Farm Bureau members witnessed it’s President of the last eight years, Rodd Moesel, pass the gavel on Saturday evening to Stacey Simunek of Kay County. Prior to his election to become President on Saturday at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, he has been serving on the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board as District 6 Director.
Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays sat down with the new President of the general farm organization to talk about his love of farming and desire to protect it for future generations- including his children and grand children. Listen to their conversation by clicking on the link below:
Simunek, a third-generation farmer, brings a wealth of experience from his extensive involvement in agriculture and Farm Bureau. He shared his journey from his first time driving a tractor at age seven and renting his own land at eighteen, to taking over the family farm at twenty-seven after his father’s passing. In 1996, he established Simunek Equipment, a Vermeer dealership, where he was inspired by the Vermeer Corporation’s ethos of “find a need, fill the need,” a principle he sees reflected in his family’s farming practices.
His farm that he operates along with his wife Debbie is located in Kay County. It spans approximately 2,300 acres and includes a cow-calf operation of around 115 head, along with the cultivation of soybeans, milo, wheat, and silage.
Simunek’s deep involvement with Farm Bureau began in 2001 when he moved his insurance to the organization following an ice storm. This led to an invitation to a county board meeting, where he was soon put on the board and eventually served as president for fourteen of his twenty-three years on the Kay County board.
The path to state leadership was paved by encouragement from outgoing leadership. “Keith Kisling decided he wasn’t going to do his last final term and he was looking, he came to me and he kept pushing and twisting my arm pretty heavy,” Simunek explained. Initially hesitant, a poignant moment with his grandsons feeding cattle solidified his resolve. “If somebody don’t stand up for ag, future generations may lose that opportunity,” he stated, underscoring his commitment to preserving agricultural opportunities for the future.
Reflecting on his service, Simunek acknowledged the significant time commitment but emphasized its worth. “Ag and Oklahoma Farm Bureau is, it means a lot to me,” he said.
Looking ahead to his presidency, Simunek outlined key priorities. “The biggest thing, of course, you know, the insurance side of this thing is we’ve had some terrible years in the weather. So we’re going to work on strengthening the insurance, get it back up on its feet,” he stated. He also emphasized the importance of building on the legacy being left by Moesel on the Federation side of Farm Bureau and preparing for the challenges facing agriculture in the near future. “There’s nothing more important to me than protecting ag for the future. And that’s probably gonna be one of my priorities at this point.”
Semenuk acknowledged the significant responsibilities ahead. He and his wife discussed the potential changes to his farming operation before taking on the role, but circumstances, including the availability of necessary help, began to align. “It just started falling together for us, and that’s kind of maybe what pushed us into going ahead and doing it,” he commented, suggesting a sense of destiny.
A notable upcoming event during his tenure will be hosting the 2028 American Farm Bureau Convention in Oklahoma City, a long-sought goal for the organization. Simunek expressed his excitement in being a part of the preparation ahead and acknowledged the instrumental role of outgoing President Rodd Moesel in securing the convention for Oklahoma. He expressed the hope that Rodd will be at the center of helping coordinate with AFBF as the time draws closer. Moesel mentioned Saturday night during his final Presidential address that Oklahoma City has indicated that this could be one of the largest conventions in OKC based on hotel room nights and that there’s lot to plan before 2028 arrives.
Stacey Simunek is poised to lead the Oklahoma Farm Bureau with a deep-seated passion for agriculture, a commitment to its future generations, and a clear vision for strengthening the organization.
