The Piedmont-Surrey Gazette

The Farmer/Rancher
SQ777
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My name is Tony Moore. I grew up on a farm in the Calumet/Geary area in the 50s and 60s. I married a local girl in 1969
and served in the military from 1972 1974 after which I came back to the farm for a period of time. In 1978, I graduated
from Southern Nazarene University and decided that I wanted to work on a Masters Degree at the Nazarene Theological
Seminary. Yvonda and I moved to Kansas City in 1978, and I completed my Masters in 1980. We moved to New Jersey in
that year to serve in a Nazarene church. During my tenure in Vineland, New Jersey, I completed my Doctorate of Ministry
Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Eastern Baptist Seminary in Philadelphia.

After 21 years as a pastor, chaplain, and mental health professional, Yvonda and I moved back to the Calumet/Geary area.
Our son was determined to farm and was learning the ropes by working with my two brothers but needed help in pulling the
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Service Center. Today we still run Moores Farm Service Center and farm & ranch on 2,200 acres. We own and live on a
quarter of land once owned by my great-grandfather, Herb Shumate. Many of the places we lease are leases my father, uncles,
and grandfather, Earl Moore, farmed when I was a boy.

After being gone for over 20 years, I discovered that it is primarily the same families farming and ranching in the Calumet/
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course. Some families are gone and others have grown larger operations. Farming is not a highly lucrative venture. My
cousin jokes that farmers live poor so they can die rich. It takes a life time to build a farming/ranching enterprise. The only
ones who stick with it are the ones who truly love it. They often work from daylight to dark to get the crops in and do the
same to get the crops out. Many of the farmers I know work second jobs to produce income for their families and wives often
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the business established. This is not unusual for farm and ranching families. On average, about three-fourths of farm family
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work for the money they do it for love of the land and animals.

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sometimes chest deep. Once he was safe, we turned our attention to the animals. The 22 inches of rain they got at Watonga
was quickly moving east down the North Canadian River. We had one place on an old river bed where we thought the cattle
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right away that someone needed to walk down into the area and open the gates so cattle could get out. The water was already
knee-deep and rising quickly. I was afraid that I could not stand up in the swiftly moving water, so Bryan decided he would
go. He opened all gates and returned to the pickup as quickly as possible. The water was waist deep when he returned. It
was quite dangerous for him to do this, but the cattle would have all drowned if they could not get out of the pasture. The following morning, all the cows, calves and bulls were out of the old river bottom up on the black-top road. Not a single animal
died.

It could be argued that it was foolish to risk a life for these animals but frankly farm people demonstrate this kind of dedication to their farm operations all the time. During a snow storm that blocks roads and when most people are in the warm, farm
people are clearing roads and getting food and water to their animals. The vast majority of Oklahoma ranch and farm land is
managed by farm families. There is always someone often an activist or environmentalist, who thinks they are better suited
to direct farming than the farmer. This seems unlikely to me. No one loves the land or the animals like the farmer or rancher
who owns them.

There are many checks and balances currently in place. You may not know that most Oklahoma farms report their plant dates
and their harvest dates to Farm Service Agency. FSA also has aerial photos of each farm. In this way, the government tracks
our crops and is able to see, via updated photos, everything that is done on each farm.

State Question 777, Right to Farm, is a bill that will keep farming and ranching in the hands of dedicated family farmers and
ranchers. Every activist and environmentalist has an agenda they seek to push. They may be well intentioned, but they do
not have a singular focus on the land, the crops and the animals like your family farmer. The primary purpose of SQ777 is to
keep outside activists and environmentalist out of Oklahoma farming and ranching. There is an article in the September issue
of the High Plains Journal about environmental groups trying to get the personal information of farmers. The author, Seymour
Klierly, suggests that these groups are anti-modern farming and wish to use the personal information to do harm to farm families. I also noticed a recent article by Jenn Gidman titled, California Regulates Cow Farts dated September 20. No kidding!
This is what it has come to.

Some people feel the language of 777 is too broad. I will just point out two things: (1) The bill says that if the state has a
compelling interest, it can intervene. How hard will it be for a smart attorney to argue compelling interest? The state is
still in the drivers seat. (2) Your local farmers and ranchers are far more trustworthy than various activists and environmental
groups that can attempt to push their agendas by forcing various regulations on Oklahoma farmers and ranchers. Please remember that every new regulation comes with a cost that shows up in the grocery store in time. With all due respect to some
RIWKHKLJKSUROHSHRSOHZKRKDYHFRPHRXWDJDLQVW64DQLQFUHDVHLQIRRGFRVWSUREDEO\ZLOOQRWLPSDFWWKHPLQWKH
OHDVW+RZHYHUPDQ\2NODKRPDIDPLOLHVZLOOEHLPSDFWHGE\ULVLQJIRRGSULFHV,WLVIRROLVKWRDOORZRXWVLGHJURXSVWRLQXence Oklahoma agriculture in ways that increase the cost of production and interfere with local farmers and ranchers management practices. In the end, do you trust your food production to activists and environmentalists or to local family farmers and
ranchers like the Moore family?

Vote yes on 777 you will not go wrong trusting your local family ranchers and farmers!

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

The Piedmont-Surrey Gazette

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Thursday, September 29, 2016

11A

SQ 777 asks Right to Farm or Right to Harm?

Editors Note: The following information was
compiled by Oklahoma
Watch. SQ 777, among
others, will be decided by
voters on Nov. 8.
The Gist
SQ 777 is a constitutional amendment that
would give Oklahoma
residents the right to
engage in farming and
ranching practices and
employ
agricultural
technology. The amendment bans any new law
regulating or prohibiting
an agricultural practice
unless it can be shown to
have a compelling state
interest. That means
any new agricultural regulations would have to
pass strict scrutiny, the
legal standard used for
laws that deprive people
of fundamental rights
like free speech, gun
ownership, or religious
freedom.
Background
Information
SQ 777 was placed on
the ballot by the Oklahoma Legislature. The
measure is modeled after
an initiative that was approved by voters in North
Dakota in 2012 and Missouri in 2014. The Farm
Bureau in these states
and in Oklahoma have
been major backers of
the initiatives.
SQ 777 has been
called the Right to Farm
Amendment by its supporters and Right to
Harm by opponents.
By requiring strict scrutiny of any new laws af-

Chicken farmers will be among those impacted by SQ 777. (Photo provided by Oklahoma Watch)
fecting agriculture, the
amendments would make
it much more likely that
these laws can be struck
down in court. A UCLA
study found that state
laws challenged under
strict scrutiny in federal
courts are struck down
77 percent of the time
and local ordinances are
struck down 85 percent
of the time.
SQ 777 has been supported primarily by agricultural trade groups
such as the Oklahoma
Farm Bureau, the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, and the Oklahoma Pork Council.
Opponents of the measure include the Oklahoma Municipal League
representing mayors and

city councils, the InterTribal Council of the

Five Civilized Tribes,
the Humane Society of
the United States, and
the Oklahoma Food Cooperative representing
small farmers.
Supporters Say
SQ 777 will give farmers another tool in their
toolbox to defend themselves from unwarranted
laws and regulations, including ballot initiatives
funded by deep-pocketed
animal-rights groups.
By guarding against
overly restrictive laws
and regulations, SQ 777
will allow consumers to
make the choice about
what farming and ranching practices they want

to support.
Opponents Say
SQ 777 creates an advantage for large, industrialized factory farms
by preventing new state
laws to protect small
farmers and natural resources.
SQ 777 undermines
democracy by preventing Oklahomas elected
leaders from establishing reasonable standards
for food production, environmental protection,
and animal welfare.
SQ 777 would make
it much harder to protect
Oklahomas
drinking
water from pollution by
animal waste disposal.

Ballot Language
This measure adds
Section 38 to Article II
of the Oklahoma Constitution. The new section
creates state constitutional rights. It creates
the following guaranteed
rights to engage in farming and ranching:
The right to make use

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

of agricultural technol
ogy,
The right to make use
of livestock procedures
and
The right to make use
of ranching practices.
These constitutiona
rights receive extra pro
tection under this mea
sure that not all constitu
tional rights receive. Thi
extra protection is a limi
on lawmakers ability to
interfere with the exer
cise of these rights. Un
der this extra protection
no law can interfere with
these rights, unless the
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pelling state interesta
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interest of the highes
order. Additionally, the
law must be necessary
to serve that compelling
state interest. The mea
sureand the protection
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apply to and do not im
pact state laws related to
Trespass, Eminent do
main, Easements, Righ
of way or other property
rights, and any state stat
utes and political subdi
vision ordinances enact
ed before December 31
2014.

Stroud American

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The Gage Record

MBER 29, 2016

Criminal Rehabilitation

STATEQUESTION

SUMMARY OF
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STATEQUESTIONS
Seven state questions will appear on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
Legislative Referendums are placed on the ballot by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Initiative Petitions are placed on the ballot by gathering signatures from citizens.
Each question is reprinted here as it will appear on the ballot followed by a
brief summary.

Death Penalty

STATEQUESTION



Education Funding Tax

STATEQUESTION



STATE QUESTION NO. 776

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 367

STATE QUESTION NO. 779

INITIATIVE PETITION NO. 403

This measure adds a new section to the Oklahoma Constitution, Section

9A of Article 2. The new Section deals with the death penalty. The Section
establishes State constitutional mandates relating to the death penalty and
methods of execution. Under these constitutional requirements:
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execution not prohibited by the United States Constitution.
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imposed shall remain in force until it can be carried out using any valid
execution method, and
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constitute the iniction of cruel or unusual punishment under Oklahomas
Constitution, nor to contravene any provision of the Oklahoma Constitution.


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This measure adds a new Article to the Oklahoma Constitution. The article
creates a limited purpose fund to increase funding for public education.
It increases State sales and use taxes by one cent per dollar to provide
revenue for the fund. The revenue to be used for public education shall be
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over the salaries paid in the year prior to adoption of this measure. It
requires an annual audit of school districts use of monies. It prohibits
school districts use of these funds for increasing superintendents salaries
or adding superintendent positions. It requires that monies from the fund
not supplant or replace other educational funding. If the Oklahoma Board
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SUMMARY: State Question 776 does two things: it addresses

the method of execution for an inmate on death row, and it
states that the death penalty shall not be deemed cruel and
unusual punishment. If the proposal is approved, a new
section would be added to the Oklahoma Constitution that
allows the state to continue to impose the death penalty, even
if a specific method of execution becomes unavailable. Death
sentences would remain in effect until they can be carried out
by any method not prohibited by the US Constitution.
If approved, the constitutional amendment would apply
to the state constitution but not the federal constitution or
courts applying federal law.
The Oklahoma death penalty law, enacted in 1976, has
been consistently applied by Oklahoma elected officials:
the state executed 191 men and three women between
1915 and 2014 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary (82 by
electrocution, one by hanging, and 111 by lethal injection).
Statutes specifically allow gas inhalation, electrocution, and
firing squad as backups to the primary form of execution by
lethal injection.
In October 2015, Oklahoma suspended executions for a
review of lethal injection protocols. One of the drugs most
commonly used for lethal injection is sodium thiopental,
which is no longer manufactured in the United States. In
2011, the European Commission imposed restrictions on
the export of certain drugs used for lethal injections in the
United States.
As a result, many states no longer have the drugs used
to carry out lethal injection. Oklahoma has turned to other
drugs as a substitute for sodium thiopental. However,
recent instances of executions around the country in which
alternative drugs were used may have produced adverse
outcomes.
The death penalty is legal in thirty-one states, and illegal
in nineteen.

Agriculture

STATEQUESTION



SUMMARY: If this proposal is approved, Article 8-C

would be added to the Oklahoma Constitution creating a
limited purpose fundthe Education Improvement Fund.
An increase of the sales and use tax by one cent on
the dollar would provide revenue for the fund. School
districts that benefit from the fund would be subject to an
annual audit. Funds generated by the tax cannot be used to
replace other state funding of common, higher, career and
technology, and early childhood education.
The provisions of the new article require a minimum
$5,000 salary increase for teachers over the salaries paid in
the year prior to adoption. The funds generated would not
be used to increase the salaries of school superintendents or
to add superintendent positions.
Oklahomas average compensation for teachers, including
salary and benefits, is $44,921. According to the National
Education Association, Oklahoma ranks 49th in the nation
in teacher pay.
A section within the new article to the state constitution
establishes that monies collected would be distributed as
follows:
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> 86.33 percent of common education funding would
be used to provide teachers with a minimum $5,000 raise
and otherwise address or prevent teacher and certified
instruction staff shortages.
> 13.67 percent of common education funding would
be used to adopt or expand, but not maintain, programs,
opportunities or reforms for improving reading in early
grades, improving high school graduation rates, and
increasing college and career readiness.
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Law Enforcement

STATEQUESTION



STATE QUESTION NO. 777

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 368

STATE QUESTION NO. 780

INITIATIVE PETITION NO. 404

This measure adds Section 38 to Article II of the Oklahoma Constitution.

The new Section creates state constitutional rights. It creates the following
guaranteed rights to engage in farming and ranching:
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These constitutional rights receive extra protection under this measure
that not all constitutional rights receive. This extra protection is a limit on
lawmakers ability to interfere with the exercise of these rights. Under this
extra protection, no law can interfere with these rights, unless the law is
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of the highest order. Additionally, the law must be necessary to serve that
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This measure amends existing Oklahoma laws and would change the
classication of certain drug possession and property crimes from felony
to misdemeanor. It would make possession of a limited quantity of drugs
a misdemeanor. The amendment also changes the classication of
certain drug possession crimes which are currently considered felonies
and cases where the defendant has a prior drug possession conviction.
The proposed amendment would reclassify these drug possession
cases as misdemeanors. The amendment would increase the threshold
dollar amount used for determining whether certain property crimes are
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by this change include; false declaration of a pawn ticket, embezzlement,
larceny, grand larceny, theft, receiving or concealing stolen property, taking
domesticated sh or game, fraud, forgery, counterfeiting, or issuing bogus
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SUMMARY: If the proposal is approved, the measure

would prevent lawmakers from passing legislation to regulate
agriculture unless there is a compelling state interest. The
proposal would forbid the state of Oklahoma from regulating
the use of agricultural technology, livestock procedures,
and ranching practices. The standard of compelling state
interest is a key component to the question because it sets a
very high standard for a law to be judged.
If passed, the proposal would apply to any democratically
elected body that can trace its creation to the state legislature,
including county and city governments, but not school boards.
Federal laws would not be impacted; current state laws about
farming and ranching would be grandfathered in, and would
not be repealed by this amendment. Grandfathered laws
could be amended or repealed in the future.
Similar proposals have been presented to voters in other
states, first in North Dakota. A similar amendment passed
in Missouri in 2014; another amendment was considered in
Nebraska earlier this year but was not approved by legislators
for a vote of the people. Oklahomas State Question 777 is
inspired in part by opponents of Proposition 2 in California.
Proposition 2 required certain farm animals to be able to lie
down, stand up, fully extend limbs, and turn around freely.
SQ 777 is unique in that it added the compelling state
interest clause.
Oklahomas top agricultural products in revenue are cattle,
hogs, poultry, wheat, and dairy. Agriculture is the states
fourteenth highest economic sector, accounting for less than
2 percent of GDP, (higher than agricultures national rate). For
decades, as technology and yields have advanced, the number
of agricultural jobs and farms has declined. Nine in ten
Oklahoma crop and animal operations are owned by private
citizens, many of whom contract with larger corporations.



STATE QUESTION NO. 781

INITIATIVE PETITION NO. 405

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SUMMARY: If the measure is approved, State Question 780

would reclassify certain offenses, such as simple drug possession and property crimes, as misdemeanors rather than
felonies. The reclassification of the drug possession offense
is intended to be applied to persons who use the drugs, not to
those who are selling or manufacturing the drugs. The measure also would change the dollar amount threshold for property crimes charged as felonies from $500 to $1,000.
The goal of this measure is to reduce the size of the states
prison population and to reduce the amount of state funds
being spent on prisons. SQ 780 proposes to change Oklahoma statutes, not the constitution.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice in 2014, Oklahoma
had the second highest incarceration rate in the nation at 700
inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents. Oklahoma also had the
highest incarceration rate for women that year. The total correctional population of a state includes people incarcerated
and on probation or parole.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections indicated in
August 2016 that the prison system was at 104 percent of
its capacity with 27,097 inmates being held. Drug offenders
comprise 26.3 percent of inmates. Another 23.3 percent of inmates are imprisoned for other nonviolent crimes. According
to the Oklahoma DOC 2015 annual report, the Oklahoma
prison population has increased by 22.6 percent since 2006.
In fiscal year 2016, the Oklahoma legislature appropriated
$485 million to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
If the measure is approved, the changes proposed would
not be retroactive. Sentences for current inmates would not
change.

This measure creates the County Community Safety Investment Fund, only
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Act. This measure would create a fund, consisting of any calculated
savings or averted costs that accrued to the State from the implementation
of the Oklahoma Smart Justice Reform Act in reclassifying certain property
crimes and drug possession as misdemeanors. The measure requires the
Ofce of Management and Enterprise Services to use either actual data
or its best estimate to determine how much money was saved on a yearly
basis. The amount determined to be saved must be deposited into the
Fund and distributed to counties in proportion to their population to provide
community rehabilitative programs, such as mental health and substance
abuse services. This measure will not become effective if State Question

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SUMMARY: The implementation of State Question 781 is

contingent on the passage of State Question 780. If SQ 781
is approved by voters, but SQ 780 is not, none of the changes
described in SQ 781 will be enacted.
If both measures are approved, SQ 781 would create the
County Community Safety Investment Fund. That fund would
hold any cost savings achieved by reducing numbers of people
incarcerateda decrease resulting from reclassifying certain
property crimes and drug possession as misdemeanors. The
new Investment Fund would be a revolving fund not subject
to fiscal year limitations. Any savings or averted costs would
be calculated by the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services.
If savings are determined, the legislature would be
required to appropriate that amount from the general fund
to the County Community Safety Investment Fund.
The money must be used for county rehabilitative programs,
including those that address mental health and substance
abuse, or provide job training or education. The money would
be distributed to Oklahoma counties in proportion to their
population.
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services will
use actual data or make its best estimate when calculating
cost savings per year. Its calculation would be final and
would not be adjusted because of subsequent changes in
underlying data.
The intent of SQ 781 is to focus on root causes of criminal
behavior such as addiction and mental health problems, as
opposed to placing more people charged with lower-level
offenses behind bars.

Religion & the State

STATEQUESTION



STATE QUESTION NO. 790

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 369
This measure would remove Article 2, Section 5 of the Oklahoma
Constitution, which prohibits the government from using public money
or property for the direct or indirect benet of any religion or religious
institution. Article 2, Section 5 has been interpreted by the Oklahoma
courts as requiring the removal of a Ten Commandments monument
from the grounds of the State Capitol. If this measure repealing Article
2, Section 5 is passed, the government would still be required to comply
with the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, which
is a similar constitutional provision that prevents the government from
endorsing a religion or becoming overly involved with religion.


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SUMMARY: State Question 790 addresses public funding

and property use regarding the separation of church and state.
It is a proposal to repeal a section of the states constitution. If
the measure is approved, Article 2, Section 5 of the Oklahoma
Constitution would be repealed. By removing this section,
public expenditure or property use for religious purposes
would not be explicitly prohibited.
Under the First Amendment to the United States
Constitution, congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof.
Under the Oklahoma Constitutions Article 2, Section 5,
state money or property cannot be used directly or indirectly
to support a church, sect, denomination, or system of religion.
This state question is a response to recent controversy
over display of the Ten Commandments monument on the
grounds of the Oklahoma State Capitol. In 2009, the Ten
Commandments Monument Display Act was passed by the
state legislature and, three years later, a privately donated Ten
Commandments monument was erected on the grounds of
the State Capitol. Lawsuits followed, and by June 2015, the
Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the monuments placement
on state property was unconstitutional, ordering that it be
removed. The basis for the courts decision was Article 2,
Section 5 of the Oklahoma State Constitution. In October
2015, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin called on the
legislature to repeal that section of the state constitution in
order to allow the monument at the State Capitol.

Alcohol

STATEQUESTION



STATE QUESTION NO. 792

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 370
This measure repeals Article 28 of the Oklahoma Constitution and
restructures the laws governing alcoholic beverages through a new Article


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new Article 28A provides that with exceptions, a person or company can
have an ownership interest in only one area of the alcoholic beverage
business-manufacturing, wholesaling, or retailing. Some restrictions apply
to the sales of manufacturers, brewers, winemakers, and wholesalers.
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consumers of wine. Retail locations like grocery stores may sell wine and
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liquor stores, and places serving alcoholic beverages and may create other
licenses. Certain licensees must meet residency requirements. Felons
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when alcoholic beverages may be sold and may impose taxes on sales.
Municipalities may levy an occupation tax. If authorized, a state lodge may
sell individual alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption but no
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SUMMARY: If the proposal is approved, it would repeal

Article 28 of the Oklahoma Constitution and replace it with
Article 28A, which restructures the laws governing alcohol.
If approved, the measure will go into effect on October 1,
2018.
Currently, under Oklahoma law, liquor stores can sell
full-strength, unrefrigerated beer but cannot sell cold beer
or chilled wine. Liquor stores can sell wine and spirits but
no other items. Grocery and convenience stores can sell cold
low-point beer (3.2 percent alcohol by weight) but not spirits,
wine, or high-point beer.
State Question 792 would change the current alcohol laws
to allow grocery, convenience, and drug stores to sell cold,
high-point beer (up to 8.99 percent alcohol by volume) and
wine (up to 15 percent alcohol by volume). Liquor stores
would be allowed to sell cold beer and any item that also
may be purchased in a grocery store or convenience store
except motor fuelin limited amounts. Liquor or spirits will
still only be available for purchase from licensed retail liquor
stores.

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

Weatherford Daily News

Sep
29
2016
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Lucas supports SQ 777

Colin Murphy
Staff Reporter

This November, Oklahoma state

voters will consider, among other issues,
State Question 777 the Right to Farm.
It could aptly be described as a battle
for the future of Oklahoma farming.
The bill would permanently remove the
legislatures ability to impose future
regulations on farming and cancel out
and regulations added since 2014 unless
there is a compelling state interest,
rest, the
highest burden of law.
The issue has been debated, including
ncluding
l di
two speeches at Weatherford Public
ublic
Library.
Oklahoma Congressman Frankk
Lucas is one who supports the issue.
ssue.
e
e.
An official statement
from Lucas office reads,
Congressman Lucas intends
to vote for SQ 777 (Right to
Farm). While he doesnt believee

that adoption of SQ 777 will have

a radical impact on the agriculture
industry in Oklahoma, he is concerned
that if the question fails we will leave
the door open for anti-ag and anti-farm
groups to come in and push restrictive
proposals to overregulate our industry,
similar to what weve seen in other
states.
During his WPL speech supporting
SQ 777, Michael Kelsey, executive
vice president of and lobbyist for the
Oklahoma Cattlemens Association,
purportedly quoted
d
Lucas saying,
sayingg,

Please see SQ 777,

Page 3

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

Sep 2016 Page

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Weatherford Daily News

SQ 777
Continued from Page One
Frank Lucas said it best, he said, If we pass Right to Farm as a state, what
changes on (election day)? Nothing. Now, if we dont pass it, what happens? We
will start seeing an onslaught of proposed regulations from animal rights groups to
dictate how we run our farms.
The claim made by Lucas and some others reflects a fear special interest may
influence future generations of Oklahoma legislators in support of environmental
and animal rights, and this may someday make it impossible for small farms to
operate.
On the other side of the debate are individuals such as Oklahoma State Rep. Dr.
Jason Dunnington, who also believes SQ 777 could influence the future of farming

in Oklahoma. He believes SQ 777 could take away from small farmers, because
it is impossible to predict what new technologies might affect farming and how,
when implemented by large corporate farms, they might harm surrounding small
farms and communities. He said Oklahomans, and Oklahoma farmers in particular,
should trust their elected legislators to protect them from over-regulation more
than they should trust current laws to always protect them as the world changes.
We are Oklahoma. We are not California, Dunnington said. In my two
years in office, I have seen no bills come across my desk attempting to increase
regulations on farming.

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

The Garvin County News Star

Sep
30
2016
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Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.

Moore American

Sep
30
2016
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Right to Farm bill

A
unnecessary, restrictive m
Editorial Board

much more dicult to change

or x if the amendment simOklahomans will determine
ply doesnt work. Oklahomans
the fate of several state queswould be tying themselves to
tions this November. One of
this piece of vague legislation.
the most controversial is SQ
Additionally, the language at
777, also known as the Right to the end of the proposed amendFarm or Right to Harm bill,
ment, compelling state interest,
depending on which side of the
isnt random. Its whats called a
road youre on. But what is it?
judicial standard. New legislaSQ 777 would amend the
tion would be balanced against
Oklahoma Constitution. The
it and, odds are, it would fail.
main portion of the amendment Throughout the country, state
is as follows: The Legislature
legislation and municipal ordishall pass no law which abridges nances, when weighed against a
the right of citizens and lawstandard as high as compelling
ful residents of Oklahoma to
state interest, loses more than
employ agricultural technology
70 percent of the time.
and livestock production and
In eect, SQ 777 would freeze
ranching practices without a
any new legislation directed
compelling state interest.
at farming or ranching. The
Proponents say the amendindustry should certainly be
ment would protect farmers
allowed to develop and utilize
and ranchers from invasive
new technologies, methods and
governmental regulations that
practices, but the state and cities
restrict growth, eciency and
should be able to pass laws and
prot. Opponents say farmers
and ranchers will have too much ordinances when necessary.
Restricting them from doing so
freedom, and the amendment
takes power away from leaders
will have far-reaching environelected by Oklahomans.
mental aects.
There are plenty of reasons
SQ 777 isnt in direct response
to
vote no to SQ 777 and not
to any new legislation. The state
very
many to vote yes. If there is
legislature didnt just pass some
specic
legislation that Oklakind of restrictive farming and
homa farmers and ranchers fear,
ranching law. This is merely
or if there are new laws they
an industry attempting to skirt
potential local and state regula- want to pass, they should talk
to their state representatives
tions on how they do business.
and senators and go through
But even more important is
the usual legislative channels. A
the fact that SQ 777 wouldnt
just be passing new legislation: it constitutional amendment is too
would be amending the Consti- permanent, and the language
tution. An amendment is much too broad and restrictive, for SQ
more denitive than a law. Its
777 to be a good idea.

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