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Here is your daily Oklahoma farm and ranch news update. 
 

Featured Story:

GMO Labeling Showdown Happening Today in DC

Oklahoma Ag Secretary Jim Reese Talks National Ag Day- and Ag Day at the State Capitol Coming March 30 

 
The National Ag Day celebration was happening on Tuesday, March 15th, and the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, Jim Reese, says it is appropriate that the United States pause each spring and celebrate agriculture because the results of the labor of farmers and ranchers "is a basic need for survival- you don't live without food, air and water."


Reese, in talking with us at the 2016 Oklahoma Youth Expo, says that he is glad that state lawmakers and other state officials are being reminded of the importance of agriculture in the state of Oklahoma with the Legislative Showmanship being held on Ag Day.


The Secretary says that while the National Ag Day is on March 15th, Oklahoma has chosen most years to celebrate on a different day with a day at the State Capitol that includes a presence of many of the commodity groups that represent Oklahoma farmers and ranchers setting up booths in the Rotunda area, the recognition of Ag in the Classroom award winners and the announcement of the Ag Hall of Fame honoree for that year, as well as the new awards that were unveiled for the first time in 2015.

The date set for Oklahoma's Ag Day is Wednesday, March 30th. (a correction from the date we mentioned yesterday)

Click here to read more and to listen to our conversation with Jim Reese, who by the way, won the steer showmanship last night in the Celebrity Competition- and he was ALL Smiles!!!

Senator Mike Schulz Wins OYE Legislative Showmanship- Speaker Jeff Hickman Calls It an Honor for Lawmakers to Interact with Students

 

One of the highlights of the Oklahoma Youth Expo in recent years is the Legislative/Celebrity Showmanship Contest- and the 2016 edition of the friendly competition lived up to expectations. Over eighty lawmakers showed up to try their hand at showing one of the four species that are a part of the Oklahoma Youth Expo- and when the dust had settled, Oklahoma State Senator Mike Schulz of Altus was declared the overall winner of the evening. Schulz won the swine showmanship, then competed against the other species winners, showing a steer in the finals, and was declared the overall champion.

Serving as Emcee for the evening was Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker, Jeff Hickman. Hickman worked his way around the floor of the Fairgrounds arena, recognizing each lawmaker and guest who participated in the Contest, offering bits of encouragement and advice throughout the evening.


After the contest, we talked with Hickman about the importance of getting the lawmakers and their young constituents together for the evening. The Speaker told me "a lot of times the kids and parents will say it's a honor to get to participate- that's not true at all. The truth is that it's a honor for our lawmakers to get to spend some time with these young people and see the hard work they are doing and the lessons they are learning and that benefits us back at the Capitol for them to have that experience and those conversations and interactions in the middle of the legislative session."

Click here to read more and listen to the conversation that I had with Speaker Hickman- we not only talk the importance of the OYE experience- we also get into the harsh realities of the Oklahoma budget for FY2017- Speaker Hickman offers some good perspectives on his thought process about how this is all going to play out on Lincoln this spring. it is well worth your time to take a listen!

Colt Cunningham of the Locust Grove FFA Wins Supreme Purebred Heifer at OYE

 

Over thirty thousand dollars in scholarships were presented to the owners of the top purebred beef heifers shown at the 2016 Oklahoma Youth Expo, with many of the breed champion and reserve champion receiving scholarships from one to two thousand dollars. In addition, the Supreme Champion Purebred Heifer of all the Breeds received an additional one thousand dollar scholarship.

That Supreme Champion was owned and shown by Colt Cunningham of the Locust Grove FFA with his Limousin Champion Heifer. The Reserve Supreme Champion Purebred Heifer was the Maine Anjou Champion, shown by Ace McHatton of the Marshall County 4-H.

More details about the Beef Heifer show are available here as a part of our continuing coverage of the OYE- a service of ITC, Your Energy Superhighway.

We have pictures continuing to go up on our FLICKR album- and we have quite a few from the Breeding Heifer show- click here for our FLICKR album and ENJOY!

State Rep. Scott Biggs Honored as Part of  the Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives Team

 

Scott Biggs, State Representative for House District 51 in Southwest Oklahoma is among visionaries being recognized nationally through Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives, a search to identify and honor 100 leaders who are changing rural communities and agriculture for the better. The honorees were announced at a National Ag Day event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Farm Credit launched the Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives program as part of its 100th anniversary of service to rural communities and agriculture. As a Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives honoree, Scott Biggs joins an impressive list of leaders in agriculture and rural enterprise.

Click here to read more about this honor and what Rep. Biggs did to pick up this recognition.

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AFBF and NFU Both Write Letters - Hoping to Influence GMO Labeling Debate

 

Letters have gone out from both the American Farm Bureau and the National Farmers Union to Senators in advance of the Cloture vote later today on the Pat Roberts bill we detailed above that would deal with the patchwork of states having their own standards about what a food label should have on it pertaining to GMo ingredients.

AFBF's Zippy Duvall tells lawmakers they support the Roberts' proposal and that "A vote against this measure is a vote against consumers, against American farmers and ranchers, and against more affordable, productive agriculture."

Read more on the AFBF letter here.

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union, who had changed their policy this month at their National Convention on GMO labeling- now in favor of a voluntary approach instead of a mandatory regulation- told lawmakers to do something.  They urged a compromise but stopped short of endorsing the Roberts plan.

Click here to read more from the NFU and a chance to see their letter.

This N That- OSU Livestock Judging Places Second in Houston, Pollard Farm Sale Coming and Night of Stars Tonight

 

Word comes from Blake Bloomberg, the OSU Livestock Judging Team Coach, that the Cowboys placed second at the Houston Livestock Show Judging Contest- Blake writes "The Oklahoma State University capped a tremendous spring season with a second place finish at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The team won sheep, was second in cattle and reasons and fourth in hogs.

Individual achievements include:

Kayla Hildebrand- 1st High Individual Alternate Division

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