Feb. 19, 2016

OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

WWW.OKFARMBUREAU.ORG

Feb. 19, 2016

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legislative Conference to be held March 7-8 klahoma Farm Bureau will host its annual Legislative Conference March 7-8 in Oklahoma City at the Aloft Hotel. The conference is designed to inform members of legislative issues at the state and federal levels.

Highlights of the two-day conference include updates on the State Question 777 campaign, the Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation, and the current legislative session. Attendees also will be able to attend a reception with OKFB’s 100 Percent Club.

OKFB’s Champion Award winners, state leaders and legislators chosen for going above and beyond to protect and improve agriculture and rural Oklahoma, also will be recognized during the conference.

No registration is required for the conference, but hotel reservations can be made by contacting Aloft Hotel at 405-605-2100.

For questions about the conference, contact Tasha Duncan at 405-530-2681.

Monday, March 7 1:30 p.m. Call to Order and Welcome – Tom Buchanan, OKFB President 2 p.m. Speaker – Rep. Doug Cox 3 p.m. Speaker – Attorney General Scott Pruitt 4 p.m. Adjourn 5 p.m. Reception 5:45 p.m. Dinner 6:15 p.m. Speakers – Jim Dunlap and Patrick Hall 6:30 p.m. Champion Awards

Tuesday, March 8 7:15 a.m. Breakfast 7:45 a.m. Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation Update – Jeramy Rich 8:15 a.m. State Question 777, Right to Farm Update – Glenn Coffee 8:45 a.m. Speaker – Insurance Commissioner John Doak 9:15 a.m. Speaker – Gary McManus,State Climatologist 9:45 a.m. Break 10 a.m. Speaker 11 a.m. Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legislative Update – John Collison, OKFB Public Policy 12 a.m. Lunch at Oklahoma Farm Bureau home office Afternoon visits to state Capitol

Oklahoma House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee approves bills affecting agriculture he Oklahoma House of Representatives Agriculture and Rural Development Committee met Feb. 10 to consider several key bills affecting the agricultural industry.

Each of the below bills now are available for consideration by the full House chamber.

HB 2250, coauthored by Rep. Brian Renegar and Rep. John Enns, prohibits animal rights charitable organizations from raising funds inside Oklahoma for political purposes outside or inside the state. The bill passed out of committee unanimously.

The bill is designed to protect Oklahomans and their charitable contributions by ensuring the donations help local animal shelters, rather than political agendas, Rep. Renegar said.

HB 2500, authored by Rep. John Pfeiffer, allows the Department of Environmental Quality to continue contracting with the Oklahoma Rural Water Association for technical assistance programs to rural water and waste water operators. The bill passed out of committee unanimously.

HB 2554, authored by Rep. Harold Wright, allows the Department of Public Safety to issue learner’s permits and driver’s licenses to temporary farm workers.

The bill would allow qualified, temporary workers to work during harvest, Wright said. The bill passed the committee unanimously.

HB 2707, also authored by Rep. John Pfeiffer, creates a special position called the Office of Agriculture Special Prosecutors to enforce agricultural law. Pfeiffer specifically

mentioned helping farmers and ranchers in the event of bogus checks.

Farmers and ranchers can lose hundreds to thousands of dollars when receiving bogus checks. Because district attorneys are overworked, agricultural thefts and crimes often are low on the priority list, Pfeiffer said. Appointing a special prosecutor specifically for agricultural law could significantly help farmers and ranchers. The bill passed out of committee by a vote of 7 to 6.

HB 3099, authored by Rep. Jeff Coody, would allow dairy farmers to sell raw milk directly to consumers and at farmers markets. The bill passed out of committee by a vote of 10 to 3.

Find more information about each specific bill at www.okhouse.gov.

OKFB launches OKAgPolicy website klahoma Farm Bureau is excited to launch OKAgPolicy, a brand-new outlet for Oklahoma agricultural policy information.

Found at www.OKAgPolicy.org, the site serves as a resource for those interested in how legislation and regulation affects the agricultural industry.

“When policy decisions are made in Oklahoma, agriculture is not always at the forefront of the conversation,” said Tom Buchanan, OKFB president. “Our family farmers and ranchers work hard to provide

www.okagpolicy.org

food and fiber for our state and our nation.

As the voice of Oklahoma agriculture, OKAgPolicy is just one more way we can help protect those who produce our food.”

Along with news updates from the state Capitol and Washington, D.C., OKAgPolicy provides facts about key agricultural issues, a bill tracker with important legislation, resources for contacting legislators and much more.

OKAgPolicy also is available on social media by liking OKAgPolicy on Facebook and following @okagpolicy on Twitter.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Online OKFB members named 2016 best young farmers in The Progressive Farmer magazine Noble County Farm Bureau member Marty Williams and Comanche County Farm Bureau member Cody Goodnight were chosen as two of The Progressive Farmer’s 2016 best young farmers and ranchers in the February issue. Find the link to the magazine on our Facebook page.

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#okagpolicy16 Interested in following along with the 2016 legislative session?

Keep up with events at the state Capitol, and in Washington, D.C., too, by following the hashtag #okagpolicy16 on both Twitter and Facebook.

Want to join the conversation? Make sure to include #okagpolicy16 in any of your posts!

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OKFB Commodity Committee meets at home office Right: A member of the OKFB Commodity Committee listens to a speaker at the committee’s meeting Feb. 3-4 at the home office. During the two-day meeting, committee members discussed issues and policies facing agricultural producers, and learned about crop insurance updates, ODAFF’s Feral Swine Task Force, upcoming legislative issues and more.

The committee, made up of several OKFB farmers and ranchers representing various commodities in Oklahoma, meets throughout the year to stay updated on agricultural issues.

Winter 2016 issue of Oklahoma Country now available online he latest issue of Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Oklahoma Country magazine is arriving in mailboxes this week and is available online for electronic viewing.

The Winter 2016 issue features OKFB’s 2015 Farm Family of the Year, the Muller family of Altus, and shares their story of prospering in adversity over the last few years on their farm.

The magazine also features two Oklahoma World War II veterans who traveled on the October 2015 Oklahoma Honor Flight to see the memorials in Washington D.C. dedicated in their honor. The Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation helped sponsor the trip the two Farm Bureau members took last fall.

The magazine also features OKFB President Tom Buchanan’s Presidentially Speaking column, OKFB Executive Director Monica Wilke’s Executive Outlook column, a public policy update, a Commodity Corner update featuring a glimpse at Oklahoma’s cattle industry, an update from the Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation, and a review of OKFB news and events over the past few months.

Also, hear about a new service from The Noble Foundation and about winter landscaping from the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service.

To read the magazine online, visit www.okfarmbureau.org and click on the Publications page in the News tab.

The Magazine of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Winter 2016

middleof it all In the

Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Farm Family of the Year shares their story of farming with integrity.

Honoring the Greatest Generation

Saluting two veterans with once-in-a-lifetime trip

Convention Review

A recap of OKFB’s 74th Annual Meeting

Consider the Benefits

Getting the most from your OKFB membership

Member Benefits

Calendar

Save on Spring Break lodging

Farm Bureau Week Feb. 15-19 Contact: Marcia Irvin 405-523-2405

Spring break will be here before we know it! As you make travel plans, don’t forget the discounts OKFB members receive from a variety of popular hotel chains. Choice Hotels, Wyndham Hotel Group and InterContinental Hotel Group offer OKFB members special rates at participating locations. Visit our member benefits page to get the details!

www.okfarmbureau.org/benefits

State Legislative Conference March 7-8 – Oklahoma City Contact: John Collison 405-530-2681 Ag Day at the Capitol March 30 – Oklahoma City 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

STAFF DIRECTORY

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

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

Executive Director Monica Wilke 405-523-2303 VP of Strategic Corporate Communications Becky Samples 405-523-2528 VP of Public Policy John Collison 405-523-2539 Director of Corporate Communications Dustin Mielke 405-530-2640 Director of Public Policy Communications Hannah Nemecek 405-523-2346

Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma makes donation to Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation he Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation is proud to recognize Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma as diamond level supporters.

Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma serves the interests of farmers, ranchers and rural businesses with seven branches in central and western Oklahoma – Guymon, Alva, Woodward, Elk City, Anadarko, Clinton and Tuttle.

Established by Congress in 1916, the Farm Credit System is one of the nation’s oldest financial institutions created to

provide a dependable source of financing for agricultural purposes and rural housing.

The Farm Credit System is the only major agricultural lender owned by its borrowers, which ensures access to reasonably priced credit in good times and in bad.

“I will never lose sight of the impact that agriculture has on the landscape of the American economy,” said John Grunewald, president and CEO of Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma. “Our organization is committed to protecting and promoting production agriculture, and our partnership

with the Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation is an important step in that direction.

“We are so grateful for Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma’s continued support of this foundation and its programs,” said Jeramy Rich, president of the Foundation.

“As one of our founding members, Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma has demonstrated their ongoing commitment to serving agriculturalists and rural Oklahomans.”

OKFB hosts welcome back reception for legislators and state leaders

Left: Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor Melissa McLawhorn Houston (far left) visits with Oklahoma Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman and Rep. Randy McDaniel during the OKFB legislative welcome back reception Feb. 2 at the OKFB home office. Right: OKFB District Four Director Jimmy Kinder (right) discusses issues with Rep. Doug Cox during the reception.

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