Oklahoma farmers and ranchers looking for help to cope with drought conditions now have additional options available to them thanks to the announcement today by Governor Mary Fallin that $1.4 million will be made available through the state wide Conservation Cost-Share Program administered by the Oklahoma Commission (Commission). Joe Parker, President of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) said that the timing couldn’t be better for the announcement. “The conservation districts of Oklahoma are glad to see these funds available to help producers throughout the state,” Parker said. “The weight of this drought continues to press down on Oklahoma […]

Passage of a federal disaster bill is good news for drought-stressed farmers and ranchers, according to a statement released Aug. 2 by Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling. “This will offer immediate drought assistance for our producers while we wait on Congress to pass a new farm bill,” Spradling said. The U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 6233, the Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance bill, Thursday, Aug. 2. The legislation includes reauthorization of disaster assistance programs, specifically, Livestock Indemnity Payments, Livestock Forage Disaster Programs, Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish, and the Tree Assistance Program. To pay for this […]

An educational video aimed at explaining pork production to elementary school children will be premiered at the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom summer conference Friday, Aug. 3 at the Embassy Suites, Norman. The video features nationally-known humorist and columnist Trent Loos discussing the humane care of animals and the many nutritional benefits of pork. Loos, a Nebraska farmer and rancher, is the keynote speaker for the conference which begins at 9 a.m. Loos hosts a daily radio show, Loos Tales, and is founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. […]

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board of Directors sent a letter to U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., July 20, requesting his support of the Market Access Program. The MAP is directed by the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service to provide funds for international marketing and promotional activities. “This is a good program that provides assistance on a cost-share basis, targeting small businesses, farmer cooperatives, and non-profit trade organizations,” the OFB board said. The board urged Sen. Coburn to cease his efforts to cut funds for the program. MAP provides an economic return to taxpayers by bringing in $35 for every $1 invested, […]

In a July 23 letter to congressional leaders, Oklahoma’s agriculture groups voiced their support for U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., for the success in passing the FARRM Act through the committee with a strong bipartisan vote. The farm groups requested House leaders to continue pushing the legislation forward. “We request immediate consideration (of the farm bill) by the full House,” the agricultural groups wrote in the letter. In the letter, sent to Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the farm groups praised the Agriculture Committee’s legislation as […]

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has appointed Oklahoma Farm Bureau President and Sand Springs farmer Mike Spradling to the State Banking Board. “I appreciate Governor Fallin recognizing the important contribution Oklahoma agriculture makes to our state’s financial institutions by appointing someone representing agriculture,” Spradling said. Spradling will serve a six-year term on the seven-member board. The board, which is chaired by State Bank Commissioner Mick Thompson, is composed of Thompson, five bank officers and a single layman’s position. Spradling will fill the layman position, which is restricted from having any ties with the banking world. The board is responsible for adopting […]

This summer’s heat wave is creating challenges for Oklahoma’s food and fiber producers. A quick check of Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Harvest Watch blog shows triple digit temperatures combined with drought conditions are frustrating efforts. “We are having a real long dry spell,” writes Kenneth Fisher, Bristow. “We got good spring rains, but now everything is turning brown. Somehow the corn is going to make only a partial crop.” For the Webb family ranch at Canton, there is a feeling of déjà vu. “I hope we are not in for a repeat of last summer,” writes Brandon Webb. “100 degree days […]

The farm bill draft released July 5 by U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) is drawing favorable support from Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders. “This draft offers a strong safety net for farm income using a combination of crop insurance and price protection,” said OFB Farm Bill Committee Chairman Scott Neufeld, Fairview. “We strongly support Cong. Lucas in his efforts as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee to pass a farm bill that would be equitable for all regions of the country.” Neufeld said crop insurance needs to continue to be viable, […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Mike Spradling praised Oklahoma’s congressional delegation for their diligent efforts in passing the federal transportation bill June 29. “Oklahoma farmers and ranchers owe a huge debt of gratitude to their elected representatives in the nation’s capitol for supporting the highway bill,” Spradling said. The farm leader singled out U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and Rep. James Lankford for their work on the federal legislation. They were members of the conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate measures. Last year, Lankford authored H.R. 2414, the Farmers’ Freedom Act, which allows farm trucks a limited commercial […]

The U.S. Senate’s approval of a farm bill on June 21, is drawing mixed reviews from Oklahoma farmers and ranchers. The main concern, said Scott Neufeld, Fairview, is the lack of price protection in years when commodity prices are low. “We’re disappointed that most of the risk management tools included in the Senate bill are revenue based with very little focus on the price components of actual marketing,” Neufeld said. “There is no mechanism to manage risk when steep price declines happen, and they will happen, and when they may last for several marketing years.” As chairman of Oklahoma Farm […]