It’s another step in the journey by farmers and ranchers who belong to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau to set their policy priorities for 2024 here in the final part of 2023. Taking proposals from the County Farm Bureaus- the State Resolutions Committee boiled down hundreds of ideas to 75 resolutions that will be presented for consideration by the full delegate body at the OKFB Annual Meeting in a few weeks in downtown Oklahoma City.
Senior Farm and Ranch broadcaster for the Oklahoma Farm Report, Ron Hays, caught up with Steve Thompson, Vice President of Public Policy for Oklahoma Farm Bureau to talk about what some of the policy themes are for the group to grapple with in 2024.
“There was almost a even split between local/state and big picture /national issues that were brought up and there was also both things that our members were supporting as well as things they are very much opposed to.” Of the things that the delegates were strongly supporting- the Beef Checkoff- while one issue that the members were clearly not happy about- the EPA’s plans to use the endangered species act to enhance pesticide regulations- and they also have no interest in supporting the elimination of the state income tax as called for by Governor Stitt.
One issue that received only limited attention in 2023 is medical marijuana. “That was one of the interesting evolutions this year as there was only a handful of proposals that came from counties.” Thompson says that one resolution that will be considered that has to do with Medical Marijuana would propose to the state to allow greenhouses and related equipment seized from illegal grow operations be repurposed to rural schools for their ag education efforts.
Thompson also talked with Hays about the new drivers license rules that take effect November first for 14 to 17 year old youth that live on a farm or ranch or work on one to be able to qualify for a limited drivers license. See the PDF of the instructions from the Department of Public Safety on how a youth and their parents can qualify.
