PERSPECTIVE November 14, 2025
OKFB hosts successful 84th annual meeting
OKFB members elect Kay County farmer Stacy Simunek as president tacy Simunek of Kay County was elected president of Oklahoma Farm Bureau on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the organization’s 84th annual meeting in Oklahoma City. Simunek has represented District 7 on the OKFB board of directors since 2020, where he served as a voice for Farm Bureau members in seven counties in northern Oklahoma. “I am very excited to get started,” Simunek said. “I’m excited to continue to build up our grassroots and get out and meet people around the state, find their needs and start filling those needs.” A third-generation farmer, Simunek farms 2,300 acres of soybeans, wheat and milo in addition to running a cow/ calf operation in Kay County. He and
his family also own and operate Simunek Equipment, a hay equipment dealership in Ponca City. “Between the three different operations, we stay very busy,” Simunek said. He and his wife, Debbie, have three adult children and five grandsons. Simunek said ensuring a future in agriculture for his grandsons is the main reason he works to advocate for the industry. “It makes you feel pretty protective over agriculture when you’ve got five boys coming up,” he said. Simunek has long been involved in Farm Bureau, including serving on the Kay County Farm Bureau board, for more than two decades.
klahoma Farm Bureau members from across the state gathered Nov. 7-9 at the Omni Hotel in Oklahoma City for the organization’s 84th annual meeting where they elected new leaders, set organizational policy for the coming year, recognized outstanding members and learned from speakers. “It’s been a tremendous convention,” said outgoing president Rodd Moesel. “We’re all busy out on our farm or ranches – or in my case, a greenhouse – and there is something special that happens when we all get together and get to visit with one another. You realize you are not alone in the battles you are fighting. It’s a very renewing and inspiring experience, and it helps us know what issues we need to be addressing as an industry, as friends, and as fellow Oklahomans.” Leaders elected
OKFB members elected several new and returning leaders throughout the weekend, including Stacy Simunek of Kay County, who will serve as the organization’s new president. Simunek has served on the OKFB board of directors since 2020. “I am very excited to get started,” Simunek said. “I’m excited to continue to build up our grassroots and get out and meet people around the state, find their needs and start filling those needs.” OKFB members elected grassroots leaders to serve on the OKFB board of directors, including David VonTungeln for District 7, Roger Moore for District 6, Terry Graham for District 7, and Macy Strom for District 9. Learn more about Continued on next page...
Annual meeting (continued from front)
each of these leaders in the article that appears on the back page of this issue of Perspective. OKFB Young Farmers and Ranchers elected Alison Theis of Comanche County to serve a one-year term as YF&R chair. Megan Hankins of Oklahoma County was elected to represent District 3, Nick and Dani Marlin of Mayes County were elected to represent District 6, Kody and Shelby Leonard of Payne County were elected to represent District 9, Tim Taylor of Craig County was elected as the at-large representative, and Peter Littlefield of Oklahoma State University was elected to serve as the Collegiate Farm Bureau representative. Members set 2026 grassroots policy
Farm Bureau voting delegates considered more than 100 grassroots policy resolutions throughout two business sessions, including resolutions on renewable energy, eminent domain, private property rights, groundwater, animal health and more. The policy resolutions presented on the floor in Oklahoma City began as county-submitted positions and advanced through the state resolutions process in October. The policies adopted by OKFB members during the annual meeting will help to guide the work of the organization at the state Capitol for years to come. OKFB members and counties recognized
Comanche County Farm Bureau was honored as the top county Farm Bureau with the John I. Taylor Award, and Payne County was recognized for its programs with the Lewis H. Munn Award.
Collin and Bayleygh Black of McClain County received the YF&R Achievement Award, and Nick and Dani Marlin of Mayes County received the YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award. Payne County was presented with the Charles L. Roff Award for the most outstanding county YF&R committee, and Oklahoma State University was honored as the top Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter with the YF&R Moesel Award. Cherokee and Okmulgee County Farm Bureaus were recognized for an outstanding county activity with County Excellence Awards, and 52 county Farm Bureaus were presented with OKFB Presidential Star Awards. Celine Walker of Comanche County was named the YF&R Discussion Meet winner, Ryne Crosthwait of Oklahoma State University was the Collegiate Farm Bureau Discussion Meet winner, and Katelee Martin of Alva was named the High School Discussion Meet winner. Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur received the Distinguished Service to OKFB Award for her service to agriculture and Farm Bureau. The OKFB WLC recognized nine outstanding farm and ranch families from around the state with the annual OKFB District Farm and Ranch Family Recognition program. This year’s honorees were Chet Purvine, Dewey County, District 1; Nocona and Jordan Cook, Washita County, District 2; Whitney Lawson and Robert Mooneyham, Canadian County, District 3; Mike and Shelly Johnston, Carter County, District 4; Vernon and Shauna Wilson, Pushmataha County, District 5; Carolyn Piguet, Craig County, District 6;
Troy and Amy Campbell, Alfalfa County, District 7; Leroy and Karen Odell, McClain County, District 8; and Clayton and Leslie Ullrich, Washington County, District 9. Pitch the Plains
New for 2025 was the inaugural Pitch the Plains competition. The competition was a collaboration between OKFB and Launch Rural OK and gave youth and adults the opportunity to pitch a new or innovative idea in front of a set of judges for the chance to win cash prizes. Bryce Everett of Canadian County won the adult division with his pitch for URMRKT, a an online platform that brings together buyers and sellers of agricultural products and inputs. Greyson Anderson won the 1st-7th grade division with Rockin Knots, a product designed to keep shoes from coming untied, and Niann Moreno was the 8th-12th grade winner with GreenGrub Farms, which seeks to improve livestock nutrition while cutting back on waste. Members learn from speakers, presenters
Farm Bureau members heard from Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, Congressman Tom Cole, American Farm Bureau’s Mike Sistak, Environmental Protection Agency’s Scott Mason, Mike Sanders of the Oklahoma Broadband Office, and enjoyed music and an inspirational message from gospel singer Ben Waites. Members also had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions on Friday, Nov. 7, including sessions on the New World Screwworm and Oklahoma royalty issues.
Comanche County named top county Farm Bureau with John I. Taylor Award
Payne County Farm Bureau wins OKFB Munn Farm Bureau Builders Award
Comanche County Farm Bureau Vice President Isaac Fisher receives the 2025 Oklahoma Farm Bureau John I. Taylor Award, which recognizes the top county Farm Bureau in the state, from OKFB President Rodd Moesel.
Payne County Farm Bureau President Nancy German receives the 2025 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Lewis H. Munn Award from OKFB President Rodd Moesel. The award was presented to Payne County Farm Bureau for excelling in the program area of Farm Bureau Promotion and Education.
omanche County Farm Bureau was presented with the 2025 Oklahoma Farm Bureau John I. Taylor Award on Saturday, Nov. 8, during the organization’s 84th annual meeting in Oklahoma City. Named after OKFB’s first president, the award serves as the organization’s highest county honor, recognizing the county Farm Bureau with the most effective programs and activities. Comanche County was honored for excelling in the program areas of county stewardship, service to members, public relations, membership, Women’s Leadership Committee and Young Farmers and Ranchers. “Winning this award means a lot for our county because it recognizes all of the hard work that is being put into our county throughout the year, from our staff to our board of directors and from the Women’s Leadership Committee to our YF&R,” said Comanche County Farm Bureau Vice President Isaac Fisher. “We’ve got a wonderful board and a wonderful group of people that are involved in Comanche County.” Comanche County Farm Bureau sponsored Farm Field Days in September, an agricultural education event for area fifth-grade students developed by a Comanche County Farm Bureau member. Comanche County also sponsored livestock shows and youth scholarships, assisted with the state WLC conference in Lawton, hosted several fundraising events and more throughout 2025.
ayne County Farm Bureau was honored with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Lewis H. Munn Award on Saturday, Nov. 8, during the organization’s 84th annual meeting in Oklahoma City. Also known as the Farm Bureau Builders Award, this award is presented each year to the county Farm Bureau that conducts the strongest program in a chosen program area, which rotates through several categories in which county Farm Bureaus are active. This year, the program area was Farm Bureau Promotion and Education. Payne County Farm Bureau developed the Payne County Youth Leadership Program for high school juniors and seniors to hone their leadership skills and learn more about agriculture. Students selected for the program have the opportunity to hear from area professionals and participate in industry tours in addition to attending regular program meetings throughout the late summer and fall each year. “It’s a huge highlight to get to the point where you’ve created a program and everybody thinks it’s the best one the state of Oklahoma,” said Payne County Farm Bureau President Nancy German. “It means a lot to know our hard work isn’t being overlooked.” The Lewis H. Munn award is named after the second president of Oklahoma Farm Bureau, whose philosophy centered on building strong county programs.
To view a full list of OKFB award winners, visit okfb.news/meeting25 To watch the 2025 Farm and Ranch Families of the year video trailer, visit okfb.news/farmfamilies25
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OKFB members elect four leaders to serve on state board klahoma Farm Bureau members elected four state board members, including two new members to serve on the board, Saturday, Nov. 8, at the organization’s 84th annual meeting in Oklahoma City. Returning to the board are David VonTungelnt of District 3 and Roger Moore of District 6. Joining them are newly elected board members Terry Graham from District 7 and Macy Strom representing District 9. Terry Graham of Alfalfa County was elected to serve as the new District 7 director, filling the seat previously held by newly elected OKFB President Stacy Simunek. He will serve a one-year term representing Alfalfa, Garfield, Grant, Kay, Major, Noble and Woods Counties. “I think Farm Bureau is the best farm organization for individuals,” Graham said. “I think we need to be in Farm Bureau for the advocacy of farmers and for our position at the state legislature and on the national scene, so Farm Bureau is extremely important for farmers and rural America.” Graham began farming at the age of 15 and currently helps manage a row
crop and cattle operation in Alfalfa County in addition to his career as a certified public accountant. Graham and his wife, Cathy, have two adult children and reside near Burlington. Macy Strom of Washington County was elected to serve as the new District 9 director, filling the shoes of longtime board member Jim Meek, who recently completed his final term after serving OKFB members for nearly a decade. Strom will represent Creek, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Tulsa and Washington Counties. “Farm Bureau represents the industry that is my life and my children’s lives,” Strom said. “I am thrilled to represent the largest agriculture group in Oklahoma and to represent agriculture in my district because so many people in my area don’t think there is any
David VonTungeln
Roger Moore
agriculture in Washington County.” As fourth-generation agriculturalists, Strom and her husband, John, own a cow/calf and hay operation near Copan in Osage County. Strom has served as the president of Washington County Farm Bureau for 20 years and has been on the county board for 30 years. David Vontungeln was re-elected to serve another three-year term representing Farm Bureau members in Distirct 3. He will represent Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Grady, Kingfisher, Logan and Oklahoma Counties. Roger Moore was re-elected to serve another three-year term as District 6 director representing the northeastern Oklahoma counties of Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Ottawa, Rogers, Sequoyah and Wagoner Counties.
Terry Graham
Macy Strom