PERSPECTIVE
September 19, 2025
More than 100 high school students head to state Capitol for fourth-annual OKFB Capitol Camp
ore than 100 4-H and FFA members from around the state gathered at the Oklahoma state Capitol Sept. 3-4 for Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s fourth-annual Capitol Camp.
Capitol Camp is an immersive twoday experience for high school juniors and seniors to learn about Oklahoma’s legislative process and how bills become law through a mock legislative experience. This year, students had the opportunity to present bills on the foor of both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate.
The event began with attendees electing fellow students to serve as speaker of the house and house foor leader along with a senate president pro tempore and senate foor leader.
“This was my second year at Capitol Camp, and I was elected as Senate Pro Tempore,” said Tylor Aary of Miamai FFA. “Capitol Camp has allowed me to
grow in several ways and has given me a passion to be an active member in the government system.”
Throughout the event, students had the opportunity to present a piece of legislation they wrote about an issue important to them and then helped guide it through the legislative process. Bills were frst heard in committees, and bills that passed their assigned committee were heard and voted upon in the House Chamber and Senate foor.
During day two of Capitol Camp, students had the opportunity to experience frst-hand how the Oklahoma state legislature operates as bills that passed in the Senate and House swapped chambers and were heard and voted upon by the opposite mock legislative body. Bills that passed through both chambers were either signed into law by the Capitol Camp governor or vetoed and sent back for a potential veto override.
“Capitol Camp was truly an amazing
experience,” said Katelee Martin of Alva FFA. “As Speaker of the House I couldn’t contain my joy with every tap of the gavel that passed a bill.”
Students had a special visit from Gov. Kevin Stitt, who addressed the group.
Students also heard from several legislators and industry leaders during the two-day event, including OKFB President Rodd Moesel and Oklahoma legislators Rep. Scott Fetgatter, Rep. John Pfeifer, Rep. Judd Strom, Rep. Steve Bashore, Sen. Brenda Stanley and Rep. David Hardin.
In addition to the mock legislative activities, Capitol Camp attendees took time at the end of the event’s frst day to complete a community service project at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, enjoy dinner and fellowship at the Dust Bowl bowling alley and wrapped up the day with a night tour of the Oklahoma City National Memorial from OKFB President Rodd Moesel.
OKFB to host high school discussion meet Oct. 8 in El Reno
klahoma Farm Bureau invites Oklahoma high school students to hone their discussion skills by competing in the 2025 OKFB High School Discussion Meet Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Redlands Community College in El Reno.
The competitive event provides an opportunity for students to discuss agricultural ideas and policies through a round-table discussion where competitors work cooperatively to share their experiences and ideas to discover solutions and opportunities for agriculture.
The event will begin on October 8 with an orientation at 4:30 p.m., and competition will begin at 5 p.m.
All contestants will participate in two open rounds of discussion that will decide the top four competitors who will then compete in the fnal four round at the end of the evening. Each of the two open discussion meet rounds will include three to fve students per room.
OKFB, Launch Rural OK coalition asks rural business owners to complete survey
klahoma Farm Bureau and fellow members of the Launch Rural OK rural business ecosystem coalition is asking rural business owners to complete a short online survey that will help provide insights into rural Oklahoma’s economy.
The survey, conducted by Oklahoma State University Extension, collects basic information about rural business owners and their businesses.
The results will be used to gain deeper understanding of rural Oklahoma businesses and innovators in an efort for the Launch Rural OK coalition to provide meaningful business resources and opportunities to help rural businesses fourish.
The survey is available online at okf.news/LaunchRuralSurvey25 and is open to all rural business owners. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
A question will be posed to the students to discuss at the beginning of each round, and the list of potential questions are listed online at okf.news/HSdiscussionform25.
Competitors will be judged on their ability to participate in the discussion, share agriculture knowledge and facts, and their ability to work together toward a solution or positive outcome.
The winners will be announced at the conclusion of the discussion meet, and cash prizes will be presented to the top
four competitors on-stage at the OKFB annual meeting in Oklahoma City Friday, Nov. 7. The prize amounts are $750 for frst place, $500 for second place, $300 for third place and $150 for fourth place.
Registration for the event is open through Wednesday, Oct. 1, the form can be found on the OKFB website at okf.news/HSdiscussionform25.
For questions about the high school discussion meet, contact Holly Carroll at (405) 532-2300.
Oklahoma County Farm Bureau presents Bushels for Books, $5,000 donation to Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
klahoma County Farm Bureau recently made several donations to help promote Farm Bureau and agriculture in their local communities.
The county purchased and awarded four Bushels for Books baskets and also presented a $5,000 donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma County Farm Bureau presented their four local Bushels for Books baskets to Cynthia Johnson, a school counselor at Willow Brook
Elementary School in Midwest City; Prairie Queen Elementary, Sooner Elementary and Choctaw Elementary.
The Oklahoma County Farm Bureau board also presented a $5,000 check to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma for the Food for Kids matching program.
The Oklahoma County donation is matched to be $10,000 and turns into 30,000 meals for under-served Oklahomans.
OKFB members will gather to elevate agriculture at 2025 OKFB annual meeting Nov. 7-9
klahoma Farm Bureau members are set to gather Nov. 7-9 for the 2025 OKFB Annual Meeting at the Omni Hotel in Oklahoma City.
This year’s annual meeting theme, “Elevating Agriculture,” showcases the spirit of grassroots members around the state who work tirelessly to represent family farmers and ranchers by elevating our state’s agriculture industry in their local communities, at the state level and across the nation through their work at every level of Farm Bureau.
By representing Farm Bureau, family agriculture and our rural communities throughout the year, OKFB members elevate agriculture in the public eye by raising awareness of the positive impact agriculture has in the lives of all Oklahomans.
During convention, members will elevate agriculture by recognizing a year’s worth of Farm Bureau achievements through awards, competitive events, giving opportunities and more.
Below is a summary of convention highlights and opportunities for Farm Bureau members to learn and fellowship together.
Pitch the Plains
New for 2025 is the frst-ever Pitch the Plains competition. The competition is a collaboration between OKFB and Launch Rural OK rural business ecosystem coalition and is designed
to celebrate bold ideas and spark entrepreneurship in both adults and youth across rural Oklahoma.
Youth and adults alike will have the opportunity to pitch a new or innovative idea in front of a panel of judges for the chance to win cash prizes, and the winner in the adult category will pitch to the OKFB membership during the annual meeting’s opening session on Friday, Nov. 7.
Elections
This year, OKFB members will elect a new president as Rodd Moesel wraps up his eight years of service as the head of the organization. Additionally, members from districts three, six and nine will convene to elect new grassroots leaders to represent their respective districts on the state board of directors.
The OKFB Women’s Leadership Committee will meet to vote on representatives for districts three, six and nine. The OKFB Young Farmers and Ranchers committee will also elect leaders from districts three, six, and nine, as well as a committee chair, an at-large representative and a Collegiate Farm Bureau representative.
Grassroots business meetings
OKFB members will gather for two business meetings throughout the weekend to consider and vote upon grassroots policy proposals. The policy
proposals presented at the annual meeting originate at the county level and make their way through the state resolutions committee throughout the fall. These policies serve to guide the organization in 2025 at the state Capitol and beyond.
YF&R competitive events
The OKFB YF&R committee will host their annual Collegiate Discussion Meet and YF&R Discussion Meet on Thursday, Nov. 6 and Friday, Nov. 7, respectively. Winners of each division, including the High School Discussion Meet held separately, will be recognized on stage during convention.
Entertainment
Farm Bureau members will have the opportunity to take a trip back to their childhood days with an evening of fun and fellowship during the OKFB carnival on Friday, Nov. 7.
Carnival enthusiasts of all ages are welcome to try their hand at classic carnival games for the chance to win prizes and bragging rights at the frst-of-its-kind event for the organization.
Schedule and updates
Stay tuned for the full convention schedule and speaker announcements in the coming weeks.
PUBLISHED BY OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU
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STAFF DIRECTORY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Thad Doye (405) 523-2438
VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Dustin Mielke (405) 530-2640
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS AND ADVOCACY COMMUNICATIONS
Rachel Havens (405) 523-2346
PUBLICATIONS SPECIALIST
Kate Jackson (405) 523-2527
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Mickinzi Ferguson (405) 523-2343
Comanche
Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2501 N. Stiles Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126
County Farm Bureau hosts third-annual Farm Field Days for area students in Lawton
omanche County Farm Bureau hosted their annual three-day Farm Field Days event Sept. 2-4 at the Comanche County Fairgrounds in Lawton.
More than 1,500 elementary-age students from schools around Comanche County and surrounding counties attended the agriculture-focused event.
The Sullivan family, Comanche County Farm Bureau members, coordinated the event to educate local students about agriculture with help from surrounding agriculture community members.
The event featured a variety of agriculture-focused stations including animal husbandry, farm equipment,
aquaculture, grain commodities, forestry, equine, farm services and landscaping.
Attendees were fed lunch sponsored by Comanche County Farm Bureau. Each day of agriculture stations wrapped up with a guest speaker and a live dairy cow milking demonstration provided by Southwest Dairy Farmers.