Recently an announcement was made, placing views on agriculture from Oklahoma and the Panhandle at the forefront of American politics.
Both Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and District 61 Representative Casey Murdock have been named to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's new Agricultural Advisory Committee.
"I am honored to be chosen to contribute to the development of agriculture policy through the Agriculture Advisory Committee for the Trump Campaign," Murdock said in an online statement. "Since agriculture is Oklahoma's Second largest industry, the opportunity to shape national agriculture policy will help improve agriculture in Oklahoma. I am looking forward to working with Mr. Trump and the other members of the advisory committee to support our agricultural communities."
"The men and women the committee will provide pioneering new ideas to strengthen our nation's agricultural industry as well as provide support to our rural communities," the announcement states. "Mr. Trump understands the critical role our nation's agricultural community plays in feeding not only our country, but the world, and how important these Americans are to powering our nation's economy."
It goes on to further note that the formation of the board represents Trump's endorsement of those appointed to the committee, with "diverse skill sets and ideas that can improve the lives of those in agricultural communities."
"I am honored to have the opportunity to work with each member of the committee to support Donald J. Trump and his campaign to be the next President of the United States of America," National Chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee Charles W. Herbster said. "As a fifth-generation farmer, Owner of Herbster Angus Farms, and Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Conklin Company, a company that specializes in agriculture and animal health products, among others, I look forward to working with this esteemed group of individuals."
The executive board members will meet on a regular basis. The board is made up of more than 60 members representing a diverse set of skills and backgrounds relating to agriculture.
Other members of the board are: Sam Clovis, National Chief Policy Advisor for the Donald J. Trump Campaign for President; Rebeckah Adcock, CropLife, Senior Director, Government Affairs; Robert Aderholt, Congressman from Alabama and Chairman, Subcommittee on Agriculture; Jay Armstrong, Kansas Wheat Commission and Chairman, Farm Foundation; Gary Black, Commissioner of Agriculture, Georgia; John Block, Former USDA Secretary; Mike Brandenburg, State Legislator, North Dakota; Terry Brandstad, Governor of Iowa; Sam Brownback, Governor of Kansas; Chuck Conner, CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Mike Conaway, House Agriculture Chairman; Jack Dalrymple, Governor of North Dakota; Dennis Daugaard, Governor of South Dakota; Rodney Davis, Congressman from Illinois, House Agriculture committee and Subcommittee Chair of Bio Tech; Eddie Fields, Senator, Oklahoma and Chair Senate Ag and Rural Development; Steve Foglesong, Former President of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association; Jim Gilmore, Former Governor of Virginia, Chairmain of Report on Terrorism and Agro-Terrorism; Bob Goodale, Former CEO of Harris Teeter; Bob Goodlatte, Congressman of Virigina, Former Chairman House Agriculture Committee; Mike Green, State Senator of Michigan, Appropriations Agriculture Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee Vice Chair; Helen Groves, Rancher, daughter of Robert Kleburg (King Ranch), well known in Texas and the ranching world; Ron Heck, Iowa farmer and past president of the American Soybean Association; Dave Heineman, Former Governor of Nebraska; Hans Hunts, State Legislator of Wyoming, Wyoming House Ag Committee, Rancher; Cindy Hyde Smith, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce in Mississippi; Brent Jackson, State Senator of North Carolina; A.G. Kawamura, former Secretary of Food and Agriculture of California; John Kautz, California wine producer, CEO Ironstone Vineyards; Charlotte Kelly, Tennessee cotton grower, gin operator; Mark Killian, Commissioner of Agriculture of Arizona, farmer and rancher; Brian Klippenstein, Protect the Harvest; Tsosie Lewis, Former CEO of Navaho Nation's Agricultural Products Industries; Forrest Lucas, CEO of Lucas Oil, Protect the Harvest; Mike McCloskey, CEO Fair Oaks Farms; Beau McCoy, State Senator, Nebraska National Chr. Council of State Governments; Ted McKinney, Former Director of Global Corp. Affairs for Elanco Animal Health; Sid Miller, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture; Jim Moseley, Former consultant on agriculture at the Environmental Protection Agency, Former Deputy Secretary of the USDA; Brian Munzlinger, Chairman of the Missouri Senate Ag Committee; Tom Nassif, President of Western Growers, Former Ambassador; Garry Niemeyer, Former President of National Corn Growers; Bill Northy, Iowa Secretary of Ag; Sonny Perdue, Former Governor of Georgia; Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas; Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture; Bruce Rastetter, Summit Ag Group of Alden, Iowa; Jim Reese, Secretary of Agriculture for Gov. Mary Fallin; Larry Rhoden, Senator of South Dakota, House Majority Leader and Senate Majority Whip, Chair Senate Ag Committee; Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska; Pat Roberts, U.S. Senator of Kansas; Marcus Rust, CEO Rose Acre Farms; Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas Attorney General, Co-Chair of the National Association of Attorney General Agriculture Committee; David Spears, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Dole Ag Advisor, Senior Vice President of Mid-Kansas Cooperative, Inc.; Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry; Red Steagall, Official Cowboy Poet of Texas; Annette Sweeney, Former Iowa House Agriculture Chair, Farmer, Agriculture Advocate; Kip Tom, CEO of Tom Farms LLC; Johnny Trotter, CEO of BarG; Steve Wellman, Former President of the American Soybean Association; Walt Whitcomb, Maine Ag Commissioner; John Wilkinson, Chairman of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, Georgia State Senate.