Oklahoma Farm Bureau members from across the state gathered Nov. 8-10 at the Omni Hotel in Oklahoma City for the organization’s 83rd annual meeting where they elected new leaders, set organizational policy for the coming year, recognized outstanding members and learned from speakers.
“We had a really wonderful convention this year,” said OKFB President Rodd Moesel. “Everybody enjoyed the chance to fellowship and visit with one another and address the issues of the day during the resolutions sessions. A lot of times in agriculture, we are out on the farm or ranch and don’t get to see each other as much. There is a lot of learning that occurs in the networking between one another at convention and a lot of reassurance that although there may be challenges, many are facing the same things.”
Leaders elected
OKFB members elected several new and returning leaders throughout the weekend, including two new members to serve on OKFB’s board of directors.
Jimmy Taylor of Roger Mills County was elected to serve as the new District 2 director. He will serve a three-year term representing Beckham, Custer, Greer, Harmon, Kiowa, Jackson, Roger Mills, Tillman and Washita counties.
Gary Crawley of Pittsburg County will return to the OKFB board of directors after being elected to serve a three-year term as the new District 5 director. He will represent Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, Pittsburg and Pushmataha counties.
Mike Leverett of McClain County was re-elected to serve another three-year term as District 8 director. He will represent Cleveland, Coal, Garvin, Hughes, McClain, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties.
Jill Derusha of Greer County was elected to represent District 2 on the OKFB Women’s Leadership Committee.
OKFB Young Farmers and Ranchers re-elected Jacob and Chastity Beck of Logan County to serve a one-year term as YF&R chair. Additional members re-elected include Jaclyn Darling of Coal County, District 8; and Tommy and Chalaynna Salisbury of Tulsa County, at-large. Lincoln and Gracee Muller of Jackson County were elected to represent District 2; Jake and Jonessa Cantrell of Haskell County were elected to represent District 5; and Teegin Crosthwait of Oklahoma State University was elected to serve as the Collegiate Farm Bureau representative.
Members set 2025 grassroots policy
Farm Bureau voting delegates considered more than 100 grassroots policy resolutions throughout two business sessions, including resolutions on property rights, eminent domain, renewable energy, conservation, labor and more.
The policy resolutions presented on the floor in Oklahoma City began as county-submitted positions and advanced through the state resolutions process in October. The policies adopted by OKFB members during the annual meeting will help to guide the work of the organization at the state Capitol for years to come.
OKFB members and counties recognized
Comanche County Farm Bureau was honored as the top county Farm Bureau with the John I. Taylor Award, and Payne County was recognized for its programs with the Lewis H. Munn Award.
Chasen Doye of Comanche County received the YF&R Achievement Award, and Jacob and Chastity Beck of Logan County received the YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award.
Okmulgee County was presented with the Charles L. Roff Award for the most outstanding county YF&R committee, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University was honored as the top Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter with the YF&R Moesel Award.
Mayes and Okmulgee County Farm Bureaus were recognized for an outstanding county activity with County Excellence Awards, and 46 county Farm Bureaus were presented with OKFB Presidential Star Awards.
Austin Jackson of Payne County was named the YF&R Discussion Meet winner, Ashlee Purvine of Northern Oklahoma College was the Collegiate Farm Bureau Discussion Meet winner, and Heath Laubauch of Woodward FFA was named the High School Discussion Meet winner.
Congressman Frank Lucas received the Distinguished Service to OKFB Award for his decades-long service to agriculture in the United States House of Representatives.
The OKFB WLC recognized nine outstanding farm and ranch families from around the state with the annual OKFB District Farm and Ranch Family Recognition awards. This year’s honorees were Braden and Maria Naylor, Beaver County, District 1; Derek and Paige Jacobs, Tillman County, District 2; Shawn and Debbie Cox, Blaine County, District 3; Weston and Lacie Hoodenpyle, Cotton County, District 4; David and Haley McClendon, Pittsburg County, District 5; Charles and Ellen Coblentz, Mayes County, District 6; Steve and Denise Kienholz, Noble County, District 7; Jake and Samantha Calvert, Cleveland County, District 8; and Mike and Lotsee Spradling, Tulsa County, District 9.
Members learn from speakers, presenters
Farm Bureau members heard from Congressman Kevin Hern, Congressman Frank Lucas, Gov. Kevin Stitt, Texas A&M’s Bart Fischer, and American Farm Bureau’s Jessica Cabrera throughout the weekend and heard an inspirational message from Sen. James Lankford and enjoyed music from Blake and Jenna Bolerjack during the Sunday morning worship service.
Members also had the opportunity to attend one of three breakout sessions on Friday, Nov. 8, including a session on the Oklahoma Grassroots Rural and Ag Business Accelerators program, a session featuring landowners’ rights in wind and solar leases, and a Cultivating Healthy Minds workshop on mental well-being.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual Meeting is the organization’s largest gathering of farmers and ranchers every year. At the three-day convention, members vote on grassroots policy, elect leaders and award outstanding individuals. OKFB has a presence in all 77 Oklahoma counties and serves as the voice of agriculture and the rural way of life.
