A resolution calling for a federal farm program that provides a strong safety net for farm income using a combination of crop insur-ance and a revenue assurance program was among more than 100 resolutions passed by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau state resolutions committee Oct. 18-19, in Oklahoma City. !e proposal will be voted on during the annual OFB convention, Nov. 11-13. “We want to protect our producers’ ability to grow food and "ber for this country,” said OFB President Mike Spradling. “We believe crop insurance should be a top priority and is a key to Oklahoma agriculture’s success.” !ere is concern direct pay-ments may be eliminated since the administration is considering reducing the agriculture depart-ment’s budget. !e proposed resolution states OFB supports keeping direct and counter-cyclical payments to farmers, but if they are going to be reduced more than 33 percent, the remain-ing funds should be shifted to a revenue assurance program. “We need to keep a strong, a#ordable crop insurance program and realize at the same time direct payments provide income stabil-ity,” said Scott Neufeld, chairman of OFB’s Farm Bill Committee. Farm Bureau also supports

h

OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU

November 4, 2011PERSPECTIVE

Annual Meeting Begins Nov. 11, in Oklahoma City

Grass roots policy development at work ... State

Resolutions Committee reviews proposals

Resolutions Review – Oklahoma Farm Bureau District 4

Director Bob Drake (middle) discusses a policy proposal during

Resolutions Committee work in Oklahoma City, Oct. 18. Also

pictured YF&R representative Mason Bolay (far left) and Mickey

Vanderwork (far right) of Dewey County Farm Bureau.(See Resolutions, page 2)

After months of preparation and anticipation, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual Meeting is here!

In honor of OFB’s 70th anniversary, the theme for this year’s convention is “Liv-ing a Legacy, Building our Future.” !e schedule of events begins bright and early Friday morning at Oklahoma City’s down-town Cox Convention Center with registration and the YF&R Discussion Meet. !e OFB Trade Show opens at 10 a.m., and Opening Session begins at 1:30 p.m. Channel 9 meteorologist Gary England is scheduled to speak at Friday’s afternoon session after a wel-

come from Oklahoma Lieuten-ant Governor Todd Lamb.

On Saturday, trade show hours and registration begin at 8 a.m. All voting members should take note that the credentials desk, located near OFB’s registration table, will

close at noon on Saturday. Several orders of business will be conducted during the day’s two general sessions including election of AFBF delegates, resolutions sessions, the presi-dential address, the presidential

election and districts 1, 4 and 7 elections.

Saturday night’s dinner begins at 7, followed by the awards program at 7:45. !e Farm Family of the Year video presentation, Farm Family win-ner, Distinguished Service to

OFB Award, YF&R Achieve-ment Award and YF&R Lifetime Legacy Award all will be announced during the ceremony. Entertainment for the evening will be provided by country music singer Joe Di$e.

Sunday will close out the annual meeting with the County Presidents Breakfast, the FBW Chairmans Breakfast and Breakfast of CHAMPI-ONS all beginning at 7:30 a.m. !e annual Vespers & Memo-rial Session starts at 9:15 a.m. featuring inspirational music

and guest speaker U.S. Con-gressman James Lankford.

Other convention highlights include the OFB Silent Auction. Proceeds

from the auction this year will bene"t the new Oklahoma FARM (Farming and Ranch-ing Matters) Foundation. See the complete Annual Meeting Schedule of Events on page 3 or visit okfarmbureau.org.

2

Oklahoma Farm Bureau OnlineMonitor the latest Farm Bureau

and agricultural news and information online at okfarmbureau.org.

Currently online:70th Annual Meeting – Oklahoma

Farm Bureau’s 70th annual state convention begins Friday, Nov. 11. Check the OFB homepage for annual meeting details and a tentative schedule.

Publications Viewer – !e fall issue of Oklahoma Country magazine is now available! View this issue’s feature stories, YF&R pro"le and so much more online by selecting the “publications” button under the News tab.

www.okfarmbureau.org

OFB Annual Meeting

Contact: Monica Wilke, (405) 523-2303

FBW Rally

Contact: Marcia Irvin, (405) 523-2405

YF&R State Committee Meeting

OFB C!"#$%!&

O#ers 10 percent o# catalog prices along with special pricing on other merchandise. Order toll free at 877-202-2594 or online at grainger.com.

A prescription drug discount card that o#ers members and their families access to prescription discounts and free health/wellness info. Call 800-700-3957.

M#'(#& B#$#)*+,

OFB highlights a few bene"ts in each issue of Perspective as a reminder of the savings available to OFB members. Find a complete list of savings online at okfarmbureau.org.

conservation programs allowing farmers to produce crops while protecting the environ-ment. “We strongly support programs such as EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program),” said Neufeld. “Farmers are familiar and comfortable with these programs and want to continue e#orts to protect and improve the environment.” !e resolutions committee also passed measures opposing production of castor beans in Oklahoma and the practice of conjunctive (tying surface and groundwater rights together) use management anywhere in the state. !e committee voiced support for legislation prohibiting the use of eminent domain to condemn water rights and for State Question 758, which changes the current cap on property tax increases from 5 percent to 3 percent of fair cash value in any taxable year. “SQ 758 is something this organization has been working on since our inception,” Spradling said. “We hope the voters agree with us when they go to the ballot box in 2012.” !e Farm Bureau committee also passed a resolution opposing designation of a protected area for prairie chickens as an endangered species.

(Resolutions, from page 1)

TOP – OFB Director

of Research & Policy

Development Kinsey

Money (right) looks up an

OFB policy for resolutions

committee member

Karen Brewer (left).

LEFT – OFB’s Resolutions

Committee discusses

hundreds of proposed

resolutions, Oct. 18, in

Oklahoma City.

Legislative staff

tours Osage County

Osage County OSU Extension Agricul-ture Educator and Osage County Farm Bu-reau board member Will Cubbage recently hosted a county tour for sta# members from the o$ces of U.S. Congressman Frank Lucas and U.S. Senator Tom Coburn.

Congressional "eld sta# members toured local cattle operations and learned about agricultural opportunities in Osage County, along with the e#ects the drought has had on both producers and local communities.

From left – Osage Co. FB member

:LOO�&XEEDJH��6HQ��7RP�&REXUQ�ÀHOG�staff Brian Treet and Michael Junk,

DQG�&RQJUHVVPDQ�)UDQN�/XFDV�ÀHOG�rep Brianna Domnick.

!e U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently amended the date by which farms must prepare or amend and implement their Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, to

May 10, 2013. If the EPA receives no adverse com-ment by Nov. 2, 2011, the rule will become e#ective on Nov. 7.An overwhelm-

3

EPA proposes SPCC compliance deadline move to 2013

ing segment of the continental United States was a#ected by %ooding during the spring and summer of 2011. Other areas were impacted by devastating "res. Many counties in several states were declared disaster areas by either the federal or state government or both. As a result, the EPA believes that, because of their unique na-ture, farms were disproportionately a#ected and need additional time to prepare and implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan.

!e amendment does not remove the regulatory requirement for owners or

operators of farms in operation before Aug. 16, 2002, to maintain and continue imple-menting an SPCC Plan in accordance with the SPCC regulations then in e#ect. Such farms continue to be required to maintain plans during the interim until the appli-cable compliance date for amending and implementing the amended plans. Finally, the amendment does not relieve farms from the liability of any oil spills that occur. For questions about the SPCC’s new deadline, call the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Field Services division at (405) 523-2307 or the Public Policy division at (405) 530-2681.

OFB Annual Meeting Schedule of Events

Friday, Nov. 118 – 9 a.m ..................................... Credentials Committee Breakfast8 – 8:30 a.m ....................................... Discussion Meet Orientation9 a.m. – 5 p.m ...............................................................Registration9 – 9:45 a.m ........................................... Discussion Meet, Round 110 a.m. – 7 p.m .....................................Trade Show/Silent Auction10 – 11:30 a.m ..............................Commodity Committee Reports10 – 10:45 a.m ....................................... Discussion Meet, Round 211 – 11:45 a.m ....................................... Discussion Meet, Round 311:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m ....................State Board Meeting/Lucheon11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m ........................................... Farm Bill Luncheon11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m .........................FBW Conference/Luncheon12:00 – 1:15 p.m ......................................... Discussion Meet Finals1:30 – 4 p.m ...........................................................Opening Session

Music: Mikayla Jo Balderas, Tipton FFAWelcome: Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb Speaker: Gary EnglandAwards: County Awards, YF&R Discussion Meet Winner,YF&R County Event, YF&R Charles Ro#, Secretary of the

Year Award, Journalist of the Year Award*Adjourn to trade show area for door prizes4 – 7 p.m .................................Trade Show Open House Reception5 – 7 p.m ................................... Ag Leadership Reception (OALP)

Evening on Your Own in OKCSaturday, Nov. 127 – 8 a.m ..................................................... Credentials Committee7:30 – 8:30 a.m .................. Financial Review Committee Breakfast7:30 – 8:30 a.m ...........................Resolutions Committee Breakfast8 a.m. – 5 p.m .......Trade Show/Silent Auction (auction closes at 7)8 a.m. – 4 p.m ...............................................................Registration8:45 – 9:30 a.m ........................... OFBMIC Policyholders Meeting9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m .............................................General Session

Music: Haley Berry, Cordell FFACredentials report to delegate body, Election of AFBF Delegates, Resolution Session

*Adjourn to trade show area for door prizes*12:00 p.m ...........................................Credentials Desk Closes

Saturday, Nov. 12 (continued)12 – 1:30 p.m ...............................Credentials Committee Meeting12:30 – 1:30 p.m .....................................YF&R Caucus Luncheon12:30 – 1:30 p.m ................................ FBW Gavel Club Luncheon1:30 – 2 p.m .........................................................District Caucuses2:15 – 4 p.m ........................................................... General Session

Music: Zach Ray, Blanchard FFAPresidential Address, Minutes, Financial Review CommitteeReport, Credentials Report, District Caucus Reports, FBW &YF&R Incoming/Outgoing, Presidential Election, AFBF

Resolution Session *2:30 is the latest to bring back resolutions*Adjourn to trade show area for door prizes5:30 – 6:30 p.m ..................................................AgFund Reception7 – 7:45 p.m ......................................................................... Dinner7:45 – 9:30 p.m .........................Awards Program & Entertainment

Emcee: Ron Hays Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Farm FamilyVideo Presentation (during dinner), Farm Family Announcement, Excellence in Ag, YF&R Lifetime Legacy

Award, Lewis Munn Award, John I. Taylor Award, YF&R Achievement Award, live auction

Entertainment: Joe Di$e

Sunday, Nov. 137:30 – 9 a.m ........................................County Presidents Breakfast

Speaker: Eddie D. Wilcoxen 7:30 – 9 a.m ..........................................FBW Chairmans Breakfast7:30 – 9 a.m ....................................... Breakfast of CHAMPIONS

Speakers: Glenn Co#ee, Secretary of State

9:15 – 11:30 a.m ................................Vespers & Memorial SessionMusic: Toby Baldwin, Cade Baldwin, David & Angela Leu and Sharon RueSpeaker: U.S. Congressman James LankfordMemorial Service

11:30 – 2 p.m ........................................ FBW Committee Meeting

Oklahoma Farm Bureau2501 N. Stiles 5VU�7YVÄ[

<�:��7VZ[HNLPAID

7LYTP[�5V�����6RSH��*P[ �̀�62�

Traci Morgan, 523-2346

Perspective/Online News Editor

Sam Knipp, 523-2347

Vice President of Communications/PR

Tyler Norvell, 523-2402

Vice President of Public Policy

Marla Peek, 523-2437

Director of Regulatory Affairs

Staff Directory

Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau

Postmaster: Send address corrections to:

Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

4

Gail Banzet, 523-2346

Perspective/Online News Editor

Monica Wilke, 523-2303

Executive Director

Sam Knipp, 523-2347

Vice President of Communications/PR

Tyler Norvell, 523-2402

Vice President of Public Policy

Marla Peek, 523-2437

Director of Regulatory Affairs

Kinsey Money, 523-2539

Director of Research & Policy Development

Staff Directory

Published by Oklahoma Farm Bureau

Postmaster: Send address corrections to:

Perspective, P.O. B. 53332, OKC, OK 73152-3332

Poor peanut crop in South to drive up cost of peanut butter

Inhofe supports amendment to protect rural communities

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) recently announced his support for a revenue neutral amendment o#ered by U.S. Sen. Jerry

-lion to watershed and %ooding prevention programs under H.R. 2112. !e so-called ‘minibus’ appropriations act is expected to fund Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and related agencies for Fiscal Year 2012. !e transferred funds will be taken from departmental administration funds used to support upper-level bureaucrats.

"Oklahoma has more upstream %ood

control dams than anywhere else in the country, and Sen. Moran’s amendment o#ers a needed solution to improving the nation’s watersheds and dams,” Inhofe said. “Rather than being used for bureaucrats in the agency, these funds will protect 1,532 county and highway bridges, while provid-ing %ood prevention for 20,541 farms and ranches in our state. It is clearly a safety and infrastructure issue that requires the repair of aging water dams well past their expected service life. Without this amend-ment, farms and ranches across the nation

are vulnerable to increased %ooding that endangers livestock, grain and crops.”

O$cials from several state associations also applauded Sen. Moran’s e#orts.

“Oklahoma has more upstream %ood control dams than any other state in the union,” said Clay Pope of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts. “In "ve years, 1,000 dams will be past design life and in need of repair. Without these funds, the lives and properties of Oklaho-mans will be put in jeopardy. !ese funds are critical to repairing these structures. ”

For those who love peanut butter, prepare to soon pay more for the popular snack. Peanut growers in the South did not have a very good crop this year, and as a re-sult, rumors of higher peanut butter prices are “spreading.”

Although there are peanut farmers in Oklahoma, much of the country’s peanut supply is grown in southern states such as Georgia and Alabama. O$cials with the Georgia Peanut Commission report a low supply of peanuts left from the 2010 crop combined with poor market prices at plant-ing and drought conditions are driving up the price of peanuts.

“Out of the 33 years I have been work-ing in the peanut industry, I’ve seen two other years worse than 2011,” said Dr. John Beasley, University of Georgia peanut agronomist. “Some areas in Georgia were very drought-stricken with "elds yielding zero to 100 pounds.

In a recent editorial written by Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman Armond

Morris and Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall, the two peanut experts state the tight supply and rules of supply and de-mand, not farmers, are to blame for higher prices consumers could soon experience.

!eir editorial states, “Some might criticize farmers for not plant-ing enough peanut acres, but farmers told peanut buyers in the spring that prices were not high enough to compete for cotton and corn acres, but buyers assumed there would be enough peanuts.”

Now those buyers are hav-ing to pay a heftier price for what peanuts they can "nd, and that is expected to be re-%ected in peanut butter prices later this fall. Large peanut butter companies such as Jif have reported it will increase its prices by 30 percent in November. At the same time,

the United States Department of Agricul-ture reports peanut butter consumption has jumped 10 percent since 2008. Is peanut butter worth the extra money? Consumer trends will answer that question, but nutri-tion experts say it is still a healthy snack!

Peanut butter

and jelly,

anyone?