August 26, 2011

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

®

August 26, 2011

RIGHT – Kelli Ludlum, of the American Farm Bureau Federation, chats with Ottawo Co. FB Vice President James Fuser during a District 6 meeting in Pryor, Aug. 11.

LEFT – Jackson Co. FB members (left to right) Diane and T.J. Beach look over the OFB public policy development book for policy ideas during the District 2 meeting in Hobart, Aug. 15.

2011 OFB August Area Meetings LEFT – Jim Kinder, Cotton Co. FB director (center) discusses potential policy updates as Carter Co. FB president Fred Chapman (left) and Comanche Co. FB Secretary Damon Doye (right) listen at the District 4 meeting in Ardmore, Aug. 16.

RIGHT – Lincoln Co. FB member Coy Farmer (center) offers a policy suggestion during the District 9 meeting in Sapulpa, Aug. 18.

FMCSA says no new regulations for ag transport The American Farm Bureau Federation is pleased the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration listened to farmer and rancher concerns regarding changes to agricultural transportation regulations and commercial drivers license provisions.

As a result of comments received from AFBF and others, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday, Aug. 10, that the FMCSA has no intention to propose new regulations governing the transport of agricultural products, and that the agency has released guidance to states so they clearly understand common-sense exemptions “to allow farmers, their employees, and their families to accomplish their day-to-day work and transport

their products to market.”

“This public announcement and the guidance sent to states by the FMCSA is great news for America’s farm and ranch families,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “The key word is common-sense, and it was refreshing to see that our federal authorities heard the concerns we expressed. It lifts a big cloud of uncertainty in farm country and the action is greatly appreciated.”

Stallman said he was pleased

by Secretary LaHood’s clarity in stating the department “had no intention of instituting onerous regulations on the hardworking farmers who feed our country and fuel our economy.”

On a state level, Oklahoma Farm Bureau recently sent a letter to Secretary LaHood’s office thanking him for his decision to

not enforce new regulations.

“Certainly, we appreciate Secretary LaHood’s response to the concerns of our members,” said OFB President Grain trucks such as the one below are critical to a farming operation and recently faced the possibility of tougher regulations.

Mike Spradling. “It shows the importance of our members getting involved and responding to issues that affect our ability to produce food and fiber.”

Member Benefits

• Sherwin Williams – Offers members 15% off list prices at all 41 Sherwin-Williams Oklahoma stores. Use the OFB account number, 9061-2947-3, at checkout.

• Beef Verification Solution – a cattle data program utilizing radio frequency identification technology. Contact your OFB field representative or call (405) 523-2406.

OFB highlights a few benefits in each issue of Perspective as a reminder of the savings available to OFB members.

Find a complete list of savings online at okfarmbureau.org.

OFB Calendar OFB Drought Recovery Summit August 30, 2011 • OKC Contact: Thad Doye, (405) 523-2307

U.S. debt ceiling agreement will affect farmers and ranchers Earlier this month on Aug. 2, President “The first stage of the deal calls for Barack Obama signed into law the Budget discretionary spending cuts of $917 billion Control Act of 2011, also known as the that will be spread out over the course of debt ceiling bill. The last-minute compro10 years,” St. Pierre said. “The Defense mise to raise America’s $14.3 trillion debt Department’s budget will take a $350 bilceiling prevents the country from loan lion cut, and according to the Center on default and imposes sweeping new spendBudget and Policy Priorities, an additional ing cuts over the next 10 years. $500 billion will be cut from domestic, The new bill calls for several stages of non-security programs such as education, debt reconciliation and will have signifihousing and transportation. These cuts in cant repercussions on Americans including domestic spending will hurt already tight farmers and ranchers. Oklahoma State state budgets, since nearly a third of these University Cooperative Extension personal funds typically flow through to the states.” finance specialist Eileen St. Pierre said Entitlement programs such as Social there are two stages to the new debt deal.

Security and Medicare will not be cut and (see budget, page 4) America’s budget deficit compromise will influence the way the country’s farmers and ranchers do business.

Convention Awards Deadline October 7, 2011 • Oklahoma City Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405 State Resolutions Meeting October 18-19, 2011 • Oklahoma City Contact: Tyler Norvell, (405) 523-2402

(see budget, page 4)

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online Monitor the latest Farm Bureau and agricultural news and information online at okfarmbureau.org.

Currently online: • Publications Viewer – OFB’s magazine, Oklahoma Country, is printed quarterly, and the OFB newsletter Perspective is distributed bi-weekly. See the latest issue of both by selecting “publications” under the News page.

• County Connection – Local Farm Bureau offices are located in all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties. Learn more about what activities and awards each county has to offer by clicking on the Counties button.

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OFB trade show applications are available The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Nov. 11-13, is just a few short months away, and vendors wishing to participate in the event’s trade show need to submit an application soon.

Trade show times are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, and 8 a.m to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.

All trade show booths will be located inside the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City where more than 800 Oklahoma farmers and ranchers attend OFB’s state meeting every year.

Booth space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Prices are $200 for a single space and $250 for a double. For a trade show application or more details on reserving both space, please contact Thad Doye at (405) 523-2307 or Kelli Beall at (405) 523-2470.

OFB member participates in Monsanto education program

Drought summit set for next week

Jackson Co. Farm Bureau member Matt Muller is serving on the selection committee of a new community program sponsored

by Monsanto. The local initiative, branded America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education, provides farmers the chance to nominate schools in their area for a grant competition worth up to $25,000.

Currently in its pilot year, the program’s eligibility includes 165 counties in Illinois and Minnesota. Muller has been asked to serve on the selection committee and help determine where the grant money is designated.

“Monsanto is investing several million dollars into rural school math and science departments,” Muller said. “They know those are the minds that grew up on a farm and are maybe best adept at looking at

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau drought recovery summit is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30, at the OFB offices in Oklahoma City.

Although Oklahoma has seen a few showers over the past couple of weeks, the 2011 drought is still affecting many farmers and ranchers in the southern and western parts of the state. In fact, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows two-thirds of Oklahoma remains in a drought.

OFB officials plan to advise farmers and ranchers on how to handle continuous drought conditions and also plan for recovery once additional rains arrive. Featured speakers for the drought summit include officials from the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, the Noble Foundation, the Farm Service Agency and Oklahoma State University’s sociology department.

The one-day conference will be hosted in an informal coffee shop discussion setting. The event is free to all participants, and lunch also will be provided. To view the summit agenda, visit okfarmbureau.org.

Call (405) 523-2470 or (405) 523-2320 to RSVP.

tomorrow’s science and seeing how it best relates to agriculture.”

Muller will travel to St. Louis later this year to help pick grant winners from three schools in each crop reporting district.

The Altus-area farmer said he will serve a two-year term on the selection committee and also help promote the program when it debuts nationwide in 2012.

Part of my responsibility will be to get the word out because Oklahoma will be eligible next year,” Muller said.

For more information about the new America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program, visit monsanto.com.

U.S. Senator to host meetings on lesser prairie chicken U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe is planning to hold two September forums with newly confirmed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe concerning the potential listing of the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered or threatened species.

Over the past ten years, the lesser prairie chicken has remained a candidate for the endangered or threatened species list. In January 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated the listing process for the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act. The Service expects to issue a proposed rule on whether to list the species by September 30, 2012. The lesser prairie chicken occupies a five-state range that includes Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. The range in Oklahoma includes the Panhandle and several western Oklahoma counties.

Director Ashe and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff members plan to address interested parties on the current stage of the process, hear from interested parties on a potential listing, and answer questions. The September meetings will allow participants to directly contribute to the Service’s decision-making process.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau members are encouraged to attend the forums and voice their concerns on how listing the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered species will affect their farming and ranching operations. Please RSVP to Sara Drozdowski at Sara_Drozdowski@ inhofe.senate.gov.

September 7, Woodward, 5 p.m.

September 8, Edmond, 9 a.m.

High Plains Technology Center University of Central Oklahoma Seminar Room Nigh University Center, Room 300 3941 34th Street 100 North University Drive Woodward, OK 73801 Edmond, OK 73034

The lesser prairie chicken is a candidate for the endangered or threatened species list and currently occupies several western Oklahoma counties.

Governor announces drought response At an Aug. 15, press conference in Oklahoma City, Gov. Mary Fallin announced she will ask the state legislature to allocate more money for Oklahoma’s disaster emergency fund.

Her request is in response to this summer’s drought, extreme heat and large number of destructive wildfires. Oklahoma’s drought has been given federal disaster declaration requiring the federal government to pay 75 percent of reimbursement costs to counties, municipalities, rural electric cooperatives and other entities. Local entities and the state government are each responsible for 12.5 percent.

However, Oklahoma has not reimbursed any local communities for disaster costs since 2007. According to Gov. Fallin, the state owes $36 million to cities, counties and others for tornado, fire and ice storm expenses.

Although the governor did not specify how much money she would like allocated in the emergency fund, she said she plans to present a figure next legislative session.

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STAFF DIRECTORY STAFF DIRECTORY Gail Banzet, 523-2346

Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2501 N. Stiles Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 131 Okla. City, OK.

Perspective/Online News Editor Traci Morgan, 523-2346 Monica Wilke, 523-2303 Perspective/Online News Editor Executive Director Sam Sam Knipp, Knipp, 523-2347 523-2347 Vice Vice President President of of Communications/PR Communications/PR Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Vice Norvell, President of Public Policy Tyler 523-2402

Marla Peek, 523-2437 Vice President of Public Policy Director of Regulatory Affairs Marla Peek, 523-2437 Kinsey Money, 523-2539 Directorofof Regulatory Affairs Director Research & Policy Development

OFB to sponsor cattle sale at Tulsa Farm Show Oklahoma Farm Bureau will once again sponsor the Herd Builder Private Treaty Sale during the Tulsa Farm Show, Dec. 8-10, at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds.

The private treaty sale will include all breeds and genders and is open to everyone attending the three-day Tulsa Farm Show.

More than 300 exhibitors participated in last year’s farm show, and OFB Vice President of Field Services Thad Doye said the high attendance helps attract a lot of people to the herd builder sale.

“This sale is a good marketing tool for producers, and Farm Bureau is happy to support their involvement in the cattle industry,” he said.

A health certificate from a licensed veterinarian should accompany all animals intended for sale. Livestock owners must be present during the private treaty event and will be responsible for feeding, watering and stall upkeep.

For more details, call Thad Doye at (405) 523-2307. (budget, continued from page 2) there will be no tax increases.

In exchange for this first round of cuts, the nation’s debt limit will be raised by $900 billion. St. Pierre said the law gave President Obama the immediate authority to increase the nation’s debt limit by $400 billion, and since he exercised this authority right away, the nation avoided a debt default.

Congress is required to vote on the remaining $500 billion debt limit increase

by Sept. 22.

“Both houses of Congress must vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment during the last three months of this year,” she said.

“In the second stage of the Budget Control Act, the Super Committee will determine an additional $1.5 trillion in spending cuts

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The Herd Builder Private Treaty Sale is scheduled for Dec. 8-10, during the Tulsa Farm Show.

to be voted on by Congress.”

St. Pierre said there have already been discussions regarding the changing of the inflation rate used to calculate Social Security cost-of-living adjustments and increasing the Medicare eligibility age. In addition, the second stage may include tax increases.

“The Bush tax cuts will be expiring at the end of 2012 unless they are renewed by Congress,” she said. “The Super Committee will also be looking at reforming the tax code. Homeowners with outstanding mortgages should be aware that limiting the mortgage interest deduction has already been proposed. This would mean lower itemized tax deductions on Schedule A.” If this committee fails to act by Thanksgiving or if Congress does not approve their recommendations by Christmas, there will

be $1.2 trillion in across-the-board automatic spending cuts that will be split evenly between domestic and military spending.

Officials with the American Farm Bureau Federation are pleased the federal government finally came to an agreement but said even harder work now lies ahead.

Weeks later, a joint congressional committee has been named to identify additional budget savings, and AFBF President Bob Stallman said the organization will work with the House and Senate Agriculture committees as they recommend savings related to agriculture spending.

“Our goal will be to recommend savings that will make the most sense for our members and retain the most integrity for the farm programs that serve America’s farm and ranch families,” Stallman said.