Oklahoma Farm Bureau will kick off its policy development season with 12 Area Meetings in each of the nine state director districts during August.
“The primary objective of the Area Meetings is to allow members and leaders to bring up issues of concern for possible policy development consideration,” said Matt Wilson, OFB executive director.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Public Policy staff members will brief members in attendance on issues that are expected to come to the legislative forefront on both the state and national levels.
New this year will be a presentation on the positive and negative aspects of developing a political action committee for Oklahoma Farm Bureau.
In November of 2001, delegates to the OFB annual convention voted to create a committee to study the pros and cons of developing a political action committee. The committee was instructed to conduct an evaluation and report back to the delegate body at the next annual convention. The committee’s final report will be made available at the August Area Meetings as well as the state convention in November.
“The primary focus of these meetings is on policy development and much time will be set aside to allow for discussion on important issues,” Wilson said.
Each of the 12 Area Meetings is scheduled to last approximately three hours. A meal will be served at all of the Area Meetings. County Farm Bureau members and leaders are encouraged to attend the meeting hosted in their state director’s home district. An RSVP to members’ respective county offices one week prior to the date of their district meeting would be appreciated.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau August Area Meeting schedule, listed by state director district, is as follows:
• District 1, Monday, Aug. 5, 6-9 p.m., at K-Bob’s in Woodward; or Tuesday, Aug. 6, 6-9 p.m., at Legends Steak House in Guymon.
• District 2, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 6-9 p.m., at Quartz Mountain Lodge in Mangum.
• District 3, Thursday, Aug. 15, 6-9 p.m., at the Canadian County Farm Bureau office in El Reno.
• District 4, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 6-9 p.m., at Lake Murray in Ardmore; or Wednesday, Aug. 14, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., at the Red River Vo-Tech in Duncan.
• District 5, Thursday, Aug. 15, 6-9 p.m., at Pete’s Place in McAlester.
• District 6, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., at JL’s Barbecue in Pryor; or Tuesday, Aug. 13, 6-9 p.m., at Porterhouse (formerly known as Jasper’s) in Tahlequah.
• District 7, Monday, Aug. 12, 6-9 p.m., at the Civic Center in Medford.
• District 8, Friday, Aug. 9, 6-9 p.m., at the Agri-Plex in Ada.
• District 9, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 6-9 p.m., at Freddy’s in Mannford.
