PERSPECTIVE
January 23, 2026
OKFB members “Imagine, Grow, Lead” at 2026 AFBF convention in Anaheim
ore than 70 Oklahoma Farm Bureau members traveled to Anaheim, California, for six days of action-packed sessions, competitions, networking and more during the 2026 American Farm Bureau convention Jan. 9-14.
The event kicked of with the annual meeting of AFBF women where OKFB Women’s Leadership Committee members represented Oklahoma in the business session. WLC members also attended the AFBF women’s regional caucuses and a meet-and-greet breakfast with fellow Farm Bureau women from around the nation.
OKFB’s Young Farmers and Ranchers members represented Oklahoma in three AFBF YF&R competitive events held during convention. Jacob and Chastity Beck of Logan County shared their agriculture story with judges as part of the Excellence in Agriculture competition. Austin Jackson of Payne County competed in two rounds of the
YF&R Discussion Meet and Chasen
Doye of Comanche County represented Oklahoma in the YF&R Achievement Award competition, which recognizes agriculturalists ages 18-35 who earn a majority of their income from production agriculture.
OKFB members attended the three convention general sessions where they heard from AFBF President Zippy Duvall and several keynote speakers and Farm Bureau guests, including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, and keynote speaker Tim Tebow.
During the general sessions, multiple OKFB members were recognized on stage. John, Charla and Brynley Enns of Garfeld County were presented as the recipients of the 2026 Farm Dog of the Year award, honoring their dog, Max, from among nearly 100 contenders.
Tommy Salisbury of Tulsa County was recognized as the newly elected 2026 AFBF YF&R chair. He will begin his one-
year term beginning after the 2026 AFBF YF&R conference in March in Portland.
Members had the opportunity to attend the trade show where both Payne County Farm Bureau and Cherokee County Farm Bureau hosted booths to showcase their award-winning programs as part of AFBF’s County Activities of Excellence Awards.
Numerous breakout sessions were ofered to Farm Bureau members including updates on the farm bill, tips for sharing the agriculture story with consumers, member engagement and more.
Rodd Moesel, Canadian County Farm Bureau member and past OKFB president, was featured as a panelist in the “Rural Development Drives Prosperous Communities” breakout session on Saturday, Jan. 10. During the
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AFBF convention wrap-up cont...
session, Moesel joined Doug Steele, vice president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and Joby Young, executive vice president of AFBF, to explore the state of rural economic and business development across the country as well as the ongoing eforts of determined leaders and innovative entrepreneurs working to ensure rural America’s Main Streets continue to thrive.
OKFB members gathered for a
group breakfast on Monday, Jan. 12, to celebrate the contestants and convention participants while sharing convention updates and details on OKFB’s activities and programs.
The meeting concluded with the convention business session where farmers and ranchers from around the nation considered and voted on grassroots policy proposals to set the organization’s policy for the coming year. OKFB’s fve delegates represented
OKFB to host annual Ag Defense Fundraiser dinner Feb. 16 featuring
Gov. Kevin Stitt
klahoma Farm Bureau will host its annual Ag Defense Fundraiser Monday, Feb. 16 beginning at 5 p.m. at Innovation Hall in Oklahoma City.
The featured speaker for the event is Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who will visit with fundraiser attendees about issues facing the state and Oklahoma agriculture.
The annual event raises funds for OKFB’s agricultural advocacy work to protect family farmers, ranchers and our state’s agricultural industry from challenges and attacks that seek to add unnecessary restrictions or burdens to the way farmers and ranchers grow or raise food.
Tickets for the event are $100 per person, and tables for up to eight attendees can also be purchased for $750. The fundraiser dinner is limited
to 100 attendees, and tickets can be reserved online using OKFB’s Leadership Week registration form online at okf.news/leadership26. Ticket payments are due when checking in for the event.
Hotel rooms are available for attendees the night of Feb. 16, and the deadline to request a hotel room is Jan. 26. The hotel room rate is $149 per night, and the parking cost is $10 per day for self-parking and $36 a day for valet parking.
The fundraiser will begin with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. with dinner to follow.
The event will be held at Oklahoma City’s Innovation Hall located just northeast of downtown Oklahoma City at 316 NE 9th Street.
Oklahoma agriculture during the discussions, which hit upon topics ranging from agricultural labor to tax policy and from alternative energy production to trade.
During the business meetings, OKFB President Stacy Simunek was elected to a one-year term on the AFBF board of directors.
For more information on the 2026 AFBF convention, visit annualconvention.f.org.
OKFB to host YF&R leadership day for young agriculturalists on Feb. 16
klahoma Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee will host a special leadership day to help Farm Bureau members ages 18-35 from around the state develop their leadership skills and prepare them for a year of Farm Bureau activities.
The one-day event will be held Monday, Feb. 16, at the Oklahoma City Innovation District’s Innovation Hall at 316 NE 9th Street in Oklahoma City. The event is slated to begin at 9 a.m. and will wrap up around 4 p.m.
The leadership day will focus on expanding the leadership abilities of young agricultural leaders. The event will also provide resources and information on how to conduct successful county YF&R events and ways that young agriculturalists can continue to get involved in Farm Bureau.
Young leaders can also stay the evening and attend the OKFB Ag Defense Fundraiser dinner on Feb. 16, and they can also attend the annual OKFB Leadership Conference on Feb. 17.
OKFB YF&R members ages 18-35 can register for the event online using the form below by Thursday, February 5. Hotel rooms are available for the evening of Monday, Feb. 16, and can be requested when registering online, at okf.news/leadership26
For questions about the event, contact Burton Harmon online or by calling (405) 523-2300.
Statement: OKFB encouraged by state of Oklahoma settlement with George’s, Inc.
klahoma Farm Bureau President Stacy Simunek released the following statement after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a settlement had been reached with Arkansas-based poultry company George’s, Inc., in the State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc., et al., lawsuit regarding the application of chicken litter in the Illinois River Watershed.
“Oklahoma Farm Bureau members appreciate the negotiated settlement struck between the state of Oklahoma and George’s, Inc., in the state’s decades-
long lawsuit against Arkansas-based poultry companies.
“Farm Bureau members have believed all along that there is a place for reasonable negotiations that will protect family farmers’ abilities to produce poultry and judiciously apply poultry litter according to their state-approved nutrient management plans while ensuring our shared natural resources are protected.
“We encourage the state to continue its good-faith eforts to negotiate with the remaining poultry companies named in the lawsuit to fnd common-
OKFB to host annual leadership conference Feb. 17 in OKC
klahoma Farm Bureau members will gather to hear updates from state legislative leaders, policymakers and agricultural thought leaders Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the organization’s annual state Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City.
The one-day event will be held at the Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel beginning at 9 a.m., and will conclude with a legislative reception that starts at 5 p.m.
The event will provide Farm Bureau members the opportunity to learn about bills and policies being considered in the 2026 Oklahoma legislative session, hear updates on the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative and the Growing a Healthier America efort being promoted by American Farm Bureau, and receive briefngs on agricultural issues facing Oklahoma.
OKFB members can register for the event online using the web form below.
Attendees may request hotel rooms for the preceding evening of Monday, Feb. 16 and the night of Feb. 17. The deadline to request a hotel room is Jan. 26. The hotel room rate is $149 per night, and the parking cost is $10 per day for self-parking and $36 a day for valet parking.
OKFB members are also invited to attend the organization’s Ag Defense Fundraiser held the evening of Monday, Feb. 16, featuring Gov. Kevin Stitt. The limited-seating fundraiser will be held at Innovation Hall in Oklahoma City, and tickets are available $100 per person or $750 for a table of eight. OKFB members can register for the fundraiser event using the same registration form online at okf.news/leadership26.
sense, reasonable solutions that beneft all Oklahomans and residents of the watershed instead of an overreaching settlement that does not take into account the focused conservation eforts family poultry producers have undertaken in the 20 years since the lawsuit was originally fled.
“We will continue to stay engaged with family poultry producers until this issue is legally resolved to help ensure future generations of Oklahoma farmers and ranchers can continue to produce the afordable food that we all rely upon.”
OKFB WLC to host annual Farm City Festival Feb. 12 at state Capitol
he Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee is set to host their annual Farm City Festival Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Oklahoma state Capitol.
The Farm City Festival gives WLC members the opportunity to network with other WLC members and share the rural Oklahoma agriculture story with state legislators.
WLC members from around the state are invited to bring a homemade dessert or make a monetary donation for the event.
Sign up before the frst week of February to bring a homemade dessert or make a monetary contribution. For questions or more information contact Megan Knight at (405) 523-2300.
Postmaster:
Send address corrections to:
Perspective
P.O. Box 53332, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3332
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
Oklahoma Farm Bureau 2501 N. Stiles
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3126
Non-Proft
U.S. Postage PAID
Permit No. 131 Okla. City, OK.
OKFB Young Farmers and Ranchers to host “Fill the Sack” food drive
he Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee is kicking of their second-annual “Fill the Sack” food drive, which is designed to fght hunger in Oklahoma beginning Jan. 1 and ending Feb. 17.
The YF&R committee, alongside local county Farm Bureau members, is committed to making a diference in the lives of Oklahomans. This year, they aim to collect donations to help stock local food banks with the hope of ensuring that every family in need has access to nutritious meals during these challenging times.
Each county Farm Bureau has been mailed two blue OKFB YF&R grocery bags. The committee encourages county board members, county YF&R members and county Women’s Leadership Committee members to fll the blue Farm Bureau bags with non-perishable food items to donate to Oklahomans in need. How You Can Help:
1. Food Donations – Fill your blue bags with non-perishable food items such as canned goods, pasta, rice and cereal.
2. Monetary Contributions – Cash donations will allow the YF&R committee to purchase essential items for distribution.
All food items and monetary gifts will be collected at the annual OKFB Leadership Conference in February. If you do not have anyone available to take the food to the conference, someone from the YF&R committee will gladly pick up the food from your county ofce.
All donations will be given to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma after Leadership Conference. If your county has a local food pantry that you would prefer your donation be given to, please weigh your items, take a photo of your county donating the items and send both to Burton Harmon.
Please contact Director of YF&R Burton Harmon at (405) 523-2300 with questions on how to contribute, to get extra bags or to pick up full bags.
