Following the 2023 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual meeting, I caught up with OKFB Vice President of Public Policy, Steve Thompson, to talk about highlights from the meeting- specifically focused on policy development.

Overall, Thompson said the tone was positive regarding the policy adopted, although there were a few lengthy debates and some opposition on a few topics.

“I visited with a handful of folks that came out on the short end of those debates, and they were all in really good spirits,” Thompson said. “We are all able to stay a tight-knit Oklahoma Farm Bureau family.”

One highlight of the resolution session, Thompson said, involved members’ opposition to a particular state question initiative petition that would increase the Oklahoma minimum wage requirements over the course of the next few years up to 15 dollars per hour.

“The thing that I think caught our attention and the members talked about the most both on the side and during the meeting had to do with the proposal that included removing the exemptions for agriculture and farm workers, it included removing the exemption for temporary part-time workers, as well as an exemption for underage workers,” Thompson said. “As everybody knows, in agriculture, we have all types of workers, all types of skill levels, and the types of jobs they do are a lot different than other businesses. Those have been in there for a reason, for a long time, and we are concerned that the proponents to this sure seem to be coming from the coastal areas in the country, a long way from Oklahoma.”

National Livestock was founded in 1932 in Oklahoma City. National’s Marketing Division offers cattle for sale weekly at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City. The Finance Division lends money to ranchers across several states for cattle production. The Grazing Division works with producers to place cattle for grazing on wheat or grass pastures. 

Most Recently- National has added Dakota Moss and Livestock Risk Services to their team.

National also owns and operates other livestock marketing subsidiaries including Southern Oklahoma Livestock Auction in Ada, Oklahoma, OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the nation’s premier livestock video sale, Superior Livestock Auction. National offers customers many services custom made for today’s producer. To learn more, click here for the website or call the Oklahoma City office at 1-800-310-0220.



Innovations in Technology to Push Cattle Breeding Industry into New World of Possibilities

In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am back talking with the Chief Executive Officer of the American Angus Association, Mark McCully, about the genetic information available to cattle producers.

“The ‘toolbox’ we have available to cattlemen today, whether you are a seed stock producer or a commercial producer- we have such a better ability to describe genetic merit than we ever have,” McCully said. “That has been on the backs of our registered breeders, who have been collecting data for a really long time. We have got the largest single-breed database in the American Angus Association, and then we couple that with the power of genomics, and it has really allowed us to build EPDs and selection indexes that do a really predictable job.”

While change is hard, McCully complimented Angus breeders and said they have always embraced technology.

Regarding gene editing technology, McCully said that while it holds tremendous potential, this technology could also be classified as a disruptive innovation.

Speaker Mike Johnson's Stopgap Spending Measure Passes House- Incudes One Year Farm Bill Extension

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, Nov. 14 voted 336 to 95 to approve a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown. The stopgap bill includes a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill. 



The Farm Bill is a package of legislation that is normally passed every five years. It covers a wide range of programs, including the federal farm safety net in Title One, crop insurance, nutrition programs and more.

The 2018 Farm Bill expired on Sept. 30, 2023. The extension included in the stopgap funding bill would remain in place through Sept. 30, 2024. 

Leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on Nov. 12 issued a statement in support of the Farm Bill extension. “As negotiations on funding the government progress, we were able to come together to avoid a lapse in funding for critical agricultural programs and provide certainty to producers. This extension is in no way a substitute for passing a 5-year Farm Bill and we remain committed to working together to get it done next year,” said Sens. Debie Stabenow, D-Mich., and John Boozman, R-Ark., and Reps. Genn Thompson, R-Pa., and David Scott, D-Ga.

Without Congressional action, a government shutdown will begin Nov. 17. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the bill as soon as possible. Click here for details of H.R. 6363 – Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extension Act of 2024.

At the 2023 OKFB Annual Meeting, I had the chance to visit with the Chair of the Women’s Leadership Committee of the American Farm Bureau, Isabella Chism. Chism was one of the general session speakers at the 2023 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in downtown Oklahoma City.

Chism resides in Indiana, where she farms soybeans and sweet corn. Involved in the Farm Bureau first at the county level, Chism said she quickly moved up the ranks after showing interest in playing a larger role.

“Once I was in D.C., I understood the impact we can have as a farm organization representing all farmers, all sizes, and it was just amazing to me,” Chism said. “From that point on, I ran for the second vice president position and was elected to that in Indiana, which then, because I was a woman, allowed me the opportunity to be recognized at national conventions.”

Chism said the Women’s Leadership Committee exists in order to raise up women leaders and equip them with the tools they need to be confident and courageous leaders.

Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force Seizes 72,000 lbs. of Illegal Marijuana

The Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) last week seized more than 36 tons of illegal marijuana in searches conducted in Wagoner County and Lincoln County. Attorney General Gentner Drummond established the task force earlier this year to combat Oklahoma’s many illegal marijuana operations.

“Our state has been overrun with criminals who are trafficking drugs in our local communities and throughout the country,” Drummond said. “I will not tolerate this serious threat to public safety. I am proud of the work of the Organized Crime Task Force and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to eliminate this blight on our communities.”

On Nov. 9, the task force executed a search warrant on a Wagoner County business where agents found more than 72,000 pounds of black-market marijuana inside a metal barn. Assisting in the seizure were Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, Wagoner County Commissioners and the Wagoner County Emergency Management office.

The seizure is among the largest in state history.

USDA Contributes to the Fifth National Climate Assessment

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today its important contributions to the Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA5) demonstrating a commitment to understanding and addressing the effects of climate change.

“Our farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are on the front lines of climate change. USDA’s role in the NCA5 exemplifies our commitment to supporting these individuals and communities, especially those who are disproportionately affected,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The NCA5 is a congressionally mandated report that analyzes the effects of climate change on sectors and regions across the U.S. economy. The report, released on November 14, 2023 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, was developed through a partnership with 14 federal agencies and included 58 USDA scientists. The information and analysis in the report can be used to inform decision-making, but it does not prescribe specific policies or actions.

USDA’s contributions to the NCA5 highlight the effects of climate change on agriculture, forests, food systems, historically underserved communities, and natural resources. The NCA5 emphasizes the increasingly important role of adaptation in building resilience, and the role of the land sector in mitigating greenhouse gases. It demonstrates how climate change affects the livelihoods of USDA’s stakeholders and it provides examples of how land managers are changing their operations and practices in response to changing climate conditions.

FFA and 4-H Members Receive Free Admission to NCBA Trade Show at CattleCon24

The next generation of agricultural leaders are invited to attend the NCBA Trade Show at CattleCon24 for free on Friday, Feb. 2. FFA and 4-H members can receive free trade show admission on Next Gen Ag FFA & 4-H Day, which will include a variety of events and activities for youth and families. 

Courtesy of Culver’s, the first 250 FFA members to register will receive complimentary Friday NCBA Trade Show admission. FFA members and alumni are also invited to the Culver’s Blue Jacket Custard Social. 

Nationwide is providing complimentary Friday NCBA Trade Show admission to the first 250 4-H members who register. Nationwide is also sponsoring a special Learning Lounge session about careers in agriculture featuring Mary-Thomas Hart, chief counsel at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“Youth engagement is critical to the future of America’s rural communities, and industry events like the NCBA Trade Show are great places to learn about career opportunities while building a national network of producers and industry experts,” said Hart. “As a 4-H alumnus, I look forward to meeting 4-H members from across the country who are excited about civic engagement and a future in cattle production.”