To the delight of farmers and ranchers, in Oklahoma and around the nation, former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt was officially confirmed by the Senate around midday Friday, in a 52 to 46 vote, as two Democrats joined the Republicans in approving the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. As the ninth confirmed member of President Donald Trump's cabinet, Pruitt received the acclaim of the Senators from his home state- Oklahoma's US Senators Jim Inhofe and James Lankford.

Inhofe, senior member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee applauded Pruitt's hurdle through the Senate, calling him a "highly qualified, principled man, and will make an exceptional EPA Administrator." Click or tap here to read Inhofe's full remarks regarding Pruitt's confirmation.

Sen. Lankford chimed in as well with his own praises for the former AG, who last night, spoke on the Senate floor in favor of Pruitt's confirmation ensuring Pruitt "will be an outstanding Administrator of the EPA." Click or tap here to review Lankford's complete comments on EPA's new administrator, Scott Pruitt.

As news broke Friday of Oklahoma's Scott Pruitt receiving the confirmation of the Senate to take his post as EPA Administrator, the agricultural community erupted with cheers and a collective sigh of relief.

With a track record of staunch opposition to what some referred to the Obama EPA, as a "runaway agency," members of the ag industry believe a new day has dawned and the man at the helm of EPA is now a friend to rural America.

Singing his praises, many groups expressed their overwhelming approval and excitement for Pruitt's advancement.

NCBA's President Craig Uden said Pruitt would champion action to kill the WOTUS rule that has plagued farmers and ranchers. Click here to read his comments.

Tom Buchanan, OKFB president, voiced his excitement for the prospect of EPA's return to the righteous rule of law under Pruitt's direction. Read his remarks, here.

Growth Energy's CEO Emily Skor extended her congratulations to the new EPA chief. Read her statement by clicking or tapping here.

The National Pork Producers Council insisted that Pruitt will protect not only the environment but the livelihood of farmers and ranchers as well. Click here to read NPPC's President John Weber's comments.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall also joined the conversation, calling the notion of someone with Pruitt's merits taking that position a "breath of fresh air." Click here to review his words on Pruitt's confirmation.

Pruitt was also referred to as a "tremendous friend to agriculture and the pork industry," by Oklahoma Pork Council Executive Director Roy Lee Lindsey. His statement can be read here.

And finally Congressman Frank Lucas proclaimed that Pruitt will usher in a return to common sense in EPA's ranks. Tap here to jump to his comments.

 
The Dean of the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University, Dr. Tom Coon, was a featured speaker at the 2017 American Farmers and Ranchers convention on Saturday in Norman. Dr. Coon talked about the good things going on within DASNR since the start of the school year, including the largest enrollment ever for the College of Agriculture. He also pointed to the success of the Livestock, Equine and Meat Judging teams, the 20th Anniversary of the Food and Ag Products Center, the very successful Wheat Breeding Program led by Dr. Brett Carver and national recognition of both Dr. Damona Doye and Dr. Derrell Peel.


He also addressed the budgetary worries that have especially hit the extension and research sides of the DASNR Triangle. Dr. Coon told AFR attendees that these two parts of the Division of Ag have seen 19% of their budget dollars from the state disappear over the last two years- and that it is very possible a further cut may be coming in the 2018 fiscal year. Because of the shrinking resources- he talked about how things will have to change compared to years gone by. He did pledge that his priority in the budget scheme is to do what he can to safeguard the 4-H program- in fact he called it his top priority.

After his presentation- we talked with Dr. Coon and he elaborated with us about his hopes to make the transfer of agricultural information out into the countryside as modern as possible- and utilizing a combination of social media, smartphone technology, webinars and area specialists to make that a reality. He believes that county extension offices will continue to be a place where resources will be available to farmers and ranchers- but those local offices will also major on working with volunteer leaders of the 4-H to continue to make the Oklahoma 4-H program one of the strongest in the nation.

You can listen to our conversation with Dean Coon (and read more) by clicking or tapping here.

Hopefully, you've already made your plans to attend the Texoma Cattlemen's Conference February 24th in Ardmore at the Noble Foundation. If you haven't you ought to, otherwise, you'll miss out on hearing from Townsend Bailey- a insider with the McDonald's corporation, who in line with this year's theme, will be talking about sustainability and what that means from a retailer's perspective. I had the chance to speak with Bailey recently, about what he plans to share with producers later this month.


"There's a whole lot more for me to learn than for me to share being there," Bailey said. "But, helping producers understand that marketplace that we're engaging in and the important role that they play in helping us continue selling more beef in our hamburgers."


Bailey works with US suppliers in McDonald's supply chain business, making sure that his company's standards are met when purchasing food products. His job is to keep the chain fully stocked, manage risk and identify opportunities for resource efficiencies.


"We're collaborating with our whole supply chain on ways to control costs so we can have a compelling value offering for our customers," Bailey said. "If they're not working together then it's not going to be sustainable for us in the long-term."


To learn more about this conference coming up, click here.


To hear our conversation about sustainability in the retail segment, listen in on last Friday's Beef Buzz - click here.

 

At the 2017 American Farmers and Ranchers Convention in Norman on Saturday, election results were announced for five board seats and one state office. Paul Jackson had no opposition for his reelection to be the State Secretary of the organization, while Kyndell Nichols of Ringwood drew no opposition and was declared elected to be the Board Member for the Northwest Agent Director Seat for District One.


There were four contested races for Board Seats. Incumbents Terry Peach of Mooreland and Bob Holley of Antlers will return to the Board of Directors for another term- Peach winning with 52% of the vote over Eric Bilderback for the Northwest Independent Director- District One while Holley also garnered 52% of the vote in defeating David Christ and Larry Byrd Austin for the District 4 Independent Director position.


Winning election to the board for the first time is Garnett Barnett of Tahlequah- winning his race over John Ogden for the Northeast District 3 Agent Director while a new position that was created a year ago as AFR expanded their board saw Mason Mungle face off against Harvey Schroeder for the At Large Board of Director's seat.


Mason is one of those folks who I have worked with much of my career covering agriculture in Oklahoma- he and I were classmates in Class One of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program- he soon became the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission after our two years in OALP- and then later spent ten years as the State Capitol face of Oklahoma Farmers Union- leaving in 2007 to become the top hired hand of the Farmers Royalty Company.

And his dad Jean Mungle was one of my favorites in my early days of covering OFU- for many years, Jean and his family held a Dairy Field Day at their farm in Atoka- and had hundreds of folks annually show up at their place for their judging contest and more. One of the earliest honors I received here in Oklahoma as a farm broadcaster came from the Mungle family when they recognized me for our support of Oklahoma Youth and the Oklahoma Dairy Industry in the 1980s- that award is still one of the most cherished of any I have received since I arrived in this state in 1977. 

Congrats Mason- your dad would be proud! 

ICYMI - I was joined over the weekend on my In the Field segment on KWTV News 9, by guest Susan Allen with DairyMAX who is an advocate for breakfast and the benefits of nutrition and beyond found in the primary staple milk, and dairy of all kinds for that matter.

"DairyMAX and the Dairy Checkoff has had a real focus on schools for many, many years - really, close to a hundred years," she said. "One of the things really near and dear to our hearts is school breakfast.


"That's a really great place to be to impact the health of those kids, and also just make sure they're getting closer to their three servings everyday."


Allen adds that by promoting breakfast programs, schools have seen increased participation and reap their own benefits.


"It also helps sharpen minds, so kids that eat breakfast actually have better test scores and they do better cognitively and have a better memory," Allen emphasized.

Allen and I spoke off-camera as well. You can listen in on that conversation or read more, by clicking here.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau recently announced the celebration of the organization's 75th anniversary in 2017. Founded in 1942, OKFB has grown to include more than 95,000 members across all 77 of the state's counties, representing an agricultural industry with a $39.6 billion economic impact on our state. While festivities statewide will look back on the nonprofit's accomplishments achieved on behalf of farmers and ranchers, the organization's mantra from the 75th convention captures the spirit of this celebration - "Bold Innovators with the Wisdom to See Beyond Tomorrow."


When Oklahoma became the 42nd state to join the American Farm Bureau, the organization's main objectives were to preserve the rights and promote the successes of Oklahoma's farms and ranches, 98 percent of which are still family owned and operated today. They achieved these goals through early initiatives to support agriculturalists during World War II, to develop an insurance agency, to provide farmer education and more. Although the individual issues have changed over time, OKFB stands true to the organization's original mission of advocating for farmers and ranchers.


"Celebrating our 75th year is a great milestone for enlivening OKFB's energy, enthusiasm, and a look toward what's in store for our next 75 years," said Monica Wilke, OKFB executive director. "The issues near to the hearts and minds of our members - farmers, ranchers and families - are what are important to us every day."

Find out what OKFB has planned special in celebration of this milestone, by reading the full story - click here.