Agricultural News
OCA's Michael Kelsey Upbeat on Beef Day About End of Legislative Session Outlook for Rural Oklahoma
Wed, 04 May 2022 15:20:46 CDT
At Beef Day at the Capitol, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays met up with Michael Kelsey, Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association to talk about the event and the legislative session that is now winding down this month.
"We get a lot of folks who will tell us this is their favorite day of the year, from a food perspective, obviously, they love beef," Kelsey said. "So, it just gives us an opportunity, for the Cattlemen's Association to say, 'hey we appreciate working with you, and we appreciate what you do.'"
The legislative session is intense, Kelsey said, and they work really hard long nights, so this is just an opportunity for us to say thank you.
"But, as well, to highlight what our industry does," Kelsey said. "We've got cowboy hats and boots across the Capitol today and folks will go see their representatives, their senators, etc., so it gives us an opportunity to reinforce the message that we try to bring every day about the business climate and what the beef cattle industry does here in Oklahoma."
"It is just a great day to be here," Kelsey said.
Kelsey said Beef Day at the Capitol is serving the same ribeye steak sandwiches that are a popular dish at the Tulsa State Fair.
"We have added the boot shine too in the Sole Brothers group which is down in the stockyards," Kelsey said. "They do a great job, and honestly, that is as popular as the ribeye steak sandwiches."
Kelsey mentioned a few important highlights that need to be taken care of for cattle producers and Oklahomans in agriculture, the first on his mind being the medical marijuana issues.
"The ag groups have really been in lock-step, which we greatly appreciate and are honored to be a part of that coalition," Kelsey said. "We are all kinds of working towards that end."
In these last stages of session, Kelsey said they are going to have a budget proposal probably within a week or so. Things are going to start happening really fast, he added, so we have got to get our ducks in a row.
"We have got a lot of different pieces that have made it past those deadlines," Kelsey said. "Now starts the time when people start trying to lump things or do last-minute fixes and so you have to protect what you have worked on, or there may be an opportunity to kind of do one of those last-minute fixes."
From a marijuana perspective, Kelsey said he believes we are in a good spot and have some momentum. We will not get everything we want, he added, but we knew that going into the session.
"There are some really good pieces out there that deal with the permitting fee, that deal with the authority, establishing more regulations, some bonding, signage posting of the facilities, and so forth," Kelsey said. "So, there is some really good stuff there."
Kelsey said they are working on the tax environment, whether it be the county assessor or the annual document that is sent out regarding your personal property tax, there are some pieces they are cleaning up.
Kelsey said they also want to push those cattle are cattle no matter who owns them, where they are, or what they are eating.
"We have some assessors that are trying to tax cattle in feed yards and not on the wheat pasture and so forth, and there is no difference between those cattle," Kelsey said. "So, cleaning up some of that stuff- we've got some momentum there. It is going to be a really good session."
Click the LISTEN BAR below to hear more from Michael Kelsey at Beef Day at the Capitol.
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