Perspective Oklahoma Farm Bureau
www.okfarmbureau.org
May 15, 2015
Right to Farm headed to 2016 ballot as SQ 777 By John Collison OKFB Vice President of Public Policy and Media Relations
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s the announcers are fond of saying in horse racing, “Down the back stretch they come!” As we are now in the waning days of the 2015 legislative session, it is time to look back and reflect upon what this session has meant for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. As we recall this session, we will see that this year will go down in the history books as one that saw the historic passage of the Right to Farm amendment that will give you the chance to protect agriculture many years into the future. A few years ago we began a conversation about how we should protect our industry and our way of life for years to come. You came up with the idea that we should, as a state, go to the voters and ask them to make a constitutional amendment that would give
us a level of protection into the future to grow food and animals in ways that have been proven by science to be sound. You then came to the public policy discussions and asked the state board to make this issue a high priority and get it passed at the capitol. Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that with your help we have been successful at the capitol, and Right to Farm will be going to a vote of the people in November of 2016 as SQ 777. In biblical terms, 777 is the complete and perfect number, and in gambling it is a jackpot, so I feel pretty good from the start. With all the good feelings out of the way, this will be our mission and goal for the next year and a half: to make this state question a reality. All the outside animalrights extremists have already gone nuts and have vowed to double down on this — Norman Borlaug question. You, the members of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, asked for this bill to pass and send this to a
Man’s survival, from the time of Adam and Eve until the invention of agriculture, must have been precarious because of his inability to ensure his food supply.
vote of the people. We will be coming to you in the next year and a half, asking you to help protect your interest in Oklahoma. This campaign will be long and expensive, and we need each and every one of you to be a part of keeping agriculture out of the hands of the animal-rights activists. The part I always find humorous is they want all of you to believe that the science of climate change is absolutely rock solid, yet they are the first to deny the science that we live by and work with each and every day in production agriculture. The truth is on our side, but know they are not shy when it comes to half-truths and outright lies. The other side will raise millions of dollars from around the country to try and defeat this question. We only have ourselves, but while we are one state we are mighty and have the numbers on our side. This is a fight not only for tomorrow, but also for our kids and grandkids. You have asked for this bill and now it is upon us to tell the world that Oklahoma farmers and ranchers will stand up to bullies and half-truths and we will fight and win. I look forward to seeing each one of you as we take SQ 777 to a victory in November of 2016.
Celebrating the passage of Right to Farm After the passage of HJR 1012, the Right to Farm resolution, Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman of Fairview, center, held a signing ceremony with the resolution’s co-authors. Others pictured include, left to right: Rep. John Pfeiffer, Mulhall; Rep. Josh Cockroft, McLoud; Rep. Scott Biggs, Chickasha; Rep. Lee Denney, Cushing; Rep. Mike Sanders, Kingfisher; Rep. Charles McCall, Atoka; and Rep. Jon Echols, Oklahoma City. Oklahoma Farm Bureau thanks the resolution’s authors and coauthors, along with the legislators who voted for HJR 1012.
Oklahoma FFA members flock to OKC for state convention YF&R booth gives FFA members chance to grab cash
The state YF&R committee had a great time meeting FFA members at the 2015 Oklahoma FFA Convention and even sent some students home with some extra money in their pockets after a turn in the cash machine.
OKFB’s Young Farmers and Ranchers committee shared information about the organization at the 2015 Oklahoma FFA Convention career fair, April 28-29 in OKC. State YF&R committee members visited with students about the opportunities offered by Farm Bureau and the YF&R program. FFA members lined up to register for a chance to spend 10 seconds in the fan-powered YF&R money machine, where FFA members did their best to grab cold-hard cash. FFA members signed up with old-fashioned paper entries as well as by tweeting the hashtag #OKFBGoAllOut.
Buchanan presents WLC scholarship to Spiro FFA member At the 2015 Oklahoma FFA Convention, OKFB President Tom Buchanan presented an OKFB-sponsored Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship to Breckin Horton of Spiro FFA. The conference is a five-day leadership event in our nation’s capital where FFA members from across the country develop their leadership skills.
Wilke addresses FFA convention, presents sponsor donation OKFB Executive Director Monica Wilke addressed FFA members during the afternoon general session on Wednesday, April 29. Wilke told agriculture students from around the state that OKFB views the sponsorship of FFA as in investment with amazing return. She presented a check with OKFB’s platinum-level sponsorship to 2014-2015 Oklahoma State FFA Officers Logan Johns and Garrett Reed.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online Apply for the OKFB Women’s Leadership Committee Safety Day The OKFB Women’s Leadership Committee will be holding their first-annual safety day June 4 for students ages 12-17. Applications for participants are due May 24. The PDF application can be downloaded from our Application Center at okfarmbureau.org/applications.
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Inhofe talks about the Federal Water Quality Protection Act U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, along with a bipartisan group of senators, introduced the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, aiming to curb excessive EPA regulations. Listen to the All Around Oklahoma Agriculture Report covering the legislation at soundcloud.com/okfarmbureau.
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OKFB women bring farm message to OKC-area schools
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embers of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee shared the farm and ranch story with thirdand fourth-grade students during Super Ag Day held May 6 and 7 in Oklahoma City. The WLC members used the Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation’s commodity trailer to share with students how food gets from the field to consumers’ tables. Another station hosted by the women used American Farm Bureau’s My American Farm program to play interactive games with students about farmrelated topics. The event, a combined effort between Oklahoma County Extension, Ag in the Classroom, Oklahoma City Public Schools and other groups, was held at the state fairgrounds in OKC. Approximately 800 students from the Oklahoma City Public School system, as well as students from schools in Cleveland and Canadian Counties, rotated through five stations filled with farm and food information. Roberta Hughes, WLC vice chairman from Konawa, OK, said the students were engaged and interested in learning about farming and agriculture.
“I told them today about what would happen if the store shelves were empty, and that their food actually comes from farmers here locally and across America,” Hughes said. “And that’s our mission: to inform city children where their food comes from.” The third- and fourth-graders learned about many aspects of agriculture, including vegetable production, the many uses of soybeans, showing livestock, and the usefulness of goats. “I’m going to teach them about all the products that we can make, and about the goats,” said Addison Schmidt, a 10-year-old who shared her experience raising goats on her family’s farm. The OKFB women donated two bicycles that were given away to one lucky student each day through a drawing. Winning a bicycle and a helmet were Mariano from Heronville School and Emmanuel from Parmelee Elementary. OKFB’s Safety Services Director Todd Honer gave a bike safety presentation to the full group before each bike was given away.
(Above right) OKFB WLC members Lena Henson (left) and Margaret Ann Kinder present Parmelee Elementary student Emmanuel with a new bicycle at the end of the second day of Super Ag Day.
Super Ag Day 2015
WLC Vice Chairman Roberta Hughes tests students’ farm knowledge with the Grown For You commodity trailer. WLC members Nadine Butler and Sharlene Lambring dispel food myths with AFBF’s My American Farm program.
Super Ag Day 2015
Member Benefits
Calendar
Orlando Vacations and Silver Dollar City
OKFB Youth Safety Day June 4 — Oklahoma Farm Bureau Home Office Contact: Marcia Irvin (405) 523-2405
OKFB members can save money on trips to Orlando and Branson with special member-only discounts. Orlando Vacations offers discounts on Disney World and Legoland Florida trips. Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO, offers 20% discounts on a variety of their attractions. For more information, visit our website for offer details, promotional codes, and learn how to take advantage of these special offers.
www.okfarmbureau.org/benefits
Oklahoma Youth Leading Agriculture Conference June 10 – 13 — Oklahoma City Area Contact: Holly Carroll (405) 523-2307 National Ag in the Classroom Meeting June 16 – 20 — Louisville, KY Contact: Marcia Irvin (405) 523-2405
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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
Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2501 N. Stiles Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126
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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
YF&R Golf Classic rescheduled for July
Youth Safety Day registration due May 24
Cattle producers sought for software survey
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Golf Classic scheduled for Friday, May 8, has been moved to Thursday, July 9. The Golf Classic will still be held in Enid. Registration for the tournament will be from 9 to 10 a.m., with tee-off at 10 a.m. Lunch will be provided throughout the day to golfers. We hope you can join us for the tournament on Thursday, July 9. To register, contact Holly Carroll at (405) 523-2307.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee will hold its firstannual Safety Day Thursday, June 4, at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau home office in Oklahoma City. The program is for students ages 12-17 and covers a variety of safety topics. Registration begins at 9 a.m. on June 4, and the program will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Applications are due May 24 and can be downloaded from our website at okfarmbureau.org/applications.
Agric Bioformatics is a company developing a genetic-based cattle managing software designed to help producers make management decisions on breeding, nutrition, and health. OKFB is in need of producers to help with the development of the website and information platform. We will be conducting interviews June 1-2. We are in search of 60 producers who would like to take part in this survey. Contact Todd Honer at (405) 205-0090 or todd.honer@okfb.org.
OKFB water Committee continues in-depth discussions.
(Top) OKFB’s water committee met in the OKFB office May 7. (Bottom) Texas County member Leon Richards (center) talks about irrigation practices in the panhandle.
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Members of OKFB’s water committee met Thursday, May 7, to continue their discussion of Oklahoma’s water situation and potential OKFB policy decisions regarding water. Heavy rains across the state during the week of the meeting underscored the importance of water infrastructure and planning for both times of drought and flood. The committee also discussed the need for agriculture producers to tell their stories about water usage and conservation to better educate the public about agriculture’s role in water use.
Dist. 7 legislative dinner held in Enid
State Rep. John Enns, chairman of House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, left, visits with Jim Kukuk, Noble County board member during the District 7 Legislative Dinner held May 7 in Enid.