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Water rights have traditionally been a western states issue, but the time may come when Ohio will have to wade into the debate. "With water shortages and droughts becoming more common recently, it raises concern about who gets to use water in time of short supply and who doesn’t," according to Ohio Farm Bureau Director of Environmental Research Larry Antosch. Water from the Great Lakes is used in agriculture, but also in industrial uses and as drinking water. Antosch said that with competing demands comes the need for more specific withdrawal standards and procedures.

Delegates at the Ohio Farm Bureau annual meeting approved a new policy section opposing the out-of basin transfer (diversion) of water from one major river basin to another in Ohio. Delegates also said they were opposed to the expansion of Ohio’s Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program to a water use permitting program and to any new water quantity-based legislation that would adversely affect Ohio agriculture.

To help promote OFBF policy, Antosch is representing Ohio Farm Bureau as a member of the Council of Great Lakes Governors Great Lakes Water Management Advisory Committee. The council is a nonpartisan partnership of the governors of the eight Great Lakes States, and Gov. Bob Taft is chairman of the council. In 1983, the region’s Governors decided to join forces to create the council to tackle the environmental and economic challenges facing the citizens of their states. In recent years, the Canadian Premiers of Ontario and Quebec have joined with the council governors.

Antosch is involved in the council’s efforts to come up with solutions to potential legal problems the Great Lakes face. It is the committee’s goal to develop the withdrawal standards by June 2004.

With Ohio Farm Bureau’s involvement in this group, "We are taking action to protect our members’ interests and address their desires," Antosch said.