Agricultural News
AFR/OFU Ready to Tackle Leadership, 'Right to Farm' and Feral Hogs
Wed, 08 Jul 2015 17:56:05 CDT
Leadership development is a top priority for the American Farmers and Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union. The general farm organization has pledged to invest over $300 - thousand dollars annually into leadership development and youth programs. This month, AFR will launch a new program called Leadership, Education And Development, otherwise known as LEAD. With new technology, research and information, President Terry Detrick said today's young people are facing a whole different set of challenges than previous generations, so the LEAD program is designed to help producers meet that challenge and give them exposure to a lot of experts on a wide variety of topics. He would also like to see the program evolve into a mentorship program to benefit both the younger and older generation ag producers. Detrick said AFR will have a big kickoff for the program on Saturday, July 18th at the Oklahoma City Dodgers game.
Oklahoma's agricultural groups are starting their planning and preparations for the 'Right to Farm' campaign. State Question 777 will be voted on by Oklahomans in November 2016. Detrick said this has already become a great opportunity for Oklahoma agricultural organizations to face this issue and work together. He said the purpose of the "Right to Farm" constitutional amendment is to protect the state's agricultural industry into the future, in case there would be a very liberal legislature that would put regulations on agricultural production. He said this is already being seen in California where new regulations are greatly increasing the cost of food and is driving ag producers out of the state. Leading up the November 2016 election, he anticipates many anti-agriculture groups will show up in opposition to the "Right to Farm" amendment.
In looking at the future, Detrick said agriculture is challenged with feeding nine billion people by the year 2050. With sound science, he said researchers need ways to enhance crop and livestock production with fewer resources, so agriculture will need the freedom to produce an abundance of food at reasonable price.
Another big challenge for Oklahoma is state's growing feral hog population. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture is working on some regulations for the hunting of feral hogs. At issue, is when hogs are trapped, then moved around the state. AFR has some issues with feral hogs because of the destruction they can do production agriculture and the diseases these wild hogs can carry. Detrick said feral hog control needs to be done in way that does not infringe on the private property rights.
Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays recently caught up with Terry Detrick. Click or tap on the LISTENBAR below to listen to the full interview.
Terry Detrick will be joining me for the weekly "In the Field" report on KWTV News 9 in the Oklahoma City market on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m.
Click here for information on the LEAD Kickoff Event.
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