PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU
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May 20, 2011
Session nears end, 10 OFB bills now law By Kinsey Money, OFB Director of Research and Policy Development Oklahoma Farm Bureau is beginning the end of the 2011 legislative session on a positive note. Currently, 10 pieces of OFB supported legislation have been signed into law. The remaining three bills have been sent to Governor Mary Fallin. Pending her signature, 13 pieces of legislation with a positive impact on agriculture, private property rights and rural Oklahoma will become law. In an effort to clarify the wind industry’s current perception of eminent domain, SB 124 was signed by the governor on May 10. Authored by Senator Ron Justice and Representative Tom Newell, SB 124 prohibits the power of eminent domain for the siting or building of wind turbines on private property. Landowners can now embrace the growing wind industry in Oklahoma without the fear of eminent domain.
The Senate passed SB 248, reducing the groundwater permit administration fee from $50 to $25. This is exciting news for OFB members with water wells. The fee was adopted in 2010 through administrative rules without a vote from the legislature. While OFB advocated for repeal of the fee, cutting it in half was greeted with a warm welcome. SB 248 was authored by Senator Ron Justice and Representative Wade Rousselot. For landowners who have experienced property damage from trespassers, help is around the corner. SB 494 was sent to the governor for approval. Authored by Senator Don Barrington and Representative Sky McNiel, SB 494 creates the “Oklahoma Private Lands and Public Recreation Act.” The act will grant any local, county or state law enforcement agency the authority to write a citation on the spot for recreational trespass occurring on land used primarily for farming, ranching or forestry purposes. SB 494, in addition to HB 1249, should address many of the issues OFB members have had with trespassers. Improving the quality of life in rural Oklahoma while boosting the state’s economic recovery lies in the language of HB 1381. (See Session Nears End, page 3)
California native is new summer intern
FFA members are optimistic about agricultural future
Kirk Kimmelshue is the 2011 summer intern in the Corporate Communications and Public Relations division at Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Kimmelshue is a 2010 graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he earned his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Business with concentrations in marketing and policy from California’s central coast university. Currently, Kimmelshue is a graduate student in the Agricultural Communications program at Oklahoma State University. “Farmers in this country produce the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, and I look forward to contributing to the communication of this message on behalf of many innovative and dedicated Oklahoma producers,” Kimmelshue said. “The progressive mindset of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and its membership has me excited about the upcoming summer.” Kimmelshue grew up in Northern California near Chico where his family farms almonds and walnuts and was involved in the California Junior Livestock Association and California Farm Bureau Federation.
An overwhelming 80 percent of the FFA members visiting the Oklahoma Farm Bureau exhibit during the Oklahoma FFA convention, May 2-4, said they are optimistic about the future of agriculture. “That does not surprise me as these kids tend to be a pretty optimistic group in general,” said Chris Kidd, south central OFB field coordinator and Survey time – YF&R member LaSheil Young Farmers Knowles (far right) works the Oklahoma and Ranchers Farm Bureau YF&R booth at the State Committee FFA Convention. FFA members answered coordinator. questions about the future of agriculture. The OFB exhibit was a project of the YF&R committee in an effort to encourage FFA members to get more involved in agriculture leadership organizations. (See Results, page 2)