News Stories

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service and Farm Service Agency will host a webinar on Thursday, May 14 at 12 p.m. CST for farmers, ranchers and other producers interested in applying for direct payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The webinar is an opportunity for producers to learn about the general application process and required documentation prior to the official beginning of signup. Producers interested in participating may register in advance for webinar at this link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Participants may submit questions through the Q&A […]

Three Oklahoma Farm Bureau members have been confirmed to boards that oversee agriculture and conservation in the state. Brent Bolen, Clay Burtrum and Gary Crawley were appointed to positions by Gov. Kevin Stitt and confirmed by the Oklahoma State Senate. “At Farm Bureau, we’re proud to have members who are leaders across all sectors of the agricultural industry,” said Rodd Moesel, OKFB president. “Each of these members bring to their positions a wealth of knowledge and experience in agriculture that will serve Oklahoma farmers and ranchers well.” Brent Bolen, McCurtain County Farm Bureau vice president, will serve the southeast area […]

The 2020 Census kicked off in mid-March as the U.S. Census Bureau works to count every person living in the United States and its five territories. Census response rates can have a significant impact on rural communities as each person counted in the census brings an estimated $16,750 to their community over the next 10 years. The population counts also determine government representation as they are used in drawing congressional and state legislative districts. With all that weighs on the results of the 2020 Census, it seems surprising that response rates would be low in rural areas. But one reason […]

Agricultural producers looking for more information about the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan and the Paycheck Protection Program are encouraged to participate in a webinar hosted by the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center on Thursday, May 7 at 9 a.m. The training will be led by an OKSBDC business advisor with experience in agriculture, along with business advisers from the SBA, Oklahoma State University Extension and OSU Food and Agricultural Products Center. The webinar is being offered at no cost, but participants must register at this link. The webinar will not be recorded because the information changes […]

Agricultural businesses are now eligible to apply for low-interest, long-term loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Advance programs. SBA’s EIDL portal will reopen today as a result of funding authorized by Congress through the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. The legislation, signed into law by the president one week ago, provided additional funding for farmers and ranchers and certain other agricultural businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “For more than 30 years, SBA has been prohibited by law from providing disaster assistance to agricultural businesses,” SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza said. “However, […]

The ripple effects of the current global pandemic have left their mark on nearly every sector of the U.S. economy, including agriculture. From low cattle prices to processing plant reductions or shutdowns, beef producers in Oklahoma and across the country have seen tremendous impacts. As producers grapple with the dramatic decline in cattle prices, many ideas and arguments have been discussed across agricultural circles. Dr. Bart Fischer, co-director of the Texas A&M University Agricultural and Food Policy Center, shared insight into some common conjectures during a recent Oklahoma Farm Bureau webinar. The USDA is investigating packer manipulation. Since the beef […]