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by Lynn Snyder

Armed with strong state policy positions, Ohio Farm Bureau delegates were a part of the national debate on issues such as the 2007 Farm Bill, eminent domain, trade and the estate tax during the 87^th American Farm Bureau annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

"Ohio Farm Bureau offered a number of policy recommendations," said OFBF Director of National Affairs Adam Sharp. "Many were accepted during the session or included with other states' policies," he said.

Sharp described the session as positive. "Good, clear policy was passed and supported by a majority of the body. Voting gave clear answers for where they wanted to be on some key issues," he said. Following is a re-cap of some of the policy highlights:

Farm Bill
The delegates said they support the 2002 Farm Bill until it expires in 2007, with the possibility of extending it until a new World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement is reached or until a new farm policy is needed.

Sharp said AFBF policy supports the idea of a safety net for the next Farm Bill but encourages flexibility to accept new, improved or completely different ideas on farm programs. But it should "give farmers what they need," such as risk management tools, disaster relief and predictability, he said. Delegates also said they would like to see an energy escalator added to the farm bill that would provide some relief for rising energy costs.

In a news release, AFBF President Bob Stallman said farmers are "feeling the pain of rising input costs, including energy prices, and fertilizer prices that have tripled in just the last few years. They are clearly looking for relief from costs pressures, which they cannot pass along to their customers."

Sharp said delegates wanted to make sure new farm policy is WTO compliant. He said some farmers have been concerned that the WTO would dictate future farm policy, but he said, "We want to write our own farm policy. We want to make sure farm programs going forward are compliant with WTO so any new farm policy can be strongly defended per any WTO challenges."

Estate tax
For many years, Farm Bureau has worked for permanent repeal of the federal estate tax, and the organization has been successful in the House. At this convention, delegates passed policy that Farm Bureau is willing to accept a $10 million exemption level, Sharp said. "At that level, a majority of farmers would be exempt," he said. "This is the first time Farm Bureau has been willing to say it would accept an exemption amount."

Animal ID
Ohio Farm Bureau recommended and national delegates adopted a position supporting mandatory animal identification program. Sharp said the key to this policy is that members want a program that is not burdensome to producers, protects privacy and can be both private and public -- meaning private organizations could collect the information for government use.

"We are willing to have this program because of the rising concern in BSE, avian influenza and homeland security," Sharp said. "Livestock producers want to protect their herds."

Eminent Domain
Delegates strengthened their position on eminent domain: "We support legislation stating eminent domain shall not be used to condemn or transfer property from one private entity to another private entity for economic development or any other private use."

At the meeting, AFBF released the results of a nationwide survey. The poll shows, regardless of geographical, partisan and other demographic differences, Americans are unified nearly 2-to-1 against government use of eminent domain to take private property, except in limited circumstances such as when the public at large would clearly benefit from a new road, electric utility or similar project.

Likewise, 83 percent of Americans oppose the use of eminent domain to further private development initiatives.