Agricultural News
Blayne Arthur Getting Up to Speed as Commissioner of Agriculture for ODAFF
Wed, 23 Jan 2019 16:24:57 CST
Blayne Arthur is now in place at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry- serving as the Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of Oklahoma, as well as the President of the State Board of Agriculture. She continues to be the nominee to become the Oklahoma Secretary of Ag in the Kevin Stitt Administration- with confirmation likely coming soon after the State Legislature convenes in February. In the meantime, Commissioner Arthur is busy making the rounds of Ag and Rural Groups while she starts the process of getting reaquainted with the Department that she served as Deputy Secretary in the previous administration before taking the position of Executive Director of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation.
Commissioner Arthur addressed the Winter Policy Conference of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association in Midwest City on Wednesday- and after her comments and some Q&A with cattle producers, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays talked with her about her arrival at the department earlier in January. She says that it has been busy- "we've got a lot of things on our 'to do' list, but even in just a week and a couple of days there at the agency- I can tell you that the staff is very enthusiastic about a lot of the things we have been tasked with to do about working towards some greater accountability and greater transparency of the work that is being done at the department."
She believes that ODAFF is ready to tackle their part of the "Oklahoma Turnaround" which was the slogan used often by Governor Stitt as he ran for that office in 2018- Arthur saying she and those she is working with are excited about being able to dialogue with citizens of the state- letting them know about the work going on at the Department and how the services being done by the Agency can be improved to the benefit of stakeholders.
Blayne Arthur tells Hays that she is looking forward to working with two other OSU Ag Econ Grads, Commerce Secretary nominee Sean Kouplen and the new Director of Operations for that Department, Brent Kisling, in finding ways to improve the business climate in rural areas of the state. She says that she is also excited about Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell being named Director of Tourism for the state- looking forward to working with him on an Agritourism Summit in the near future.
During her remarks to the Cattlemen, Arthur said it is important that farmers and ranchers be open to telling their story to consumers. She tells Hays of that concept- "There is that increased interest in how food is produced- I really see it as an opportunity, so that we can educate people" about what is going on down on the farm and ranch.
You can hear the complete conversation between Hays and Commissioner Blayne Arthur by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
