Oklahoma Farm Bureau members recently gathered for a series of 11 August Area Meetings to discuss issues, challenges, and opportunities facing agriculture and rural Oklahoma in preparation for the organization’s grassroots policy development process.
Farm Director KC Sheperd is visiting with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Vice President of Public Policy, Steve Thompson, about the highlights from the OKFB August Area Meetings.
More than 400 Farm Bureau members and guests attended the meetings where top issues surfaced by OKFB members included the upcoming farm bill, water rights and water infrastructure, the state’s marijuana industry, electric vehicle incentives and taxation, foreign ownership of land, EPA pesticide rules, native American tribal jurisdiction and more.
“It was a good year,” Thompson said. “I think the tone and the mood were mostly positive and mostly calm. It felt like earlier on, at the beginning of them, there had been a little more rain, particularly out in the panhandle, so they were in a better mood. As the month went on and the heat went on, it seemed like the drought and water became more of a topic.”
The biggest concerns from producers, Thompson said, circled around decisions made by the Biden Administration through various agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
“One of the things they talked about the most had to do with electric vehicles and concern that we have gone too far as a society in incentivizing that in areas of Oklahoma that it is not a great feasible option, and punishing people who have traditional vehicles,” Thompson said.
On the topic of drought, Thompson said it is important to continue action and conversations about drought, even when it starts to rain a little bit. Therefore, he added, the Emergency Drought Commission is an important asset for producers.
“The joke is, you are only two weeks away from a drought in Oklahoma, and it is really not a joke,” Thompson said. “I think it is true. So, there are a number of things that we could do, but I do think that the commission may evolve a little bit in what they do as it becomes an ongoing process, rather than just an emergency process. How that looks remains to be seen.”
Now that the meetings have finished up, Farm Bureau members will take the ideas discussed and write policy resolutions for their county resolutions meetings. Resolutions that are passed by county Farm Bureaus will be presented for consideration at the OKFB state resolutions meeting, which will be held October 24-25 at the Embassy Suites Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
On November 10 through 12 at the Omni Hotel in Oklahoma City, OKFB will have its annual meeting. The three-day event features Young Farmers and Ranchers competitive events, Women’s Leadership Committee luncheon, Farm Bureau policy development, election of statewide Farm Bureau leaders and more. With sessions featuring engaging speakers, awards presentations and Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s business sessions, the annual convention is a great way to connect with fellow Farm Bureau members.
