News Stories

Going into the start of the 2007 Oklahoma legislative session, farm and ranch leaders wanted a legal definition of animal manure to help them comply with environmental laws. When the session ended May 25, the so-called “manure bill” had passed and now ranks as the top victory for Farm Bureau during the session. “We needed to make sure animal manure would not be classified as hazardous waste,” said Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen. “It seems obvious to us that manure is a beneficial soil nutrient, but until SB 709 was passed, we had little protection from environmental lawsuits.” Another […]

Nine deserving high school seniors win $1,000 ag scholarships Nine high school seniors have been awarded $1,000 college scholarships from Oklahoma Farm Bureau & Affiliated Companies and its Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. The scholarships were awarded to students representing the nine Farm Bureau districts across the state. To qualify for the scholarships, the students must pursue agricultural degrees at an accredited Oklahoma institution of higher learning. They also must be a member of a Farm Bureau family holding a voting membership. Melissa Johanna Barth of Gage was the district one recipient. Upon graduation, Barth plans to attend Oklahoma State […]

Every step you take today impacts the environment. Today’s farmers and ranchers understand this better than anyone, said Steve Kouplen, a Beggs rancher and President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. "We touch, smell and taste the environment with every breath as we move through the day, watching the ebb and flow of life on the land," Kouplen said. "We’re connected to the environment and we work extremely hard everyday to protect it." Kouplen cites a myriad of statistics verifying his beliefs. "Farmers and ranchers have enrolled 37 million acres of their land in the Conservation Reserve Program, protecting the environment […]

Two 20-foot wide strips of land encircling vast acreage’s of unincorporated territory previously outside the Durant municipal limits have become the focal point of a major battle over municipal annexation of private property. The Oklahoma Farm Bureau and several landowners have filed a lawsuit against the city of Durant claiming the city improperly annexed the property. “This is a classic case of taking land and increasing the regulatory burden on the landowner who had no vote in the matter,” said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau President. These strips do not meet the legal requirements for annexation. According to Oklahoma law, […]

In a remote village of Mali, West Africa, there is a cotton farmer today who understands how important his village radio station is to keeping democracy alive. During a visit to Mali March 13-25, Oklahoma Farm Bureau staff person Sam Knipp saw first hand the role journalists play in keeping citizens informed, a vital component of a healthy democracy. Knipp, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations, was one of 10 Oklahoma journalists participating in a U.S. State Department program focusing on the role journalists play in a successful democratic government. The program was coordinated by Oklahoma State University’s […]

Americans are so accustomed to having a safe and reliable food supply that they rarely consider its source. “American agriculture is responsible for providing the necessities of our everyday life – food, fiber, clothing and even fuel,” said Matt Wilson, Oklahoma Farm Bureau executive director. “With National Ag Day Wednesday, it is a great opportunity for everyone to take a moment to consider everything that went into getting that meal on the dinner table.” Farm Bureau will join producers, agricultural associations, universities, governmental agencies and others Wednesday for Ag Day at the Capitol. “We want to share the great news […]

Several Oklahoma youth recently competed for $9,500 in savings bonds and scholarships during the 12th Annual Young Farmers and Ranchers Speech Contest, sponsored by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. The contest was held March 12 at the OSU-OKC campus in Oklahoma City. The YF&R Speech Contest was broken up into three age divisions: Junior, nine-12 years old; Intermediate, 13-15 years old; and Senior, 16-18 years old. The youth gave speeches in three division categories, including Agricultural Production, Agriculture Policy and Environment & Natural Resources. Speeches for the Junior Division were three to five minutes in length; five to eight minutes for […]

In his proclamation for Farm Bureau Week, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry said the state depends on organizations like Farm Bureau to play a key role in developing rural areas. Throughout the week of Feb. 19, county Farm Bureau’s will be hosting events focusing on rural development activities. “This is critical for economic development in rural Oklahoma,” Henry said. “We stress economic development, but Farm Bureau practices it everyday and we’re very thankful for them.” Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen, Beggs, said Farm Bureau Week gives the state’s largest farm organization, with more than 166,000 members, an opportunity to tell […]

Oklahoma delegates to the 88th American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting were successful in changing policy regarding the national animal identification program. Previously listed as “mandatory” in the AFBF policy book, Oklahoma Farm Bureau leaders asked that delegates reconsider and instead support a voluntary animal ID program. “Oklahoma producers have a number of concerns with a mandatory program and feel like a voluntary animal id system is the way to go,” said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau President. “AFBF delegates agreed and now our policy supports a voluntary program.” Delegates also supported consideration of legislation to ensure confidentiality of producers’ […]

An Oklahoma Farm Bureau delegation of 80-plus leaders will join more than 4,000 Farm Bureau members from across the country in Salt Lake City, Utah Jan. 7-10 for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 88th Annual Meeting and Convention. Most importantly, state delegates will meet to discuss and vote on the positions that will guide AFBF in 2007. Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen said several agricultural issues will be covered during discussions, including the next farm bill. “The farm bill is probably the key issue. We will have to decide whether to extend the current policy, or write a new […]