At a time when Oklahoma families are struggling with inflation, rising land prices, shrinking rural populations, and increasing corporate consolidation of agriculture, supporters are questioning why state agencies are spending taxpayer resources pressuring local ranchers instead of supporting them. Concerns are being raised after local rancher Joel Hollingsworth of Smoke River Ranch reportedly received multiple subpoenas from the Oklahoma Department of Securities in what supporters are calling an alarming example of government overreach targeting independent farmers, ranchers, and small business owners.
“This is exactly why so many Oklahomans are losing trust in government institutions,” said Erin Martin, founder & CEO of FreshRx Oklahoma. “Politicians constantly talk about supporting rural Oklahoma, local food systems, entrepreneurship, and family farms. But when independent ranchers and agricultural innovators attempt to build something outside of the industrial system, they are often met with bureaucratic pressure instead of support.”
In a letter supporting Hollingsworth, Kim Barker whose family has been ranching in Oklahoma since the land run warned that “the existing system makes it almost impossible for young people to enter this business” adding that “Joel is an innovator both in land management and in finding new economic models to sustain rural ranching communities, which is sorely needed.”
Smoke River Ranch in Mayes County operates regeneratively using a community-supported herdshare designed for food security where members custom graze cattle together on calf splits, bringing vitality of participation into our struggling rural communities again.
Taylor Henry, CEO of Acres U.S.A. — one of the nation’s leading voices in regenerative agriculture and independent farming — stated in support of Hollingsworth that “shared-risk and shared-outcome agreements have existed for generations throughout rural America”
This situation, which is creating substantial undue hardship costing a young Oklahoman ~$20,000 per month, is drawing attention among voters who view the issue as part of a larger national pattern of government agencies burdening family farms, ranchers, and small businesses with excessive regulation and legal intimidation.
Henry further warned that “farmers attempting innovative or community-centered approaches are often forced to navigate regulatory systems designed around industrial models rather than relationship-based agriculture.” Rhys Algar, founder and CEO of Rooted Agriculture, said “What strikes me most about Joel is the integrity with which he operates. … I want to be direct: Joel Hollingsworth is one of the most principled and community-minded individuals I have encountered in this industry … a person who genuinely believes that the future of ranching depends on collaboration, transparency, and a commitment to the communities these systems serve.”
The controversy is quickly becoming a broader political issue ahead of Oklahoma’s upcoming statewide elections, with many voters calling on candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Congressman, State Senators, and House Representatives to take stronger positions defending family farms, private property rights, rural entrepreneurship, and freedom from excessive government interference.
Community members and agriculture organizations are calling on Oklahoma leaders to:
- Protect family farms and ranchers from excessive regulatory interference
- Reduce bureaucratic barriers facing agricultural entrepreneurs
- Defend private property rights and rural economic freedom
- Support independent producers instead of centralized corporate agriculture
- Create safe harbors for entrepreneurs and ranchers solving the agricultural crisis
- Promote policies that revitalize rural Oklahoma communities
“If America is serious about preserving independent agriculture and revitalizing rural communities, we must create room for thoughtful experimentation and good-faith innovation rather than discouraging it through excessive legal and administrative burdens,” Henry wrote. Alexia Kulwiec, Executive Director of Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund has shared that “herdshare agreements involve co-ownership of animals or herds. While shares are involved, these are not typical security arrangements or a method by which to invest capital and expect a profit. They are for shared use of the animals.”
Supporters say the issue goes beyond one rancher and reflects a larger fight over the future of agriculture, rural Oklahoma, and whether independent producers will still have the freedom to innovate, collaborate, and survive in an increasingly centralized system.
Tim McElroy of Shepherd’s Grain stated succinctly “America can only be as strong as her productive base. There is no industry that sits closer to raw production as does agriculture, and no character more important to the prosperity of the nation than the farmer. What Joel and the team at Smoke River Ranch are building is a real solution to the crisis mid-sized American farms face.”
Please reference this shared folder to read these and other support letters directly.
For media inquiries or interviews, contact:
Joel Hollingsworth, CEO