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American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) will host their 107th Annual Convention in Norman, Oklahoma, at the Embassy Suites & Conference Center Feb. 17-18, 2012. Headlining the convention is House Agriculture Committee Chairman and Oklahoman Frank Lucas, (R-Cheyenne). This year's convention theme is "AFR: Honor, Heritage, Responsibility."

"When discussing a theme for this year's convention, I thought back on the past year we've had and the three words, 'Honor, Heritage, Responsibility,' simplify our focus for 2012," said AFR President Terry Detrick. "With agriculture being the second largest industry in Oklahoma, it is our responsibility to help this industry grow in our state and our farm organization and insurance companies want to do just that."

The AFR Convention will feature the annual business meeting for both Oklahoma Farmers Union Cooperative and the AFR Mutual Insurance Company as well as discussion and adoption of AFR's legislative policy. On Friday evening, February 17th, the AFR Political Action Committee will hold an auction which will be followed by the campaign speeches from all candidates vying for the AFR Board of Directors and Officer seats. The night will conclude with a live band, Joe Settlemires & Showband from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha.

To read more about the 107th AFR Convenion, click here. 

Ed Hurliman Appointed to State Board of Agriculture- Frederick Drummond Named to Board of Historical Society

The office of Governor Mary Fallin has announced a new appointment to the State Board of Agriculture. Ed Hurliman of Broken Bow is owner of Hurliman Forestry Services, a private forestry consulting business. He is the first forester to be appointed to the Board of Agriculture. Hurliman received a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois. He is a current member of the Society of American Foresters and the Oklahoma Forestry Association.

Hurliman also serves on the board of directors for the Oklahoma Forest Heritage Center, First National Bank of Idabel and on the Natural Resources Conservation Service Technical Committee. Hurliman is replacing Don Britton and represents District 1. The appointment requires Senate confirmation.

Governor Fallin has also selected a past President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association to serve on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Frederick Drummond of Pawhuska is a retired cattle rancher and veteran of the Korean War. He currently serves on the Gilcrease Museum board and is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Oklahoma Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Drummond is a past president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association and Oklahoma State University Alumni Association; he also is past vice president of the Oklahoma Heritage Association. Drummond received a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University and a master's in business administration from Stanford University. He is replacing Bob Klemme and will serve as an at-large member. This appointment does not require Senate confirmation. 

 

Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program Set for UK Tour

Members of Class 15 of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program are making final preparations for an agricultural tour of Scotland and Ireland which begins next week. The comprehensive ten-day tour is part of the leadership program which helps develop future leaders in Oklahoma agriculture.

This year's tour encompasses a wide swath of the agricultural landscape in Scotland and Ireland with stops highlighting the entire process from production through marketing, distribution and consumption.

One of the group's early stops will be to the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. It is the leading organization for farmers and stockmen in the country. The organization also organizes the great Royal Highland show.  

We will be traveling along with Class XV as they leave for Edinburgh next Wednesday- and we will give you a daily glimpse into what they are hearing and seeing across these two ancient countries as they see everything from farm practices centuries old to the latest state of the art ag research efforts. We'll have audio, pictures and insights starting late next week here in this daily email and on a special webpage on OklahomaFarmReport.Com.  

 For now- read more about the OALP international travel experience  by clicking here. 

DuPont Leader Calls for Commitment and Accountability to Prevent Global Food Crisis

 DuPont Executive Vice President James C. Borel urged more than 200 business, government and non-profit leaders to commit to a new level of collaboration and personal accountability to achieve global food security today at The Economist Conferences Feeding the World summit in Geneva. The Feeding the World summit explores actions needed to ensure that a global population rising to 9 billion or more can be fed sustainably and equitably.

"We know that the consequences of hunger and malnutrition are so devastating, so multi-faceted, that no one company, country or organization has all the answers. It will take all of us working collaboratively to ensure that every person has enough nutritious food to eat," Borel said. "Together, we must take action. Now is the time for increased accountability to prevent the looming crisis that will have ramifications for all people."

DuPont has committed to invest US$10 billion in research and development dedicated to the food, agriculture and nutrition sectors and advancing 4,000 new products by the end of 2020; supporting training and education opportunities for youth around the world, and working with farmers to improve the livelihoods of families in rural communities.

If you would like to read more of Borel's comments, click here. 

Talking Parasites and BRD With Merial Vet Dr. Joe Dedrickson

 Dr. Joe Dedrickson, with Merial Animal Health, talked with us at the recent Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville about two challenges that cattle producers face- and a pair of Merial products that can help cattle handle the adversity of these challenges. We began our conversation on today's Beef Buzz with Dr. Dedrickson talking about what he calls "Strategic Parasite Control." With the arrival of spring and green grass comes lots of parasite activity- and he says a key is to select a product that can help you reduce parasite pressure on your animals. Merial offers EPRINEX Pour-On, which is the strongest, most potent parasite control product available and offers the following advantages: Broadest spectrum of control, including biting and sucking lice, is weatherproof and odorless.

Dr. Dedrickson points out that studies have shown 90% of your parasites are found on the pasture, with 10% actually in your cattle. Eprinex is a persistent product, which will kill worms as they are taken in by your cattle, helping break their reproduction cycle. He adds it is all about getting more pounds of calves off of your pasture- and studies have shown up to 36 pounds of increased weight can be shown with a treatment of Eprinex- making return on investment really strong.

We also visited with Dr. Dedrickson about a relatively new product that Merial released in 2011 called Zachtran. This vaccine has been developed for treatment and control in high risk cattle for BRD- Bovine Respiratory Disease. It offers a rapid response- and hangs around to keep BRD away- staying in the lungs up to 10 days.

To read more- and to listen to our conversation with Dr. Dedrickson- click here. 

APHIS Discussion of Streamlined Approvals Highlights Meeting of Biotech Working Group

Members of the American Soybean Association's (ASA) Biotech Working Group met in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss, among other items, a new effort on the part of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to streamline the approval process of new biotech traits.

Michael Gregoire, deputy administrator for APHIS' Biotechnology Regulatory Services Program, spoke before the group comprising soybean farmer leaders and industry stakeholders on his agency's initiative to increase efficiencies in the regulatory review process for new biotech traits.

"The soybean industry and its farmers have much to gain from biotech innovations that increase yield, improve nutrition, resist disease, offer competition and alternatives in the marketplace, and help in managing weed resistance issues, and we're lucky to have a seemingly continuous pipeline of these innovations awaiting approval," said ASA President Steve Wellman, a soybean farmer from Syracuse, Neb. "To hear that APHIS is invested in making the approvals process more efficient is encouraging to both farmers and to biotech innovators." 

Click here to read more about the streamlined approval process.

Governor Fallin Proclaims Farm Bureau Week

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has proclaimed the week of Feb. 20-24, "Farm Bureau Week" in Oklahoma.
        
The week is part of a statewide observance during which county Farm Bureaus will make a concerted effort to enroll members, introduce the community to Farm Bureau volunteer leaders and explain the organization's goals and objectives.
        
"This is a special time to acknowledge Farm Bureau members and the work they do year-round in the communities across this great state," said OFB President Mike Spradling. "It is significant the governor recognizes Farm Bureau and agriculture's importance to Oklahoma."
        
When making the proclamation, Fallin cited Farm Bureau's rich heritage and history of championing rural and agricultural issues. 

To read more about Farm Bureau Week, click here.