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OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

February 21, 2014PERSPECTIVE

Women’s Leadership Team celebrates Our Food Link

OKFB hosts welcome back reception for legislators

The OKFB Women’s Leadership Team donated $3,000 in food products to the Ronald McDonald House of Oklahoma City and the Ronald McDonald House of Tulsa, Feb. 11 and Feb. 12, as part of the new AFBF Our Food Link initiative. The members also cooked and served a meal for the families staying in the Oklahoma City location.

Our Food Link is a year-round program that county and state Farm Bureaus use to provide consumers of all ages and back-grounds with information about today’s agriculture. This includes helping people connect with sources of clothing, food, shelter and energy in their communities. Activities range from outreach at supermar-kets or farmers’ markets to hosting interac-tive booths at community events, speaking with lawmakers and neighbors about food or visiting a classroom to help students understand agricultural topics.

As a grassroots organization committed to enhancing and strengthening the lives of rural Americans, supporting RMHC is a good fit because the charity helps families maintain the strength needed to care for seriously ill or injured children undergo-ing medical treatment, by providing them with a “home away from home.” And with

specialized medical care not often available in rural areas, Farm Bureau members have often found Ronald McDonald Houses to be an invaluable resource.

For more information on Our Food Link with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Team, contact Marcia Irvin at (405) 523-2405.

LEFT – OKFB Women’s Leadership Team member Lowayne Piercey prepares taco meat for a dinner served at the Ronald McDonald House in Oklahoma City, Feb. 11. Chairman Kitty Beavers and OKFB’s Marcia Irvin also helped with the meal.

RIGHT – OKFB Women’s Leadership Team member Lena Henson delivers groceries to the Ronald McDonald House in Tulsa, Feb. 12, to commemorate AFBF’s Our Food Link initiative. The group donated more than $3,000 to the Oklahoma City and Tulsa charities.

FAR LEFT – OKFB President Tom Buchanan (left) visits with Sen. Ron Justice (center) and Brian Hackler of U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe’s office during a legislative reception at the OKFB headquarters, Feb. 5.

LEFT – OKFB’s John Collison and Rep. Wade Rousselot discuss issues the legislature plans to address during the 2014 legislative session. More than 90 legislators and guests attended the reception.

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Oklahoma Farm Bureau OnlineMonitor the latest Farm Bureau

and agricultural news and information online at okfarmbureau.org.

Currently online:

• Agricultural News – Oklahoma Farm Bureau features a new agriculture-related story every day on its site. Read about both AFBF and state Farm Bureau news by visiting the homepage.

• OKFB Harvest Watch Blog – The second annual OKFB Harvest Watch blog season is underway. Visit www.okfarmbureau.org and click on the OKFB Harvest Watch link to follow families from the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.

www.okfarmbureau.org

OKFB Calendar

• Farm Bureau Bank offers OKFB members access to a broad array of financial services, including checking, loans, CDs, money markets and credit cards. Call (800) 492-3276 or visit online a www.farmbureaubank.com for more information.

Member Benefits

OKFB highlights a benefit in each issue of Perspective as a reminder of the savings available to OKFB members. Find a complete list of savings online at www.okfarmbureau.org/benefits.

Oklahoma Youth ExpoMar. 12-21 • Oklahoma City

Contact: Jennie Bruning (405) 530-2696

YF&R Legislative DayMar. 26 • Oklahoma City

Contact: Holly Carroll (405) 530-2681

Ag Day at the CapitolMar. 26 • Oklahoma City

Contact: Jennie Bruning (405) 530-2696

By John CollisonOKFB Vice President of Public Policy and Media Relations

John Collison

I can’t remember in recent history when a session has started slower or when we have changed out a speaker midway through the first few days. In a vote of the Republican caucus members, Rep. Jeff Hickman, of Fairview, was elected to the new role of Speaker of the House. Most members have at least a year to prepare for this role and the duties that come with it. Speaker Hickman had about 10 minutes of grace time before the realities of the job set in. This is a monumental task that he faces, but knowing the new Speaker, he will do just fine.

Speaker Hickman was raised on farm in northwest Oklahoma and is a product of the rural school system. He knows what each one of you face from a day-to-day business aspect and has made the same

choices you have when it comes to running a farm and dealing with the government. We are excited at Oklahoma Farm Bureau to have a speaker who knows what it is like to live and work in rural Oklahoma. Speaker Hickman will be up to full speed in no time, and we look forward to working together to move Oklahoma forward.

As I mentioned, we have been off to a slow start. With the reorganization of the leadership, many bills have been put on hold. This is not to imply that the com-mittee chairs are not doing their jobs, but some bills have been held back or authors changed.  We have had good success so far in limiting the hearing of a few bills that deal with people trespassing on your land and also have been successfully educating people on the unintended consequences of a few animal rights bills.  Unfortunately, while a few bad bills have been stopped, a few more remain. We saw a wind bill that limits where landowners can place wind turbines on their land pass out of a Senate committee. Let me be clear that while not all people agree on windmills, our policy does take the side of landowners. We will continue to watch these bills as they move along in the process.  Being an election year and given the fact that a few members are termed out, running for leadership posi-tions or running for higher office, we stand a great shot of seeing many things that are not “Main Street” normal this year.

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Oklahoma State University Collegiate Farm Bureau member Keili Summey was one of the final four competitors in the 2014 AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Collegiate Discussion Meet, Feb. 9, in Virginia Beach, Va. Her final question was “How can we encourage young farmers and ranchers to stay involved with farm bureau even if they don’t hold an elected position?” Summey received a $1,250 scholarship from the CHS Foundation. She is currently attending Oklahoma State University and majoring in agricultural education.

Summey competes in Collegiate Farm Bureau Discussion Meet

Todd Honer was recently promoted to director of commodities and safety services for Oklahoma Farm Bureau & Affiliated Companies. Honer will be responsible for enhancing OKFB’s commodity and safety programs within the state as part of the organization and membership services division.

“Todd has been a tremendous asset to Oklahoma Farm Bureau for many years, and we are so excited to have him fill this new role within our organization,” OKFB Executive Director Monica Wilke said.

Honer has been an OKFB field repre-sentative in northwest Oklahoma for 21 years. He was born and raised in Alva, where he met his wife of 20 years. Honer attended NEO A&M and then received his bachelor’s degree in animal science/agricultural education from Oklahoma State University. During his college career, Honer represented OSU as the Spirit Rider.

When Honer is not busy with his Farm Bureau duties, he enjoys watching his three children play any kind of ball.

Honer named director of commodities and safety services

OKFB members now re-ceive a 10 percent discount off Big Iron Online Auction’s standard selling service fees. Big Iron provides opportunities for buyers and sell-ers year-round, every week of the year to buy or sell equipment.  Big Iron’s website allows visitors to access listings from anywhere in the world 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bidders have the abil-ity to discuss specifics about equipment with the seller, or inspect the equipment themselves. With over 25 years of auction experience, Big Iron is more than just an online auction company, but a business partner to market your equipment. Find out more about Big Iron Online Auction at www.bigiron.com.

OKFB offers new member benefit

OKFB’s Robin Landrum (left), First Oklahoma Ag Network’s Mike Dain, Logan County FB board member Paul Freundt, OKFB’s Jennie Bruning and Caddo County FB member Wayne Krehbiel discuss new member benefits at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau booth during the Oklahoma Soybean Expo, Feb. 12, in Stillwater.

Kutter Jewell (left), a sixth grade student at Burlington Elementary School, receives recognition for his winning entry in the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Storyboard Contest, Feb. 13. He is pictured with his teacher, Alfalfa County Farm Bureau member Terry Pederson. Jewell will have the chance to participate in Ag Day at the Capitol in March. Read more about Jewell’s entry and the AITC contest online at www.okfarmbureau.org.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau2501 N. StilesOklahoma City, OK 73105-3126

Non-ProfitU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 131Okla. City, OK.

Traci Morgan, 523-2346 Perspective/Online News Editor

Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Vice President of Communications/PR

Tyler Norvell, 523-2402 Vice President of Public Policy

Marla Peek, 523-2437 Director of Regulatory Affairs

Staff Directory

Published by Oklahoma Farm BureauPostmaster: Send address corrections to:

Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

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Monica Wilke, 523-2303Executive Director

John Collison, 523-2539VP of Public Policy and Media Relations

Macey Hedges, 523-2346Director of Corporate Communications

Sam Knipp, 523-2347 Director of Corporate Communications

Dustin Mielke, 530-2640Director of Corporate Communications

Karolyn Bolay, 523-2320Communications Specialist

Staff Directory

Published by Oklahoma Farm BureauPostmaster: Send address corrections to:

Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum announces a sympo-sium focusing on rural issues to be held in March. The program titled Surviving the Elements: Land & Water Issues of the West aims to increase awareness of drought and rural issues in the American West, by focusing on stewardship and conservation of land and water.

Ranching and the iconic cowboy are both important aspects of the West and of the National Cowboy Museum’s permanent collections, exhibitions and educational programming. The two intertwined play an important role in building a better con-nection to the past, present and future of western resources. Surviving the Elements: Land & Water Issues of the West is a series of lectures and panel discussions on such topics as land and pasture management, water usage, conservation measures, live-stock/herd management, new resource pres-ervation and enhancement strategies. This educational series augments the story of modern day ranching told in the Museum’s permanent collection.

The Museum aims to make an impact and be a change agent for rural issues by creating a conversation between farmers, ranchers and their industry partners to help create solutions. At the center of this con-versation will be the symposium held each Friday in March 2014 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and features world-renowned experts on several topics. For more detailed explana-tions of the workshops or to register online, go to www.survivingtheelements.org.

Reservations are required and the regis-tration fee is $10 and includes lunch. You

National Cowboy Museum announces Spring Symposiumcan also register by calling 405-478-2250, ext. 280.

Past Influences (March 7)• Should Ranchers

Study History? by Jay O’Brien, rancher

• The Culture of Water Law in the American West by Donald J. Pisani, Merrick chair of western American history, emeritus, University of Oklahoma

• Dust Bowl and Beyond – A Lesson for the Future from Past Hard Times

by Timothy Egan, author

Current Trends (March 14)• The Challenge of Changing Climate: From the Cowboy to Today by Evelyn

Browning-Garriss, climatologist• A Look at the Economics of Drought

– Challenges for the Agriculture Industry and Affected Communities by M. Ray Perryman, Ph.D. economist

• Drought and Rangeland Stewardship by Patrick E. Reece, Ph.D. range scientist, Prairie & Montane Enterprises

Future Demands & Solutions – Part 1 (March 21)

• The Oklahoma Mesonet: A State- of-the-Art Network for Weather and Soil Monitoring, Ronald Elliott, Ph.D, registered professional engineer, Environment and Natural Resources, Emeritus, Oklahoma State University

• America’s Water Crisis and What To Do About It by Robert Glennon, author and water resource expert

• What is the Future of Rangelands? Natural Resources and What Can Be Done to Restore Them by Allan Savory, president & co-founder, Savory Institute

Future Demands & Solutions – Part 2 (March 28)

• How can you love the land and still use it? Chet Vogt, rancher, silversmith

• Innovative Solutions for a Dry Future by J.D. Strong, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, executive director

• The Farm Grandpa Gave Me by Seth Pratt, emerging leader and former western region vice president of the National FFA Organization

The program is made possible by a grant provided by the Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), through a partnership with Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Oklahoma City, and the Coca-Cola Foundation has granted $100,000 to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in honor of the Browne Family.