Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Stacy Simunek released the following statement after the State of Oklahoma and 11 Arkansas-based poultry announced Monday, July 13, that a nearly $44 million settlement had been reached in the decades-long lawsuit regarding the application of chicken litter in the Illinois River Watershed.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau members are pleased with the proposed settlement reached between the State of Oklahoma and 11 poultry companies operating in Oklahoma’s Illinois River Watershed over the state’s long-running lawsuit that was based on outdated science and production methods.

The original lawsuit, filed in 2005, created uncertainty for family farmers and ranchers for more than two decades, and this agreement provides a way for Oklahoma farm and ranch families to continue their important work to feed Americans without being unnecessarily burdened.

We appreciate Attorney General Drummond working with the poultry industry to reach a proposed solution that allows the poultry companies and our family farmers to continue to produce the food products we all rely upon while ensuring our shared natural resources are safeguarded for generations to come.

Our state’s farmers and ranchers, including poultry producers in the Illinois River Watershed, are committed to implementing voluntary environmental stewardship practices each and every day to ensure their land is productive and our rural communities are protected.

In this week’s Your Vote Counts, Jason Dunnington and Sen. Paul Rosino discuss the importance of Oklahoma’s runoff election, Oklahoma insurance lawsuits, and mental health issues.

This tracker will be updated as the MLB Draft progresses throughout the weekend.

Oklahoma is still basking in the shine of capturing the program’s third national title last month.

The players have spread out to participate in summer leagues across the country, and head coach Skip Johnson has been hard at work finalizing the roster for next year through the transfer portal and rounding out the coaching staff, which now includes his son Tyler Johnson to fill the void left by Todd Butler, who departed for Florida.

A handful of OU upperclassmen will have big decisions to make.

The MLB Draft got underway on Saturday, meaning a few Sooners will have to decide whether to return to school for an additional year or start their professional careers.

Here are the Oklahoma players who have been selected in the draft.

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Oklahoma’s Draft Picks

• Brendan Brock did a bit of everything for the Sooners. He started 65 of OU’s 66 games either at catcher, in the outfield or as the Sooners’ designated hitter. He hit .302 for the year, totaling 74 hits, 11 doubles, two triples and he scored 60 runs. Brock bashed 13 home runs, finished with 55 RBIs and stole 28 bases. He hit .400 in the Men’s College World Series, which included a home run, a double and three RBIs.
• Oklahoma shortstop Jaxon Willits was the second Sooner off the board. The junior started 64 games and hit .313 with seven home runs, 55 RBIs, 20 doubles and three triples. Willits truly shined in the World Series. He was named the Most Outstanding Player in Omaha. Willits went 13-for-26 at the plate, setting the school record for hits in a single MCWS, and he had a home run, four doubles and seven RBIs. He’s the son of OU associate head coach Reggie Willits, and his brother, Eli, was the first-overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
• Right-handed pitcher LJ Mercurius was selected a few picks after Willits. The junior transferred to OU from UNLV and was able to play alongside his brother, Xander. LJ began the year as one of Oklahoma’s starters, landing him on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, but later in the year he transitioned to a bullpen role, where he thrived. He ended the year with a 4.43 ERA in 83 1/3 innings. He started 12 games and made 22 appearances, ending with a 7-7 record and four saves. He struck out 103 batters and issued 27 walks while also hitting 10 batters. Mercurius held opponents to a .235 batting average against him in 2026.
• A member of the MCWS All-Tournament Team, catcher Deiten Lachance was the man for the big moment throughout the postseason. He finished the year batting .327 with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs in 65 appearances, and he also added 12 doubles and two triples. Lachance homered three times at the World Series, including a pair of bombs in the first contest of the Championship Series against North Carolina.
• Camden Johnson started 62 games at third base and appeared in all but one game for the Sooners. He hit .298 for the season with 11 doubles, three triples and nine homers, and Johnson drove in 48 runs. He also stole 31 bases.