on a water issues perspectives panel during the 2013 Rural Economic Outlook Conference in on Oklahoma Stillwater, Nov. 1. Buchanan primarily discussed the ongoing law and the drought in southwest Oklahoma. livestock and ics professor emeritus at OSU and a confergrain markets. ence panelist. “Hopefully it will be higher, “We’re looking at hard red winter wheat but if it is, it means we didn’t have as high of averaging $6.50 or $7 in the 2014-15 marketing year,” said Kim Anderson, ag econom- production as we’re expecting right now.”
Member Benefits • Cimarron Trailers offers OKFB members a $250 discount for LoneStar and TranStar models or a $400 discount for NorStar, ShowStar and Stierwalt models. Visit www.cimarrontrailers.com for more information. 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 OKFB Leadership Team Winter Rally Dec. 6-7 • Duncan Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405 AFBF Convention Registration Deadline Dec. 6 • Oklahoma City Contact: Melisa Neal, (405) 523-2475 95th AFBF Annual Convention Jan. 12-15, 2014 • San Antonio Contact: Melisa Neal, (405) 523-2475
OSU Winter Crop School slated for Dec. 10-11 in Stillwater Oklahoma certified crop advisors, agricultural retailers, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension professionals and others with an interest in agriculture are invited to take part in the OSU Winter Crop School. Slated Dec. 10-11 at the Wes Watkins Center on the OSU campus in Stillwater, the Winter Crop School is designed to provide updates to crop advisors regarding current research and recent advances in agronomy, said Jeff Edwards, OSU Cooperative Extension small grains specialist. “The objective of the school is to provide participants with knowledge and tools they can implement on Oklahoma farms,” Edwards said. “The content will be a bit more technical than what they may receive in a typical Extension meeting. As an added bonus, there will be 12 hours of Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits offered.”
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.
Registration is $125 for both days of the school or $75 for a single day. Online registration is available at www.orangehub. okstate.edu. Click on Agricultural Conference Services and then select OSU Winter Crop School. Registration forms are available online at www.wheat.okstate.edu and forms and payment should be mailed to Ag Conferences, 430 Student Union, Stillwater, OK 74078. Online and mail-in registrations are due by Dec. 3. There is a $20 late registration fee. Edwards said one of the highlights of this year’s program is a presentation on land application of drilling mud. This session will be presented by Chad Penn, assistant profession in the plant and soil sciences department, and Shannon Ferrell, assistant professor of agricultural law. “The recent oil boom has created opportunities for Oklahoma farmers to receive compensation for application of drilling byproducts to their land,”he said. “However, farmers and ranchers need to be aware of and consider any possible long-term impacts to agronomic productivity resulting from application of these products.” Other topics to be covered include a weed control update, soil and water conservation and wheat growth regulators. Winter Crop School participants also will have an opportunity to network with fellow agricultural professionals at a social on the first evening of the event. In addition, there will be a silent auction that will benefit the Oklahoma Certified Crop Advisor program. For more information about the OSU Winter Crop School, please contact Edwards at 405-744-9617 or via email at jeff.edwards@okstate.edu.
Lucas talks farm bill during town hall meeting in Clinton
U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas hosts a town hall meeting in Clinton, Nov. 5. He told constituents he and his House Agriculture Committee are poised to pass a farm bill before the end of the year.
New prescribed burning resources now available Researchers with the OSU Natural Resource Ecology and Management Department and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation recently developed a new fact sheet “Burn Plan for Prescribed Burning” (NREM-2893). The new resource describes the need for a burn plan, and includes a sample burn plan and a blank copy for landowners to use. A burn plan helps to determine the safest and easiest way to complete tasks
before, during and after a prescribed burn. The burn plan fact sheet will help determine where the burn should be conducted, what type of management is required before burning, how to conduct the burn, when to burn and what should be done after the burn. Visit http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/ docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-9043/ NREM-2893web.pdf to view the fact sheet and download a blank copy.
OKFB Leadership Team’s annual Winter Rally set for Dec. 6-7 Registration is still available for 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.
My American Farm releases new energy game The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has released a new educational game entitled “Power Up”that helps young learners discover the importance of energy in agriculture. In this comic book-style game, players will visit regions facing energy crises, review each situation and fire up the “Energy Expert 5,000”to keep Energy Land running. The game offers a whole new experience for My American Farm users, as they adjust a virtual energy meter to designate energy sources for a region in need. After playing the game, learners will understand the importance of having a balanced energy plan and discover energy as an important sector in the agriculture industry. Accompanying the game is a new eComic, “Lights Out,”which invites learners to join Benjamin P. Farmington as he travels in time with his great-grandfather to learn how energy has changed. The new game and resources can be found at www. myamericanfarm.org/games/power_up. This game and related resources were developed through a special partnership with Tri State Generation and Transmission Association. The game release kicks off a three-year partnership between Tri State and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. State Farm Bureau leaders will have the opportunity to nominate state representatives to attend an energy-focused agricultural literacy symposium in Denver to be held in late Spring 2014. My American Farm is an educational game platform launched in 2011 to engage pre-K through fifth-grade learners in the discovery of relevant agricultural issues. Today the free site offers 18 agriculturally themed games and more than 100 free educator resources such as lesson plans, activity sheets and comics. One additional game will be released later this year. The My American Farm educational resource is a special project of the Foundation. The site and resources are made possible through the generous support of title sponsor, DuPont Pioneer. To take advantage of free My American Farm resources, games and activities, visit www.myamericanfarm.org.
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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 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
Make plans now to attend the 2014 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention More than 7,000 Farm Bureau members from across the nation are expected to gather in San Antonio, Jan. 12-15, 2014, for the 95th Annual American Farm Bureau Federation Convention to hear from distinguished leaders and participate in a grassroots policy-setting process that will guide AFBF through 2014. The AFBF Annual Convention offers a preview into the future of agriculture. Through educational conferences, exhibitor seminars and technology, attendees will be given the opportunity to learn information that can be used in everyday life and experience what’s next in agriculture. Attending the AFBF Annual Convention provides unfettered access to Farm Bureau leaders, educational experts and corporate partners. Gen. Stan McChrystal, a retired fourstar general and former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, will deliver the keynote address at the convention. McChrystal has been referred to as “one of America’s greatest warriors,” dedicating
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34 years of military service to the U.S. He is a former leader of the Pentagon’s Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the military’s most sensitive forces. His leadership of JSOC is recognized for the December 2003 capture of Saddam Hus-
sein as well as Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, in June 2006. “Farm Bureau is excited to announce Gen. Stan McChrystal as our keynote speaker,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “His dedication to our country, marked by one-of-a-kind leadership skills and a noteworthy record of achievement, is truly motivating,” he added. McChrystal retired from the military in 2010. He currently teaches a leadership course at Yale University and is the cofounder of the McChrystal Group, which delivers innovative leadership solutions to organizations. He is also the author of the
best-selling leadership book, “My Share of the Task: A Memoir.” Agricultural specialists from both the public and private sectors will also be featured during a full slate of special issue and outlook conferences. Convention attendees won’t want to miss the Farm Bureau Showcase, a trade show featuring equipment exhibits and innovative program and idea displays from state and county Farm Bureaus and their members. There will also be a full slate of competitive events featuring Young Farmer and Rancher participants during the convention. The final two days, Jan. 14 and 15, will be devoted to the business session of the voting delegates, when members set Farm Bureau policy positions on major national and international issues for the coming year. For more information or to register for the 95th AFBF Annual Convention, please contact your county Farm Bureau office before December 6. Learn more about convention events and related activities at http://annualconvention.fb.org/.