Candidates seeking to lead the state presented their vision for Oklahoma’s food, fiber, and livestock sectors during the 2026 Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Gubernatorial Agriculture Forum held at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center in Tulsa. Hosted and moderated by Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays, the non-debate event featured Democratic nominee and House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, current Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond, and former Republican State Senator Mike Mazzei. Operating with 90-second response windows for questions provided in advance, the three candidates addressed key policy challenges facing family farms, ranching operations, and rural communities across the state.
The Role of Agriculture and Leadership Backgrounds
Hays opened the forum by emphasizing the immense economic impact of agriculture in the state, noting that it represents Oklahoma’s third-largest economic driver. Over 80 percent of the state’s land mass is dedicated to farming and ranching, with more than 97 percent of those operations remaining family-owned. Each candidate detailed their specific qualifications to advocate for rural Oklahoma from the governor’s desk.
Leader Cyndi Munson emphasized her 11 years of legislative service and experience as House Minority Leader, acknowledging her background outside production agriculture while stressing her commitment to public engagement. “I don’t have a background in farming and ranching, but I do have a background in governing,” Munson said. “For 11 years I’ve served in the legislature and done the things that I’m doing now as a candidate and what I will do as governor, which is go out into communities, listen to real people about the real problems and the rural challenges that they’re facing.”
Attorney General Gentner Drummond highlighted his background as a fifth-generation Osage County rancher and combat veteran, noting the unique perspective he would bring to the executive office. “Never has Oklahoma had a rancher who is governor,” Drummond stated. “We will not agree 100 percent of the time, but you can trust me 100 percent of the time. I don’t lie. I tell you the truth, even when it’s hard. As your governor, I will fight every day for Oklahoma’s farmers, ranchers, and our rural community.”
Former Senator Mike Mazzei pointed to his 35-year career as a financial planner, his service as Senate Finance Chairman, and his endorsement from former President Donald Trump. “Now I have a plan to make Oklahoma a no-income-tax state, abolish property taxes for seniors and veterans, launch a massive statewide literacy program, and enforce Oklahoma’s constitution, which forbids the foreign ownership of land,” Mazzei said. He added that his agriculture policy group is led by former Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schultz, cotton farmer Dale Rich, and poultry producer Megan Langley.
Agricultural Tax Exemptions and Property Tax Reform
Addressing tax policies that affect agricultural real property and business equipment, all three candidates expressed firm, unanimous support for preserving Oklahoma’s agricultural sales tax exemption.
Senator Mazzei emphasized that production inputs must remain protected under state tax code. “We will never get rid of the sales tax exemption for agriculture because it’s absurd to tax the input costs of the agricultural process,” Mazzei stated. He explained that his proposal to phase out income tax and eliminate property taxes for seniors and veterans would be phased in over three years without harming county bond payments or local essential services.
Attorney General Drummond cautioned against tax elimination proposals that could weaken basic rural infrastructure. “Our agricultural tax exemption is critical to the very thin profit margin that we have,” Drummond said. “We have to be careful with this notion of zero income tax without growing our economy. So if we just cut to get to zero income tax over the next three to four years, then we will cut core services that affect rural agriculture.”
Leader Munson affirmed her commitment to protecting the exemption while warning against tax shifts onto everyday consumers. “In this conversation about any kind of elimination, our taxes are going to raise somewhere else,” Munson noted. “Instead, we should be demanding more from outside companies, whether they’re from outside of the state or outside of the country, to come in and do business in Oklahoma.”
Safeguarding Water Rights and Managing Industrial Demand
Leader Munson advocated taking immediate precautionary steps regarding large industrial users. “Should I be elected governor, on day one I will put a moratorium to pause any new projects before we get a handle and understanding of our water usage, the impact on utility costs on Oklahomans, and also other environmental impacts and costs to our state,” Munson said.
Attorney General Drummond stressed the necessity of preserving Oklahoma’s 23 major aquifers, pointing to the critical role of groundwater in production agriculture. “If we lose the aquifer in the Panhandle, we will lose production agriculture in the Panhandle,” Drummond warned. He also highlighted efforts by his office to require data centers to recycle water and opposed high-water-consumption industrial projects that impact regional supplies.
Senator Mazzei affirmed that groundwater on private land remains an inviolable property right. “Groundwater on your land is a personal private property right,” Mazzei said, adding that he is working with Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur on a long-term water strategy while prioritizing state funding for rural water infrastructure, such as projects on the North Fork of the Red River serving Lake Altus-Lugert Reservoir.
With water consumption rising across municipal, energy, and emerging industrial sectors, candidates outlined their strategies for protecting agricultural groundwater and surface water rights.
Strengthening Rural Public Education and CareerTech
Addressing the vitality of rural public school districts, the candidates presented distinct visions for educational funding and workforce training.
Leader Munson raised strong concerns regarding the state’s private school voucher program, advocating instead for direct investment in public education. “Every child, according to our state constitution, has the right to a free public education,” Munson said. “We have to put more money into our public school system. We have to increase pay for teachers, we have to increase pay for support staff, we need more nurses, we need counselors.”
Attorney General Drummond pledged firm support for Oklahoma’s 541 school districts, opposing forced consolidations and calling for expanded CareerTech opportunities. “Not everyone needs to go to a college or university. We have to emphasize CareerTech,” Drummond stated. “We are 50,000 short pipefitters, welders, electricians, plumbers, CDL drivers, nurse assistants, and hygienists.” Highlighting the need to prepare young children before they enter the public school system, Attorney General Gentner Drummond emphasized the role of early childhood development and statewide daycare infrastructure. “We need to address the five-year-old coming into kindergarten as a wild banshee,” Drummond said. “And we do that through a quality daycare system throughout the state that feeds, stimulates, and disciplines these young people so that when they start kindergarten, they’re ready to learn.” He added that pairing quality early childcare with teaching assistants in the classroom is essential for ensuring students are reading on grade level from the start.
Senator Mazzei focused his education policy on early reading instruction and vocational waiting lists. “The system right now is failing 80 percent of the kids when only 20 percent of students across the state are reading at grade level,” Mazzei noted. He pledged to hire a statewide literacy director on his first week in office to replicate Mississippi’s reading reforms and eliminate waiting lists across Oklahoma’s 29 CareerTech campuses.
Agricultural Litigation and Closing Remarks
On the topic of agricultural litigation and environmental oversight, Attorney General Drummond detailed progress regarding long-running regional poultry litigation in the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, stating that a fair settlement framework has been established with defendants to protect watershed quality while preserving producer integration contracts. Senator Mazzei reaffirmed his commitment to protecting family operations from radical trial lawyer lawsuits and federal overreach, while Leader Munson pledged to serve as a reliable partner to producers in balancing environmental regulations with operational stability.
In their final remarks, the candidates offered their closing vision to Oklahoma cattle producers:
Leader Munson emphasized her willingness to listen and show up for rural communities regardless of party lines. “Everyone in this room, regardless of political party—and we got to get away from the partisan stuff—is prioritizing our schools, prioritizing healthcare, and making sure that our rural communities continue to thrive,” Munson said.
Attorney General Drummond called for principled, steady leadership focused on state priorities. “This race is about leadership. It’s not about who will flip and flop to get your vote,” Drummond stated. “I will lead this state for eight years putting Oklahomans first.” Addressing the long-running Illinois-Oklahoma watershed poultry litigation inherited by his office, Attorney General Gentner Drummond emphasized his active role in reaching a resolution. “The elephant in the room is I’m the Attorney General and the poultry lawsuit,” Drummond said. “Started 21 years ago. Three Republican governors and three Republican attorneys general before me did nothing. It got dropped in my lap the eighth day after I took my oath of office. And I worked every week since then to find an equitable solution with poultry and the water, and we found it.” He reported that through Tenth Circuit Court mediation, a mutually acceptable framework has been recommended to the panel to safeguard watershed quality while ensuring all integrator production contracts are preserved and renewed.
Senator Mazzei concluded by urging voters to support a conservative economic growth agenda. “Together, when true conservatives choose faith and freedom, we can usher in a golden age of growth and opportunity for our kids and our grandkids,” Mazzei said.
Concluding the forum, Ron Hays commended the candidates for their detailed participation and reminded attendees of the importance of active civic engagement ahead of the upcoming election cycles.
