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by Annie Cunningham

More than 100 county Farm Bureau presidents, spokespeople, Ohio Farm Bureau board members, media representatives and staff will take agriculture’s message directly to lawmakers in Washington, D.C., during the annual lobbying trip, March 9 to 11.

Keith Stimpert, Ohio Farm Bureau’s vice president of government affairs, believes energy, animal identification, bovine spongiform encephalopathy and labor reform will be high on the list of topics to discuss with their respective lawmakers.

"Putting our volunteer leaders face-to-face with their legislators makes a huge impact. The law makers want to hear from their constituents, and county Farm Bureau presidents are great spokespeople for agriculture," Stimpert said.

The presidents will be briefed on the issues by American Farm Bureau staff before they meet with their representatives face-to-face. Jeff Watkins, Ohio Farm Bureau’s vice president of field services, said members should feel free to contact their county presidents if they feel an issue should be addressed during the trip.

Other activities planned will be a visit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to hear from officials from various agencies within the department. Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester, will host the House Agriculture Committee Forum, where he and other committee members will address agricultural concerns. Sen. Mike DeWine will join the group for breakfast during the trip to explain his stand on many of the issues as well.

The Farm Bureau leaders will also visit a foreign embassy while they’re in town to learn about agriculture in a different land. As of press time, the location was not set.

CAPTION: During last year’s Presidents’ Trip to Washington, D.C., Ohio Farm Bureau leaders and staff met with Sen. Mike DeWine to discuss the estate tax.