News Stories

OFB & Affiliates, YF&R to award college funds Nine $1,000 ag scholarships available to high school seniors Oklahoma’s next generation of agricultural leaders have an opportunity to further their agriculture education with nine $1,000 scholarships offered by Oklahoma Farm Bureau & Affiliated Companies and its Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. "Rural America has witnessed how difficult it has been to keep young people in their communities, and once they have gone, how hard it is to draw them back," said Chuck and Francie Tolle, chairmen of the OFB Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. "Oklahoma Farm Bureau has also seen the […]

Several Oklahoma youth recently competed for $9,600 in savings bonds and scholarships during the Eighth Annual Young Farmers and Ranchers Speech Contest sponsored by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. The contest was held March 17 at the State Fairgrounds arena 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, Environment & Natural Resources and Agriculture Policy. Speeches for the Junior Division were three to five minutes in length; five to seven minutes […]

As National Agriculture Day approaches its 30th anniversary on March 21, Oklahoma’s farm and ranch families reflect upon the efficiency and productivity involved in providing consumers with a safe, abundant and affordable food supply. "National Agriculture Day serves as a special time to draw attention to the importance of agriculture," said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president. "We should all remember agriculture is a part of our every day lives from the food we eat to the clothes we wear." In its 30th year, the National Agriculture Day program is committed to educating consumers on how food and fiber products […]

Food is the nation’s greatest resource as well as its greatest bargain, a fact giving rise to Farm Bureau’s Food Check-Out Day observance in Oklahoma and across the nation Feb. 6. "We are marking this date because it is the day when the average family has earned enough income to pay for its entire year’s food supply," said Clara Wichert, chairman of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. To celebrate Food Check-Out Day, the Women’s Committee will pay for the food in three lucky grocery shoppers’ carts in the Oklahoma City metro area and stock the shelves of the state’s […]

Oklahoma Delegates Help Form Policies To Guide Farm Bureau In 2003 Voting delegates at the 2003 American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Tampa, Florida, agreed with Oklahoma farmers and ranchers to make country of origin labeling voluntary. Congress recently passed language in the 2002 farm bill mandating country of origin labeling. "We felt like it was important to give farmers and ranchers more time and flexibility," said Steve Kouplen, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president. "This should allow us to take better advantage of the labeling law." Delegates also voted to oppose banning packer ownership of livestock within 14 days of processing. […]

YF&R Winter Conference is set for Jan. 31 – Feb. 2 in Shawnee1/10/2003 Contact: View posting details… Young agricultural producers as well as those interested in the agriculture industry are invited to attend Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s 2003 Young Farmers & Ranchers Winter Conference which will be held Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 in Shawnee. Geared toward establishing a connection with other young people in the business, the three-day conference will focus on fun, fellowship and agriculture. Young farmers and ranchers will discuss agricultural ideas, learn about YF&R state and national contests, tour Shawnee agricultural areas, and be briefed on legislative […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau, along with several other organizations and state agencies, will be hosting an ethanol workshop in Oklahoma City Jan. 28. Fuel ethanol production has reached historic levels. In some states, it supports rural economies. In others, fuel ethanol reduces air pollution. All across the U.S., ethanol reduces dependence on imported oil and provides consumers with energy diversification and added fuel choice. The workshop, “Setting the Stage for Ethanol in Oklahoma,” will delve into such questions as: Could Oklahoma tap its own resources to produce some of its own transportation fuel? What would be involved? What would be the […]

After two years and more than 12,000 public comments, the Environmental Protection Agency has revised the controversial Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) regulations into " a more reasonable and less burdensome package," Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s regulatory specialist said today. "You can’t beat common sense, responsive government," said Marla Peek. Farm Bureau has questioned the accuracy of EPA data used to formulate CAFO rules, which would have expanded EPA’s regulatory scope from an estimated 3,000 livestock operations to 39,000 nationwide. Under the new rules, 12-15,000 operations will be covered. When the rules to reduce residue from livestock waste were first announced […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Visits Cuba Fidel Castro wants to buy Oklahoma wheat and Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen says he’s ready to sell! Kouplen, a Beggs farmer and rancher, has just returned from a seven-day trade mission to Cuba sponsored by Farm Bureau. "We made it clear to the Cuban government we’re willing to sell our products to them," Kouplen said. Cuba’s struggling economy, mired in a decades-long slump, is a major stumbling block to trade with the U.S. So is the political climate. Current U.S. law allows exports of food and medicine, but only on a cash […]

OFB establishes political agriculture fund Saying it was time to step up and strongly support friends of agriculture, delegates at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau annual meeting voted to establish a political action fund. The delegate action occurred during the farm group’s 61st annual meeting, Nov. 9-11 in Oklahoma City. Carefully avoiding the term “political action committee”, Farm Bureau members said they wanted to elect legislative leaders who understand agriculture without getting mired in the negative connotations of a PAC. Officially the committee is referred to as the OK Ag Fund. “Shrinking rural populations combined with legislative term limits have set […]