Copy of Journal Record article. Buchanan responds to Senator Simpson Town Hall meeting. I can only imagine that Monica Wilke might have a different memory of the event that Buchanan wasnt even present for. Farm Bureau official says losses after controversy are just a trickle CATOOSA – Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Tom Buchanan on Thursday attempted to downplay the negative reaction following a public meeting in Ardmore between agency officials and residents over water rights. Buchanan said the bureau has lost members, although he tried smoothing over the drop by saying the decrease has been tiny. He did not have exact figures. “Certainly, I am not going to stand here and lie and tell you that we have not lost membership,” Buchanan said. “But it has been minimal. In my mind I can count on both hands and have fingers left over the number that has left over that deal.” At any time, the organization will have a back-door loss of 8 to 12 percent, he said. “This is the insurance business, so people move or drop a car from coverage,” Buchanan said. “It is difficult to look at the region and say that we lost 200 members all because of that one event.” More than 400 people attended a public meeting last week, with many opposed to the OKFB’s stance in favor of unlimited water removal from the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer. State rules dictate how much water can be drawn from an aquifer. The OKFB opposes such limits. Buchanan acknowledged people’s disappointment with the bureau’s stance. “Have we knocked the scab off?” he asked, without answering his own question. “Remember, Oklahoma Farm Bureau is about private property rights, and groundwater in the state of Oklahoma is a private property right.” Buchanan was in northeast Oklahoma on Thursday attending a press conference about the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. Following the press event, he talked about the meeting and the reaction. “That is a critical issue to that area and to the people that live in that area,” Buchanan said. “But as far as the rest of the state, there are bigger water issues and more issues that are going on. So, while we were down there meeting the needs of our members, that is not a primary concern for us. We are watching that situation, but are concerned about water all over the state.” Bureau discussions are not as contentious internally as it appeared at the meeting, Buchanan said. “We were glad to be a part of that meeting and we expressed our concerns,” he said. “We’ve sat down at the table with our members and shared how we develop policy and that our policy is something statewide, not just for one region.” Buchanan said he believed people came away with a better understanding about how to change OKFB policy. Developing water policy is an ongoing process and the issue is a giant moving target, Buchanan said. “As Oklahoma looks at its groundwater and surface water, it needs to decide how we are going to meet the demands and needs,” he said. “How is agriculture going to fit in? How is human need going to fit into that? Anytime there is a conversation about that, we want to be a part of it.” During the press conference, Buchanan and several other officials touted the benefits of the port and the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. “This waterway system is vitally important to Oklahoma’s agricultural industry,” Buchanan said. “We must continue to invest in this critical infrastructure to ensure we are making the most of our water resources in the state. Copyright © 2014 The Journal Record | 101 N. Robinson Ave, Ste. 101, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 | (405)235-3100 ,
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:27:33 +0000
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