While attending the American Peanut and Education Society’s Annual Meeting, Farm Director KC Sheperd visited with Oklahoma Ag Secretary Blayne Arthur about how far education and research in the ag industry have grown.
Due to Oklahoma’s varying climate with extreme drought in some years and heavy rainfall in others, producers have learned a lot of ways to manage during changes in the moisture that they receive and still be able to produce a product, whether that be peanuts or other commodities.
Arthur said, “We have a great story to tell in Oklahoma. It is a story of a lot of smart folks putting information together and getting it to the producers actually on the ground, and then recognizing the benefits that we see from that.”
The past 4 weeks have been a great example of that with much of the state experiencing flash drought conditions, finally alleviated by recent rainfall, all while the Oklahoma panhandle, which is more accustomed to dry conditions experienced catastrophic flooding.
Rhetorically, Blayne asked, “How can we all work together to plan a little bit better? When that much rain comes down at one time, it isn’t useful and there’s no way to capture that. So we are having discussions as we see these changes over time of how much rain we are getting and how we can utilize that water better. Are there ways to reuse that water? Guyman is having really good discussions about that.”
Generally, across the state, Blayne believes that producers are optimistic after recent rainfall and cooler temperatures in early July improved pastures and filled ponds. At this time of year in 2023, the Drought Commission was started.
Blayne said that during the flash drought in late June, the Drought Commission was already having discussions. “There are funds available at the Drought Commission, at the Conservation Commission. Those district offices have done an exceptional job of getting the dollars allocated, previously, but I think the great thing about the legislature directing those funds to the Drought Commission is that when we get into those D2, D3, or D4 drought situations, now we have the ability to get the Drought Commission together to say, ‘what is the need that exists and how can we best approach it?’”
Blayne said that they would be watching the weather through July and August as the weather switches from La Nina to El Nino, but is comforted to know that the Drought Commission can come together on short notice to work together to address the needs that exist no matter which part of the state they are in.
The Young Ag Achiever’s Podcast
Members of the Ag Youth Council, composed of High School Seniors, get to spend a day shadowing employees of the ODAFF Oklahoma Board of Agriculture employees for career exploration opportunities.
Ag Youth Council member Alexa Bouziden, of Fairview, brought up the idea of a podcast with the Public Information Officer, Lee Benson, as they were having lunch with Arthur.
“The great thing about this podcast is that it is focused on youth in Oklahoma,” Arthur said. “We have had some fabulous stories that these students have gotten to share with us, that I don’t think we would have otherwise heard about.”
Some of the stories come through ag teachers’ recommendations, and Arthur said that she learned more about watermelons than she ever knew from growing up in the area, from two young ladies talking about the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival. “There are always unlimited stories to tell, and we are always so proud of and impressed with those young adults for how much they know about ag,” Arthur said. “For me it is a comforting feeling to know that all of these young people want to be in production agriculture or agribusiness. We love to highlight their stories and share all of the good things they have going on.”
