Alfalfa County’s Ryan and Hope Pjesky were named Oklahoma Farm Bureau YF&R Achievement Award winners Nov. 14 at the 63rd annual convention in Oklahoma City. The YF&R Achievement Award honors the state’s top young farmer or farm family for their achievements in the farming business and their leadership in the agricultural community. A panel of judges selected the Goltry couple for the award. They received an expense-paid trip to the 2005 American Farm Bureau convention in Charlotte, N.C., to represent Oklahoma in the national contest where they will compete for Dodge pickups and Arctic Cat four-wheelers. As the Oklahoma winner, […]

Tom Lindley, columnist for the Daily Oklahoman and Tommy Hawthorne, Editor and Publisher of the Cache Times, received Journalist of the Year honors from the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Nov. 15 at the farm organization’s annual convention in Oklahoma City. The award recognizes accurate and concise reporting on rural and agriculture issues during the year. “There has never been a greater need than today for telling the farm story,” said Sam Knipp, Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations for Oklahoma Farm Bureau. “Farmers and ranchers are faced with many challenges from the weather to government regulations. It’s important the non-farm […]

Payne County’s John and Kay Williams were named Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year Nov. 14 at the 63rd annual state convention in Oklahoma City. A panel of judges selected the Coyle family from 16 entries in the annual contest, which honors the farm family who best represents farming and ranching and the spirit of Oklahoma agriculture. They received use of a new Dodge pickup for a year, an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation meeting in Charlotte, N.C., and other gifts in recognition of their accomplishments. The couple has three adult sons, John III, Carl […]

OFB President receives Honorary American FFA Degree Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen of Beggs has been honored with the Honorary American FFA Degree. The award is given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment. “I’m not accepting this award on my behalf, but on behalf of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau,” Kouplen said. “We as an organization spend hundreds of thousands of dollars investing in our rural youth through premium sales, scholarship programs and sponsorships of youth activities.” The National FFA Organization works to enhance the lives of youth through agricultural education. Without the efforts […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s 63rd annual convention truly will be “Agriculture in Action” when nearly 1,000 delegates and guests converge on the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City Nov. 13-15. Taking care of the business of the state’s largest voluntary farm organization and setting policy to help mold the future of the state and nation will see that this year’s convention lives up to its theme of “Agriculture in Action.” In addition to setting policy, delegates attending will elect three state directors plus the state’s delegates for the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in January. Top state awards to counties […]

Oklahoma poultry growers are upset they have been left out of discussions between Attorney General Drew Edmondson and the state’s major poultry integrators regarding disposal of poultry litter. “It is extremely important that the state’s poultry growers have a voice in any negotiations conducted by the AG’s office regarding this issue,” said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president. “The lives and economic future of our poultry growers are being negotiated without their involvement and that’s wrong.” The Beggs rancher believes environmental policy should be the product of negotiations between environmental experts, the appropriate state agency and elected representatives. “This (policy) […]

A team of Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders is in Washington, D.C. this week asking Congress to pass the new energy bill and fund important agriculture programs in the new fiscal year starting Oct. 1. “We need an energy policy in this country that focuses on renewable fuels to reduce our dependency on foreign oil,” said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president. The Beggs rancher believes failure to pass a comprehensive energy bill is forcing farmers and ranchers to dig deeper in their depleted wallets to keep tractors and harvesting equipment in the field during the busy fall harvest and winter […]

Private property rights received a strong boost when the Oklahoma State Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision and ruled municipalities cannot annex land without having a reasonable purpose. The July 6 decision involved the case of local landowners versus the city of Seminole. Seminole wanted to “strip” annex an area 3 feet wide and 10 miles long to access property near I-40. The annexation would have increased the city’s municipal tax base without providing additional services within the strip area. “We are pleased with the court’s decision because it demands municipalities look at the tangible value of property before […]

In an effort to increase risk protection for Oklahoma cattle producers, Oklahoma Farm Bureau has joined with U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, the State Department of Agriculture and the State Cattlemen’s Association to ask the USDA to expand the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). “We would like to see fed cattle added to LRP coverage,” said Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen, “because many of our producers feed cattle and they need the financial protection.” Fed cattle are defined as steers and heifers usually weighing 800 to 1,300 pounds. The current LRP program is for only steers […]

The controversial tort reform legislation passed during the closing hours of the 2004 Oklahoma legislative session fell short of satisfying many in the business community but it contained a nugget of gold for rural Oklahoma landowners. The legislation included a landowner liability measure, protecting landowners who allow recreational activities on their land. “Passing the landowner liability section of the bill accomplished a major, long term policy goal for us,” said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau resident. “Landowner liability reform is essential for rural economic development,” Kouplen said. Previously, landowners were at risk of losing their assets if someone hunting, fishing […]