Oklahoma Land Values Surge, Creating Challenges for New Farmers
A U.S. Department of Agriculture Survey shows Oklahoma land values on average continued to increase this year. More on what that means for producers and rural residents:
The value of farm real estate in Oklahoma rose about 8.5% from 2023 to 2024.
Roger Sahs, associate extension specialist, says this is good news for established producers who already own larger amounts of land.
“But those that are, say, new or beginning producers, and when you have rising land values and these high interest rates, it's essentially pricing them right out of the market," said Sahs.
He says it’s difficult for new producers to finance because they do not have the credit background or capital to have a payment for land on top of production expenses.
USDA’s annual survey shows this is the fourth year in a row the value of all land and buildings for agriculture production has increased in Oklahoma.
Overall, land value has also continued to go up nationwide.
Districts Criticize Oklahoma Education Department for Pulling Safety Funds
Oklahoma school districts are speaking out after money intended for school safety was pulled by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The confusion is over whether schools can save up the money from year to year.
Last year, the Oklahoma legislature passed a bill to provide schools with about $96,000 each year for three years for school safety upgrades, like bullet-proof windows and school resource officers. But according to reporting from Oklahoma City news station KFOR-TV, rollover money from last year to this year was removed from their accounts by the state department.
Superintendents told KFOR they were planning to save up the money for bigger security purchases. An archived version of OSDE’s website with guidelines on the bill said districts would be able to roll over the funds, but last month, that line was removed from the site.
OSDE did not answer specific questions, but instead says there was no clear intent for rolling over expressed by the legislature. But lawmakers say the department is overstepping, and some call for Superintendent Ryan Walters to be held accountable.
Rare Oklahoma Butterfly Facing New Threats
A rare Oklahoma butterfly is facing new threats.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommend seeking protections for the regal fritillary. The regal fritillary is a large, silver-spotted, orange and black butterfly.
The western regal fritillary lives in the native grasslands of the Great Plains and portions of the Midwest. The butterfly can be found in 14 states, including Oklahoma.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s assessment found that while the western regal fritillary is not in immediate danger, it may be in the future. The butterfly is increasingly facing threats like habitat loss, pesticide use, invasive plants and climate change.
The service is seeking protections for the species which would prohibit anyone from harming, killing, transporting or selling the butterflies.
Public comments on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal may be submitted online or by mail during a 60-day public comment period.
Tulsa Dog Starts House Fire, Highlighting Dangers of Lithium-ion Batteries
Playful dogs and batteries proved a recipe for disaster in a recent Tulsa house fire.
SRP: Many types of electronics use lithium ion batteries – including laptops, tools, electric toothbrushes and cell phones.
But when lithium batteries overheat or get damaged, they can quickly start fires.
An indoor camera caught the exact moment one of these fires started. A dog was chewing on a phone battery pack. When the dog’s tooth punctured the device, it lit up in flames.
Andy Little with the Tulsa Fire Department urges people to pay closer attention to how they store and use electronics with lithium batteries.
“Please make sure that you keep them in a safe place where pets and children can't access them. And, you know, just treat them like a tool that could potentially be dangerous," Little said.
Little says electronics need to be properly disposed of too. Lithium batteries have also been the culprit in recycling bin and landfill fires.
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