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Ohio needs to curb its spending, get health insurance costs under control and find ways to encourage economic growth. That was the message of three leading business organizations that called for state government reform during a news conference at OFBF’s annual meeting. Farm Bureau teamed up with the National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio (NFIB) and Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) in describing the state of Ohio’s economy and how it can be improved.

It makes sense for the agricultural, manufacturing and business communities to join forces because their interests and concerns overlap, said Jack Fisher, OFBF executive vice president.

"We are seeing we can get a lot more done by working with partners in manufacturing, and in fact all farmers are small businessmen," Fisher said.

How family farms are doing in most of Ohio reflects how well the retail, service, transportation and manufacturing segments are doing and vice versa, said Roger Geiger, NFIB’s Midwest region vice president. He noted that all but nine of Ohio’s 88 counties are defined as being rural.

OFBF President Bob Peterson kicked off the news conference by talking about how Ohio agriculture fared this year and future concerns, including soybean rust and higher energy costs.

"It was not an easy year by any means," he said. "A lot of replanting, flooding, drought in some parts of the state. It was a very challenging year but very rewarding."

Improving Ohio’s economy is high on the groups’ agendas. They called for lower taxes on individuals and businesses, reduced state government spending, tort reform and changes in regulatory practices.

"Remember, farmers can’t pass on the costs of regulations," Fisher said.

Geiger described Ohio’s tax structure, on the state and local levels, as being "antiquated, confusing and penalizing."

Ohio’s tax system hurts an economy built in "our fields and our factories that has been and continues to be the envy of the world," said Eric Burkland, OMA’s president.

"(Others) want our agribusinesses, they want our factories, they want our prosperity and they’re competing real hard to get it,’’ he said.

State spending also needs to be curbed, the groups said.

"A 110 percent increase in state spending over the past decade makes no sense to the average family farmer or small business owner," Geiger said.

During the news conference, the business leaders fielded questions from radio and newspaper reporters that ranged from Ohio’s business practices to country-of-origin labeling to the federal budget’s affect on agriculture. Peterson said he anticipated there would be more tracing of animals back to the farm.

At the close of his remarks, Geiger thanked OFBF for its "strong and never wavering leadership and voice for Ohio’s farming community and the overall health and vitality of Ohio’s economy."

Other business news:
During an Ohio Rural Development Partnership (ORDP) meeting at OFBF’s annual meeting, Geiger announced he is stepping down as ORDP’s chairman. The statewide organization brings together Ohio residents, the private sector and federal, state and local officials to address the needs of rural communities. Geiger has been ORDP chairman since 2001 and on the board since 1993.

Mike Pullins, vice president of OFBF’s Development Corp., also spoke during the meeting about the ORDP Agriculture Committee he chairs. He said livestock expansion issues are the No. 1 concern in the agriculture community.

Caption: Leaders of OFBF, National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio and Ohio Manufacturers’ Association answer questions during a news conference.