News Stories

More than 80 Oklahoma Farm Bureau members and guests convened in Oklahoma City for the organization’s annual leadership conference Tuesday, Feb. 21. Farm Bureau members kicked off the morning with Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who shared the importance of rural Oklahoma and the population shift to urban areas over the years. “There has never been a more important time for Oklahoma Farm Bureau,” he said. Pinnell also spoke about the immense growth of agritourism in Oklahoma, noting more than 2 million agritourism visits in the state this past year. Members had the opportunity to learn more about State Question 820 […]

The second week of the 2023 legislative session carried with it the same momentum seen in week one. Once again, state lawmakers were hard at work as they continued committee meetings and hearing bills. Highlighting the week was an education funding package authored by House Speaker Charles McCall. House Bills 2775 and 1935 would work together to increase public school funding by $500 million and would allocate an additional $300 million in potential tax credits for children in private or home schools. If passed, the $500 million for public schools would be broken down into three sectors. The first is […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau has teamed up with a number of local and state organizations in a coalition opposing State Question 820, a measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Oklahoma. “Protect Our Kids – No on SQ 820” is chaired by former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating and is comprised of organizations including the Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association, The State Chamber, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and more. With SQ 820 up for consideration in a special referendum vote on Tuesday, March 7, the coalition has begun actively encouraging a “no” vote on the state question through press releases, social media and […]

This week marked the first full week of the First Session of the 59th Oklahoma Legislature. This year, legislators wasted no time getting right to work, especially in the Senate where several committees held their first meetings and heard several bills. SB 494 by Sen. Brent Howard was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. The bill is similar to a bill Sen. Howard introduced during the 2022 legislative session and would limit payments for damaged crops from pesticide drift to those that are either insurable under the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation program or are crops or plants […]

The 2023 Oklahoma legislative session kicked off Monday, Feb. 6 with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s State of the State address to the 59th Oklahoma Legislature at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. “My fellow Oklahomans, the state of our state is the strongest it has ever been,” Stitt said. In the official start to his second term, Gov. Stitt touched on Oklahoma’s accomplishments and his legislative plan for the coming year in his address, including a number of topics important to Oklahoma Farm Bureau members. Topping the list was Gov. Stitt’s emphasis on improving rural infrastructure – a top priority for […]

Every year, the first full week in February brings about a new legislative session in Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau public policy team has been working diligently to pore over thousands of submitted bills for the coming year. The OKFB Board of Directors released the organization’s legislative priorities in January after Farm Bureau members set grassroots policy for 2023 during the 2022 OKFB Annual Meeting last November. These priorities include top issues such as rural infrastructure, landowner advocacy, marijuana and issues concerning Oklahoma’s future – many of which can be found in legislation available for consideration at the state […]