PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU
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March 21, 2014
Oklahoma joins multistate lawsuit against California over restrictive farming law Attorney General Scott Pruitt on March 6, announced Oklahoma has joined a multistate lawsuit against California over a restrictive farming law that violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. In 2008, California voters approved Proposition 2, which requires egg producers in that state to comply with new regulations regarding the size of housing enclosures for egg-laying hens. Some California officials predicted the law would increase the cost of production for California egg producers putting them at a competitive disadvantage. To protect California producers from out-of-state competition, California lawmakers in 2010 passed a law requiring eggproducers in other states like Oklahoma to comply with the regulations outlined in Proposition 2 in order to continue selling eggs in California. The lawsuit asks the federal court to rule
California’s legislation violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from enacting legislation regulating conduct outside its borders or protecting its own citizens from outof-state competition. Oklahoma joined an amended version of the lawsuit in federal court in California. Other states joining the lawsuit are Missouri, Alabama, Kentucky, Iowa and Nebraska. “With this law, California is telling farmers in our state they must operate their Oklahoma farms according to California’s egg-producing regulations. That places an undue burden on Oklahoma farmers and violates the spirit of the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution which prohibits states from regulating business and industry outside their own borders,” General Pruitt said. “This lawsuit is about protecting the ability of Oklahoma farmers to sell their
products in all 50 states without fear of other states imposing burdensome new requirements or limits.” According to the USDA, Oklahoma Attorney Oklahoma General Scott Pruitt produced 741 million eggs in 2012 with a value of $90.5 million.
YF&R plans tour of northeast Oklahoma
No-Till Oklahoma Conference Major County FB member Clint Wilcox (right) discusses no-till canola during a panel discussion at the annual No-Till Oklahoma Conference in Norman, March 11. OKFB Director Jimmy Wayne Kinder (center) and Noble County FB member Marty Williams also participated on the panel. The use of cover crops to improve soil fertility was one of the key issues at the two-day conference, coordinated by the OSU Extension Service. Rick Haney from NRCS research station in Temple, Texas, encouraged farmers to sign up in the national Healthy Soil Initiative. He wants 10 to 12 volunteers from each state to participate.
Young farmers and ranchers from across the state are encouraged to join the OKFB YF&R Committee for a tour of northeast Oklahoma agriculture, April 25-26. Participants will meet in Catoosa on Friday, April 25, and visit the Port of Catoosa and Solae, an international soy ingredients supplier in Pryor. Saturday includes a legislative issues breakfast with OKFB’s John Collison and stops at Moore’s Fish Farm in Inola and DNA Genetics demonstration. Registration is $15 per person or $25 per couple. Visit www.okfarmbureau.org /yfr to download a registration form or call Holly Carroll, YF&R coordinator, at (405) 5232307. Room reservations are available at the Hampton Inn. Call (918) 739-3939 and use confirmation number 84867458 when booking your room.
Member Benefits • Grainger offers OKFB members a 10 percent discount off the general catalog “each” price. Visit www. grainger.com to view products and store locations. Use the code 85-440-8606 to receive the OKFB member discount. 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 YF&R Legislative Day Mar. 26 • Oklahoma City Contact: Holly Carroll (405) 530-2681 Ag Day at the Capitol Mar. 26 • Oklahoma City Contact: Jennie Bruning (405) 530-2696 OKFB Commodity Tour March 31 - April 2 • Southwest Oklahoma Contact: Marcia Irvin (405) 523-2405
By John Collison OKFB Vice President of Public Policy and Media Relations As you return from your spring break, know that things are going well at the Oklahoma Capitol. We passed our Right to Farm amendment, authored by Rep. Scott Biggs, out of the house on March 11. This bill passed 84 to 6, and we want to thanks Rep. Biggs for all the work he did to get that bill though the house. It is now onto the senate, where we hope to have the bill passed quickly and onto the vote of the people in November. If you have been listening to our Attorney General Scott Pruitt lately, then you understand why we need this constitutional question. We are under constant attack from special interest groups that want to ban farming and ranching, not just in Oklahoma but all of the United States. Here is just one example of what the other side is saying:
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 families from the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.
“My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture,” said John “J.P.”Goodwin, HSUS director of animal cruelty policy. North Dakota has passed this constructional measure and a few other states have it on the ballot this year. If we hope to protect our food supply and ensure we can continue to feed the world, we must pass this state question. Please take time to call your senator and urge him or her to vote YES on HJR 1006. This is the only way to protect your rights. Another large victory came on March 14, when we were able to pull a senate bill that dealt with Home Office Tax Credits. This is a tax credit that Oklahoma Farm Bureau and other domestic insurance offices receive each year. In the case of OKFB, it is a $1 million per year tax credit that is reinvested back into our county offices and allows us to be competitive when it comes to your benefits. I want to thank those of you who took the time to call your legislators and let them know this credit is important to you. One of the big reasons we are successful at the Capitol is because when we ask for you to call your members and voice your opinion, you do. I assure you it makes a difference. We still have a few bills out there that need to be worked on. As I have stated before, there is no lack of bills that deal with your property rights and raising your taxes. I ask you to remain vigilant and ready in these last few weeks of the session, as we need your voice to be loud and clear when it comes to legislative issues. The emotions of the session and the ensuing elections have the Capitol tensions running at full speed. We have had a great session so far and hope to continue this success into the last week of May. The only way this works though is if the grassroots remain strong and vibrant. I look forward to hearing from you. The candle of liberty has always been kept lit by a vigilant few. - Russell Pearce
Pontotoc County engages with area elected officials LEFT – Sen. Susan Paddack discusses the current legislative session with Pontotoc County FB members, March 7, in Ada. Members also heard from local elected officials and OKFB staff during the annual legislative dinner.
RIGHT – Rep. Todd Thomsen (second from left) visits with Pontotoc County FB board members Bill Gibson, Gene Overturf and Charles Morrow at the state Capitol, March 11. The group visited with Thomsen and Sen. Susan Paddack about agricultural and rural issues at the state level. In a new video series, Lincoln to Local, Oklahoma Farm Bureau travels across the state from the Capitol on Lincoln Avenue to local communities visiting with leaders, lawmakers and local citizens about issues, legislation and policy. Visit OKFB’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ user/okfarmbureau to watch past episodes, and stay tuned as new clips are posted to the OKFB Facebook and Twitter feeds each week.
Pork producers discuss PEDv at annual conference OKFB’s John Collison (left) visits with Alfalfa County FB member Richard Castle (center) and David Richardson of Pocasset during the 2014 Oklahoma Pork Congress in Midwest City, Feb. 28. The Porcine Endemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) issue dominated discussion at this year’s event. Rob Christine, National Pork Board, updated participants on the virus that kills baby pigs but is not transferable to humans. Many experts believe the virus will drastically reduce national pig herds this summer until the virus eventually runs its course and sows build up immunity.
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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 Director of Corporate Communications 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 Marla Peek, Bolay, 523-2437 523-2320 Communications SpecialistAffairs Director of Regulatory
Monsanto opens search for 2014 “Farm Mom of the Year” She works every aspect of the farm, keeps everyone on task and even advocates for the industry she loves. Farm moms are amazing women, and Monsanto Company wants to continue recognizing their efforts. As a result, the company today announced that nominations are now open in its search for the next America’s Farmers Mom of the Year. Nominations for the contest, which is in its fifth year, will be open from Feb. 27 – March 31, 2014. Anyone can nominate their favorite farm mom for a chance to win up to $10,000 – whether it’s their own mom, sister, aunt, daughter, friend or community member. “Last year we received nominations from 48 different states – all featuring wonderful stories of active and empowered women who make a positive impact on their families, farms and communities,”
says Jessica Simmons, corporate marketing director for Monsanto. “We know there are still so many great stories out there to share and more women to recognize, so we want to hear from you.” To nominate a favorite farm mom, visit www.AmericasFarmers.com during the nomination period and submit a brief essay online or by mail that explains how the nominated farm mom contributes to her family, farm, community and agriculture. Each nomination will be judged based on published criteria by a panel of judges from American Agri-Women, and Monsanto will select five regional winners based on the judges’ decisions. Each regional winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize. Profiles of the regional winners will then be posted to www.AmericasFarmers.com, where the public can vote for one national farm mom winner. Announced just prior to Mother’s
Surviving the Elements series
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Jay O’Brien, an Amarillo, Texas, rancher discusses the history of grazing in the Texas Panhandle during an installment of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s symposium Surviving the Elements: Land & Water Issues of the West, March 7. Make plans to attend the final session on Friday, March 28. Visit www. survivingtheelements.org for more information.
Day, the national winner will receive an additional $5,000 cash prize above and beyond her regional prize. “We carefully review every nomination and enjoy reading the phenomenal stories of farm moms who give selflessly to better the world they live in,” says Kris Zilliox, vice president of education for American Agri-Women. “We are glad to be a part of a program that recognizes the important role women play in agriculture and are looking forward to seeing what the 2014 nominations will bring.” For more information on the program or for eligibility requirements and official contest rules visit www.AmericasFarmers.com. Interested parties may also send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to America’s Farmers Mom of the Year, Attn: Sue Dillon, 349 Marshall Ave., Ste. 200, St. Louis, MO 63119.
April 15 is Farm City Festival The OKFB Women’s Leadership Team will host its annual Farm City Festival at the state Capitol on April 15. The luncheon promotes agricultural and commodity awareness to Oklahoma legislators and their staffs. Call OKFB Women’s Leadership Team Director Marcia Irvin at (405) 523-2405 for more information.