Agricultural News
Rodd Moesel Talks About The Future - COVID-19, Climate Change and Beef Packing
Mon, 09 Aug 2021 12:57:38 CDT
Rodd Moesel, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president and one of two Oklahoma representatives on the National Council of Agricultural Research, Education and Teaching (CARET) spoke with Radio Oklahoma's KC Sheperd about his recent trip to Clemson, South Carolina, representing Oklahoma State University at CARET's annual meeting.
Moesel said, CARET offers a chance for all the agriculture-college deans of land-grant universities across the southern U.S. to meet and discuss what is going on. There are many special issues this year for research, extension and teaching with the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on last year, according to Moesel.
"Planning for this next year (includes) trying to pick out what research priorities are going to be for this region of the country, including each individual state of the country," Moesel said.
Of the issues brought up at the meeting, medical marijuana was an uniquely Oklahoma problem, whereas issues like beef packing, international trade and global climate change were in consensus as top issues.
With a brand-new climate change report out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the meeting Sheperd couldn't have caught up with Moesel at a better time. Moesel said farmers and ranchers, especially in Oklahoma, understand the importance of protecting the environment, largely because of the state's Dust Bowl history.
"They are the original environmentalists and truly have a lot at stake with how their land is treated," Moesel said. "We're constantly trying to learn and figure out better ways to take care of our land so it can take care of us."
Moesel said his thoughts and prayers are with farmers in the West - particularly Californian almond farmers, who are being hugely affected by the devastating drought, because Oklahomans have been there before.
Moesel also spoke on the on-going beef packing issue.
"It's of great concern," Moesel said. "I think this is proof that supply and demand works - regrettably at the moment - the narrow funnel at the (packing phase) is causing unusual reactions."
Moesel said the beef packing issue is set to be a top issue at the upcoming Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2021 August Area Meetings.
According to the OKFB website, the meetings provide members a chance to discuss the top agriculture and rural issues on the horizon as they prepare to draft OKFB policy for the next year.
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