OKFB President Tom Buchanan issued the following statement in response to Gov. Mary Fallin’s proposal to allow for increases in property taxes to fund local schools. “In the State of the State address today, Gov. Mary Fallin proposed changes in the manner ad valorem taxes are used for school districts. “As landowners, Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers know and understand that school district buildings belong to the patrons, or landowners, of the school district. Therefore, it is the patron’s responsibility to either build new buildings or maintain the existing buildings. The state’s current ad valorem, or property, tax process has served […]

The following article is from the winter 2016 edition of Oklahoma Country magazine’s Lincoln to Local column by OKFB Vice President of Public Policy John Collison. It’s that time again when the new year gets older and we at Farm Bureau look forward to another year at both Capitols. This year, however, is a special year for Oklahoma Farm Bureau. 2016 marks the 75th anniversary that we have been lobbying legislators at both the Oklahoma Capitol and in Washington, D.C. In these 75 years, many lobbyists have gone before us and have paved the way to the success we enjoy […]

An op-ed by Tom Buchanan, southwestern Oklahoma farmer, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District manager and Oklahoma Farm Bureau president. Over the past several years, Oklahoma experienced a severe water drought. While it was relieved last year by heavy rains, our state now faces another crisis: an economic drought. Beginning Feb. 1, the Oklahoma Legislature will search for answers to the $900 million budget shortfall. But, what if I told you our state watched $4.2 billion flow out of the state last year alone? Yes, you read that right. $4.2 billion with a B.  With the extreme rainfall in 2015, Oklahoma released approximately […]

As the 2016 legislative session approaches, Oklahoma Farm Bureau has invited state legislators to a welcome back reception Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 5 p.m. at the OKFB home office. Gov. Mary Fallin, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, Attorney General Scott Pruitt, Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese and other state leaders also are invited to the reception.  “We want our legislators to know who Farm Bureau is and what we stand for,” said Tom Buchanan, OKFB president. “Our welcome back reception is another opportunity for us to communicate with those making the decisions for our state.” Held each year, the reception allows […]

President Obama today vetoed a resolution from Congress that would have nullified the Waters of the United States rule, which increased the reach of the Clean Water Act. “The president’s veto is salt in the wounds of farmers and ranchers. We remain mystified as to why he continues to support this fatally flawed rule,” said American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman. “The Government Accountability Office found the rule was issued with the help of illegal ‘covert propaganda’ by EPA. Ninety-two members of Congress, 22 states, numerous cities and counties and dozens of industry groups have all stood up and said […]

Delegates from all 50 states and Puerto Rico elected new leaders and approved policies that will help determine the future of agriculture during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 97th Annual Convention Jan. 8-12 in Orlando, Florida. Feral hogs, governmental reform, farm policy, risk management and international trade were among the most important matters slated for action over the next 12 months. Delegates elected Zippy Duvall to serve as the new president of AFBF and Scott VanderWal as vice president.  Vincent “Zippy” Duvall is a poultry, cattle and hay producer from Greene County, Georgia, and served as president of the Georgia […]