EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK The battle for agriculture By Monica Wilke Executive Director, Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Affiliated Companies
t’s that time of year again. The leaves are beginning to turn, the air is crisp, and the lights of Friday night football can be seen throughout our communities. To many people, these sights and sounds mean fall is upon us. At Oklahoma Farm Bureau, fall means something much more significant than the changing of a season. It’s that time of year when our members and leadership gather and work together to set policy that will continue to protect and serve the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers across the state for years to come. August Area Meetings kick off the grassroots policy development process when members from all nine OKFB districts gather to discuss real issues that plague our farming and ranching communities. After August Area Meetings, members are able to take action on these problems by drafting resolutions to be voted on by delegate members at the OKFB state convention. As a truly grassroots organization, our members are our core. During this particular election year, the power of our members has never been so evident. State Question 777, the Right to Farm, began at the very heart of our organization: our members. As our membership grew over the past 75 years, it allowed our organization to add important benefits such as Oklahoma Mutual Insurance Company and other affiliated companies. Our army may have diversified, but our duty to our rural roots has not. Over the past several years, we have witnessed outside activist groups threaten farmers and ranchers across the nation with harmful legislation. Even in our own legislature, we
have fought bills that would have devastated our agricultural community. Oklahoma is deeply rooted in agriculture. In 1907, Oklahoma had more than 62,000 farms. Today, we have nearly 78,000 farms, more than 98 percent of which are family owned and operated. But these family farmers and ranchers only make up 2 percent of our Oklahoma population. With those numbers, it is evident that our agricultural community is no longer a legacy we can take for granted. Today, Oklahoma farmers and ranchers continually are challenged to do more with less. Oklahoma’s Right to Farm is a necessary protection to ensure we can continue to meet food, fiber and fuel demands – especially as the world’s population is projected to — Monica Wilke exceed nine billion by 2050. Also, as fewer people return to their rural roots, our legislature will contain fewer lawmakers who understand what it takes to provide the safest, healthiest and most affordable food for our state and nation. As Oklahoma Farm Bureau members, I urge you to stand with us in our battle to protect this legacy that we know as agriculture. Vote yes on SQ 777 on Nov. 8.
As a truly grassroots organization, our members are our core.
8 — Oklahoma Country