The Biden administration recently met with farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders to discuss the administration’s new plan for a fairer, more competitive meat and poultry supply chain. The action plan has received mixed reviews from agriculture groups across the nation. As an organization heavy with cattle producers, Oklahoma Farm Bureau is appreciative of the Biden administration’s attention and recognition of the issues at hand but cannot support the plan in its entirety. Independent Processing The action plan focuses heavily on the meat and poultry industry’s market concentration. Four major companies hold a monopoly on the meat-packing industry – a challenge […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau is set to co-host the 2022 Candidate School alongside the Oklahoma State Chamber and the Oklahoma Association of Realtors. The event is for anyone interested in running for a state house or senate seat. Participants will learn about the nuts and bolts of campaigning before the 2022 election cycle. The Candidate School will be offered as a two-part event. Spouses are invited to attend the second session on Feb. 16 at no additional cost. Session One – Friday, January 14 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Attire: business casual Session Two – […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau hosted the first-ever Evening of Impact fundraising dinner benefitting the OKFB Ag PAC political action committee Friday, Dec. 3, at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the fundraiser will help the OKFB Ag PAC support political candidates in state and federal elections who value the rural way of life and support the interests of farmers and ranchers. “It’s critical that we get good people (in Washington, D.C.) who understand agriculture, our industry and business, and how we approach production and what is necessary to get it all to come together and be a success,” said Keef […]

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation has joined forces with agriculture groups and business organizations from around the country to submit a group amicus curiae – or “friend of the court” – brief supporting the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council’s Supreme Court petition to hear their appeal relating to California’s Proposition 12. Proposition 12 sets housing requirements for farm animals raised for food products sold in California. Agriculture groups across the nation argue that the requirements are more costly, less efficient, not scientifically based and do not consider best animal husbandry practices. The ballot initiative was […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau recently named Steve Thompson as the vice president of public policy. Thompson will lead the OKFB public policy team as they work to implement the organization’s grassroots policy in Oklahoma and in Washington, D.C. in his new role. “I’m grateful for this new leadership role and the opportunity to continue engaging with Farm Bureau members from around the state,” Thompson said. “Our Public Policy team is well-positioned to uphold the OKFB tradition of vigorous advocacy for agriculture and rural Oklahoma. Although we face many challenges, I am very optimistic about the organization’s ability to positively impact the […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau members from across the state gathered Oct. 19-20 in Oklahoma City to review, discuss and amend proposed policies to the organization’s grassroots 2022 policy book. Farmers and ranchers from all 77 county organizations submitted policy resolutions, which were then sorted, amended and combined by the more than 40 members serving on the state resolutions committee. Policy proposals approved by the committee will move on to the full OKFB delegate body at the organization’s annual meeting Nov. 5-7. “This grassroots process is one of the fundamental parts of Farm Bureau,” said Rodd Moesel, OKFB president. “There used to […]

Join special guests Sen. James Lankford and Rep. Stephanie Bice at Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s first-ever Evening of Impact, a fundraising dinner supporting the OKFB Ag PAC political action committee, 6 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. In addition to hearing from Sen. Lankford and Rep. Bice, local artist Zonly Looman will be live-painting during the event, with the final art piece to be auctioned off at the end of the night. The newly formed OKFB Ag PAC supports state and federal candidates for office who share Farm Bureau members’ rural values and who understand […]

As discussions of the Build Back Better Act, a $3.5 trillion Congressional reconciliation bill, have increased within the past week, Oklahoma Farm Bureau has been closely monitoring the progression of the bill and is working to ensure farmers and ranchers are not burdened with additional taxation or other negative economic consequences. The current version of the bill could impose a significant “fee” or tax on methane emissions on the oil and gas sector but does not include a tax on agriculture. American Farm Bureau economists recently conducted an analysis on the bill to determine the potential impacts if it were […]