May 4, 2012

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

®

May 4, 2012

Neufeld testifies at farm bill hearing TESTIMONY – OFB Farm Bill Committee chairman Scott Neufeld speaks at a House Agriculture Committee hearing in Dodge City, Kan., April 20. Neufeld advised the House committee to build on crop insurance and provide yield protection.

COMMITTEE – Members of the House Ag Committee listen to Neufeld testify on producer goals and what should be included in the farm bill. From left to right: Reps. Tim Huelskamp (KS), Chairman Frank Lucas (OK) and Mike Conaway (TX).

OFB hosts secretaries conference CONFERENCE – OFB President Mike Spradling addresses more than 65 secretaries from across the state during the OFB Secretaries Conference in Norman, April 23-24.

In This Issue • Farm bill hearing • Secretaries Conference • DOL decision • Legislative update • OFB cattle sale • Legislative visits/dinners • Early wheat harvest

DOL withdraws child labor proposal After receiving close to 10,000 comments from farmers and ranchers describing how devastating proposed Labor Department rules would be to family farms, the Obama administration on April 26, withdrew its proposal that would have imposed unnecessary and impractical restrictions on youth working in agriculture.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said the department made “the right decision for our nation’s family-based agriculture system.”

Stallman credited the many growers who spoke out against the rule with the win for agriculture.

“This victory for farm families is due to the thousands of farmers and ranchers who sent comments to the Labor Department opposing the rules and continued to voice their concerns with members of Congress,” he said.

“This announcement shows the strength of American agriculture and grassroots action.”

DOL last September proposed new hazardous occupation orders that would bar anyone under age 16 from using powerdriven equipment, working with pesticides, working around manure pits and silos, and other situations the department deemed too hazardous.

“If we are to prosper in the future, we need the younger generation to understand agriculture production and having these young people work on the farm fosters that appreciation needed for them to pursue an agricultural career,” said Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling.

Member Benefits

• ScriptSave – Offers members and their

families access to discounts on brand name and generic prescriptions. Call 800-700-3957.

Use the group number 189A.

• Farm Bureau Insurance – Offers

members competitively priced insurance products. See your local county agent today.

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

Southern Plains Farm Show features cattle sale/extension talks Oklahoma Farm Bureau hosted its Herd Builder cattle sale during the Southern Plains Farm Show in Oklahoma City, April 19-21.

Ranchers from across the state marketed their cows, bulls and heifers on a private treaty basis to prospective buyers and other farm show participants.

In addition to the three-day sale, OFB welcomed a team of cattle experts to speak on top cattle issues, April 20. Extension talk sessions focused on reinvesting in the cattle herd, livestock and forage insurance, pasture recovery, current tax laws and ag leasing options. Audience members also had an opportunity to ask questions and expand on session topics.

Oklahoma Legislature Adjourns May 25 • OKC Contact: Kinsey Money, (405) 523-2539

ABOVE – JJ Jones talks about the importance of livestock and forage insurance.

LEFT – Farm show participants view the Herd Builder sale’s cattle inventory.

OFB Safety Seminar June 12-14, 2012 • Tatanka Ranch, Stroud Contact: Justin Grego, (405) 523-2391 FBW Nurse’s Scholarship Deadline June 15 Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405

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

Currently online: • YF&R Golf Classic – The Oklahoma Farm Bureau YF&R recently hosted its annual golf tournament in Stillwater. Visit the “galleries” button under the News tab to see photos from the event.

• Legislative Update – The Oklahoma State Legislature will adjourn in just a few short weeks. See the OFB homepage for a link to the public policy division’s latest legislative update.

www.okfarmbureau.org

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Spring Oklahoma Country is here For the latest OFB news and events, classified ads, recipes and entertaining feature stories, see the spring issue of OFB’s membership magazine, Oklahoma Country.

Farm Bureau Legislative Visits/Dinners

OFB bills move to governor’s desk

FARM BUREAU Legislative Update

By Chris Kidd, OFB Director of State and National Affairs

STATE CAPITOL VISIT – Cotton County Farm Bureau members took to the capitol on April 17, to meet with their local legislators. From left to right: Rep. Corey Holland and FB members Lisa Park, Scooter Park, Margaret Ann Kinder, David Gammill and Jimmy Wayne Kinder.

CADDO COUNTY DINNER – State Rep. Joe Dorman speaks to county Farm Bureau members during the Caddo County FB legislative dinner, April 26, in Anadarko.

LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST – Washington Co. Farm Bureau member Jerry Henshall (left) talks with Rep. Earl Sears during the Washington, Nowata and Osage Co. FB legislative breakfast, April 27, in Bartlesville.

The stressful days and long nights of the 2012 session have not gone without result as two Oklahoma Farm Bureau requested bills have already been signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin, and two others have also been sent to her desk. Three more requested OFB bills have been heard and passed by both chambers and are awaiting action by the governor.

HB 2188 and HB 2189, authored by Rep. Dale DeWitt and Sen. Mike Schulz, were signed into law by the governor on April 2. HB 2188 and HB 2189 prohibit the transportation and commercial production of castor beans in Oklahoma. Castor beans are a threat to not only food security, but also the security and integrity of various cultivated agricultural commodities grown in Oklahoma like sorghum, wheat, corn and soybeans.

On April 24, the governor received HB 1562, authored by Rep. Fred Jordan and Sen. Greg Treat. HB 1562 creates the “Land Owner Bill of Rights” for land owners facing eminent domain proceedings.

On April 25, HB 2994 also was received by the governor. This legislation requires petitioners or the municipality to seek written consent of the owners of more than half of the land to be included in the street improvement district and assessment. This OFB requested legislation was authored by Rep. Tom Newell and Sen. Dan Newberry.

This past week marked a deadline week.

All bills had to be heard in the House and the Senate by April 25. Of the eight pieces of Oklahoma Farm Bureau priority legislation, seven bills successfully made it out of both chambers. The following bills are now waiting to be sent to the governor’s desk.

SB 1192 clarifies that a landowner who has entered into a wind or solar energy agreement may also enter into leases or easements for oil and gas, agricultural, and hunting purposes, as well as electric transmission lines. It was authored by Sen. Mike Schulz and Rep. Fred Jordan.

HB 1952 defines a “weigh station,” clarifies agency jurisdiction on Oklahoma’s roadways and streamlines government. The current laws regarding agency jurisdiction (see “OFB bills,” page 4)

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Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau Postmaster: address corrections to: Published bySend Oklahoma Farm Bureau

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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 Kinsey Money, 523-2539 Director of Public Policy Tyler Norvell, 523-2402

Marla Peek, 523-2437 Vice President of Public Policy Director of Regulatory Affairs MarlaKidd, Peek,523-2539 523-2437 Chris Director of of State Regulatory Affairs Affairs Director and National

Oklahoma prepares for early wheat harvest

Earlier this year, the USDA estimated 55.9 million acres of wheat were planted in the United States. Nationwide, Oklahoma ranks fourth in acres planted with a total of 5.4 million.

Now as warm weather sets in, grain elevators are preparing for harvest almost two weeks earlier than normal.

“We’re looking at the first week of May,” said Chase Cassidy of Cassidy Grain in Frederick. “It’s going to depend on how warm and windy the weather is but we’re two weeks out at the most.”

In the northwestern part of the state, Wheeler Brothers Grain assistant manager Alan Nusser said wheat in the Alva area is on track as well.

“We will probably start cutting between May 25 and Memorial Day,” he said. “The crop has not suffered any. We’ve had good growing conditions all along and stayed away from the rust that’s further south.”

Conservation Award – Nowata County Farm Bureau member Bill Mangels receives the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts’ Landowner/Cooperator of the Year award during a ceremony at the state capitol, April 16. The award was sponsored by the Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma. Pictured from left to right: Nature Conservancy State Director Mike Fuhr, Bill and Glenna Mangels, OACD President Joe Parker and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese.

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(“OFB bills,” from page 3) on Oklahoma roadways appear duplicative and are often confusing to agricultural producers. Oklahoma Farm Bureau policy supports regulation of agricultural vehicles remaining within the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

It was authored by Rep. Skye McNiel and Sen. Gary Stanislawski.

HB 2654 creates the Energy Litigation Reform Act and declares certain rules paramount for construction to be applied by the courts of Oklahoma in the construction of private agreements and other contracts regarding oil and gas. It was authored by Rep. Fred Jordan and Sen. Rob Johnson.

Federal grants bring local food to school tables

The United States Department of Agriculture announced April 17, new funding that aims to provide fresh, healthy food for children in schools across America, while also supporting and promoting local farmers and ranchers.

A total of $3.5 million in new funding will be available to help local school districts organize and implement new Farm to School programs. Those critical initiatives seek to educate children about where their food comes from and improve the quality of school meals. At the same time, they also improve local and regional food systems and create new markets for local food producers.

Schools interested in seeking funding for the first round of Farm to School Grants can obtain a USDA Request for Application. Proposals are due by June 15.