Agricultural News
Farm Bureau's Steve Thompson Looks Ahead to 2020 State Legislative Session
Tue, 17 Dec 2019 11:08:10 CST
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with the Senior Director of Public Policy for Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Steve Thompson, at the Tulsa Farm show last weekend.
Thompson told Hays that as we wrap up 2019, the big story this year was the first year of a new administration and a record class, of new legislators, "I think there's so many new faces in and around the capital both from an Ag policy perspective, and a state public policy perspective, that everybody kind of got their feet wet. The Governor and his team did a remarkable job of trying to address some of the problems that maybe have gone unaddressed for a number of years. We're so very fortunate to have an ambassador like Secretary Blayne Arthur in the agriculture slot, and she's done a remarkable job with the Department of Agriculture and been such a good voice for us in the Governor's cabinet room. Those are the things that we look back and think there was a lot of good work done, but most of that was really just step one. I know that there are a number of things that we talk about in agriculture that we're really stressed with right now both economically and from livestock perspective, trying to prepare for the what-if events. That if you read the headlines nationally and internationally, we know there are lots of problems both from animal health and from international trade. So I think when we look back in 2019, it was trying to get this new crop of folks both within the administration and the state legislature; get them acclimated and on balance. It was a very, very good year, but it was just the first step into trying to dig into things on behalf of Oklahoma agriculture."
This year it seems that lawmakers have sorted through several issues this past session, and more dollars have been available for agriculture. Thompson says that makes a world of difference, "Truly that changed the climate in state government more than anything I've seen in a long, long time, but you know if you look at your household budget or your business budget if you have a deficit life's pretty tough. If you have a surplus, its a lot easier to have a smile on your face. This year at the capital, there was a surplus. They made a record investment in the rainy day fund, and they were able to put some money aside, which I think is a very wise investment. It was controversial in some quarters, but we're very proud of the diligence that they showed to be responsible there, and we were able to invest a little bit both in a second straight year of teachers' pay raises, and a few of our core agencies that we rely on. Both the Department of Ag, they were able to get some money for their laboratory and their state veterinarian's office and the critical team at the Conservation Commission and the conservation districts. They got a little bit of targeted money that they desperately needed to put on the ground to do good work in Oklahoma. That changed the tone; you know whenever there is money in your bank account at the end of the month, life is a lot better than then whenever there's a deficit, and we saw the upside of that for the first time in a long time in 2019."
State veterinary Dr. Ron Hall has several things he is juggling right now. One of those being the animal ID tags that he has been championing. Thompson says times are challenging for ag producers right now, "We have a number of disease threats that that face our producers. We try to do our best with the federal government and the state government to try to prepare for that, but you know you never really know if you are prepared. Certainly some of the prices that we face, you know, you look back one big story of the year was the fire at the packing plant in Kansas. The challenges have been deep and wide, and we've debated whether we're in the right place in animal ID amongst our membership, and I worked very closely with Dr. Hall and Secretary Arthur on that. I tried it to see what's going to happen from the USDA on down with that. I know we are very interested in what they're doing technologically speaking some pilot projects with a few sale barns in Oklahoma and Kansas, and we want to be a good partner in them. We've actually adopted a new policy at Farm Bureau, to make sure that it was clear that we wanted to be a player in that process of helping develop those systems. We're not really keen on any kind of mandatory regulations, but we do want to be part of the solution and work together with the state and federal government as well as some of the technology companies to make sure that what happens in the future it is a good fit for both animal health professionals as well as our producers."
Farm Bureau not only works a the state level but also engages with the congressional delegates to work through several issues that are important to Farm Bureau, including the latest breakthrough for the US/Mexico/Canada agreement (USMCA). Thompson says its good to see progress, "Yes, federally speaking, you know five letters, USMCA, that has been our whole world it seems like all of 2019 and we're hoping to have a down payment on a pretty good Christmas gift for the industry on that. I know that the House and the Senate in the White House, as well as Mexico and Canada, have formed a newly fashioned agreement. There weren't too many changes made and what we've had on the table for a long time, but at least now we have the signal that for us next week that the house will run that through. We're thankful in Oklahoma that our delegation has been positive on that. All corners all of our house members, as well as our two US senators I think, have been outspoken and really took somewhat of an unprecedented step, did kindof a joint press release bipartisan-wise and both across chambers speaking out the need to go ahead and submit that certainty for our producers by walking down our two biggest trading partners with Mexico and Canada. So we're watching that very closely, but we're not counting those chickens until they hatch, but we're ready to see that take another step forward."
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the complete interview with Steve Thompson as he talks with Ron Hays.
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