The Oklahoma Farm Bureau delegate body reaffirmed its backing of feral hog eradication during the organization’s annual meeting Nov. 12 in Oklahoma City. Members from all 77 county Farm Bureaus gathered to set policy to direct the organization throughout the coming year.
Feral, or wild, hogs are an invasive species found in all 77 counties costing farmers and ranchers millions of dollars in damage to property, equipment and facilities.
“Feral hogs are still an onerous burden for farmers and ranchers across the state,” Buchanan said. “We fought for eradication last year and will continue to do so until the invasive species is no longer a problem.”
OKFB feral hog policy states, “ODAFF should take action through the administrative rules process to end the transportation of live feral hogs in Oklahoma. We support the eradication of feral hogs as an invasive species. All landowners should be encouraged to eradicate feral hogs on their land by any means possible. We do not support commercial sport hunting of feral hogs.”
The delegate body also approved policy to support examining school administration structure and encourage the elimination of unnecessary school administration positions.
“As our state’s education crisis continues, rural Oklahoma must have a say in the future of our school systems,” Buchanan said. “Today, our members made a progressive step toward improved education for both urban and rural students.”
The newly-adopted education policy states, “We support examining the administrative structure of all education – primary, secondary and university – and the elimination of unneeded positions and repeated curriculum…We support allowing schools to share or co-op the services of a superintendent.”
Other new policies include a call to declare the black buzzard as an invasive species, the maintenance of funding for county extension educators, and continued opposition against the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the U.S. rule.
All 77 county Farm Bureaus submitted resolutions to the OKFB policy book which were reviewed by a statewide committee and voted on by the delegate body during the annual meeting.
