OKMULGEE – Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural educators gathered at the first annual Growing Power Ag Expo on July 18-19 with one goal in mind: building and strengthening connections for the future of agriculture across Okmulgee County.
The expo was designed to connect producers and community members with agricultural organizations and experts through education and networking, bringing together and creating opportunities for producers of all backgrounds to build lasting connections.
In the spirit of collaboration, event organizers envisioned the expo as more than just a weekend of vendor booths.
“One of the things we focus on in extension is to promote our ag producers,” Chris Azbell (Mvskoke), CMN Extension Coordinator for Okmulgee County, said. “So we had this idea to do an ag expo just to highlight all things ag.”
This idea manifested as a weekend full of networking and hands-on experiences designed specifically with producers in mind.
Guest speakers discussed topics like hemp farming, data centers, and the Homemade Food Freedom Act. Vendors and agricultural organizations networked with attendees, while food trucks and live music created a welcoming atmosphere for all.
Among those attending was Al Roberts, a livestock producer in Seminole County. When asked what drew him to the expo, Roberts said it was the education.
“Just coming here to just get educated a little bit more,” Roberts said. “You can never learn too much.”
One of the greatest benefits of the expo was, to Roberts, the opportunity to hear from experts and trade ideas with his fellow producers. He said that with the constant shifting nature of agriculture, it’s imperative for farmers and ranchers to stay informed and continue making connections with others in their industry.
“You can never learn too much.” – Al Roberts
Guest speaker and founder of the National Black Farmers Association, John Boyd, echoed the value of education but emphasized that the strength of expos like Growing Power is the people it brings together.
“I think this particular expo brings together different bodies of cultures that don’t historically meet in a venue like this,” Boyd said. “Some of the events are just Native American. Some of the events are just Black. What I’ve seen so far is a mixture of the different populations, which I think is a good thing.”
With the rise of input costs and shrinking profit margins, Boyd said those connections are more important today than they’ve ever been.
“Farming in this country has become more difficult,” he said. “We’re going to have to get creative and find each other and find ways to cut some of this cost.”
As the inaugural event closed, Azbell said that the true measure of the expo’s success was the connections made and the information that attendees took home. He hopes the relationships fostered and knowledge shared will continue to grow in the years to come.
“If we educate one person, it’s going to be a success,” Azbell said.
