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by John Wargowsky

In its first eight months of operation, Mid American Ag and Hort Services (MAAHS) is developing a successful track record of serving employer members in Ohio and Indiana. MAAHS works on behalf of nursery, landscape, fruit, vegetable, floral, bedding plant, food processing and other agricultural sectors. The group was organized to meet the educational, regulatory compliance assistance and labor recruiting needs of agricultural and other employers. OFBF is one of seven sponsor members of this unique consortium of associations, organizations and employers.

MAAHS has supplied the following member services and benefits:

• Provided subscription to Gempler's Alert, a newsletter of safety and labor law compliance for ag/hort employers, along with a 20 percent discount on many of Gempler's educational materials.
• Provided MAAHS Messenger, a newsletter produced monthly to inform MAAHS members of pertinent issues not addressed in Gempler's Alert.
• Provided the Gempler's-produced manual, Labor Law Compliance: A Working Guide for Ag/Hort Employers.
• Worked with Ohio State Highway Patrol – Motor Carrier Safety Division to ensure proper enforcement of Ohio's Mandatory Bus Inspection Program. This included the development of fact sheets to help bus owners comply with the relatively new criteria.
• Assisted members in understanding how S.B. 184, Ohio's anti-terrorism bill, affects non-U.S. citizens in obtaining Ohio driver's licenses and identification cards.
• Aided members recruiting workers through the H-2A and H-2B Temporary Guestworker Programs.
• Helped members in understanding the I-9 employment verification process.
• Supported members in understanding how to handle Social Security Administration mismatch letters.
• Held an employer seminar that included training and the first MAAHS annual meeting.
• Assisted members in understanding Ohio Minor Labor Laws and worked with the Wage and Hour Bureau of the Ohio Department of Commerce to clarify these laws.
• Aided members in complying with federal and state labor housing regulations. This included working with the Ohio Department of Health to educate employers about Ohio's labor camp regulations.
• Helped members in complying with the New Hire Reporting Program that is mandatory nationwide.
• Efforts in Progress
• Working with ODA and Ohio State University Extension to increase educational efforts to assist employers in complying with the Worker Protection Standard. This has significant implications in Ohio since Ohio is the audit state in U.S. E.P.A. Region 5 and enforcement efforts are being increased.
• Cooperating with the Ohio State University Extension Ag and Hort Labor Education Program and Ohio State University Extension Farm Management Team to develop systems to educate employers on laws and regulations affecting them.

MAAHS is developing and maintaining relationships with organizations, government agencies, universities and other appropriate parties to facilitate services and benefits for its members. Ohio Farm Bureau members are eligible to join MAAHS. Contact MAAHS at 614-677-4530 or send e-mail to labor@ofbf.org