American Farmers & Ranchers Delegates Support Immigration Reform And Other Issues At Convention

Feb 22, 2017

Policies on immigration reform, REAL ID driver's licenses, better access to healthcare for U.S military veterans, "ag friendly county" designation, and the agriculture mediation program were among the issues attracting support during the recent convention of the American Farmers & Ranchers.

"We had more than 800 delegates from across the state actively involved in the policy process," said Terry Detrick, AFR president. "This was a true grass roots effort to support issues critical to agriculture and rural Oklahoma."

Specifically, AFR delegates said "We support comprehensive overhaul of the federal immigration system in order to safeguard the multi-billion dollar American agriculture industry, which currently lacks a stable legal workforce."

The delegates voiced strong support for the Oklahoma legislature to establish an "agriculture friendly" county program to help recruit and develop new and expanded agriculture operations and agribusinesses in Oklahoma.

A measure supporting the passage of legislation to bring Oklahoma drivers licenses into compliance with the federal REAL ID act was also passed by the voting body.

Delegates passed policy supporting veterans receiving healthcare at the local hospital if the care they need exists in that location.

In a special order, AFR members re-enforced support for the agriculture mediation program, as they requested inclusion of guaranteed funding for the program in the next farm bill.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.