Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays caught up with the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association’s Executive Vice President, Michael Kelsey, who just returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., along with several members of the OCA Leadership team.
Kelsey described it as a “great trip,” saying that OCA President Troy Shelby led the delegation and the group covered a lot of issues, including big topics like the farm bill and tariffs, and more specific things, like Black Vultures.
U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-06) introduced H.R.1437, which removes take limits on black vultures to protect their livestock; however, it does require reporting how many vultures are taken each year to state Fish and Wildlife Officials or the respected delegated agency.
“We are very much supportive of that for a couple of reasons,” Kelsey explained. “We don’t think these birds are migrating like they used to. They have a buffet right here! Plus, the number of them is atrocious. A rancher being able to defend his cattle, take these birds appropriately, and then report them. That just makes good common sense.”
The bill continues to gain traction in both the House and the Senate, and Kelsey is hopeful that it will pass during this legislative session.
Congress has also been working through the renewal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which President Trump passed through Congress during his first term. “Key for us is the estate tax,” Kelsey noted. “The generational transfer of assets and how the estate tax can impact that. If we don’t do anything before the end of this year, then that exemption level halves and drops way down. If we just think about the value of our assets – just the cattle alone right now, let alone the land and then equipment. It doesn’t take a very big operation in the state of Oklahoma to jump over a pretty low cap that is still pretty high.”
Kelsey was disappointed to learn that the farm bill wouldn’t be completed any time soon. “We have such strong leadership in Oklahoma regarding the farm bill. Frank Lucas is known as Mr. Farm Bill on the House side, and we are blessed with that because he is so good for us in agriculture. The Appropriations Chair, Mr. [Tom] Cole, is very strongly supportive and takes all of his leads from Frank Lucas, which is phenomenal. Those two gentlemen are colleagues and do a great job.” Lucas and Cole are the senior members of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation and are both strong supporters of agriculture and the cattle industry.
Even with great leadership in place, the slow process of moving the bill through the myriad of other things going on is challenging. “Within the next six months, I just don’t see a farm bill getting done,” Kelsey stated. “Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe things could happen and fall in place and go forward. Secretary Rollins is doing a fantastic job. She is getting some of her deputies and undersecretaries lined up.”
He emphasized that Oklahoma isn’t the only state waiting for State FSA and NRCS leaders.
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