OKLAHOMA CITY — A wheat field, a hog pen, a corner office, the floor of the State House of Representatives, an international food trade market — these are all places that Anna Belle Wiedemann would feel comfortable in. A more diverse agriculturalist would be hard to find.
The first agricultural operation she ran with her husband, Carl, had no running water and no indoor bathroom. Today, the Slash C Ranch encompasses just under 2,000 acres that sprawl through Kingfisher and Canadian Counties. Laying hens, hogs, cattle and wheat have all contributed to the success of the ranch, but production agriculture is just the beginning of Wiedemann’s service to the agriculture industry.
After forming and then serving as president of the first Democratic Women’s Club in her county, Wiedemann was elected to the Oklahoma State House of Representatives in 1968 where she focused on agricultural issues as well as the good of all Oklahomans. She also served as the liaison between the agriculture committee and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. After her stint in the House, she went to work for the Oklahoma Consumer Credit Commission and then served as the Interim County Commissioner for Canadian County.
In 1984, Wiedemann took on the role of Coordinator of International Marketing for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. With this position she traveled extensively promoting the state’s agricultural products in markets across the world. She became the director of ODAFF’s Market Development Division promoting state-branded and educational programs. In addition, she was instrumental in the growth of farmers markets in the state and heavily promoted the use of local products by restaurants. Her next ODAFF position was Director of Rural Development where she designed and implemented programs that helped improve the rural economy of the state.
Through her long-term involvement with the Oklahoma CattleWomen, Wiedemann has been a valuable asset to the beef industry. She is a faithful supporter of 4-H and FFA programs and has served on many agriculture-related boards and committees where she worked tirelessly to improve the industry in her county, state, nation and world. She is an outstanding leader and public servant for agriculture.
–Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
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