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OFB Vice President Bob Drake, left, and OFB President Steve Kouplen took center stage during the 63rd annual convention when delegates discussed resolutions before enacting them as policy for the organization in 2005.

Farm Bureau Women caucused at the 63rd annual convention to fill positions on the state committee. Marilynn Spence, left, of Vinita was re-elected to the district six post and Phyllis Holcomb of Kellyville, right, was re-elected to the district nine post. Clara Wichert of Fairview, second from left, was reelected as chairman while Mary Lou Roberts of Arcadia was elected to the district three post.

John Vance, left, owner of John Vance Auto Group, hands the keys to a new Dodge to Discussion Meet winner Tim Bartram of Logan County. Vance also provided winners of the Farm Family of the Year and the Achievement Award with new Dodge vehicles.

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Top left: Representative Todd Hiett, the first Republican to be Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 84 years, had the undivided attention of those attending the opening session of the 63rd annual convention. Hiett, a longtime Farm Bureau member, entertained the audience with the story of buying his very first business suit to take the oath of office as a representative. He also spoke about the changes he hopes to institute as Speaker as well as the challenges he expects to encounter.

Top right: OFB President Steve Kouplen delivers his presidential address to delegates attending the 63rd annual meeting.

Middle left: Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin addressed the final general session of the 63rd OFB convention.

Middle right: Dick Newpher, chief administrative officer and secretary-treasurer of the American Farm Bureau Federation, thanked OFB leaders and members for their contributions to the national organization. He spoke during the opening session of the 63rd annual convention.

Bottom left: Miss Oklahoma Elizabeth Kinney delighted those attending the opening session of the 63rd annual convention.

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Woods County Farm Bureau office secretary Katie Perks was recognized as 2004 Secretary of the Year at the recent annual convention by OFB President Steve Kouplen. Katie earlier was named the Northwest District Secretary of the Year. The other district winners included Toni Bender of Kingfisher County, North Central; Missy Fuller of Tulsa County, Northeast; Sharon King of Caddo County, Southwest; Bonnie Maloy of Oklahoma County, South Central; and Betty Caudill of Latimer County, Southeast.

It was an unprecedented six wins in a row for Alfalfa County Farm Bureau at the recent OFB annual convention. County President Ryan Pjesky, right, accepts the prestigious John I. Taylor Award from OFB President Steve Kouplen. The Taylor Award, named for OFB’s first president, recognizes the top county Farm Bureau in the state.

Alfalfa County Farm Bureau President Ryan Pjesky, right, accepts the Lewis H. Munn Award from OFB President Steve Kouplen at the recent annual convention. The award, named for the organization’s second president, was presented to the county that excelled in the program area of Young Farmers and Ranchers during 2004.

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Left: The OSU Concert Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Dirk Garner, provided inspiration through music during the Vespers and Memorial Service at the 63rd annual convention.

Comprised of students from across the university, the Chorale has given prestigious performances throughout the southwestern United States and Europe. In the spring of 2005, the Chorale will travel to Italy for performances in Rome, Venice and Florence.

Middle left: LaDonna Gatlin, baby sister of country music’s renowned Gatlin Brothers, delivered her inspiring message of hope and faith in words and song during the Vespers and Memorial Service at the 63rd annual convention.

Middle right: Dusty Applegate, Lori Peterson, Dave Perkins, Monica Wilke and Scott Bulling now will be known forever as the Farm Bureau Singers after group and individual performances during the 63rd annual convention.

OFB Director Billy Gibson and his wife, Janet, enjoy homemade sundaes at the Ice Cream Social Nov.14. The fund raising event for the Legal Foundation was held during the 63rd annual convention.

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Payne County couple named Farm Family of the Year

OFB Women’s Committee Chairman Clara Wichert, left, presents the Farm Family of the Year Award to John and Kay Williams of Payne County.

ayne County’s John and Kay Williams were named Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year Nov. 14 at the 63rd annual state convention in Oklahoma City.

A panel of judges selected the Coyle family from 16 entries in the annual contest, which honors the farm family who best represents farming and ranching and the spirit of Oklahoma agriculture.

They received use of a new Dodge pickup for a year, an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation meeting in Charlotte, N.C., and other gifts in recognition of their accomplishments.

The couple has three adult sons, John III, Carl and Clark.

John, 67, made his entry in farming at the age of 9 when he took out a loan to purchase a dairy heifer. Kay took up farming in 1960, when she and John were married. On the third day of their honeymoon, they went to a farm sale and purchased a tractor and plow and began their farming operation in earnest.

They rented land, had a laying flock and sold eggs to a local grocery store, fed out pigs and milked 22 cows by hand and sold cream to a dairy company.

Today, the operation consists of 3,460 acres.

Cropland covers 880 acres with 250 acres in alfalfa and other hay and the remainder is in pasture and timber. About 500 head of cows, calves and stockers make up the cow herd.

They also produce seed wheat, and extra income is generated from hunting leases

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offered on the majority of the land.

Viability, profitability and “fit” while staying true to their commitment to be stewards of the land are family guidelines. The Williams recently have converted to no-till, and are the first in the area to use a GPS unit for fertilizer and chemical applications.

In 1972, they installed a hog confinement finishing operation designed by John. That operation has been visited by Oklahoma State University classes and Extension specialists from around the country because of its innovativeness, efficiency and profitability.

“Hogs were mortgage lifters,” they said, “enabling double loan payments to be made and farm payment debt to be greatly reduced.”

The Williams store grain and hay on the farm. They truck their grain to the Port of Catoosa; and market their hay via word of mouth across the state and nation. They also have an annual group sale of heifers and steers directly to buyers.

The family philosophy focuses on what is important for the farm as well as the needs and wants of all individuals involved. They strive to produce quality agricultural products that will allow for satisfying family living experiences now and in the future.

“We can truthfully say that we are debt free, have money in the bank and our land is more productive and viable than when we obtained it.”

They are well satisfied with their farm life and have no intention of retiring at this time.

However, they are pleased that they have helped one son enter into the operation with the goal of continuing the family’s farming tradition.

John and Kay have a long history with Farm Bureau, dating back to the days when YF&R was known as Junior Farm Bureau. John was state Junior Farm Bureau chairman two terms, and both served as delegates to state and national Junior Farm Bureau conferences and were discussion meet participants.

He also is a former county Farm Bureau director and president, and Kay has served on the county board as well. She currently is chairman of the county Women’s Committee.

Both also are active in the Cattlemen’s Association, Wheat Growers and Texas and Southwest Cattle Growers as well as a plethora of community activities ranging from FFA and 4-H Boosters Clubs to their church.

“One of the earliest goals we set for our family is to make our farming operation and ourselves good examples in the use of the resources we have available to us. We continually strive to accomplish this.

“We passionately believe in the importance of production agriculture and the American farm family to the strength of our country and to our nation’s ability to retain its strong political and economic positions globally.

“We understand the struggles and hardships as well as the joys and rewards associated with farming in general,” they said.

“We realize there needs to be a sensible balance between the promotion and protection of farm enterprises and the protection of the environment so that American farmers can continue to feed the world economically and abundantly.”

Ryan and Hope Pjesky win Achievement Award lfalfa County’s Ryan and Hope Pjesky were named Oklahoma Farm Bureau YF&R Achievement Award winner Nov. 14 at the 63rd annual convention in Oklahoma City.

The YF&R Achievement Award honors the state’s top young farmer or farm family for their achievements in the farming business and their leadership in the agricultural community. A panel of judges selected the Goltry couple for the award.

They received an expense-paid trip to the 2005 American Farm Bureau convention in Charlotte, N.C., to represent Oklahoma in the national contest where they will compete for Dodge pickups and Arctic Cat fourwheelers. As the Oklahoma winner, the Pjeskys received a year’s use of a Dodge pickup and the use of a Kubota tractor along with other prizes.

Ryan, 35, and Hope, 33, have been involved in agriculture most of their lives.

Both were reared on family farms, and opted to start their own operation.

They own and operate half of a 2,349acre diversified wheat and cattle operation, which makes heavy use of the ability to graze stocker cattle on winter wheat pasture. A portion of their operation was originally homesteaded by Ryan’s great, great grandfather in the Land Run of 1893.

They have increased their net worth more than 12 fold since starting their operation in 1993. In addition to the farming operation, they also maintain a registered Dorset club lamb flock and an Appaloosa show horse.

Ryan is a fourth generation farmer with a degree in animal science.

Hope comes from a family that possesses an 18th century land grant from the King of England. That

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farm remains in operation today.

Better record keeping, preserving natural resources, and improving profitability and productivity are everyday management practices on the Pjesky’s operation.

Their bookkeeping format puts all expenses and income into IRS categories for easy accessibility in establishing the financial position of the operation.

They regularly practice conservation and always look for ways to lower input costs, such as purchasing older equipment, which they fix up; and mismanaged cattle, which they precondition. Forage went from small square bales to large round bales to lessen time and expense, and larger equipment was put in place in crop production.

“Farming is hard, stressful, but rewarding work. If farming was not rewarding, personally and financially, I would seek another career,” said Ryan.

He has served on the Alfalfa County Farm Bureau board since 1993, and has been president since 1998. Both Ryan and Hope have served on the county YF&R committee and state YF&R Committee, where they

were co-chairman.

Each was a state discussion meet winner in 1993, and both have served on the state Farm Bureau Resolutions Committee. Both also belong to the National Association of Wheat Growers, the state Wheat Growers and state Cattlemen’s Association as well the National Young Farmer Educational Association.

“For us, the recognition that the whole county Farm Bureau team (six years in a row as the top county in the state) has been more fulfilling than any of the individual awards that we have received over the years,” they said.

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Alfalfa County’s Ryan and Hope Pjesky are pictured with the Dodge pickup they received as winners of the YF&R Achievement Award.

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Totusek, Givens honored with Distinguished Service Awards klahoma Farm Bureau honored two well-known agricultural leaders during its 63rd annual meeting Nov. 14 in Oklahoma City with Distinguished Service Awards.

The pair of awards is designed to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture and to Oklahoma Farm Bureau, according to Matt Wilson, executive director.

Stillwater’s Dr. Robert Totusek and Mangum’s Jack Givens were honored in ceremonies before the convention body.

Totusek was presented with the Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Agriculture Award while Givens received the Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Farm Bureau Award.

The 77-year-old Totusek has been involved in agriculture for more than half a century and is a recognized leader in Oklahoma and across the United States.

He was a member of the faculty in the Animal Science Department at Oklahoma A&M College and Oklahoma State University from 1952 through 1990, where he taught 14 different courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as off-campus Extension courses in beef education.

Totusek also was the coach of the university’s livestock judging team from 1953 through 1961, leading the team to 10 national and international contest titles.

He headed the Animal Science Department from 1976 through 1990. During his tenure, 30 new faculty positions were added, a new animal science building and arena

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were constructed and groundwork was laid for a new beef cattle research center and swine teaching and research center. Funding for research almost doubled under his leadership.

Totusek is acknowledged as one of the nation’s most outstanding beef cattle judges, where he was a trendsetter for the industry.

Through his judging, he made an effort to emphasize the need to move from fatter, slow-growing cattle to growthier cattle with a higher lean to fat ratio.

He served as advisor to the American Hereford Association, American Angus Association and American Polled Hereford Association.

Totusek was named as the outstanding teacher at OSU on two occasions. BEEF Magazine named him to its BEEF Top 40, recognizing Totusek as a top contributor to building the nation’s beef industry. He also was inducted into the Saddle & Sirloin Portrait Gallery at the North American International Livestock Exposition. Inclusion in the gallery is considered to be the highest honor awarded in the livestock industry.

Givens, 82, also has devoted more than half a century to agriculture. His involvement in Farm Bureau began when his parents were OFB’s first Farm Family of the Year in 1958.

Whether serving his church, community or agriculture, the Farm Bureau philosophy always has been evident. His service to Farm Bureau spans the county, state and national levels.

Givens served on the Greer County Farm Bureau board of directors for 30 years, and during that time served 15 years as president. He has served on various committees at the county, state and national

Left: Jack Givens accepts the Distinguished Service to Farm Bureau Award from OFB President Steve Kouplen.

Right: Dr. Robert Totusek accepts the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from OFB President Steve Kouplen.

Farm Bureau levels.

He was elected to the OFB Board of Directors in 1988, serving two terms as vice president. Givens won the OFB president’s office in November 1997 and served through November 1999.

Givens maintains cotton and wheat farming interests along with a cow herd plus stockers.

He holds a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts from his service in World War II, where he was a prisoner of war.

He attended Oklahoma State University and graduated from Oregon State University following his military career.

Givens is a director of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma Art Institute and Oklahoma Cotton Growers. He sits on the board of regents for Oklahoma State University and A&M

Colleges, where he has served as both chairman and vice chairman.

Givens was named a recipient of the OSU Alumni Association’s Distinguished 2004 Alumni Award Nov. 13 in ceremonies at Stillwater.

Harmons win Excellence in Agriculture Award anadian County’s Burton and Audrey Harmon were recognized with Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award Nov. 14 at the 63rd annual convention in Oklahoma City.

The award recognizes successful young people 35 or younger who are involved in farming but whose primary occupations are not farming or owning an agricultural business. The award is based on their involvement in agriculture and participation in Oklahoma Farm Bureau and other community organizations.

The Harmons, who reside at Yukon, have three children, Benjamin, 5; Aaron, 2; and Jared, 8 months. Burton manages a 1,100-acre cow-calf operation and Audrey is a part-time preschool teacher. They co-chair their county YF&R Committee and serve as secretary on

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Canadian County’s Burton and Audrey Harmon accept congratulations as Excellence in Agriculture Award winners from Hub Airola of Farm Credit. Farm Credit awarded the winning couple a four-wheeler.

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Oklahoma Country • Winter 2005 • 25