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 […]

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 […]

As was the case with most of the rest of life in Oklahoma, winter weather heavily impacted week three of the 2021 legislative session. The Oklahoma Senate canceled all activities for three days and the House of Representatives shut their doors for one day. Coming at one of the busiest times in the legislative calendar, these delays could result in problems over the next few weeks. Similar to the furious final weeks of the 2020 session, dangerous things can get moved along in the process without the proper consideration when unusually large amounts of legislation are hurried through in a […]

Though the winter weather caused a few disruptions, legislative work continued this week as legislators spent the bulk of their time in House and Senate committees. After legislation moved last week to allow municipalities to levy ad valorem taxes, a second ad valorem bill began advancing through the committee process this week. Senate Bill 189 by Sen. Dave Rader would allow counties to create a new property tax for the purpose of hazard mitigation. OKFB expressed concerns over the broad nature of the applicable tax and as a result, several senators worked to make changes and procedurally opened the bill […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Rodd Moesel and Cotton County Farm Bureau member Jimmy Kinder each explained the significance of the U.S. Senate’s recent vote to uphold the Navigable Waters Protection Rule in a recent Gaylord News story. In approving a budget resolution last week, the Senate also voted 51 to 49 in favor of an amendment supporting the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule that redefined the waters of the U.S. under the Clean Water Act. “We think the redefinition that was done under the Trump administration is much clearer and gives a lot more clarity to our farmers and […]

Congressman Frank Lucas shared a national agricultural policy update with Oklahoma Farm Bureau members in a discussion with OKFB President Rodd Moesel during OKFB’s Leadership Week. Lucas offered insight into the top issues on the horizon for farmers and ranchers including the new administration, climate programs, meat processing capacity, farm income and the future of trade. Working with new Secretary of Agriculture With a new administration comes a new leader at the helm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but Agriculture Secretary nominee Tom Vilsack is not a new face to agriculture. The former Iowa governor served as the secretary […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Rodd Moesel discussed the impacts of potential changes to Oklahoma’s ad valorem tax structure with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum during OKFB’s Leadership Week. Though the divisions between urban and rural communities often receive the most attention, the conversation gave Moesel and the mayors an opportunity to highlight the ways both communities rely on one another. Over the past several years, municipalities have pushed the state legislature to levy ad valorem taxes to fund public safety districts for police and fire services. While Farm Bureau members are avid supporters of public […]

As legislators convened at the state Capitol to begin work on more than 3,000 pieces of legislation, Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders and staff hit the ground running on a number of issues of importance to its grassroots farm and ranch members. For several years, Farm Bureau members have been involved in discussions at the state Capitol concerning new ad valorem taxes and the 2021 session will be no different. Only four days into the first week of committee work, a bill advanced that would allow voters within a municipality to vote on a resolution to create a Public Safety Protection […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Rodd Moesel discussed the top issues expected to be addressed by the state Legislature this year with Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and Speaker of the House Charles McCall during OKFB’s Leadership Week. Below read Farm Bureau’s five takeaways from the conversation with the state Legislature’s top leaders. 1. Progress on rural broadband expected With an estimated 30% of Oklahomans considered underserved in broadband services, both legislative leaders said they expect to see progress this year on bringing high-speed internet to all Oklahomans. “It’s not something that just happens overnight, but there’s been a lot […]