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by Susie Taylor

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation’s (OFBF) policy development process is the "heartbeat" of the organization. So says, OFBF’s Director of Political Education Deering Dyer.

"When we say we’re a grassroots organization, the entire policy development process is primarily what we’re talking about," Dyer said. "The way our organization decides what issues to focus on certainly starts with every individual member and works its way through the process until it gets to the state annual meeting and on to the American Farm Bureau annual meeting."

Policy development is in full swing as county Farm Bureaus hold their annual meetings and approve local policy statements. Each of Ohio’s 87 county Farm Bureaus (Jackson and Vinton counties are combined) then approve suggestions for state and national policy which are forwarded to the OFBF Policy Development Committee, which meets for its first session in Columbus Sept. 9 and 10.

That committee then decides which statements to forward to the more than 300 delegates who debate, adopt, amend and/or delete ("Probably all of the above," Dyer said) those statements until a state policy is approved. Those delegates also make recommendations that are forwarded to the AFBF annual meeting for discussion during those delegate sessions.

"This process is so important," Dyer said. "The pulse of our organization comes from the policy development efforts of our 87 county Farm Bureaus. The input they provide is the springboard to our state and proposed national policies."

The OFBF Policy Development Committee is comprised of 16 state board members:Terry McClure, Bob Peterson, Gary Baldosser, Helen Caplinger, Steve Hirsch, Ellen Joslin, Charles Lausin, Randy Leis, Vicki McConnell, Brent Porteus, Vickie Powell, Bob Slicker, Sparky Weilnau, Merlin Wentworth, Eric Wolfer and Jeff Zellers and 10 county representatives. They are Tom Anslow, Port Clinton; Sandy Denes, Wellington; Dan Evans, Dover; Art Langerman, McConnelsville; Roger Rhude, Lebanon; Bob Sage, Chardon; Brian Snavely, Republic; Mark Stokes, Wilmington; Dave Swartz, Shelby; and Roger VanGordon, Middletown.