Road to Rural Prosperity: Recent Episodes
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network/OklahomaFarmReport.Com
These are the Podcasts from the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and our website- www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com
Cattle Industry Leader Bob Drake sits down and talks with Ron Hays about his lifetime of service in the cattle business. Drake has served as the President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, the last President of the old National Cattlemen's Association and Vice President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. He loves politics and being a change agent for the cattle producer back up at the fork of the creek.
Since the legalization of Medical Marijuana in Oklahoma with State Question 788- criminals have flocked to the state to set up illegal grow houses because of cheap permits, cheap land and lax rules allowing them to get into the business of growing marijuana in Oklahoma. Ron Hays talks with Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics spokesman Mark Woodward about how these enterprises have invaded Oklahoma- the magnitude of the current problem and how the state is pushing back on thousands of bad people who have set up shop in the state- with the hope to reduce the number of these operations dramatically in the days to come. It's a huge problem all across rural Oklahoma but Woodward believes progress is being made to reign in these illegal marijuana farms.
Oklahoma Farm Report's Ron Hays talks regenerative agriculture and ranching with Jimmy Emmons. Jimmy is a long time resident of Leedey, OK. He is the third generation on the family farm in Dewey County. He and his wife Ginger have been farming and ranching together since 1980. They have a diverse 2000 acre cropping operation growing wheat, soybeans, sesame, sunflowers, irrigated dairy alfalfa hay, canola, grain sorghum and several cover crops for seed.Jimmy has been monitoring soil health with soil testing since 2011 utilizing cover crops to enhance soil health. Jimmy shares what he’s learned about soil health on his farm through workshops, field days and test plots. “I want my neighbors, my friends, other board members to be able to come and to learn a little bit about what we are doing. A lot of people think it’s just dirt — that all we have to do is put a little water and some nutrients on it,”Jimmy and Ginger also have a 250 cow/calf herd and take in yearling cattle for custom grazing on the nearly 6000 acres of native range. Ginger is the primary cattle manager in the operation. The Emmons’ utilize an adaptive multi-paddock grazing system on their range and forages grown on crop ground. They use the system to keep the native grasses and soils healthy, maximize biological diversity and optimize animal health.
KC Sheperd talks with three of the country reps that live in Japan and work for US livestock producers in Japan as a part of the US Meat Export Federation team in that important export destination for US Beef and Pork. KC talked to Takemichi Yamashoji, Director, USMEF Japan; Satoshi Kato, Marketing Director, USMEF Japan and Taz Hijikata Director, Consumer Affairs, USMEF Japan at the recent USMEF Strategic Planning Conference held in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association hosted a Governor's Forum on October 26, 2022- inviting both the Republican and Democratic Candidates for Governor- Only Governor Kevin Stitt chose to attend- and he answered the questions posed by Moderator Ron Hays- questions that offered insights into key issues of interest to Rural Oklahomans.
KC Sheperd talks educational issues impacting Oklahoma with State Secretary of Education Ryan Walters. Walters is also the GOP Nominee running for the State Superintendent of Education in the November General Election.
Walters tells Sheperd that “I believe in parents. I believe in our rural communities and our rural schools. I believe they are the backbone of the education system in the state of Oklahoma. I am going to do all that I can to continue to empower them and to make sure they are strong. The governor and I pushed and passed the Redbud Act which put over 38 million into stabilizing our most rural schools. That is something we thought was very important.”
In rural communities, Walters said, a concern from parents is access for their children to different programs such as FFA, for example, or work in an internship or externship. Rural schools are unique, Walters said, because of how involved the staff and community are.
There are many questions over whether or not money from medical marijuana and the lottery are being used for education in Oklahoma when so many schools are still underfunded throughout the state. Because of this reason, Walters said, he has already called for an audit.
“Taxpayers need to see where their money is going and we need to make sure it is being utilized,” Walters said.
KC Sheperd shares the story of Joey Carter, a hard-working farmer who was widely regarded as a model citizen in a rural North Carolina town. Carter is the focus of a movie coming out in October called Hog Farmer- the Trials of Joey Carter.
He was not the type of person who ever expected to find himself caught up in the middle of a federal lawsuit involving some of the nation’s most ruthless trial lawyers and one of the world’s largest food companies.
But that’s exactly what happened when Joey’s family farm became the focal point in a series of nuisance trials that attracted national and international media attention. While his neighbors leveled charges of environmental racism in hopes of winning multi-million-dollar verdicts, Joey was left wondering how this could happen to a man who has always taken pride in playing by the rules.
Watch the trailer and stay tuned to this page for details about community screenings and worldwide debut on Amazon coming up October 14.
Farm Director, KC Sheperd visits with Joey Carter, and Jason Authors, the photojournalist for the film about what led up to these events, and what Joey is doing now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RHTgRnVdS0
KC Sheperd visits with Dakota Moss of Livestock Risk Services. When the pandemic hit in 2020 the cattle markets along with the rest of the world suffered. Many farmers and ranchers altered their marketing plans on crops and livestock to try and prevent a loss in the down Covid markets. This led to cattle being held months longer than planned hoping for a better market. Unfortunately for many farmers and ranchers they had no choice but to sell much heavier cattle into a down market. Resulting in a lower $/cwt price and profits lost. Sheperd and Moss discuss some alternative options for producers with the Livestock Risk Protection program.
Farm Director, KC Sheperd, talks with Carl Josefy about all things FSA-related. Josefy explains various FSA programs available to producers and contradicts the misconception that these programs are only available to a small number of operations.
“It is always a pleasure to be able to get in front of producers to let them know what is occurring with the Farm Service Agency,” Josefy said. “We have a lot of programs going on, and it does overlap.”
The newly announced Emergency Relief Program, Josefy said, is aimed at aiding commodity and special crop producers. This program, he added, includes 10 billion dollars in assistance to agricultural producers that were impacted by wildfire, drought, hurricane, winter storms, and other eligible disasters that occurred across the country during the calendar year of 2021.
Chisholm Trail Milling is a joint dream of two businessmen from different states and from different parts of the food chain- Oklahoman Brady Sidwell who farms and has been moving his business into value added products brings the expertise of wheat farming and merchandising that wheat while Graison Gill is a nationally known baker and miller from New Orleans, La. They have come together in Enid, Oklahoma to establish a commercial mill that produces niche high quality fresh flour that is Identity Preserved wheat of a single variety that comes from the Oklahoma State Wheat Breeding Program. Ron Hays talks with first Graison and then Brady about how this makes the wheat/flour/bread product that flows thru this part of the food pipeline higher quality and fresher than it ever has been before.
Ron Hays talks with Don Schieber, the 2022 winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Agriculture Award, which is the highest award given by the Governor of Oklahoma to honor distinguished Oklahoma agriculture producers. This prestigious award honors leaders in the agriculture industry who exemplify personal values, performance, and achievement.
Governor Kevin Stitt presented Schieber his award during the Oklahoma celebration of Ag Day on March 24th- after riding with the honoree in a mule drawn wagon up Lincoln Blvd to the front steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Schieber is the 25th award winner and becomes the newest inductee into the Oklahoma Ag Hall of Fame. Ron and Don talk about his career in production agriculture- his work on behalf of wheat farmers with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and US Wheat Associates that included traveling to 26 countries taking the Oklahoma wheat production story to buyers of wheat around the world. Don is a major supporter of the wheat breeding work of Dr. Brett Carver- having provided ground on his farm in Kay County for an OSU wheat Variety Field Plot for 17 years.
They also talk about his love of football- which took him onto the gridiron for fifty years as a football referee across Oklahoma.
Don also offered advice to younger farmers in today's challenging environment about what he has learned on his way to farming, operating a seed cleaning business and raising a family in rural Oklahoma.
Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays sat down and talked with the Director of the National Ag Law Center Harrison Pittman. The Center is located at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Ron and Harrison discuss what Ag Law is- and dove into a whole list of issues that have real world impacts on farmers and ranchers- Prop 12 in California, the Supreme Court's consideration of WOTUS, ESA and the impact on Ag Chemicals, Right to Repair and more.
It's a year end conversation between Oklahoma Third District Congressman Frank Lucas and Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Senior Farm/Ranch Director Ron Hays. They talk about the recently passed extension of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Measure as well as the Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021, the continued wait on the US Department of Justice investigation into the major meat packers, Congressman Lucas' work on the Science Committee, his continued intentions to return to the House Ag Committee in time to be a part of writing the next Farm Bill and a comparison of Congress when he first arrived in Washington in the mid 1990s and today.
KC Sheperd talks with Jed Green, the founder of the group ORCA- Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action. They discuss the problems that have developed in rural Oklahoma because of the explosive growth of medical marijuana production in the state- and of the need for better regulation of the industry- as well as recognition of the economic benefits Green believes are a part of the arrival of this industry- especially in areas where legal operations are being established.
As ranchers and dairymen and women across Oklahoma prepare their operations for fall, another round of deworming cattle comes to mind. Ron Hays talked with Harold Newcomb, technical services manager and veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, about parasite control strategies ahead of the turn of the season.
Newcomb said parasite control is important for three reasons: an infestation causes an animal to reduce their feed intake, lag in production - whether that is measured in weight gain, milk production or reproduction, and negatively affects their ability to viral vaccines and diseases.
“If you think about it, parasites are one thing that that animal is facing every day of its life when it’s out there grazing,” Newcomb said. “You get parasite control right and a lot of other things look good.”
As pasture and range conditions continue to deteriorate, according to the latest Crop Progress Report by the USDA, suggest tight hay supplies ahead. Katelyn McCullock, director and senior economist for the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC), told Ron Hays that hay prices are rising.
Right now, 45% of the continental U.S. is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought conditions, most of which is in the western half of the country. Some of the areas being hit the hardest are known to produce much of the Nation’s Alfalfa Hay crop. While some of the other hay crops are produced east of the Mississippi River, a good amount is also grown in drought-stricken areas of the country. As drought conditions creep eastward, larger areas of the Great Plains, including Oklahoma, are beginning to struggle.
“Nationally, alfalfa prices hit over $200 per ton, which is important because of where we are in the marketing year,” McCullock said. “There is not going to be a substantial amount of hay brought in to decrease the price, from here on out.”
As continue along the Road to Rural Prosperity- In our latest Ag Perspective Podcast, KC Sheperd talks with the leading animal behavior authority in the world, Dr. Temple Grandin. KC and Dr. Grandin talk about the concept of Sustainability and the proper handling of beef cattle, how to treat your cattle the right way, the concept of Stockmanship, how to get an animal ready for the show ring and the amazing memory that cattle have- and how understanding that memory can help you lessen the stress on your cattle and yourself as you work with beef or dairy animals.
Dr. Grandin has been honored by Universities and Organizations around the world- including in 2010 when Oklahoma State University created an endowed professorship in animal behavior in honor of Temple Grandin.
Along the Road to Rural Prosperity- we feature our latest Ag Perspectives Podcast. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Senior Farm Director Ron Hays recently sat down and talked at length with the head of the Oklahoma State University Wheat Improvement Team, Dr. Brett Carver.
Ron and Brett discuss what happened during the 2021 wheat growing season as it pertains to the OSU bred wheat varieties- and then Dr. Carver launches into what is coming- in both the near term and further down the road from the OSU Wheat Breeding Pipeline.
KC Sheperd talks with Oklahoma's 17th Lt. Governor, Matt Pinnell. Pinnell is also serving as the first Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism & Branding. Pinnell says lots of exciting things have Oklahoma on an upward trajectory- and he shares several highlights in today's conversation. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity Podcast is powered by Banc First, Loyal to Oklahoma and to you.
Host Ron Hays sits down with Sam Knipp, who has been communicating to farmers and ranchers in Kansas and Oklahoma as a farm broadcaster and ag journalist since the 1970s- Most recently, he has been a part of the broadcast and journalism team for the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network- but before that, Sam worked for farmers and ranchers in Public Relations and Communications for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the American Farmers and Ranchers. He's a farm boy from western Kansas, who after over 40 years in service to agriculture, is retiring July 2, 2021. Our conversation with Sam Knipp is powered by Banc First.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Senior Director for Public Policy Steve Thompson talked with Ron Hays about 2021 Oklahoma Legislative Session in the latest Road to Rural Prosperity. Steve believes "this may have been the best legislative year that I've been a part of- and I've been working on these things in a variety of ways for twenty plus years." He says that the agricultural interests at the Capitol played both offense and defense during the four months that the lawmakers were in session- and cites significant wins in the Ag Sales Tax Exemption and property tax areas that highlighted the 2021 portion of the 57th Legislature.
At the 2021 Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association annual meeting on May 4th, we were allowed to record the lunch time conversation between OGFA CEO and President Jeff Hickman and Oklahoma State University President Designate Dr. Kayse Shrum, who will officially become the 19th President of OSU on July first. Learn more about who Dr. Shrum is- personally and professionally- and what her early priorities will be when she takes the reins as President on July first. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity Podcast is sponsored in part by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau.
As the 2021 Legislative Session heads into the Home stretch for 2021- Host Ron Hays talks with OCA Executive Director Michael Kelsey about bills that have been passed and the Governor has signed, several bills that are still in play and how the budget bills are starting to come into focus. Ron and Michael also talk about the mood of cattle producers and their concerns- locally and nationally.
Host KC Sheperd sat down with Dr. Brett Carver, Regents Professor Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture, Wheat Breeding and Genetics in his office on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater and talked about a variety of subjects- all relating back to his passion for breeding wheat. He offered his take on how the 2021 wheat crop has handled the historic freeze the southern plains dealt with in February of this year, reviewed the wheat varieties that have come out of his program and looked ahead to what might be coming next.
Oklahoma State Rep Trey Caldwell has started his second term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives- serving as the Deputy Majority Leader. He talks with host Ron Hays about his roots in agriculture and why he is serving in State Government. They discuss redistricting, rural healthcare, education and the state budget process that is making good progress here in 2021- despite the year of Pandemic. Caldwell is a rising star in the Oklahoma Legislature- and won the seat that was held for 12 years by Don Armes before he termed out.
Host Ron Hays talks with Oklahoma Third District Congressman Frank Lucas about two recent pieces of legislation that he voted against- HR 1, the Democrat's Voting Rights Bill that would strip power away from the states on how to register and verify voters- and also the Budget Reconciliation Bill that the Biden Administration is calling the American Rescue Plan. Hays and Lucas also talked about confirmation of Tom Vilsack to be USDA Secretary- Lucas saying he is "relieved" that Vilsack was President Biden's choice to be Secretary. Rep. Lucas also talked about the CFAP money that is being held up by the Biden USDA- saying that Congress offered explicit instructions on funds to be spent to compensate cattle producers who sold cattle at a loss April 15 thru May last year as COVID devastated the market. The Congressman also talked about the groundwork ahead of a 2023 Farm Bill and what he is working on in the Science Committee to help research back on track after a year of dealing with the Pandemic.
The Noble Research Institute, based in Ardmore, Oklahoma, has announced their intention to focus on Regenerative Agriculture- and Steve Rhines, CEO and President, tells host Ron Hays that the intention of NRI is to work on a primary goal to regenerate millions of acres of degraded grazing lands across the United States. “Land stewardship is a core value held by many farmers and ranchers. Regenerative agriculture is the next step in the land stewardship journey wherein farmers and ranchers reduce their reliance on conventional practices and concentrate on restoring or regenerating the soil. The soil is the cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem and a productive farm or ranch.”
Hays and Rhines explore the journey that Noble has taken to get to this point of it's existence- and discuss what their work with farmers, ranchers and landowners will look like in the years ahead.
Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and Loyal to You.
At the recent Oklahoma Genetics, Inc Annual Conference, Dr. Tom Coon, Dean and Vice President of the Division of Ag and Natural Resources provided an update on 2020-2021 Enrollment at OSU in the midst of the Pandemic, new personnel for the Division and all the latest in the New Frontiers Project to fund and construct the new Ag Hall for the Division and the Ferguson College of Ag. Host Ron Hays was moderating the Conference and asked Dr. Coon about the timeline for the construction- with plans announced to have a groundbreaking celebration April 23rd. Today's podcast featuring Tom Coon's address is powered by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
Oklahoma State University Junior Amarie Griffeth has a heart for people- and she tells Host KC Sheperd about a need she saw on campus in Stillwater to combat food insecurity. She was a part of a Task force- and out of that students came up with Pete’s Pantry, an anonymous way to help other students on campus needing a helping hand. Amarie grew up in Cushing, Oklahoma- her dad is in the livestock marketing business, so she has grown up loving being involved in producing food- and she has discovered the joy of providing food to those in need as well. Today's Road Podcast is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and You.
Ron Hays reports from the first ever Cattlemen's Congress in Oklahoma City- and talks with Shane Bedwell, Chief Operating Officer of the American Hereford Association and Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association. These beef industry leaders talk about the show at the OKC Fairgrounds as well as the latest on their respective beef breeds. They also offer their perspectives on balancing the value of phenotype evaluation versus EPD genomics. Shane's interview starts at the 3:00 mark while Mark's interview starts at the 12:27 mark.
Congress has passed a 5,393 page Relief/Spending Omnibus Package- and Host Ron Hays Talks with Ethan Lane, Vice President for Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association about Pandemic Relief- more money in CFAP, Grants for RAMP UP, establishment of the SALE Act and more. Lane also talks about the announcement by USDA to start the process of moving Gene Editing for animals away from FDA over to USDA, a look at the Climate Team for President Elect Biden, a return to USDA by Tom Vilsack and a look into 2021 from a DC Perspective. Today's Podcast is powered by Banc First, Loyal to Oklahoma and Loyal to You.
Host Ron Hays travels the Road to Rural Prosperity with mixed feelings as he talks with Roy Lee Lindsey of OkPork- who has just announced his resignation as Executive Director as the head of the group representing hog farmers in Oklahoma- as he prepares to take a similar position with the North Carolina Pork Council- North Carolina the second largest pork state in the US. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is being sponsored in part by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
For this special edition of the Road to Rural Prosperity, KC Sheperd zoomed with Country Music singer songwriter Jamey Johnson to talk about his growing up on a family farm in Montgomery Alabama. From an early age he was influenced by country acts such as Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, and Alabama. Johnson has always had strong ties to agriculture as he grew up watching his dad try to make a living on the family farm. His family eventually lost that farm, so Johnson has always understood the struggles facing American farmers. Today's Podcast is powered by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
From Big Sky Country to Oklahoma- Dr. Derrell Peel has watched the cattle and beef markets for decades- and Host Ron Hays talks with him on this Road to Rural Prosperity about the changes he was seen in the beef cattle marketplace since he first arrived in Stillwater. Holder of the Charles A. Breedlove Endowed Professorship in Agribusiness, Peel joined the OSU faculty in 1989 as OSU Cooperative Extension livestock marketing specialist, a position he still fills today and for which he has received significant renown from both industry and academia. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma- the voice of Oklahoma oil and natural gas.
For the first time ever- Oklahoma FFA had three National Finalists in the National FFA American Stars Competition- and at the 2020 National FFA Convention- two of them- again for the first time ever- were called out as the winner in their category. Host Ron Hays talked after the Stars announcement with Will Shelby of Madill FFA, the American Star in Ag Placement and Nicole Stevens of Yukon FFA, the American Star in Agriscience. Today's Podcast is powered by BancFirst.
Host Ron Hays Caught up with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and got his take on where things stand with McGirt Vs Oklahoma on the day after his Commission on Cooperative Sovereignty reported back to him on how the State of Oklahoma and the Indian Tribes in eastern Oklahoma need to solve the fallout from the Supreme Court ruling against the state. They also discuss the two State Questions on the November ballot- the Governor is voting yes on one and no on the other one- and Ron got a Top Ten Update from the Governor as well. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is being powered by the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Steve Thompson, Senior Director for Public Policy at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, sat down with Host Ron Hays to discuss the decision by the general farm organization to oppose State Question 805 in the upcoming November General Election. They also talked about the decision by the group to not hold a face to face in person Convention in Norman this year- and how that impacts their policy making process in 2020 and into 2021. Today's conversation is powered by OPSRC, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
Today's Road to Rural Prosperity trek brings us to the State Chamber of Oklahoma- and a chance to talk with their President and CEO, Chad Warmington. Chad is not a native Okie- but has been "all in" on Oklahoma since he took a job on the staff of then US Senator Don Nickles. He married a Guthrie girl and rejoined the State Chamber of Oklahoma in February 2020- just ahead of the Pandemic that has changed everything. He cares deeply about Oklahoma- and is committed to improving the business climate of all of the state- including Rural Oklahoma. Our conversation with Chad is being powered today by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
It's been quite a journey for Dr. Brett Carver- as his early days were spent in the southeastern part of the US with no thought of being involved in the wheat industry- let alone being a world class wheat breeder. Host Ron Hays talks with Brett about his journey from Georgia and North Carolina to Oklahoma and how he has learned the science of wheat breeding- and has provided Oklahoma wheat farmers with wheat varieties designed to help them grow more bushels of high quality wheat that will please consumers. Today's Podcast is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
Ron Hays travels on the Road to Rural Prosperity to showcase the efforts by farmers and ranchers to fight to Ditch the WOTUS Rule developed by the Obama Administration back in 2014 and work to see it replaced with a new, improved rule by the Trump Administration. Hays features interviews he conducted over the past seven years with the late Richard Gebhart, Senator Jim Inhofe, Congressman Frank Lucas, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, Michael Kelsey, Colin Woodall, Ashley McDonald and Scott Yager as he tells the WOTUS story. This trip down Memory Lane is powered by Banc First, Loyal to Oklahoma and Loyal to You. (Pic courtesy of The Farm Paparazzi)
It's fall and there is no better time than right now to check out the many venues in Oklahoma that offer great Agritourism adventures. KC Sheperd talks with Micaela Danker- who coordinates the AgriTourism efforts of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture- and they discuss the chances to enjoy Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes and more across Oklahoma in the fall season of 2020. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by PSO- the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
With just over a month to go- Host Ron Hays talks with Brent Kisling one more time as he provides an update on the effort to put at least 4 million Oklahomans on record in the 2020 US Census. Kisling urges anyone not yet registered to do so before September 30th to be counted. Kisling, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Census, is coordinating the state's effort to increase the percentage of those who register here in 2020. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity Podcast is being powered by OPSRC- the Oklahoma Pubic School Resource Center.
Ridge Hughbanks of Alva was the 23rd National FFA Officer from Oklahoma- and Ridge talks with Host Ron Hays about growing up in northwest Oklahoma on a diversified farm operation- getting involved in FFA and how his life has been changed in so many ways. Take a listen to Ridge's inspiring story of his time in the FFA and beyond. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is brought to you in part by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
As the 2020-21 School Year begins- over 200 Oklahoma School Districts rely on the resources they can access from the Oklahoma Public Schools Resource Center. Host Ron Hays talks with their Executive Director Brent Bushey about how the world of education was turned upside down in March of this year when COVID-19 kept student from returning to the Classroom after Spring Break. Brent talks about how schools worked to adapt this past spring and how that brings us to the fall semester- Brent says his group helps with Professional Development with teachers and other key staff- and has helped in the move into technological solutions to make education work in a COVID world. Today's Podcast is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
In our latest Road to Rural Prosperity- Host Ron Hays is joined on the phone from Washington with Oklahoma's Senior Member of our Congressional Delegation- Senator Jim Inhofe. They begin the conversation talking about the Supreme Court Case that will likely need that delegation to develop a legislative fix that allows tribal sovereignty to mesh with the power of the state- they also talk about Senator Inhofe's work on several bills aimed at helping Oklahoma Agriculture deal with the Pandemic- the Senator offers an update on the HEALs act negotiations and offers his reasons for wanting to be elected for another six years. Today's Road Podcast is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and to You.
Dr. Barry Pollard has been selected as the winner of the 2020 Governor's Outstanding Achievement Award in Agriculture, making him the 23rd individual to be inducted into the Oklahoma Ag Hall of Fame. Host Ron Hays talked with Dr. Pollard after he had received the award at the 2020 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Convention in Tulsa on July 24th- and they talked about his service to Oklahoma Agriculture and Rural Oklahoma- as a Surgeon based in Enid, as an Agri-businessman operating a multi state John Deere Dealership and as a nationally known Angus Breeder. Today's Podcast is sponsored in part by OPSRC, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
KC Sheperd goes on ZOOM to talk with three Oklahoma Elementary Educators about their experiences with the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Program- Johnnie Keel, Lori Newmark and Jocelyn Puckett were three of the teachers that were presenters at the 2020 Summer Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Conference that was held virtually. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity Podcast is powered by the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Host Ron Hays covers a lot of ground with the President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Rodd Moesel, in this Episode of the Road to Rural Prosperity. Rodd talks about the challenges of COVID in the operation of the general farm organization, the nervousness created by the Supreme Court Decision against Oklahoma and the potential implications of the court’s ruling on landowners throughout eastern Oklahoma, his reasons for wanting to become President of Farm Bureau and his thoughts on the absolute necessity of high speed broadband across every part of Oklahoma. Today's Podcast is powered by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
Today's Episode features a conversation hosted by KC Sheperd with the 2020 Oklahoma FFA Star Farmer Reagan Klassen of the Hydro-Eakly FFA Chapter- and then Ron Hays describes the Agribusiness that propelled Kale Miller of Stroud FFA to Stardom as the 2020 Oklahoma FFA Star in Agribusiness. This Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
A Special Edition of the Road to Rural Prosperity features a June 26th conversation with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt- Host Ron Hays talks with the Governor about the status of Oklahoma's reopening in response to Covid 19, his opposition to State Question 802, his ideas on helping the Oil and Gas Industry and Agricuture Recover and his Top Ten Report Card that he is developing. Today's Podcast is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma- and to you.
Because of COVID 19, the 2020 Oklahoma State FFA Convention was not held in downtown Oklahoma City this spring- and it was early June until the Oklahoma FFA was able to name their 2020 Stars in the four traditional categories. In today's Road to Rural Prosperity- we introduce you to two of them- the 2020 Star in Agriscience, Jentry Squires of Kingfisher and the 2020 Star in Ag Placement, Landri Chaplin of Weatherford. KC Sheperd zoomed with them to give you a chance to learn about their award winning programs- and their love for the Blue and Gold. A future Podcast will feature our other two stars. Today's Podcast is powered by OPRSC- the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
Today the Road to Rural Prosperity heads down the road where we find KC Sheperd talking with Deborah Clark, a rancher from North Texas, who tells her “On average, we’re producing between a 100 and 120 pounds of beef per acre. Our neighbors’, and the county average is somewhere between 40 and 50. That’s a telling number.”
Deborah explains the way that she and her husband Emry Birdwell operate their 14,000 acre ranch- they will move their herd multiple times a day to allow them to eat the very best grass and to allow that grass to not be overgrazed.
Deborah and Emry have been featured in a documentary series called the Carbon Cowboys.
Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by PSO- the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
The Road takes us to Weatherford, Oklahoma as Host Ron Hays talks with State Representative Harold Wright about his 12 years in the Oklahoma State House- including the last four as Speaker Pro Tempore. He offers his take on the 2020 Legislative Session and how challenging it was to write a budget in the middle of the Pandemic. Ron and Harold also talk their shared passion- radio- and the lifetime that Wright has spent in the business. And- Harold offers great insights into rural Oklahoma and what's ahead for parts of the state outside of Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Today's conversation is powered by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association- Celebrating 50 years of Service in 2020.
Jack Staats has proudly proclaimed "Here by the Owl" at State FFA Conventions since 2008- and did so at the Chapter Level for over thirty years before that- Jack is retiring from his role as State FFA Advisor and the Program Manager of Ag Education in Oklahoma. His teaching career started in 1973 and he has seen Oklahoma FFA rise in popularity and in importance across Oklahoma- reminding us that Oklahoma FFA has the most members of any state based on the per capita state population. He and Ron talk about his life in Ag Education and caring about the FFA members he has been around. Today's Podcast is sponsored by BancFirst- Loyal to Oklahoma and You.
US Senator James Lankford talks with Host Ron Hays about challenges in two of the key industries found in Rural Oklahoma- Agriculture and Oil and Natural Gas. Lankford described the help coming out of the CARES act and the PPP- and what might be ahead in a few weeks from the US Senate- dismissing the HEROES Act as a partisan wish list from the Democrats in the House. Today's Podcast is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
Steve Thompson of Oklahoma Farm Bureau Talks about the new fiscal year State of Oklahoma Budget and other policy issues worked on as the State Legislature effectively ended their legislative year by mid May.
Thompson said numerous agricultural policy issues were discussed by lawmakers. Among the issues were food safety laws connected with farmers selling direct to consumers through farmer’s markets, changes in hemp regulations, and an updated definition of what constitutes meat. The largest concern is where we will be at this time next year, budget wise, Thompson said, as the reserve fund is running low.
Today's episode is sponsored in part by OPSRC, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Brent Kisling, joins Host Ron Hays as he continues to push for every Oklahoma resident to be counted in the 2020 Census. He admits COVID 19 has slowed the process down- but soon door to door enumerators will be heading out- Brent says a lot is at stake when it comes to improving the well being of our state- every person missed costs the state and local communities thousands in lost federal dollars over the coming decade- and his personal goal is to have a final count of 4.1 million or more Oklahomans. He adds that Rural Oklahoma will prosper with a full and complete count. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by PSO, Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Host Ron Hays traveled to Stillwater to talk with Dr. Bailey Norwood , The Barry Pollard, MD / P&K Equipment Professor of Agribusiness at Oklahoma State University. Bailey joined the OSU faculty in 2003 and currently teaches three classes in the Ag Econ Department. Ron and Bailey go in depth into two of them- including a relatively new class he is teaching on Supply Chain Management in Agribusiness- Supply Chain is a hot topic in these days of market disruption because of COVID-19- he explains the concept of Supply Chain to Ron- then they talk about his very popular and ever changing Ag Literacy Course- Farm to Fork. There's a free version of it coming in a few weeks- and Bailey explains how to get on board. Today's Podcast is sponsored by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association, Celebrating Fifty Years in 2020.
If you eat, you will want to listen to this conversation hosted by Ron Hays with the Executive Director of okPORK, Roy Lee Lindsey and the Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen, Michael Kelsey. Roy Lee and Michael talk about the challenge of keeping the flow of beef and pork going from the farm or ranch to the consumer's plate during this COVID-19 event- and how that has changed dramatically in a matter of weeks as we all live a new normal. This Episode is powered by BancFirst- Loyal to Oklahoma and to You.
Guest Host Tim West talks with the Executive Director of Oklahoma's Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, Julie Bisbee. TSET was established after the historic settlement between "Big Tobacco" and 46 states. Voters in 2000 approved the creation of the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, making Oklahoma the first state to protect its Master Settlement Agreement payments in a constitutional trust. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
Today's Episode features a conversation with Oklahoma Third District Congressman Frank Lucas, who has represented the northwestern half of Oklahoma in Washington since 1994. He talks with host Ron Hays about a number of issues surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, including the CARES Act, helping the agriculture industry survive and recover, the battle to get funding out into rural America- including to Rural Hospitals and improving broadband access for rural America. Lucas has been “sheltering in place” on his ranch in Roger Mills County since Congress recessed about three weeks ago, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is sponsored in part by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, OPSRC.
Today's Episode has Ron Hays at the headquarters of the Oklahoma Youth Expo- having a behind the scenes conversation with the President of the OYE, Tyler Norvell and Exec VP Kass Newell. The three discuss the unfolding of events at the 2020 OYE that saw thousands of head of livestock show as the coronavirus pandemic expanded into Oklahoma- and when a case was found in Oklahoma County on March 15th- the Expo's leadership- including Tyler and Kass- made the necessary choice to keep all involved safe and ended the Expo half way through the show schedule. Kass, Ron and Tyler take you through the process of opening the show, trying to hurry up the show and finally closing the show. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is sponsored by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and to You.
Special Guest Host AJ Griffin returns to have a conversation with Janet Pulliam, the Senior Manager for Hospital Systems for the American Cancer Society. Aj and Janet talk about the challenges ahead for rural healthcare in the state of Oklahoma, especially in light of the unfolding COVID-19 Pandemic. Today's Episode is sponsored in part by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association
Host Ron Hays sits down with the Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, Michael Kelsey, as they talk about the largest segment of the Oklahoma agriculture- beef cattle and the multistate journey that Michael has taken to get from Rush Springs to the OCA Headquarters in Stockyards City. They talk about how cattlemen are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, low cattle prices, why he wears a Cowboy Hat at the Capitol and how in spite of all the challenges, cattlemen and cattle ladies are so resilient. Today's Episode of the Road is sponsored by PSO, the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Today's podcast episode features Host Ron Hays talking with Jerry Renshaw, Superintendent of the first ever Ag Mechanics Contest at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, as well as with students Tracy Criner of Porter, Kody Munoz of Elgin and Wyatt Kappus of Union City. These young men talk about their projects- how they planned and built them and how the skills they have gained will help them in life. Renshaw gives a vision of growing this first Ag Mechanics contest at OYE to a comparable level seen at contests at major shows in Texas, where thousands of men and women compete for hundreds of thousands of dollars of scholarships annually. Today's Episode is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur brought together resources from the Oklahoma Department of Ag, the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, the OSU Wheat Improvement Team and Offices of the Governor and Lt. Governor to establish the first ever Governor's Wheat Challenge- with two varieties of wheat developed by Dr. Brett Carver and the OSU Wheat Improvement Team being grown in small plots in front of the State of Oklahoma Agriculture Building. Host Ron Hays talks to several key players from the Governor down to tell you the story. Today's Podcast is powered by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center- the OPSRC.
In our newest episode, Host Ron Hays sits down with Ag Educator Travis Bradshaw- talking about his career path that has recently taken him to Elgin just north of Lawton after many years in north central Oklahoma in the small community of Burlington. Bradshaw explains what led him into the teaching profession- how Ag Education has changed and how the students he has taught have inspired him over and over. Today's Podcast is being powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and You.
Kent Bacus with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association sat down and talked with host Ron Hays at the recent Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio- they talk about the recent trade agreements with EU, Japan, Mexico, Canada and China- and how they collectively make 2020 and beyond an exciting time to be in the cattle business. Today's podcast is being powered by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
Guest Host AJ Griffin and Oklahoma State Senator Kim David of Porter talk about the current state of healthcare- especially rural healthcare in the Oklahoma- and consider ways to work towards better outcomes for citizens that live outside of the two major metros in the state. They also review the proposal from Governor Kevin Stitt on how to fix some of the current shortcomings of the healthcare system in the state. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
As the 2020 Oklahoma Legislative Session begins, the Speaker of the House in the Oklahoma Legislature, Charles McCall of House District 22, sat down with Host Ron Hays and talked about his eight years in the Legislature, his concerns with a State Question that may be considered by voters this fall that could radically change the Redistricting Process in the state, his Priorities for 2020 in the State House and More. Today's Episode is made possible by the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
In today's conversation, Host Ron Hays talks with Matt Waits, the President of the Ag Solutions Division for Proagrica. Matt is based in Stillwater and worked with his Dad, David Waits, as he founded SST Software back in the 1990s. SST was a pioneer in Precision Ag and today, Proagrica continues down that road as a major player in the Precision Ag space. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is sponsored by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and to You.
The name for the Ag School on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater is changing- with the approval of the Regents, it will be the OSU Ferguson College of Ag. Host Ron Hays explores with Dean Dr. Tom Coon how the Ferguson Family, the OSU Administration and OSU Foundation put this deal together- and how the $50 Million will be used to advance the Land Grant mission at Oklahoma State University. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by OSPRC- the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
Guest Host AJ Griffin is on the Road to Rural Prosperity with the CEO of the Grand Lake Mental Health Center based in Vinita, Oklahoma- Grand Lake provides mental health services in 13 counties in northeast and northcentral Oklahoma- Danley has been instrumental in delivering innovative mental health services as Grand Lake serves as a model with agencies all across rural America. Today's Road Podcast is Powered by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays sits down with Matt Pinnell and talks about his journey to become the 17th Lt. Governor of Oklahoma- and his efforts as a part of Governor Kevin Stitt's Cabinet to promote small business and tourism in the state- he offers an update on the efforts to build a brand for Oklahoma- and he and Ron talk Agritourism as well. Today's Episode is powered by Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
In our final episode for 2019, Host Ron Hays talks with State lawmaker John Pfeiffer of Orlando, who represents District 38- one of the more rural districts in Oklahoma- as Pfeiffer describes it- parts of 5 counties from northern Logan county up I-35 to the Kansas State Line- with a total of 10 stoplights and more cows than people. Today's Road Podcast is powered by BancFirst, Loyal to Oklahoma and You. Rep Pfeiffer talks about his time in the Marines, his running to replace the term limited Dale Dewitt and he offers a grade of the state legislative session in 2019 and what he sees coming in 2020.
Today's Episode features three members of the Faculty from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University. Our Podcast spotlights Oklahoma State University scientists who are teaming up with peer researchers at Kansas State University and USDA-Agricultural Research Service in El Reno to enhance cropping systems in the southern Great Plains. Host Ron Hays talks with Dr. Tyson Ochsner, Dr. Brian Arnall and Dr. Beatrix Haggard about this multi million dollar research effort that focuses on improving southern plains agriculture in rainfed farm situations. Our thanks to the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma for sponsoring today's conversation.
Episode 12 of the Road to Rural Prosperity features host AJ Griffin talking with Carter Kimble, who is the deputy secretary of health and mental health for the Kevin Stitt Administration. They discuss the state of healthcare in rural Oklahoma and the efforts being made to improve the delivery of healthcare- especially in more rural areas of the state. Carter also offers his concerns about State Question 802, which likely will be on the ballot next November in Oklahoma. Today's Road to Rural Prosperity is powered by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
Host Ron Hays sat down at the recent Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention with two of the finest Ag Producers you can find anywhere- Monte Tucker of Sweetwater and Brent Bolen of Idabel- and we talked about their farm and ranch operations- their passion for the business and where they see production agriculture fitting into the quest for Oklahoma excellence. Today's Podcast is powered by the Oklahoma Rural Water Association.
Episode Ten of the Road to Rural Prosperity Features a conversation with JD Strong who is the Director for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Strong tells host Ron Hays that this position is his dream job and they talk about the Agency, hunting prospects in the coming months in Oklahoma, the economic impact of hunting and fishing in rural Oklahoma and more.
The Podcast goes on the road to Indianapolis and the 2019 National FFA Convention where Host Ron Hays talks with three high achievers from Oklahoma participating in this national gathering of young people interested in agriculture. Ron talks with National FFA Officer Ridge Hughbanks of Alva, National Prepared Public Speech Contest Participant Bree Kisling of Chisholm and National Finalist in the Star in Agribusiness Contest Blake Kennedy of Tecumseh.
In Episode 8 , Host AJ Griffin talks with Dr. Ariel Lufkin of Mercy Healthcare about providing quality healthcare in rural areas of Oklahoma- lessons that can apply across our state and across much of rural America. Today's Episode is presented by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
Guests Tyson Ochsner, Shane Robinson and Paul Weckler join host Ron Hays in this Episode looking at the OSU Rural Renewal Initiative. The future of many rural communities in Oklahoma, as well as elsewhere in the U.S. and around the world, is jeopardized by natural resource degradation, climate change, drought and sociocultural trends. Those threats are draining away human talent, expanding a technology gap between rural and urban society and leading to rural population losses. This initiative will identify and create ways to enhance the natural, human and technological capital in rural areas by bringing together interdisciplinary research teams to conduct community engaged, solution-oriented research on behalf of rural Oklahoma. The resulting solutions are likely to have global applicability.
Episode 6 comes from the 2019 Tulsa State Fair, where host Ron Hays talks first with Roy Lee Lindsey of oKPork about making sure that the animals brought to the fair and other public events are healthy and disease free- followed by a conversation with one of the high achievers at the 2019 Show- the owner of the Grand Champion Market Hog- Pace MIttelstaedt, a Senior from Amber Pocasset FFA.
Episode Five of the Road to Rural Prosperity features host Ron Hays talking with Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma Secretary of Ag. The Secretary talks about her journey to the office of the Secretary within the Kevin Stitt Administration and the opportunities that are ahead for Rural Oklahoma and those that are a part of Agriculture that live and work in Rural Oklahoma.
The Executive Chairman of BancFirst, David Rainbolt, sat down with hosts Ron Hays and Tyler Norvell to talk about Oklahoma's Economy, including the economic health of Rural Oklahoma as well as a closer look at the Step Up Campaign that Rainbolt was a key player in in 2018. Rainbolt also offers his vision of where Oklahoma has the potential to go in the years ahead. Today's Podcast is powered by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center and the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
Ron Hays talks with Teresa Rose Crook of the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma about efforts to make rural Oklahoma a Top Ten Place to live and work as Oklahomans help one another through charitable giving.
In the second episode of the Podcast series, the Road to Rural Prosperity, host Ron Hays talks with Brent Kisling of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce about how the state of Oklahoma is working to become Top Ten in every measure possible.
This podcast looks at the efforts by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt to establish a culture in Oklahoma to become Top Ten in all ways. Ron Hays talks with the Governor about his drive to become Governor- and the first eight months in office- and what's ahead.