The Anadarko Daily News

Jul
30
2016
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Speakers tell
Rotary Club to
pass SQ 777
By BRANDON ALLEE
Anadarko Rotary Club member
Lance Shenold invited Brady Bond
and Brittany Mikles to address the
club on State Question 777, also
known as Oklahomas Right to
Farm bill to be brought to voters in
November.
Bond and Mikles are both proponents of the bill and gave the club
several reasons why they believe
voters should approve this state
question.
This bill would protect Oklahoma farmers and ranchers against
special interest groups that have an
agenda.
It would not allow those groups
to push regulations that might have
a negative impact on Oklahoma
farmers and ranchers.
In Oklahoma 98% of farms and
ranches are family-owned and there
is a concern with how regulations
could impact smaller farms and
ranches. Potential regulations
might eliminate choices that consumers would have when they are
shopping for products and that
could be a problem if the lower cost
options are no longer available.
These regulations could also increase farming and ranching cost
that would also be passed on to the
consumer whenever possible.
The speakers made it clear this
bill would not stop Oklahoma law
makers from passing legislation if
there is compelling state interest
that the law would protect the
health, safety, and welfare of the
citizens of Oklahoma.
They said more information is
available at OklahomaRightToFarm com
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.

The Oklahoman

Aug
02
2016
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More than $1M has been raised

in support of State Question 777
BY BRIANNA BAILEY
Business Writer
bbailey@oklahoman.com

The political action

committee Oklahoma
Farmers Care SQ 777
has raised more than $1
million to support the state
question this year, including
$586,726 in the second
quarter of the year, according to Oklahoma Ethics
Commission documents.

Campaign filings show the

Oklahoma Pork Council is a
major supporter of a state question that would make it harder
to pass new laws to regulate
agriculture in the state, and the
Humane Society of the United
States is the single largest donor
opposing the measure.
The political action committee Oklahoma Farmers Care SQ
777 has raised more than $1 million to support the state question
this year, including $586,726 in
the second quarter of the year,
according to Oklahoma Ethics
Commission documents.
The Pork Council, which represents pork producers in the
state, has donated $76,586 to
Oklahoma Farmers, as well as
another $2,772 in in-kind donations. The Pork Council was the
single largest donor to the campaign in the second quarter, the
documents show.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Mutual Insurance Co. donated
$100,000 in support of SQ 777.

We believe it is an incredibly important question for the

state of agriculture in the state
of Oklahoma, Lindsey said.
State Question 777 ensures that
farmers have the right to make
those choices and it also ensures
that the Legislature still has
oversight if there is a compelling
state interest.
Paul Muegge, Oklahoma
Stewardship Council co-chair
and former state senator, said SQ
777 would prevent pork producers in the state from being subject
to any new laws.
They want this clear path
where they wont have any rules
and regulations to get in their
way, Muegge said.

Government overreach

Bad public policy

Roy Lee Lindsey, executive

director of the Oklahoma Pork
Council, said the group is concerned about government overreach that could make it harder
for pork producers to do business
in the state, as well as raise prices
for consumers.

In 1998, Muegge, then a

Democratic state senator from
Tonkawa, authored a landmark
bill that put restrictions on pork
producers to prevent hog waste
from contaminating water supplies.
In Oklahoma, we have a right

to farm, thats not the issue,

Muegge said. This is bad public
policy and we ask the voters to
vote no on something that is this
complex and far reaching.
The Humane Society of the
United States donated $17,500
in cash to the Oklahoma Stewardship Council, the committee
organized to oppose SQ 777.
The Humane Society of the
United States also has made
$80,692 in in-kind contributions
consisting of compensation and
travel to the Stewardship Council, campaign reports filed Friday
with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission show.
In Oklahoma, the Humane
Society provides training for
law enforcement officers and
prosecutors on animal issues,
and assists local animal welfare
groups and shelters, the Stewardship Council said.
The report shows the Oklahoma Stewardship Council has
raised a total of $34,016.63 in
cash contribution.
SQ 777 is a constitutional
amendment that would prevent Oklahoma lawmakers from
passing legislation to regulate
agriculture unless it has a compelling state interest. The state is
set to vote on the ballot measure
in November.
The state question would
not reverse any state statutes or
ordinances enacted before Dec.
31, 2014, but any law regulating
agriculture passed after that date
would be subject to repeal.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.

Aug 2016 Page

02
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Vinita Daily Journal

Nebraska farmers announce they do not need, will not seek

so-called right to farm constitutional amendment
OKLAHOMA CITY A
coalition of Nebraska agricultural groups has announced it
will no longer pursue a constitutional right to farm proposal in that state. Oklahoma
voters will decide a similar
issue here in November with
State Question 777.
We are united in our belief
that protecting our members
interests and the future of
agriculture isnt about a single ballot measure or initiative, Steve Nelson, Nebraska
Farm Bureau president, said
in a news release. He added
that his organization would
be working to ensure high
property tax burdens arent
the reason families are pushed
out of agriculture.
Farmer Paul Muegge, a former state senator and co-chair
of the Oklahoma Stewardship
Council, applauded the Nebraska Farm Bureau for its decision to work in the interests
of its members who are family
farmers, rather than carry water for the corporate interests
who want state questions like
777 to pass in agriculture-producing states.

SQ 777 takes away the

power of the legislature and
municipal governments to
regulate agricultural practices to protect water and
other natural resources and
individuals property rights,

Muegge said. In this world

of industrial agriculture, it is
large corporations who will
EHQHWIURPWKHXQSUHFHGHQW
ed blank check that SQ 777
gives them, not generational farmers who have always

protected water, land and

livestock. I can understand
why the corporations want to
be free from scrutiny and regulation, but I cannot understand why Oklahoma should

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.

See Nebraska (Cont. on Page 7)

Vinita Daily Journal

Aug
02
2016
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From
A006

Nebraska
(Cont. from Page 6)
let them. Voters should not be
fooled by this proposal.
Numerous organizations and
individuals, including many
farmers, are standing together
to defeat State Question 777.
Those opposing the proposal include Save the Illinois
River, Inter-Tribal Council
of the Five Civilized Tribes,
Oklahoma Municipal League,
League of Women Voters,
Edmond City Council, Conservation Coalition of Oklahoma, Humane Society of the
United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Bella
Foundation, Oklahomans for
Food, Farm and Family, Oklahoma Food Cooperative, Sierra Club, Oklahoma Welfare
League, Oklahoma Alliance
for Animals and Oklahoma
Coalition of Animal Rescuers.
The Oklahoma Stewardship
Council is a coalition of family farmers, community leaders
and concerned citizens opposing State Question 777.
For more information about
the OSC, visit www.votenoon777.com.

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th
a
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th
f
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Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.

The Leader Tribune

Aug
03
2016
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State Question 777 To Be On November Ballot

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