Nearly 60 young agriculturalists gathered in southwest Oklahoma to tour local farms and ag-related industries, network with fellow farmers and ranchers, hear from political candidates and more during the 2018 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference held July 13-15 at the Quartz Mountain Resort in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma.
Organized and planned by the state YF&R committee, the highlight of the three-day conference was a day-long tour of various agriculture businesses and farms.
The group visited Sesaco in Hobart, where all U.S.-grown sesame is cleaned, bagged and shipped around the country and around the world. While in Hobart, members visited the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum, a historical foundation dedicated to telling the story of the U.S. military.
Jackson County Farm Bureau member Keeff Felty led the group on a tour through the Cotton Growers Gin outside of Altus, where cotton is cleaned and processed.
Conference attendees also toured Muller Farms, owned by Jackson County Farm Bureau members Matt and Kellie Muller. With a heavy focus on conservation of natural resources, the Mullers explained their use of drip irrigation technology on their farm.
The tours ended at the Altus-Lugert Irrigation District, which provides water for farmers across the region.
During the conference, YF&R members also had the opportunity to hear from candidates in the August runoff elections including Republican gubernatorial candidates Mick Cornett and Kevin Stitt, and state labor commissioner candidate Leslie Osborn.
The conference also provided first-time attendees with a chance to learn more about Farm Bureau and leadership opportunities within the organization. To learn how to get involved with YF&R, visit www.okfarmbureau.org/yfr.
