January 9, 2015

Perspective Oklahoma Farm Bureau

www.okfarmbureau.org

January 9, 2015

Happy New Year!

As we reflect on our successes of 2014, we look forward to improving the lives of rural Oklahomans even more in 2015.

We hope our members’ year is filled with happiness and prosperity.

Workshops focus on technology at AFBF’s 2015 Annual Convention and Trade Show gricultural technology and innovation workshops will take the spotlight Saturday, Jan. 10 in San Diego, during the IDEAg Innovate Conference. The conference is one of the highlights of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2015 Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show, Jan. 9-14, at the San Diego Convention Center.

IDEAg Innovate Conference The IDEAg Innovate Conference will feature topics such as managing agricultural

big data, the use of drones for farming purposes, precision agriculture and Internet strategies for farmers and ranchers. The day’s events and exhibits will be open to all farmers, ranchers and agricultural professionals, not just Farm Bureau members.

There is no fee for Farm Bureau members to attend but they are encouraged to register online at annualconvention.fb.org.

Non-members may attend the special one-day conference by paying $75, in

addition to $10 to attend the trade show, by registering online at annualconvention. fb.org.

The Innovate Conference opens at 8 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, with Paul Schrimpf of PrecisionAg Magazine introducing the speakers and setting the stage for an exciting morning that will focus on the latest technology related to drones and unmanned aerial vehicles; big data and

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(Convention, continued from page 1) what it means for the future of agriculture; and the role of irrigation in California agriculture.

Conference sessions include: “Connected Precision Irrigation—The Next Leap in Productivity” with Andy Smith, director of industry relations at Valley Irrigation; “Technology and the Internet of Things in Agriculture” with Lance Donny, founder & CEO of OnFarm; and “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, the Future of Agriculture” with Kyle Miller, farmer and Unmanned Safety Institute ambassador, and Aaron Greenwald, president, chief operating officer and co-founder of Waypoint Global Strategies and USI.

Educational workshops The Cultivation Center on the IDEAg Trade Show floor serves as the educational centerpiece of the trade show. Located in the middle of the show floor, behind the AFBF booth, the Cultivation Center allows attendees to gather information on various topics. The theater seating area provides the perfect opportunity for exhibitors, sponsors, educators and ag enthusiasts to each present 15-minute sessions. Those sessions will highlight exhibitors’ newest and best ideas and will provide education on technological developments in the agriculture industry.

In addition, Farm Bureau members will be treated to two dozen workshops covering a variety of topics and issues during the AFBF Convention on Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12. Topics covered will include how to become a more effective advocate for agriculture, big data, the latest technology trends, updates on economic issues affecting today’s farmers, and skills

and ideas leaders can take home and apply at their county and state Farm Bureaus.

Full workshop descriptions will be available in the program available on-site in San Diego.

AFBF Convention kickoff The convention kicks off with the opening general session on Sunday morning, when AFBF President Bob Stallman will share Farm Bureau’s direction for 2015. At the general session on Monday morning, Commander Rorke Denver will provide insights on teamwork and courage when faced with pressure-filled situations.

Members attending the convention are encouraged to support ag literacy by bidding on items in the online/onsite auction and purchasing tickets to attend the Flapjack Fundraiser, the golf outing or the Foundation’s Night Out event. Learn more at annualconvention.fb.org.

Download the 2015 AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show mobile app to view a schedule of events, speaker information, venue information and maps, sponsor and exhibitor listings, an interactive trade show floor plan and more.

Download the app at http://afbf15.quickmobile.mobi/ and allow push notifications to receive important announcements. #AFBF15 is the official hashtag of the meeting for Twitter and Instagram.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online OKFB’s favorite photos of 2014

Review the year with #okfb14

Oklahoma Farm Bureau staff chose their favorite photos of 2014 after looking across images from a year of traveling across the state. Visit flickr.com/okfarmbureau to view and/or download the images that struck a chord with them at some point during 2014.

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To recap the 2014 year, search for the hashtag #okfb14 on Twitter. You will be able to see all the tweets from OKFB and its members pertaining to OKFB news and events. Reflect on last year’s news and get ready to engage on social media for another year with OKFB!

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www.okfarmbureau.org

Comanche County holds annual legislative dinner The Comanche County Farm Bureau held their 2014 Legislative Dinner on Dec. 29 at the Comanche County Farm Bureau office in Lawton. More than 50 Oklahoma Farm Bureau members, guests and legislators were present for the event. Guests heard from the five legislators in attendance: Sen. Don Barrington, Rep. Ann Coody, Rep. John Michael Montgomery, Rep. Scooter Park and Rep. Jeff Coody. Topics discussed by legislators included the state budget, agency funding, education and education funding, private property rights and insurance.

Member Benefits

Calendar

Cimarron Trailers

2015 AFBF Convention Jan. 11-14 — San Diego, California Contact: Melisa Neal (405) 523-2475

Cimarron Trailers offers two discounts to OKFB members. Members can receive a $250 discount for LoneStar and TranStar models or a $400 discount for NorStar, ShowStar and Stierwalt models.

OKFB highlights a benefit in each issue of Perspective as a reminder of the savings available to OKFB members. You can find a complete list of savings on the Oklahoma Farm Bureau website.

www.okfarmbureau.org/benefits

Oklahoma Legislature Convenes Feb. 2 — Oklahoma City Contact: John Collison (405) 523-2539 OKFB Leadership Conference Feb. 16-17 — Oklahoma City Contact: Sara Rogers (405) 523-2681

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Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau Published Oklahoma Farm Bureau Postmaster:by Send address corrections to: Postmaster: Send address corrections to: Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332 Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

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STAFF DIRECTORY

Executive Director Monica Wilke 405-523-2303 VP of Public Policy and Media Relations John Collison 405-523-2539 Directors of Corporate Communications Sam Knipp 405-523-2347 Dustin Mielke 405-530-2640 Communications Specialists Karolyn Bolay 405-523-2320 Samantha Smith 405-523-2346

Noble Foundation releases four small new grains forages he Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation forage breeding program continues the rich legacy of forage development that started more than 60 years ago with the release of new varieties.

In the early 1950s, the Noble Foundation established its breeding program for forages (plants consumed by grazing animals), specifically developing improved varieties for four small grains species: rye, wheat, oat and triticale (a rye/wheat hybrid). Today, the small grains breeding program is one of the organization’s longest running breeding programs at the Noble Foundation.

The Noble Foundation’s small grains breeding program continues to focus on creating dual-purpose varieties with improved forage qualities — better fall production, the ability to recover after grazing, and better overall forage yields to benefit livestock production in the Southern Great Plains and southeastern United States.

This ongoing work has produced four new small grains varieties over the past few years. These varieties will now be commercialized by Oklahoma Genetics Inc.

Wheat NF101 NF101 is the first wheat variety developed at the Noble Foundation for high fall and winter yield suitable for sustainable forage production and better grain production. NF101 produced the greatest fall-winter forage yield when compared to other varieties during seven years of testing. NF101 is well adapted to southern Oklahoma, northern Texas and the southeastern United States. “It is an excellent choice for producers wanting to maximize fall forage production under rain-fed conditions,” said Mike Trammell, Noble Foundation plant breeder.

Triticale NF201 NF201 triticale is an alternative small grains forage for producers. NF201 is best adapted to the areas of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. It is more productive on marginal lands and requires less management under stressful conditions compared to wheat, according to Trammell.

Maton II Rye (NF306) Maton II (NF306) is intended for use

in fall through winter grazing systems and builds upon the Noble Foundation’s previous release, Maton. Maton II produces more total forage when compared to the commonly grown rye varieties in southern Oklahoma, with more than half of its total yield produced during the early growing season. Maton II is suited for light-textured and sandy loam soils, and is well adapted to southern Oklahoma, northern and eastern Texas, and the southeastern United States.

Oat NF402 NF402 is a winter-type forage oat intended for pasture and forage production. In seven years of testing, NF402 produced more total forage than most commonly grown oat varieties with nearly half of the production occurring during the fall and winter.

This oat variety was selected and released based on superior forage production, especially in the fall and winter, compared to standard oat cultivars. “The early fall-winter forage production of this oat is particularly valuable, allowing producers better flexibility for earlier grazing or increased stockpiling,” Trammell said.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau on changes to United States-Cuba relations OKFB’s Sam Knipp visits with OKFB Vice President of Public Policy John Collison about the recently announced changes to U.S.-Cuba relations what those changes could mean for agriculture. Drawing on their experience during a Cuba trade trip a number of years ago, they discuss what the U.S. stands to gain from a more open relationship between the two countries. To view, go to youtube.com/okfarmbureau.

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