September 23, 2011

PERSPECTIVE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

®

September 23, 2011

Retired Farm Bureau editor leaves strong legacy When you first met Mike Nichols it did not take long to learn this was a man who did not waste words. He told you straight up what he thought. This no nonsense approach served him well as editor for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau publications.

Mike retired in December 2010, and after a short but courageous battle with cancer, he passed away Sept. 9. He leaves behind a written legacy few can match.

Mike’s attention to detail would often catch spelling and punctuation errors others missed. Before sending out any story, news release or photo caption, we always had Mike check it for errors.

He wore his editor’s title with pride and distinction.

After graduating with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Journalism from Oklahoma State University in 1972, Mike worked as a reporter for the Shawnee News-Star before starting his Farm Bureau career. For most of his 30 years at Farm Bureau, Mike was known as the “camera man” as he would take photos of new employees and Farm Bureau leaders. But his ability to tightly edit stories set him apart from the average journalist.

During his service as editor of the employee publication Spotlight, the membership publication Farm Bureau Journal and later the Oklahoma Country magazine, Mike wrote hundreds of stories about the many achievements of employees and volunteer Farm Bureau leaders. This brought him into close contact with some of Mike’s favorite people; he had a strong respect for those who made their living off the land.

Mike was always glad to visit with farmers and ranchers, often

asking if there was “any good fishing in the ponds” or “good hunting in the fields,” as these were two of Mike’s favorite outdoor activities.

The agriculture producers could easily relate to Mike as they shared similar ideas and values.

His raspy laugh and dry sense of humor were as much a part of Mike as his pen and camera. He understood the importance of the facts and writing an accurate account, but he never Mike Nichols devoted 30 years let that keep him from of service to the Oklahoma Farm weaving an interesting Bureau Communications division. story that drew readers in, compelling them to read everything down to the last sentence.

The pictures Mike took and the thousands of words he penned will serve as only part of his legacy. The remainder can be found in his family and the many people he met along the way. He left his mark on this world as a good man doing good work.

GM, HughesNet offering newest member discounts Eligible Oklahoma Farm Bureau members can now receive a $500 discount on each qualifying 2011 or 2012 model year Chevrolet, GMC or Buick vehicle they purchase or lease. This Farm Bureau membership benefit is offered for vehicles purchased or leased at participating dealerships through Farm Bureau’s GM Private Offer.

Twenty-six GM models are part of the program such as the Chevrolet Silverado HD, recipient of the 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. A broad range of other pick-up trucks, SUVs, sedans and crossovers also are included in the program.

“We are Qualifying OFB members can receive a pleased to manufacturer’s discount on 26 different GM announce the models including the Chevy Silverado HD. roll-out of the Farm Bureau General Motors Private Offer,” said OFB Field Services Vice President Thad Doye.

“This program is a strong addition to the portfolio of benefits we offer to save members money as they and their families work hard to provide food, fiber and renewable fuels for our nation.”

To qualify for the offer, individuals must be current Farm Bureau members for at least 60 days prior to the date of delivery of the selected vehicle. Members may receive the incentive for the purchase or lease of multiple vehicles, including fleet vehicles purchased through GM’s National Fleet Purchase Program. Full details and program eligibility guidelines are available by contacting the OFB Field Services division at (405) 523-2470.

Also new to the OFB member rewards program is satellite internet service provider HughesNet. The provider is popular among rural areas where cable or digital internet access is not available.

From casual browsers to frequent internet users, HughestNet offers multiple high-speed packages. Farm Bureau members who sign up for HughesNet as a new customer can save an instant 10 percent. Learn more by calling 1-866-556-9661.

County YF&R Farmhand Olympics

Member Benefits

• EZ Ranch – Offers its profit and loss herd management software to OFB members at a 15% discount. Call 888-EZ Ranch or visit ez-ranch.com.

• Choice Hotels International – Members can save up to 30% off their next stay at thousands of Choice Hotel locations. Call 800-4CHOICE. 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.

TOP LEFT – Pottawatomie Co. Young Farmers & Ranchers chairman Jeff Weeks times a Shawnee FFA student in the hand water pumping contest during Pottawatomie Co.’s Farmhand Olympics, Sept. 7 in Shawnee. A total of 12 teams participated in the event, which included seed spitting, a horseshoe toss, water pumping, roping and a team relay.

TOP RIGHT – Abbey Chrz of the Morrison FFA Chapter cracks an egg on her forehead during the Noble Co. Farmhand Olympics relay, Sept. 12, in Perry.

LEFT – Dakota Moore of Billings FFA tries his hand at roping during the Noble. Co. YF&R Farmhand Olympics. Four FFA chapters and several 4-H’ers participated.

OFB Calendar Convention Awards Deadline October 7, 2011 • Oklahoma City Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405 State Resolutions Meeting October 18-19, 2011 • Oklahoma City Contact: Tyler Norvell, (405) 523-2402 OFB Annual Meeting November 11-13, 2011 • Oklahoma City Contact: Monica Wilke, (405) 523-2303

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

Currently online: • Photo Galleries – Want to catch up on an Oklahoma Farm Bureau event?

Click the “galleries” button under the News tab to see pictures from OFB’s recent August Area Meetings and the drought recovery summit.

• OFB Reward Program – OFB is watching out for its members. Select the “reward program” button under Membership to learn more about how a cash reward is offered for information leading to a felony conviction.

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Ag grant and loan apps due Oct. 3 The next application deadline for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry’s Agricultural Enhancement and Diversification Program (AEDP) is Oct. 3.

The AEDP helps fund qualified agriculture-related projects across the state with 0% interest loans and grants. Four types of funding sources are available including farm diversification grants, marketing and utilization loans, cooperative marketing loans, and basic and applied research loans/ grants.

AEDP funds are intended to produce agriculture-related products and create rural economic development. Applicants must be 21 years of age and reside in Oklahoma as legal residents.

Applications are accepted quarterly with the next deadline set for Oct. 3.

Additional information can be found at http://www.ag.ok.gov/mktdev-loans.htm

YF&R State Fair Livestock Judging Contest

ABOVE – A livestock judger marks his card during the Oklahoma Farm Bureau YF&R livestock judging contest at the Oklahoma State Fair, Sept. 16.

Logan Co. Farm Bureau Women’s Committee chairman Gaye Pfeiffer stirs More than 700 4-H and FFA students a pen of Angus heifers during the YF&R livestock judging competition. participated in the annual event.

Producers voice concerns over lesser prairie chicken Several District 1 Farm Bureau members were among more than 100 people to attend a forum on the lesser prairie chicken, Sept. 7, in Woodward.

Hosted by U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe’s office, the meeting featured new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.

The director fielded questions over the possible listing of the lesser prairie chicken on the threatened or endangered species list.

Oklahoma’s state secretaries of agriculture, commerce, environment, energy and transportation spoke at the event along with several energy company representatives and local farmers and ranchers.

Director Ashe had agreed to appear at the Woodward meeting in return for Inhofe’s confirmation of his new position.

Ashe said he appreciated the Oklahoma hospitality but also was receptive to the “blunt” concerns of residents.

“I heard concerns about the potential effects of an endangered species act listing – the potential economic effects of that on the livelihood of producers and the utility industry,” Ashe said.

If the lesser prairie chicken was eventually placed on a list, wind turbine companies, utilities and farmers and ranchers would be forced to observe a certain amount of land for the bird’s breeding ground. Concerned parties said the potential access to fewer acres would cost them millions in production losses.

“They keep telling us they want to increase habitat, but to the best of my

knowledge when we had what they consider the best habitat, we had less birds than we had at a time when this country had a lot of grain production,” said Beaver Co. FB member Alan Jett. “Do they want habitat or do they want birds?”

Jett said he did not believe the forum would have any eventual influence on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s listing decision. Those who voiced their concerns, including Oklahoma Secretary of Environment Gary Sherrer asked Ashe to give Oklahoma two years to allow Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation programs to take effect. However, the director said the extra time might not be possible.

“The complication we have is the law

has statutory deadlines,” Ashe said. “Once a listing starts to proceed forward, we have to make determinations according to a time schedule.”

Ashe said he hoped the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could increase Oklahomans’ confidence in the agency’s ability to deal with endangered species issues in a respectful manner.

Landowners in northwest Oklahoma said they have not spotted a lesser prairie chicken in the area in more than 30 years.

Meanwhile, Ashe said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to make a decision and propose a listing, if warranted, by September 2012. The listing would then become final in the fall of 2013.

Prairie Chickens – Beaver Co. FB member Alan Jett (right) tell U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe (left) why he’s concerned about the potential threatened or endangered species listing of the lesser prairie chicken.

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

Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332 Postmaster: Send address corrections to: Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

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 Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Vice Norvell, President of Public Policy Tyler 523-2402

Marla Peek, 523-2437 Vice President of Public Policy Director of Regulatory Affairs Marla Peek, 523-2437 Kinsey Money, 523-2539 Directorofof Regulatory Affairs Director Research & Policy Development

OFB Annual Meeting coming soon

Fall is in the air and as the seasons begin to change, Oklahoma Farm Bureau is preparing for the its 70th state convention. See future issues of Perspective for more details.

State legislator to hold interim study on roads and bridges State Rep. Phil Richardson plans to hold an interim study in October regarding the mining industry’s impact on Oklahoma roads and bridges.

As a member of the House Transportation committee, Richardson said a group of county commissioners requested the study.

“Counties get road money from the oil and gas industry’s gross production tax,” Richardson said. “But Oklahoma also has a lot of mining activity, and counties aren’t getting tax revenue from that.”

Richardson said there are many gravel pits and rock quarries in Oklahoma, especially in the southern part of the state, and the heavy trucks take a toll on roads and bridges.

“Sixty percent of the rock and gravel in southern Oklahoma goes to Texas and these county commissioners get no road tax from that enterprise,” he said.

In recent years, Oklahoma has ranked high in deficient roads and bridges. As a result, Richardson said any potential funding sources to help maintain and improve the structures is worth pursuing. Also, Farm Bureau members have voiced their concerns

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over road and bridge conditions at recent resolutions meetings.

Richardson’s study is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 20, in room 432A of the State Capitol. Several county commissioners and officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transporation are expected to attend.

An interim legislative study is scheduled next month to help research additional funding sources for county roads and bridges.

USDA offers funding to improve rural 911 service U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced changes to federal regulations earlier this month that will help rural communities obtain advanced emergency communications services, including 911 access to better respond to emergencies and disasters.

These changes will help rural communities obtain next generation 911 services necessary to maintain the security and safety of rural residents and businesses.

"Our telecommunications networks should work best when they are needed the most, and that is in times of emergencies,” Vilsack said. “This change provides rural first responders with the tools they need to maintain mission-critical voice and broadband service during times of emergency or during natural disasters."

The USDA recently published interim telecommunications loan program eligibility requirements on financing the construction of interoperable, integrated public safety communications networks in rural areas. Funding for the program will be provided by USDA Rural Development through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

The new eligibility criteria would allow USDA to leverage public and private resources to speed the rural deployment of dual-use public safety/commercial wireless networks, address homeland security communications needs along America's rural international borders, and finance enhanced 911 capabilities for communities.