Newly proposed state legislative districts released Wednesday will help ensure rural Oklahoma’s voice is represented in the decade to come, according to the state’s largest general farm organization. Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s preliminary analysis of the maps showed districts had been drawn to provide fair rural representation, even in the face of growing urban populations. “Our rural communities are essential to the success of our state because of the goods and commodities they produce for the benefit of all Oklahomans,” said Rodd Moesel, OKFB president. ”We will continue to be an active part of this process to ensure the voices and […]
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OKFB to host online congressional meetings
Oklahoma Farm Bureau members are encouraged to participate in an upcoming series of online meetings with Oklahoma’s congressional delegation to learn more about the leading issues facing agriculture and rural Oklahoma in the nation’s capital. The online meetings will serve as an opportunity to engage with Oklahoma’s members of Congress while the ongoing impacts of the pandemic prevent Farm Bureau members from traveling to Washington, D.C. Below, find details for joining the online meetings. Additional meetings and details will be announced as they become available. Rep. Tom Cole Thursday, April 29 • 2:30 p.m. Join by phone Call ONE of […]
Legislative update: Progress on ag sales tax exemption, nuisance, trespass bills
Legislators last week met another deadline at the state Capitol as bills were required to pass out of committees in the opposite chamber of origin. Oklahoma Farm Bureau saw progress on a number of bills including legislation regarding the agriculture sales tax exemption, nuisance claims and trespass law. Since early on in the legislative session, Farm Bureau has tracked HB 1682 by Rep. Jim Grego and Sen. Mark Allen which would have prohibited the requirement of a Schedule F form to determine eligibility for the state agriculture sales tax exemption. Though the bill did not pass out of committee this […]
Legislative update: Ad valorem, rural doctor, nuisance bills advance
The committee process ramped up this week at 23rd and Lincoln as legislators face an upcoming deadline on Thursday, April 8. Several bills of interest to Farm Bureau members were among those receiving approval from their assigned committees. Farm Bureau members are no strangers to the language found in SB 838, as similar legislation has been proposed over the past five years. If passed, the bill would allow municipalities to create public safety protection districts funded by a new ad valorem tax. While OKFB members have longstanding policy opposing increases in ad valorem taxes, this year Farm Bureau has worked […]
USDA announces additional COVID-19 aid for producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week announced its plans to distribute more than $12 billion under a program called Pandemic Assistance for Producers, which includes aid that had been put on hold as well as funds newly allocated in the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The program expands assistance to farmers helped by existing programs and assists farmers and ranchers who previously did not qualify for COVID-19 aid. Farmers will need to sign up only if they are applying for new programs or if they are eligible for CFAP assistance and did not previously apply. “We appreciate Secretary Vilsack’s action to […]
Legislative update: Halfway through session
After beginning the 2021 legislative session with more than 3,000 bills, fewer than 1,000 bills are still alive with roughly eight weeks left before Sine Die. Next month will bring two more deadlines, as April 8 is the deadline for bills to make it out of the opposing chamber committee process and April 22 marks the deadline for bills to make it off the opposing chamber floor. All bills must be approved by both chambers and sent to the governor for consideration by no later than 5 p.m. on May 28. OKFB expects the state Legislature to finish the majority […]
Seven things to learn about Oklahoma’s redistricting process
Oklahoma Farm Bureau this week hosted Senate and House redistricting committee chairs Sen. Lonnie Paxton and Rep. Ryan Martinez to discuss Oklahoma’s ongoing redistricting process. Every 10 years, the state Legislature is tasked with redrawing state legislative and congressional district lines following the decennial census. The new boundaries will be used for elections beginning in 2022 through 2030. Below, read about seven things we learned while visiting with Sen. Paxton and Rep. Martinez. 1. Every legislator is involved in the process Just like standing legislative committees, the House and the Senate each created redistricting committees to carry out the process […]
OKFB’s top bills to watch
After the state Legislature surpassed its first major deadline where bills were required to advance out of their committee of origin to remain alive in the legislative process, the total number of proposed bills were reduced from more than 3,000 to only a little more than 1,000. Below, learn about some of the remaining bills on Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s list. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS HB 1135 by Rep. Scott Fetgatter Allows landowners to use purple posts to indicate no trespassing in lieu of a readable sign. For one year, purple posts would need to be accompanied by a sign explaining that […]
ACTION ALERT: Urge legislators to vote NO on new county property taxes
Oklahoma Farm Bureau is encouraging members to contact their state legislators to urge a NO vote on House Bill 2092 by Rep. Lonnie Sims and Senate Bill 189 by Sen. Dave Rader. The legislation would allow county commissioners to create a hazard mitigation district funded by a new property tax, upon approval by 60% of voters in the county. The district would include all territory within the county, except for land within city limits that is zoned for agricultural use. Unincorporated land in rural areas is not exempted, which would subject farmers, ranchers and landowners to an additional property tax […]
Legislative update: New property tax bills remain after deadline
The state Legislature this week saw its first significant deadline of the 2021 legislative session as Thursday was the final day for bills to be passed out of a committee of their chamber of origin. The week’s deadline reduced the number of active bills and resolutions from the more than 3,000 originally filed. Lawmakers will now have two weeks to pass the remaining bills off the floor of their chamber of origin. Unfortunately, House Bill 2092 and Senate Bill 189, which would each create hazard mitigation districts funded by a new property tax, both advanced out of committee. OKFB has […]
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