Oklahoman Grabs Her Star- Whitney Glazier of Lomega is Your American Star in Ag Placement for 2023

Whitney Glazier is big on farming despite her small stature.

“I am not a very big young lady,” Glazier said. “I am 5’1” and I’m very petite.”

But her small size did not keep her from receiving one of the BIGGEST awards available as a member of the FFA- when this past Friday evening she was named the 2023 American Star in Ag Placement.

Ahead of the National FFA Convention- I sat down with Whitney- click here for that conversation.

As a member of Lomega FFA in Oklahoma, Glazier is a fifth-generation farmer with a three-part supervised agricultural experience (SAE) — she raises crops on her family farm, she worked at a veterinary clinic for over two years and she is currently working at Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) agronomy station to research plant science.

“I’m the fifth generation,” Glazier said. “It’s in our blood to want to do this, to be involved in agriculture. It’s just something that’s been instilled in me, and my passion for agriculture is what keeps me going.”

Glazier said her family’s long history in the agriculture sector is what she’s most proud of, especially after a recent tragedy. Her father passed away in June 2023, and Glazier said he was her biggest help and her greatest inspiration.



“He was and still is my biggest role model and my biggest supporter,” Glazier said. “He was an ag teacher for 20 years [and] a full-time farmer. … He gave me building blocks to work off, to build up to make myself successful.”



The vision of the Oklahoma Beef Council is to be a positive difference for Oklahoma's farming and ranching families and the greater beef community, and its mission is to enhance beef demand by strengthening consumer trust and exceeding consumer expectations. 

To learn more, visit www.oklabeef.org. Also, don't forget to like its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oklabeef for stories on Oklahoma's ranching families and great beef recipes. 

And Check out this video below that helps you learn more about the Beef Checkoff- .



We are still going through all the final results from the many different contests and honors that Oklahoma FFA racked up this past week in Indianapolis- so I apologize up front if we don't have stories yet on all of the accomplishments of the Blue and Gold from our state in Indy- but check out these links below for the stories we have compiled to date:

Oklahoma has brought home three of the four National Premiere Chapter Awards in the country- never been done before!

Stillwater FFA wins Model of Excellence Award

Stillwater FFA Also wins the Building Communities Premiere Chapter Award

Bartlesville FFA wins the Growing Leaders Premiere Chapter Award

Guthrie FFA Wins Livestock Evaluation National Championship and Maysen Garrett is High Individual

Westville FFA Wins Poultry Evaluation National Championship- Three team members place in top ten.

Oklahoma Takes Four National Championships in Proficiency Awards

Oklahoma FFA Takes Four National Championships in Agriscience Fair- Social Sciences (2) Animal Systems and Food Products

Corbin Robbins Makes Final Four in FFA Creed Contest- Places Third Nationally

New National President Amara Jackson is an Ag Comm and Agribusiness Student at OSU- Go Pokes!

Our coverage this past week from the 2023 Convention has been powered by Oklahoma Farm Bureau- Together- We Are Oklahoma!

Oklahoma Ag Secretary Blayne Arthur Receives Honorary American FFA Degree

At the 2023 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, I caught up with the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, Blayne Arthur, as we talked about her time at the 2023 Convention and the multiple hats she is currently wearing as Oklahoma Secretary of Ag and President of NASDA- the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Referring to the convention, Arthur said the impact of the event is difficult to describe to someone who has not attended in person.

“It is certainly impressive to see all of the students, and we are very proud to see all of the Oklahoma students so well represented here,” Arthur said.

Arthur received the Honorary American FFA Degree along with several other Oklahomans(shown above).

“Of all the things that are very near and dear to me, FFA would be at the top of the list,” Arthur said.

Regarding the state of agriculture in Oklahoma, Arthur said many producers are excited about having better hay production this year compared to last year.

Agriculture groups are applauding a ruling from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals that upholds sound science by throwing out the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule that essentially banned the use of chlorpyrifos, a product farmers use to protect their crops from insects and other pests. The decision, in which the court found EPA disregarded its own scientists’ findings by ending numerous uses of chlorpyrifos they determined were safe, vacates the rule and restores agricultural uses of the tool.

Daryl Cates, soybean farmer from Illinois and American Soybean Association president said, “Today’s ruling is a win for agriculture and science-based regulation. Federal agencies cannot be permitted to ignore their own science at the expense of America’s farmers. This ruling will restore safe, effective uses of a tool needed by many growers to protect crops from damaging pests and help preserve an affordable food supply.”

The agriculture groups brought a lawsuit against the agency in February 2022 seeking to restore farmers’ ability to use this tool to protect crops. The groups highlighted that, in EPA’s own records, agency career scientists have found at least 11 high-benefit, low-risk agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos that can be maintained safely.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “AFBF applauds the court’s recognition that EPA failed to follow its own standards when it took an important crop protection tool away from farmers. Growing safe and nutritious food for families across America is the top priority of farmers, and science tells us this tool is safe. Today’s decision sends a message to EPA that it must use sound science when drafting rules.”

Ranchers Encouraged to Participate in Sustainability Movement as Consumers Demand More

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am back talking with Donnell Brown of the R.A. Brown Ranch, in a “best of” edition, looking at the challenges and the opportunities in the beef cattle business.



“I think the consumer is going to demand us to be more sustainable, whether that is greenhouse gasses- cattle do produce methane, there is no doubt about it, so if we can make them more efficient and we can use breeding and technologies that will help them to produce more with less, then we are helping the environment, and we are doing our part to better feed a growing global population,” Brown said. “To me, it all fits together. I look at sustainability as a great opportunity.”

Some producers may look at sustainability as pressure that outsiders are putting on the industry, but Brown said it is about doing the right thing to produce more with less.

“I believe it is our responsibility to do that as stewards of all natural resources and all creation, to do more with less,” Brown said. “That is the way I define sustainability.”

Regarding the markets, Brown said the industry is seeing prices like never before, and he expects those to stick around for an extended period of time. As ranchers might be able to see some good profits, Brown said now is the time to think about how to reinvest those profits to make the business more profitable moving forward.

Vote for NCBA's National Anthem Singer for 2024: Our Suggestion?- Vote for Landri Jones of Weatherford!

Four finalists have been selected in the 11th annual National Anthem Singing Contest, sponsored by Norbrook®. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is inviting the public to vote for the winner beginning November 1. 

Introducing the four finalists:

Landri Jones of Weatherford, Oklahoma, is a fifth-generation cattle producer and FFA member whose family manages a cow-calf operation. 

Shirley Matlock of Greenfield, Indiana, is a veteran of the United States Air Force and enjoys working alongside her children and grandchildren on the family’s cow-calf operation, including singing to the herd when on gate duty. 

Brittany Price of Center, North Dakota, is a fifth-generation farmer and rancher who works for North Dakota State University Extension, raises Simmental cattle, and helps her husband run a feedlot. 

Anna Sponheim of Winifred, Montana, helps on her family’s cattle and wheat farm and serves the industry as Program Manager at the Montana Beef Council.

Voting opens Wednesday and you can vote once daily through November 15th.

Get on Team Landri and vote daily!

Coming This Week- Coverage from the American Angus Convention, American Bankers and More

I was in Orlando on Saturday and caught up with lots of Oklahomans and other leading cattle producers at the 2023 American Angus Convention- those stories will start flowing via our Daily Beef Buzz reports and more in the next several days- stay tuned

Meanwhile- KC is covering the American Bankers Association meeting in Oklahoma City- and a special Farm Bill Listening Session and Reagan will be covering the Oklahoma Ag Expo in Norman- and at the end of the week- the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention is on our radar!

Gonna be busy.