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The second time was the charm for the new President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Tom Buchanan of Jackson County. After two ballots on Saturday at the 72nd Annual Convention of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Buchanan and the delegates and guests heard his name called by the afternoon chair of the organization, Jimmy Kinder. It was the second time that Buchanan had run for the top job elected position with the general farm organization- falling short two years ago.

In his nomination speech to Farm Bureau delegates, The 57 year old Buchanan spoke of the values of hard work he learned from his family growing up, of being drawn back after college to southwestern Oklahoma where he grew up and getting involved in farming, of his involvement with the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District as well as his understanding of Farm Bureau insurance issues, which he reminded delegates was the "cash cow" for the farm organization.


Buchanan currently operates a beef cattle operation and also raises winter wheat and has been an irrigated cotton farmer in southwest Oklahoma when irrigation has been available.


Buchanan highlighted his understanding of water issues as the current Vice Chairman of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to the delegates. On the OWRB, he represents irrigation water use interests. Buchanan is an At Large member and his term on the Water Board expires in May 2018. 

You can read more about this election- and hear our brief conversation with Buchanan as well wishers surrounded him on Saturday afternoon once the results of the race had been announced- click here to check that out.

Farm Bureau Delegates Set Wide Ranging Policy Positions for Grass Roots Group

Delegates to the 2013 Oklahoma Farm Bureau set state policy for the group and approved national policy resolutions that will be carried on to the American Farm Bureau resolutions Committee that will be meeting next month in advance of the 2014 AFBF Convention in San Antonio.  

A wide array of policy positions were reaffirmed or set for the first time- including Oklahoma Farm Bureau taking a stand against the Affordable Health Care Act- or Obamacare.  Other positions established by the group included support for updating Permanent Law within the Farm Bill, Aggressive Expansion of CNG refueling stations across the state, ending the exemption from the gross production tax for horizontal drilling- saying that this technology is no longer new and does not need the tax incentive and support for researching the economic and physical feasibility of transferring surface water from excess supply areas to water deficient areas of the state.

In all, about 80 resolutions were approved by the Delegates that came from all 77 counties of the state- click here to read our story that offers a fuller list of what was approved or rejected on Saturday. 

Two Farm Bureau internal issues took up a great deal of the time spent in deliberating resolutions on Saturday- one resolution that was defeated that would have considered the establishment of a new Ag Advocacy Group within Farm Bureau while a second resolution that was strongly supported regarding the renaming the Farm Bureau Leadership Team- formerly known as the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women's Committee.  You can read more about these issues in the resolutions story we linked to above.

EPA Proposes 2014 Renewable Fuel Standards, Seeks Input to Address 'E10 Blend Wall'

The EPA on Friday issued a rule proposing to lower the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) mandated by Congress requiring the blending 18.15 billion gallons of ethanol and biodiesel into the nation's fuel supplies to 15.21 billion gallons.  

"Biofuels are a key part of the Obama administration's 'all of the above' energy strategy, helping to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, cut carbon pollution and create jobs," said EPA administrator Gina McCarthy.

The proposal seeks comments on setting the ranges of different types of ethanol and biodiesel to meet the proposed total volume.

Nearly all of the gasoline sold in the U.S. contains 10 percent alcohol.  Better fuel economy and lower consumption of gasoline now means a higher percentage of ethanol would have to be added to reach the RFS volume targets. 

In 2010, the EPA approved the use of E15, fuel containing 15 percent alcohol by volume.

Once Friday's rule is published in the Federal Register, the EPA will accept comments on the rule for 60 days.

Click here for more on this story and a link to more information from the EPA.

Stabenow, Vilsack Respond to EPA's Proposal to Lower RFS Volumes

Reaction to the EPA's proposal to lower the volume of biofuels required under the Renewable Fuel Standad drew reaction from Capitol Hill.

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, blasted the proposal as a capitulation to the oil industry.

""The so-called blend wall is a crisis manufactured by the oil industry, which is interested in eliminating the competition so they can continue reaping even greater windfall profits. The proposed rule could cost thousands of good paying clean energy jobs and mean less competition at the pump. I urge the administration to take a hard look at how this could seriously set back growth at a crucial time when tremendous progress is being made toward commercial-scale production of advanced biofuels."  (You can read more from Senator Stabenow by clicking here.)

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's response was more muted, walking a fine line between supporting agricultural producers and the Obama administration's EPA.

"I am pleased that EPA is requesting comments on how we can help the biofuels industry expand the availability of high-ethanol blends, and I hope the industry uses the comment period to provide constructive suggestions. Together, we will be able to chart a path forward that maintains President Obama's strong commitment to an "All of the Above" energy strategy for our nation."  (Click here for more from Secretary Vilsack.) 

Proposed Reduction in Biofuels Requirement Pits Biodiesel and Ethanol Producers Against Animal Ag

The EPA's proposal Friday to reduce the volume of biofuels required for the nation's fuel supplies set agricultural groups at odds with one another.

Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), said: "By re-writing the statute and re-defining the conditions upon which a waiver from the RFS can be granted, EPA is proposing to place the nation's renewable energy policy in the hands of the oil companies. That would be the death of innovation and evolution in our motor fuel markets, thus increasing consumer costs at the pump and the environmental cost of energy production. This proposal cannot stand." (Click here for more from Bob Dinneen.) 

"This proposal, if it becomes final, would create a shrinking market, eliminate thousands of jobs and likely cause biodiesel plants to close across the country," said Anne Steckel, vice president for federal affairs with the National Biodiesel Board. "It also sends a terrible signal to investors and entrepreneurs that jeopardizes the future development of biodiesel and other Advanced Biofuels in the United States." (You can read more from Anne Steckel by clicking here.)

Various farm and crop groups from the American Farm Bureau Federation to the American Soybean Association voiced their displeasure with the proposal.

"This decision strikes a blow to conventional ethanol production as well as dampens the prospects for advanced biofuels," said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.  "The ethanol industry, from farmers to investors and everyone in between, needs stability and certainty."  (Click here to read more of his statement.)

Animal agriculture groups who rely on low-cost feed grains were on the other side of the fence, and were pleased with the EPA's proposal.  A statement from a coalition of animal agriculture groups said: We appreciate this action as it acknowledges a problem exists with the current policy. The inflexible RFS mandate continues to have a detrimental impact on the economy and makes feeding animals risky because our industries are not competing on a level playing field. (Click here to read more and to see a full list of coalition members.)

Other groups issued statements as well.  Click on their names to read their statements:

Advanced Ethanol Council

American Soybean Association

Growth Energy

National Corn Growers Association 

FSA Advises Producers to Anticipate Payment Reductions Due to Mandated Sequester

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reminding farmers and ranchers who participate in FSA programs to plan accordingly in FY2014 for automatic spending reductions known as sequestration. The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) mandates that federal agencies implement automatic, annual reductions to discretionary and mandatory spending limits. For mandatory programs, the sequestration rate for FY2014 is 7.2%. Accordingly, FSA is implementing sequestration for the following programs:

Dairy Indemnity Payment Program; Marketing Assistance Loans; Loan Deficiency Payments; Sugar Loans; Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program; Tobacco Transition Payment Program; 2013 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payments; 2013 Average Crop Revenue Election Program; 2011 and 2012 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program; Storage, handling; and Economic Adjustment Assistance for Upland Cotton.

Conservation Reserve Program payments are specifically exempt by statute from sequestration, thus these payments will not be reduced.

Click here to read more of this story.