Agricultural News
AFR President Terry Detrick Says Drought and Survival Very Much on the Mind of Oklahoma Producers
Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:06:52 CDT
The agricultural industry is facing a series of challenges on a state and national level and American Farmers and Ranchers are addressing these issues with members, county officers and different people all across the state by holding a series of "Boots on the Ground" meetings. Terry Detrick, AFR President, says one topic of conversation is,of course, the drought and lack of hay this year. Two meetings have been held thus far- in Elk City and Enid. Three meetings are coming up- in Lawton, Checotah and Oklahoma City. Click here for details of the Boots on the Ground meetings from the AFR Newsletter.
Detrick says another issue is the water problem in Oklahoma. Detrick attended the Joint Legislative Water Committee meeting held earlier this week and listened to experts discuss the laws and rights associated with water. Detrick says Oklahoma has a complicated water law currently and when we start trying to decide who owns the water and can it be sold, it has potential to drag out for a long period of time.
In fact, the Chickasaw Nation filed a lawsuit against the state recently over the Sardis Lake and the battle for ownership of water has officially begun. Click here to see the legal filing made against the state by the Chickasaw Nation.
Another topic that came up in our conversation with the general farm organization leader was the budget woes in Washington- and how they are impacting the development of the 2012 farm bill. Detrick tells us that in their grass roots meetings across the state- he is advising farmers that they need to be thinking about what they are willing to give up in the way of farm program benefits, because he believes that agriculture will face significant cuts in the coming weeks and months as the Budget reduction Super Committee struggles with reducing government spending and trying to make a dent in the national debt.
Detrick also discussed the recent proposal on animal traceability by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Detrick believes the only time this will come into effect is if there is an animal disease that we need to get in front of and they know where the animal has been and what all has been exposed. Detrick also says he thinks the proposal will develop over the next several years as they find flaws and inadequacies but it is a good place to start.
Click on the LISTEN bar below to hear the rest of Ron Hays and Terry Detrick's conversation on a variety of agriculture issues, with more on water, animal traceability and the Farm Bill of 2012. You can also see Ron and Terry this coming Saturday morning on KWTV News9 during the In the Field segment at 6:40 a.m.
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