Okfbfall 1 14 by Oklahoma Farm Bureau

FALL 2009

THE MAGAZINE OF THE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

INSIDE: INSIDE:

Matt Matt Retires; Retires; Monica Monica Takes Takes Helm Helm Don’t Don’t Mess Mess With With Oklahoma Happy Happy 100 100 4-H 4-H Growing Growing Food Is Is Never Never AA Sure Sure Thing Thing AA Week Week Without Without One One Sale Sale Rolling Rolling In In The The Dough Dough

Oklahoma Country

Contents

Features 8 – Matt Retires; Monica Takes Helm Matt Wilson retired as executive director of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Monica Wilke has been named as his successor.

10 – Don’t Mess With Oklahoma Texas saddle thieves found out that you don’t mess with Oklahoma. A volunteer investigator recovered 10 stolen saddles and produced evidence to convict the Texans. He also became the first person to collect Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s $5,000 reward. BY MIKE NICHOLS

16 – Happy 100 4-H

Happy Birthday, Oklahoma 4-H. The youth organization culminates a year-long celebration of its centennial with a green tie event and previews what ahead for the next 100. BY TRACI MORGAN

24 – Growing Food Is Never A Sure Thing There were no visions of sugar plums dancing in his head when Curt Roberts planted 11 acres of sweet corn in April but he did hope for a profitable crop. Alas it was not to be.

BY SAM KNIPP Cover Image

28 – A Week Without One Sale

Retired Executive Vice President Matt Wilson and his dog, Ben.

Despite traveling thousands of miles and seeing hundreds of people, an Oklahoma Farm Bureau agent went a week without selling an insurance policy. But the idea of selling insurance probably never crossed his mind as his mission sent him to the most remote areas of Nicaragua. BY MIKE NICHOLS

34 – Rolling In The Dough The Buss family of Garfield County has created a sweet business selling frozen cookie dough that is sure to please even the most discriminating cookie aficionado. BY DUSTIN MIELKE

Columns

Departments

2 – Presidentially Speaking 4 – Executive Outlook 6 – Country Gardening

40 – All Around Oklahoma 54 – Country Classifieds 56 – Country Kitchen

Hidden number worth $50! ne member family’s Oklahoma Farm Bureau membership number is hidden somewhere in this issue of OKLAHOMA COUNTRY, and could earn that member family $50. To claim the cash prize, the member family must find its own hidden membership number and contact Mike Nichols before the last day of the month Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to

4 p.m. at 405-523-2300. The OFB membership number hidden somewhere in OKLAHOMA COUNTRY must match the number on the face of your individual OFB membership card for you to claim the cash prize. The membership number that appears on your magazine’s mailing label is not the hidden number, but must match the hidden number for you to claim the cash prize.

Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009 • 1

Presidentially

Speaking BY MIKE SPRADLING President, Oklahoma Farm Bureau & Affiliated Companies

Getting The Word Out

he success of relationships between individuals, groups, organizations and corporations lies in the ability to communicate accurately and in a timely manner. We all have heard the phrase: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” That quote can be taken in two ways. First, did we communicate in error or secondly, did we not communicate at all. Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s grassroots success lies in our ability to communicate the needs of our organization to our members in an accurate and timely manner. Sam Knipp is the Vice President of Corporate Communications. Mike Nichols does an outstanding job as editor of Oklahoma Country magazine, bringing feature articles and organizational activities to our members. Dustin Mielke does a remarkable job providing audio for a multitude of events and producing cinemaquality video of many of our organization’s activities. Sam is a voice well recognized by many of the state’s agriculturists as they start their day by listening to their favorite agriculture radio station. Traci Morgan is in charge of our web site, making available Farm Bureau services and activities to those who take advantage of the world of electronic communications.

re the members of Oklahoma Farm Bureau ready and willing to take advantage of what the world of electronic media has to offer? It is

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my opinion that we must offer the latest technological advances in electronic communications that our members can utilize. I realize that some of our members will never take advantage of the speed and variety which this electronic media has to offer. That’s fine, for we have no intention of leaving them out. We have no plans on doing away with the printed form of the magazine or the Prespective, but for our members who do communicate electronically and for the next generation who will expect us to communicate by this means we must explore our capabilities and the expectations of the XY generation of members. Many of the printed media organizations, newspapers for example, have seen a tremendous decline in their readership as many of the world’s population start off their day by accessing their information from their desktop, laptop or handheld communication device. Just a short time ago the words My Space, Facebook and Twitter had little or no meaning to many of us, but in today’s world a major portion of society has interaction with a computer or electronic communication device each and every day. Our staff utilizes this technology every day but we must continue to strive to encourage our members to master and utilize this same means of communication to increase our effectiveness as Oklahoma’s most recognized agriculture organization – Oklahoma Farm Bureau. I have no idea what the future of communications holds, but knowing the abilities of our staff and talents of our

Information Technology department I feel Oklahoma Farm Bureau will offer our members the latest technology in the field of communications to keep our members accurately and timely informed.

or those of you who prefer the written media, don’t be alarmed for we will continue to meet your needs and desires but for those of you who only communicate through a keyboard or touch screen don’t get too excited for we still have a lot of work to do. I assure you that staff will explore the needs of our members and the capabilities of our organization to provide you the most accurate, timely and efficient form of information available by whatever means.

Executive

Outlook BY MONICA WILKE Fall 2009

Executive Director Oklahoma Farm Bureau & Affiliated Companies

Volume 61 No. 4 Oklahoma Country (ISSN 1544-6476)

It’s that time again – Convention is Nov. 6-8

reetings Farm Bureau Friends! It is hard to believe that it is that time of year again. The time when we all gather to visit with old friends, share Farm Bureau memories, honor our best and develop what this organization is all about, the “grassroots” policy that will guide your staff through the upcoming political season. This year our annual meeting will once again take place in downtown Oklahoma City on November 6-8, 2009, with most of our activities taking place in the Cox Convention Center. Our theme for this year’s 68th Convention is, “Our Brand-Our Future.” As the state’s largest farm organization, the Farm Bureau “FB” brand is a symbol that represents everything great about our state and the agriculture industry. It is the goal of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau staff to continue to brand the agriculture industry within the Farm Bureau name. How do we continue to brand our future? By doing what the members of this organization do best, good old fashioned hard work. All of the resolutions that will be considered have been identified by you, the members, at your August area meeting, county resolutions meetings, and county annual meetings. This age-old process that has proven successful for the past 67 years will once again allow you to draft the “play book” for your staff as we move forward. As much as we enjoy hard work, we also enjoy fun! Therefore, the Convention will have some of that this year as well. Our Saturday evening banquet will highlight Johnny Lee

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Published four times per year in April, July, October and January by Oklahoma Farm Bureau, 2501 N. Stiles, Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126, Telephone 405-523-2300. Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Additional Mailing Offices. Postmaster: Send address corrections to: OKLAHOMA COUNTRY, P.O.B. 53332, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3332. EDITORIAL TEAM Mike Nichols OKLAHOMA COUNTRY Editor and Senior Writer

and the Urban Cowboy Band as our featured entertainment. For those of you who enjoy a dance every now and then, please bring your boots and be prepared to “cut a rug” on the dance floor, which will be a new touch added this year for your enjoyment. We will have informative sessions as well as a variety of topics with many talented speakers. Please, look for the tentative convention highlights in this issue of Oklahoma Country and the agenda in your upcoming Perspective. I am especially looking forward to this year’s convention as your new Executive Director. While I was saddened to see Matt Wilson retire, I am excited for this new opportunity. I want this membership to know that I am truly honored to have been selected to manage the day to day operations of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Affiliated Companies.

here are a few things that I am passionate about in my life other than my faith and family. I can honestly convey to you that I have an internal passion for agriculture, this organization and the people whom we serve. Consequently, it remains my desire to cultivate that passion into a visionary path that will lead this company through our current challenges and into a future that will take Oklahoma Farm Bureau to new heights in agriculture and the insurance marketplace. Thank you for your continued service to this organization. See you soon.

Sam Knipp Vice President Corporate Communications / PR Traci Morgan PERSPECTIVE / Online News Editor Dustin Mielke Multi-media Producer / Writer DIRECT YOUR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES TO: OKLAHOMA COUNTRY Attn: Mike Nichols 2501 N. Stiles Oklahoma City, OK 73105 405-523-2300, Ext. 2345 ADVERTISING POLICY All advertising is subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers assume all liability for content of their advertising. Publisher maintains right to cancel advertising. Publisher does not guarantee advertiser service or products, and assumes no liability for products or services advertised. TO SUBSCRIBE OKLAHOMA COUNTRY subscription rate is $1 per year for members as part of the dues, $15 for non-members. WEB SITE www.okfarmbureau.org OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU DIRECTORS Mike Spradling, President Bob Drake, Vice President Tom Buchanan, Treasurer Roland Pederson, Secretary Ervin Mitchell, Director Donna VonTungeln, Director Larry Boggs, Director Charles Sloan, Director Billy Gibson, Director Phyllis Holcomb, Director Monica Wilke, Executive Director

Oklahoma Country • Summer 2006 • 5

Country

Gardening BY JOE BENTON Extension Education, Ag & CED Pottawatomie County OSU Extension Service

Mulch to prevent winter injury

ulch is a standard form of winter protection for many shallow-rooted plants. While in summer it is effective in retaining soil moisture, preventing erosion, and controlling weeds, in winter it acts as insulation for the soil and plant roots. Failure to mulch landscape plants and evergreen shrubs may lead to serious winter root injury. Alternate thawing and freezing of unmulched soil, as temperatures warm during the day and drop at night may cause frost heaving in the spring. Freezing and thawing in Oklahoma can occur throughout the winter and in fall may keep perennials from hardening properly or cause injury to unhardened plants Mulch retains soil heat and keeps it from escaping, which in turn protects root systems. Initially, the soil under mulch does not freeze as deeply, so plants will continue to absorb water. Mulch helps evergreen shrubs go into winter with more moisture, so less damage will occur from drying out come spring. There are many commercial mulches available in addition to pine needles, straw, chopped leaves, wood chips, corn cobs, or other organic materials available for your landscape plants. All are effective although availability and cost may influence your decision as to what to use. Keep in mind that you should avoid pine needles if you don't want acidic soil. Avoid weedy hay, using weed-free straw instead. Wood chips might take up lots of nitrogen

6 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009

when decomposed, so it’s better if they are already composted, or use chopped or milled pine bark. Regardless of the material you select, the rule of thumb for winter mulches is to apply a two- or three-inch layer. Adding more not only wastes money but also may smother the root system, and possibly kill the plant, especially shallow-rooted perennials. Some plants can withstand such abuse, but over-mulching is often a leading cause of death to azaleas and rhododendrons, as well as ash, maple, and narrow-leaf evergreen trees. Pine bark and pine needles will pack down very little, so you probably won’t need to add any more as the winter progresses. If you use straw, start with a four- to six-inch layer, as it will pack down to the desired final depth of two to three inches. You may need to add more throughout the winter to maintain that three-inch depth.

fter applying the mulch, gently pull it away from the stems or trunks of the plants. Mulching too close to the trunk may provide optimum conditions for the development of cankers on the lower trunk or stems of woody plants. If this occurs, the damage cannot be reversed, and the plants die in a matter of seasons. It also will provide a home for mice, which can chew the bark and girdle the stems, resulting in the plant’s death. Girdle means to remove a band of bark and cambium from the circumference of a tree or plant, which usually kills it.

Mulch fall-transplanted trees and landscape plants as soon as you’ve planted them. That’s because the mulch is needed to keep the soil warmer and moister for as long as possible before the ground freezes to help the roots become established. For these plants, you might want to use mouse guards around trunks to prevent injury.

or established landscape plants, mulching in mid fall will help retain soil warmth, so roots continue to grow for a longer period, and plants can absorb more moisture to head into winter in better shape against drying out. Soil temperatures under mulches can prevent soil temperatures from moderating or fluctuating wildly by as much as 10 degrees F. So if air temperatures drop to below freezing overnight, soil temperatures might remain at 40 degrees F or above and roots will continue to grow. Mulching in mid fall can help perennials harden as fall progresses. Sometimes, we get a few days of really cold weather and then a warm up. These fluctuating temperatures might kill some plants if they aren’t fully hardened. That’s why it is so critical to mulch early. If temperatures remain low in the fall for a few days, soil temperatures will drop more slowly on mulched soils, so wild swings in temperature are less apt to occur. See you next time!

Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009 • 7

“Quality of staff, membership growth and enhancing the overall image of the organization stand out for me.” Oklahoma Farm Bureau and affiliated companies Executive Director Matt Wilson announced his retirement July 15, after 32 years of service to the Farm Bureau family. “On behalf of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and affiliated companies, the board of directors wishes to thank Matt for his more than 30 years of dedicated work,” said Mike Spradling, president of OFB and affiliated companies. Wilson joined the OFB family in 1990, after 13 years with Kentucky Farm Bureau. Wilson points to three main accomplishments he is most proud of during his Oklahoma tenure. “Quality of staff, membership growth and enhancing the overall image of the organization stand out for me,” Wilson said. Membership more than doubled under Wilson’s direction, now standing at 170,000 member families. “I am extremely proud of the fact that we’ve been able to show steady growth despite numerous challenges,” Wilson said. Those challenges include a bumpy economy, turbulent weather and 9/11. “I was with the board of directors and several members of our staff in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001, and I saw first hand the affect of terrorism,” Wilson said. The event, along with the Oklahoma City bombing, galvanized Oklahomans to show their support for “faith, family and friends,” and Wilson believes that core belief system is why Farm Bureau has prospered. “We’re a great grass-roots, family oriented organization and when 8 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009

people are searching for something to believe in, they know Farm Bureau supports those values,” Wilson said. “With Wilson’s guidance, OFB staff has successfully worked with volunteer leaders, government agencies, legislators and the news media to solidify Farm Bureau’s reputation as a respected industry leader,” Spradling said. “His efforts have been instrumental in establishing OFB as a national leader in Farm Bureau and the agriculture industry.” Wilson dedicated many hours working with county Farm Bureau leaders on the county loan program. Since its inception in 1997, more than $12.2 million has been loaned to 54 county Farm Bureaus for building improvements. “We substantially upgraded the image of the county organizations not to mention improve the working environment for the staff with remodeled and new offices,” Wilson said. Oklahoma’s rural youth also benefited from Wilson’s leadership. Contributions to premium livestock auctions, college scholarships, sponsorship of the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association, FFA, 4-H and other rural youth groups were strongly supported by Wilson. Other highlights of Wilson’s OFB career include establishing the OFB Legal Foundation, OKAgFund, and expanded membership benefits program. A prosperous, growing family of affiliated companies, including insurance, is also a Wilson legacy. “Our companies have profited greatly from Matt’s leadership skills,” Spradling said. In his retirement Wilson plans to spend more time with his family and training “Ben the Border Collie.”

“My plan is to build on what has been started, to go forward and seize the opportunities to take Farm Bureau to a new level in the agriculture arena and in the insurance marketplace.” Monica Wilke was named executive director for Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Affiliated Companies by the state board of directors at the September meeting. She had served as acting executive director since Matt Wilson’s retirement announcement in July. “Monica Wilke brings a new, fresh perspective, unique thoughts and ideas to move our organization forward,” said OFB President Mike Spradling. “The board has the utmost respect and confidence in her ability to achieve the goals of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and its affiliated companies.” Monica began her career with Oklahoma Farm Bureau in December 1999 in what then was the governmental relations division working on national policy issues. She also served as director of political education and assistant general counsel. She was promoted to general counsel in 2001. As the general counsel, she was responsible for advising the board of directors and management on all legal and regulatory affairs that impact Farm Bureau and its affiliates. Monica also served as lobbyist for the insurance company at the same time. “My plan is to build on what has been started, to go forward and seize the opportunities to take Farm Bureau to a new level in the agriculture arena and in the insurance marketplace,” she said. Growing up in the small southwestern Oklahoma town of Grandfield, Monica was active in school and youth activities in her church. She was a four-year officer in the Grandfield FFA chapter, an all-conference and all-area basketball player, class officer, cheerleader and Student Council officer before graduating.

She was elected state FFA secretary in 1992, splitting time of her freshman year at Oklahoma State University between classes and FFA functions. Monica’s FFA involvement sent her to Washington, D.C., initiating her interest in the political arena. Between her junior and senior years at OSU, she worked in Washington, D.C., in Sen. Don Nickles office with Ryan Leonard on agricultural issues including the draft of the farm bill and furthered her interest in the political field. After earning her bachelor degree from OSU in 1996 in family relations and child development, she was accepted into the University of Oklahoma College of Law. “I had always wanted to go to law school,” Monica said. She earned her juris doctorate in 1999, and then accepted a position with a Tulsa law firm that specialized in insurance law. Monica and her husband, Jason, and their two children, Miller, 5, and Myah, 2, reside in Edmond. The couple was married in November 1999, just weeks before Monica came to Farm Bureau. Jason, an OSU graduate, has been a partner in the Warren Edwards & Associates landscape architecture firm for about five years, where he specializes in designing outdoor living spaces. Jason has worked in the financial arena, but Monica said his primary interest has always been in the landscaping field. The family attends Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond where Monica and Jason volunteer their time in the nursery department. Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009 • 9

Lone Star state saddle thieves were brought to justice swiftly. By Mike Nichols

t was just another typical day on the Morgan Ranch near Ramona. Tom and Nellie returned to the barn after a day on the range, unsaddled their horses, put the tack away and then retired for the evening. When Tom went to the barn the morning of May 16, 2007, he thought some of the ranch horses had managed to get inside and make a mess of things. The horses weren’t to blame, however. When Tom ventured into the tack room he discovered that it was thieves who had made the mess before carting off 10 saddles, valued at about $20,000. Many of the saddles were trophies won at different competitions; other were custom-made Biffs and Mocks; and one was a family heirloom that was altered years ago for Tom when he first learned to ride. Authorities were called and all the police reports were filed that May morning. Like so many crime victims, Tom and Nellie were left without their property and little hope of ever seeing their 10 saddles again. But before May was ushered out by June, all the Morgan’s saddles were safely back in the tack room and two suspects were in jail awaiting trial. Shortly after the theft, business took Tom to the Tulsa stockyards where he noticed “two ole boys were backed up unloading saddles at the sale barn. I walked over, and they said they had receipts on all the saddles.” Tom didn’t spot his saddles, but was suspicious of the two young Texans hawking saddles at the sale barn. He checked with the Nellie and Tom Morgan are pictured with some of the saddles stolen from the tack room of their ranch May 16, 2007. Some were trophies won at competitions and others were custom-made, with the value of all 10 estimated at $20,000. The saddles were recovered and returned to the Morgans thanks to the diligence of a cousin from Claremore. 10 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009

Below right: Tom (left) and Nellie Morgan and Coy Jenkins pose at the snack bar of the Morgan’s ranch home near Ramona. Coy, who spent almost 20 years in the law enforcement field, put all his investigative experience to use after thieves stole valuable saddles from the Morgan’s tack room in 2007. Below top: Oklahoma Farm Bureau Insurance Claims Vice President Richard Newberry presents a $5,000 reward check to Coy Jenkins at a Morgan Ranch corner post where one of the OFB Reward Signs was posted. Jenkins recovered saddles and was instrumental in securing a conviction in the theft of $20,000 worth of saddles. Nellie and Tom Morgan along with Washington County Farm Bureau President Macy Strom also are pictured. Below bottom: Young Chet Jenkins holds the $5,000 check his dad received from Oklahoma Farm Bureau for solving a theft case and providing information that sent the criminals to prison. Also pictured, from left, are Nellie Morgan, Coy Jenkins, Chet, TSCRA Ranger John Cummings and Tom Morgan. Coy said he planned to use the reward money to start a college fund for Chet.

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stockyard’s authorities, and rounded up all the information they had on the out-of-state saddle peddlers. Tom then telephoned cousin Coy Jenkins for assistance – a move that saw the case solved in just a bit more time than your favorite television 60-minute police drama. “Tom called me and said there were a couple of knuckleheads at the stockyards,” said Coy, who lives in Claremore and works as a loss prevention specialist for USA Drug Stores. Coy drove to the stockyards in his Arkansas-tagged company vehicle still dressed in his business suit and talked with the two Texans. “I was convinced it was them,” he remembers. “Coy called deputies from Rogers and Washington counties,” recalls Tom, “and said here’s your suspects. They said no, those guys are okay.” “They (law officers) didn’t think they were involved, and I said I guess I’m gonna have to do this myself,” said Coy. Coy is a 1976 graduate of the University of Oklahoma, who had plans to pursue a law degree. Those plans didn’t work out, and he joined the Tulsa Police Department for five years while at the same time working on a graduate degree in public administration.

When he left the Tulsa force, Coy was hired by the Oklahoma State University Police Department where he worked for six years as the training supervisor. He also spent a couple of years as the director of law enforcement training for the Oklahoma vo-tech system. Coy spent the next seven years at Texas A&M University on the staff of the state police academy, where he taught recruits the basics along with special classes in firearms, tactical operations and undercover narcotics. After almost 20 years in the law enforcement field, the job with the pharmacy chain became available and Coy decided it was “a good time to start settling down.” When the Texas suspects left the Tulsa Stockyards, Coy kept them under surveillance. He relied on his years of experience in law enforcement plus all the contacts he’d made to recover the saddles and see the criminals charged and sentenced for the crime. “They are horse and cattle thieves and I was gonna bring them back,” said Coy. “I spent the next two to three days with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle ranger.” The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA)

rangers are commissioned law officers in both Texas and Oklahoma. “The first thing we did was head to a sale barn. We looked at sales records and found out who bought some stolen saddles.” When Coy and the Rangers found the person who bought some of the saddles, that led them right to one of Tom’s “knuckleheads.” Coy, who was clad in traditional western attire at the time, said he told the suspect: “Remember I’m the one in a suit and tie that tried to buy a kids saddle” from you in Tulsa. The suspect admitted remembering Coy. John Cummings, a TSCRA ranger, had just been hired and wasn’t a commissioned officer when the thefts were being investigated. Nonetheless, he worked with Coy to help bring the saddle thieves to justice. “Saddle theft is still a big deal,” said the ranger. “It’s an easy deal. “We try to make all the tack auctions, watch Craig’s List and check pawn shops. People know they’re getting too good of a deal (when they buy stolen saddles). And I want who’s stealing them. “We work for livestock producers,” the ranger continued. “In fact, we work for anybody who calls us. They don’t have to be members.” “I can’t praise enough the Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers

Oklahoma Country • Fall 2009 • 13

Association rangers,” said Coy. “These guys are the ones that really got all this stuff working.” The Texas saddle thieves arrested and convicted for the Morgan thefts had a rather large theft ring in Oklahoma and Texas. They typically sold stolen Oklahoma saddles to Texans, and saddles stolen in Texas to Oklahomans. Coy returned from Texas with most of the Morgan’s saddles. Two had to be retrieved from a Florida law enforcement officer who purchased them from the thieves on the side of the highway. “He brought them back here in about 10 days,” said Tom. “Everything just hit right. It felt good to get them back. I really wanted my old saddle back. It was just unreal that we got ’em back.” “We wanted our saddles back,” reiterated Nellie, who is vice president of the Washington County Farm Bureau board of directors. The Morgans have been fortunate. They have been on their cattle ranch since 1970, and the theft of the saddles was the first major crime they’ve had to deal with in almost 40 years. “We lock up now and we put in a security system,” said Nellie. “It’s a hassle.”

Left: Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s reward program is one of the organization’s oldest member services. The old sign posted here, which still hangs today, along with the warning of a bad dog dates back at least 25 years ago when the program offered a $500 reward. Below: New Reward Sign

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hile the Morgans have changed a few things since the burglary, one thing hasn’t changed – posting of the $5,000 Oklahoma Farm Bureau reward signs on their property. The reward program is one of OFB’s oldest member services. It was set up to discourage theft, vandalism and arson on the farms, residences and other property of OFB members. The reward was increased from $1,000 to $5,000 in late 2006, and Jenkins is the first person to claim the payment. “This is the first reward payment Farm Bureau has made since the monetary award was increased to $5,000,” said Richard Newberry, Farm Bureau Insurance Claims vice president. “We are happy to recognize the efforts of Coy Jenkins in both recovering the Morgan’s stolen saddles and securing a conviction of the thieves. “Today it is rare for an individual to shoulder the task of recovering someone else’s stolen property. Coy not only shouldered that responsibility, but was instrumental in securing the evidence necessary for authorities to obtain felony convictions for the theft of the saddles.” He said the $5,000 reward was a small price for Farm Bureau to pay in this theft case. If the saddles had not been recovered and returned to the Morgans, it would have cost the company around $20,000 to settle the claim. “The reward program,” said the Claims vice president, “actually saved the company the cost of a rather large claim, and we hope that as news of it spreads criminals will think twice when they see an Oklahoma Farm Bureau reward sign posted.” Richard said it is sad that it has taken almost three years for the company to have the opportunity to present the first $5,000 reward. “However, we recognize that our court system is crowded and sometimes it takes longer than we’d all like for justice to be served. The theft at the Morgan’s ranch took place more than two years ago, and it was only recently that the justice system incarcerated the criminals despite the case being solved in less than two weeks.” Reward signs are available at all county Farm Bureau offices. New members are entitled to one free reward sign. Signs are available for a nominal cost of $1 each to both new and existing members. “We realize that no reward program will stop crime, but I think our $5,000 offer certainly serves to make all of us more cognizant of what’s going on in our neighborhood or community,” Richard concluded.