Annie Schneider from the Seiling FFA Chapter will represent Oklahoma in the 2025 National Prepared Public Speaking Contest at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Schneider spoke with senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays about this opportunity. She shared that her journey in public speaking began years ago. “It actually all started my eighth-grade year,” she said. “We started with an opening ceremonies contest, it’s a lot more comfortable because it’s with a team.”

Although her team didn’t place at state that year, she said the experience “lit the fire in me,” pushing her to continue competing through creed, prepared, and extemporaneous speaking events.In addition to her speaking success, Annie remains deeply involved in livestock showing. “I’ve been showing pigs, and my family’s been raising pigs since I was three or four years old,” she explained. Showing livestock has been a lifelong passion, teaching her discipline and responsibility.

“It’s always been the part that I said I would miss the most about high school,” she reflected. Yet as she’s traveled and shared her speech across Oklahoma, Annie admitted, “I’m thinking I might miss [public speaking] a little bit more next year.” Her current speech, titled “Where the Green Grass Grows,” focuses on the issue of overgrazing—a topic she calls “something that all producers face at some point, no matter where they live.” She began developing the speech her sophomore year, continually refining it through her state-winning performance and preparation for nationals. 

More than 40 Oklahoma Farm Bureau members from across the state of Oklahoma gathered for the state resolutions committee meeting Oct. 21-22 in Oklahoma City.

The meeting serves as a major stepping stone in the organization’s grassroots policy development process, bringing together farmers, ranchers and agriculturists from all backgrounds to consider grassroots policy proposals submitted by county Farm Bureaus throughout the late summer and early fall.

The state resolutions committee is comprised of Farm Bureau members from the 25 counties selected to serve on the resolutions committee as well as representatives from the Women’s Leadership Committee, Young Farmers and Ranchers and the state board. During the two-day meeting, members of the state resolutions committee discussed and voted on hundreds of resolutions on renewable energy, groundwater, land management, agricultural tax exemptions, the new world screwworm and more.

Each resolution that advanced through the state resolutions committee will be presented before the full delegate body during the business sessions at the OKFB annual meeting Nov. 7-9 in Oklahoma City. Those that pass at the annual meeting will be added to the OKFB policy book, which guides the organization at the state Capitol and beyond.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today issued a five-point plan to rebuild America’s cattle herd, lower grocery store beef prices, and protect U.S. cattle producers from failed Biden administration policies. The following statement may be attributed to Commissioner Miller: “The plan released yesterday by the USDA is a good start, and I am grateful that President Trump and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins are willing to hear the feedback being provided by America’s cattle producers. However, as the Agriculture Commissioner of our nation’s largest beef-producing state and a rancher myself, I believe there are some additional steps that can be taken.

A couple of the points jumped out at us:

Create a Tax Credit to Rebuild the U.S. Cattle Herd We need to give producers a real incentive to grow America’s beef herd. I’m calling for a new Heifer Retention Tax Credit, modeled after the Child Tax Credit, allowing cow-calf operators to receive a tax credit for keeping heifers to expand their herds. This would help rebuild our national herd, increase beef production, and assist the American consumer.

Allow Targeted Imports of Live Mexican Cattle to Stabilize Supply The quickest way to reduce beef prices and do it within 24 hours, is to import feeder cattle instead of boxed beef. Normally, about 15 percent of our feeder cattle come from Mexico, but shipments have been backed up for almost a year, creating shortages. As we enter the Mexican feeder cattle season (November to February), we can safely reopen ports of entry in a controlled, incremental way without risking the spread of pests like the screwworm fly.

Fall is here, and so are our OCA Fall Gatherings. We invite you to join us for one (or all!) of the first three gatherings happening across the state:

Mulhall, OK – Pfeiffer Angus Farms Monday, October 27 5103 W State Hwy 51, Mulhall, OK 73063 Vendor & sponsor visitation begins at 6:00 PM Beef dinner served at 6:30 PM Bring a friend, neighbor, or family member to experience what OCA is all about!

Miami, OK – Stonehill Land & Cattle Tuesday, October 28 12801 S 560 Rd, Miami, OK 74354 Vendor & sponsor visitation begins at 6:00 PM Beef dinner served at 6:30 PM Connect with fellow cattlemen in a relaxed atmosphere while gaining valuable insight on protecting our livelihood and improving production practices.

Beaver, OK – Beaver County Stockyards Thursday, October 30 506 W Main St, Beaver, OK 73932 Vendor & sponsor visitation begins at 6:00 PM. Beef dinner served at 6:30 PM Join us for good food, good company, and great conversation about Oklahoma’s cattle industry.

Noble Research Institute (Noble), a trusted educational resource for farmers and ranchers since 1945, presented the inaugural Noble Land Stewardship Award to G Bar C Ranch and the Ellis family of Rosston, Texas, at its first annual Roots & Revelry event on October 22. The award recognizes farmers, ranchers and landowners who are leading the way in regenerative land management.

G Bar C Ranch was selected for its commitment to regenerative management practices that have transformed 3,000 acres into a model of biodiversity and sustainable cattle production. Founded in 1982 when GC Ellis purchased 450 acres to pursue his ranching dream, the operation now runs more than 200 Black Angus mother cows while serving as caretakers of the land, maintaining natural habitats and clean waterways.

Ellis and his daughter, Meredith, who represents the next generation of the ranch, have cataloged over 660 species of plants, animals, birds, lichens and other ecological communities within their working lands. The ranch has been recognized for its conservation practices by the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association and received the 2023 National Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.