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Ohio Farm Bureau generates policy recommendations from several sources – individual members, advisory councils, county organizations and commodity advisory committees. Several of the commodity committees have met within the past few months and have made recommendations to Farm Bureau on issues that could be discussed by OFBF’s Policy Development Committee as it prepares for the 85th annual meeting to be held in early December.

Committee members identified several issues of concern, with milk prices being the highest priority, followed by profitability, level playing field, farm bill issues, business continuation, dairy infrastructure, milk quality, free trade, positive image, dairy compacts, consumer safety and on-farm raw milk sales.

A presentation on dairy price and policy outlook from OSU Extension’s dairy economist Cameron Thraen focused on answering the question: "Will milk prices rebound?" The answer? Maybe – if conditions are right. In his report, Thraen wrote, "It is hard to be up-beat and rosy with quarterly average prices that look, at this point, not to be much better than 2000 or 2002." There are three factors that will impact milk prices throughout 2003: higher feed costs, slow recovery of the U.S. economy and low wholesale prices.

Dairy Farmers of America presented information on current legislative issues, while the National Milk Producers Federation gave information on the Cooperatives Working Together program.

Ohio Livestock Coalition reviewed new Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation rules, and the availability of Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding through USDA-NRCS was discussed.

The committee restated its support for several OFBF policies regarding commodity promotion and raw milk sales. New policies regarding dairy infrastructure, OFBF direction, dairy imports and farm bill payment options have been recommended to the OFBF policy development committee for its consideration.

The corn and soybean advisory committees met jointly and heard presentations on biotechnology, drainage issues and trade negotiations.

Soybean committee members rated issues in order of priority as profitability, viable domestic livestock market and infrastructure, product acceptability, drainage, trade, soydiesel, level playing field, urban sprawl, regulations and research.

For corn committee members, those priorities were pretty much the same – except in a different order. First on the list was also profitability, but the rest were biotechnology education, drainage easement issues, ditch designation as a warm water habitat, ethanol and biodiesel, WTO impacts, rural life education, livestock sector viability, wetland designation, inconsistency in FSA programs and Round-Up ready wheat.

Participants heard an update on animal health issues from William Saville, OSU Extension veterinarian. He talked about West Nile Virus and other diseases impacting the equine industry.

The committee also discussed horse boarding basics from legal, liability and risk management perspectives. Nan Still, OFBF director of agricultural law, recommended use of written contracts when providing boarding and related services for horses.

Also giving presentations were representatives from the Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association, Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association and Ohio Horseman’s Council.

The committee suggested that the OFBF Policy Development committee consider a policy supporting the use of video lottery terminals at the seven regulated gaming sites in Ohio, and reiterated support for the development of a statewide equine marketing and promotion program.

For more information about any of these committee meetings, contact David White, OFBF director of commodity relations, at 614-246-8288 or dwhite@ofbf.org