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Being No. 1 isn’t always such a good thing.

Some Ohio farmers are finding themselves at the top of lists that show how much money they receive in federal subsidies each year. The lists are making their way into newspapers across the state as the media write about the possible impact of President Bush’s budget proposal on Ohio farmers.

The list was compiled by Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates subsidy reform. EWG is attacking U.S. Department of Agriculture subsidies, claiming a majority unfairly goes to the largest farms. EWG’s lists, which break the subsidies down not only by state but by county and farm organization, have received a lot of media attention nationwide. Several Ohio newspapers have written about the subsidies and included a graphic that shows which farms received the most federal money in their county.

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) staff has received calls from several of its members asking what they can do about EWG’s information, which can portray farmers negatively. It’s best to try to balance the story by explaining why the subsidies are important and ask Farm Bureau staff for statistics to help make your point, said Joe Cornely, director of OFBF’s corporate communications.

"A response from a farmer has a lot more impact than that of a corporate spokesman," Cornely said.

Brian Harbage, president of Clark County Farm Bureau, called Cornely for some advice on how to respond to questions from a reporter with the Springfield News-Sun about the federal subsidies his family receives from its farm operation.

"I had to decide whether to decline or speak," said Harbage, of South Charleston. "I figured this was the only chance to defend the subsidies and tried to drive home the fact that not having subsidies would result in a loss to us."

Before agreeing to the interview, Harbage tried to talk the newspaper out of using the EWG subsidy list. He explained that he was afraid readers would only look at this list and falsely assume that farmers were getting rich from the subsidies.

While the newspaper refused to not use the list, Harbage said he felt that the reporter was more willing to hear his side of the story after he expressed his concern. The reporter came to Harbage’s house, where she could see that the family lived modestly and there was "no butler at the door," he said. Harbage said he felt the newspaper article was balanced.

"They’re going to print what sells papers, and we need to be ready to defend our lifestyle," said Harbage, whose family operation produces grain, forage, straw, sweet corn, peas and beef cattle.

Since the information is public, the key is to not let the media twist it, Cornely said. If a story is unbalanced or an editorial unfair, take action. Follow up with a letter to the editor or a visit to the newspaper. For example, OFBF staff worked with Allen County Farm Bureau on writing a letter to The Lima News to counter a column that called for complete elimination of farm subsidies. Let OFBF staff members know about the articles or editorials so they can keep track of what is being written.

With the bad, there’s good. Keep in mind that good, balanced articles should be recognized and a simple letter to the editor can accomplish that, Cornely said.