The Pawnee FFA Team took home the Top Team of the Livestock Handling Competition on Dec. 9, 2011 at the Tulsa Farm Show. The competition was sponsored by American Farmers & Ranchers. Read more...

Earlier this summer, Oklahoma teams took a written test during the Oklahoma State University Big Three Field Days competition. Those teams which made the finals were announced, and have gone through several months of preparing for the finals at the Tulsa Farm Show.

The Pawnee Team consisted of Macey Skidgel, J.D. Steele and Chase Collins. The advisor & coach for the team was their agricultural education instructor, Mr Brian Skidgel.

Those teams making it into the finals each received a scholarship for being a finalist and the top team received additional prizes, trophy buckle and a new Priefert cattle chute to take back to their agricultural education program.

The second place team was Porter FFA with members K.C. Barnes, Hallie Barnes and Jarros McKinney. Third place was Pawnee Southeast at Large with members Hayden Skidgel, Morgan Vance and Chrissie Collins.

For more information for next year’s competition, please contact Lin Fariss at 405-218-5561 or visit the Midwest Farm Shows, Inc. website for more details.

Keri Dennis is the new co-owner and managing agent for Cross Timbers Insurance Group at Okemah. Read more...

Keri Dennis is a fifth generation Oklahoman, and has been involved with the agriculture industry all of her professional career. She has been in the agriculture insurance industry since 2010 with Triangle Insurance Company. Prior to that Keri was the Southwest Oklahoma Field Representative and Agriculture liaison for US Congressman Tom Cole. Keri graduated from Hobart High School and The University of Oklahoma. Her family is from Lincoln and Payne Counties.

Keri took over on October 1st. Marc’ette Lucas the former owner worked for a few months to help in the transition but has now retired. Kathleen Huckeba is also a new agent in the agency.

The office address and phone number will remain the same. Keri is very excited about becoming involved with the community and representing AFR in the area.

Coffee Creek Music Complex hosted the Rural Redneck Firefighters event, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2011. The event was a fundraiser geared towards several area fire departments in Grady and Stephens County. Read more...

American Farmers & Ranchers insurance agents, Mike and Becky Graham, organized the fundraisers with several activities including, performances by The Dead City Outlaws and Bryan Rolin, an antique car show, all you can eat hamburgers, hot dogs and calf fries, and a live and silent auction. AFR was a proud sponsor during this event.

A “Redneck” caledndar featuring serious and comical pictures was published and sold for $10 each, raising over $10,000 if all calendars are sold.

     

The 2011 Ag & Historic Conference took place in the Hawaiian Islands with 34 members attending. Read more...

The tour began on the island of Oahu. After landing in Honolulu, we were taken by motor coach to The Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel to check in and a welcome get-together and orientation with free time that evening.

Day two began with the Iolani Palace then to the Dole Plantation. Next was the Kualoa Ranch Company and then to the Kahuka Farms for a delicious shrimp plate lunch. Returning to the hotel for relaxation time on Waikiki beach or touring the area.

Day three started with Pearl Harbor, the Arizona Memorial and the Mighty Mo. After lunch, we went the airport to fly to the Big Island and arrived at the Royal Kona Resort for a free evening.

Day four we toured the Hawaiian Chocolate Plantation then the Kona Coffee Farm with lunch at Hugo’s with the afternoon free to explore on our own.

Day five our first stop was the Volcano National Park with lunch at the Lava Rock Café. After lunch, we toured the Akatsuka Orchid farm and then to the tasty Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm. We then went to the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel for an enjoyable evening in Hilo!

Day six was a horticultural experience starting at the Green Point Nursery. We then toured the Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Estate. We stopped for lunch at the Hilo Bay Café and then on to the Tsunami Museum; returning to the hotel for a free afternoon.

Day seven we checked out of the hotel and took a scenic drive along the Hamakua Coast and the Akaka Falls. Next we arrived at the Hawaiian Vanilla Kitchen and Plantation for a tour and lunch. After meeting the Parker Ranch Cattle Operations Manager for a tour we headed to the airport for an island hop to Maui!

Day eight was an entire day of leisure on the beautiful island of Maui ending with an authentic Old Lahaina Luau.

Day nine started with the morning on our own, checking out of the hotel at noon to stop at the Surfing Island Goat Dairy, then to the Alii Kula Lavendar Farm, Ulupalakua Ranch and finally the Tedaschi Winery before heading to the airport for an overnight flight home.

We would like to thank those who attended the 2011 Ag and Historic Conference and to all of you who have attended in the past and we are excited to plan the next destination. This is a valued membership benefit and we look forward to continuing this benefit for years to come.

Pease look for the Ag & Historic Conference Booth at the 2012 Convention for the next destination.

The 2012 American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Co. Annual Policyholder Meeting and the Oklahoma Farmers Union State Convention is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17th & 18th, at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center 2501 Conference Drive, Norman, OK. Read more...

One Officer position, one Executive District Board of Director's seat and one Executive Director At-Large board seat will be decided during this 107th Convention. The Officer and Board of Directors' seats up for election are: Vice President, State Directors District 2 and State Director At-Large 1.

At the close of the filing period there are 7 candidates; Officer seat of Vice President up for election currently held by John Porter, Stillwater; also running for the Vice President position is Ed Preble Jr., Norman and Kermit Raab, Arapaho. State Director Southwest District 2, held by Joe Ed Kinder, Frederick; opponent, George Terry, Mangum; and State Director At-Large #1, currently held by Jim Campbell who has decided not to seek re-election has drawn candidates Ryan Plemmons, Broken Bow and Harry Jordan, Ada.

County and Local policy resolutions received by the office of Secretary, Bobby Green are now being considered by the Policy Committee. Article IV, Section 1 states: "To be eligible for election as a delegate or alternate to the Oklahoma Farmers Union Convention, a person must have been a member of the Oklahoma Farmers Union for at least the entire fiscal year proceeding the year of the Convention." County and Local Credential forms will be mailed out to the County and Local Secretaries January 3, 2012 and are due in the State Office no later than Friday, February 10, 2012. The names of deceased AFR Policyholders/OFU Members who have passed away since our last convention for the "AFR/OFU Memorial Roll" will be remembered in a memorial recognition held on Feb. 18th.

Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act Passed
On Nov. 30, 2011 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce voted in support of H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011. View Full Newsletter

Good Afternoon. I am Terry Detrick, President of American Farmers and Ranchers. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you briefly this afternoon on behalf of the landowners across the State of Oklahoma. Read more...

Heroes come in all forms and sizes. There are super heroes, war heroes, romantic heroines and brave warrior champions. Read more...

But have you ever known one who was a full-time volunteer, dedicates their life trying to improve the lives of the local youth, spends tireless efforts trying to make new and better opportunities for those around them, owns two businesses, is a loving wife, mother and friend?

Well, you do, if you know Suzanne Gilbert. If you know Suzanne then you know that volunteering her time and resources to the community is a passion that she is dedicated her fullest to doing. To list the many adjectives that are used to describe this remarkable woman and all of the numerous boards and committees she’s been a part of over the years would be endless. Whether you know her as the tag agent lady, insurance lady, the lady with the black curly hair and red lipstick, Suzi, Susie Quzie, Poc or Suzanne you still know that it’s the same woman who would give you the shirt off her back or the last dime in her pocket.

Suzanne’s passions are geared towards agriculture, 4-H, FFA helping the local youth achieve success, rodeo and really anything else in the town of Shawnee or Tecumseh that needs a helping hand. She wears many different hats to help achieve all the goals at hand, but she does it with enthusiasm, delight and that contagious smile.

Suzanne is a great leader, teacher and cheerleader. She is a great listener and always has encouraging words. She is the first one to show up and the last one to leave. She is the person behind the scenes and down in the trenches. A tireless advocate and promoter, she is able to make the good feel better and bring out their best efforts. We should all be so dedicated to helping out in our community.

With her infectious smile and big heart, Suzanne is one of the only volunteers I know of that works diligently to give recognition to the many other hard working volunteers. Volunteering is one of the hardest jobs at times that can be the most under appreciated. True volunteers know the job is not done based on recognition or glory, it is done based on generosity.

Suzanne’s noble concept of “giving to the giving” and recognizing the importance of hard work and time that is given freely of others is what sets her apart from the pack.Whether it is her home-made, award winning, no-bake cookies; home-made Christmas baskets she makes for the Pottawatomie County Fair Board members; or working closely with the city to install the IFYR Hall of Fame trophy case at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center, this is one of her most methodical characteristics.

Being involved with the Pottawatomie County Junior Livestock Show, Suzanne has been known to come early to help set things up, stay late to help tear things down and go home while the rest of the world sleeps. She bakes cookies to thank the other volunteers who were right along beside her helping out the community.

The words “thank you” to such a generous and gracious person just doesn’t seem to do justice to all the appreciation countless people would like to express. The communities, individuals and organizations that she is affiliated with are lucky to be able to call Suzanne Gilbert a hometown hero, some are even luckier to call her a friend.

But I am the luckiest to call her my mom.


Written by Dustie Butner

Becky Pitzer, an award winning agent for AFR since 1984, has sold her Hydro Insurance Agency to Jessy Barger in Weatherford. Read more...

Becky worked for two years for the late Alvin Davis and then purchased the agency from him. She has a total of 29 years in the insurance business, but she is not stopping yet. She will continue to work with Jessy in Weatherford during the transition.

Jessy has been an agent for AFR since 2010. He is a graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He and his wife, the former Nicole Skinner, a 4th grade teacher in the Weatherford School System, came from long time AFR families. Jessy was raised on a farm in the Lookeba community and graduated from the Lookeba-Sickles High School. Nicole was raised in Weatherford, graduated from Weatherford High School and SWOSU also.

Stop by the Weatherford Insurance Agency at 113 North Bradley, across from Braum's on Bradley to visit with Becky and Jessy.

Becky and Jack Pitzer recently held a customer appreciation dinner at the Hydro Senior Citizens Center to announce the sale of the Hydro Insurance Agency and to introduce everyone to Jessy and Nicole Barger.

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