Pension Costs Rising for Local Governments, Schools
Ohio newspapers reported Sunday on the rising cost of the state's five pension plans and its effect on local governments and school districts.
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- Agricultural Labor Reform to be Considered by Senate
- Prepare for pipeline development increases across Ohio
- Ohio Livestock Coalition accepting nominations for 'Neighbor of the Year' awards
- Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees announced
- Ohio Congressional delegation involved in Farm Bill progress
Peterson Threatens to Oppose Food Safety Bill
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) says he is worried the Food Safety Enforcement Act would allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate farm activities and has threatened to oppose the bill, unless his concerns are met.
Peterson Viewed as Obstacle to Climate Change Bill
The Minneapolis Post reported that House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) is viewed as a major obstacle to climate change legislation. Peterson said the draft of the climate change bill recently passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee is unacceptable and ignores...
Peterson: Climate Bill "Still Has Problems"
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) is looking to the Senate to make changes in climate change legislation that will better protect agriculture. "It's still got problems," said Peterson, who brokered a deal for the climate change bill to pass the House in June.
Peterson: EPA, USDA Will Kill Off Biofuels Industry
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson ( D-Minn.) said he will not support any climate change bills and said the Obama administration is unfair to the ethanol industry with its proposals on greenhouse gas reduction. “You're going to kill off the biofuels industry before it even...
President Obama Recently Signed Food Safety Bill
President Barack Obama recently signed a $1.4 billion food safety bill that sets the biggest change to oversight of the food industry since 1938 and gives the Food and Drug Administration more regulatory authority. However, Republicans are sending signals of a funding fight for the new regulations.
Producers Benefit More from ACRE than Price-Based Programs
A report released Tuesday by USDA’s Economic Research Service on the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program suggests that for 2009-2012, producers of corn, soybeans, wheat and rice are likely to benefit more from the ACRE program than from the price-based...
Proposed Crop Insurance Cuts Sending Alarms
Proposed cuts in the crop insurance program are sending alarms through the insurance industry for both underwriters and agents, according to National Underwriter. Under a proposal unveiled earlier this month, the Obama administration wants new cutbacks in the program that in addition to other...
Public Option Makes it into Senate Health Care Bill
Health care reform legislation headed to the Senate floor for debate includes a public option for coverage. Millions of Americans would have the option of buying government-run insurance coverage if the bill becomes law. Individual states would have the choice to opt out of the program.
PUCO Grants Extension of Hours of Service Exemption
On November 29, 2011 the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) granted an emergency extension of the hours of service exemption to those drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles transporting agricultural products within Ohio. Ohio Farm Bureau had requested PUCO issue such an emergency...
PUCO schedules commercial motor carrier listening sessions
Ohio’s motor carrier community is invited to provide the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) with testimony regarding new safety rules that apply to private intrastate commercial motor vehicles. The PUCO will host five listening sessions to learn from small carriers about the operational...
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Rep. Josh Mandel Announces Candidacy for State Treasurer
Rep. Josh Mandel (R-Lyndhurst) made his bid for state treasurer official on Thursday, saying he wants to use technology to monitor and protect the state's money and investments.
ReshapeOhio.org unveiled to encourage public participation in redistricting
COLUMBUS – At the first meeting of the state Apportionment Board, Secretary of State Jon Husted unveiled ReshapeOhio.org, a website sponsored by the Legislative Task Force on Redistricting, the Ohio Apportionment Board and the Ohio Secretary of State’s office that is designed to give Ohioans...
Russia Blocks Import of U.S. Poultry
Russia began blocking imports of U.S. poultry as of Jan. 1 because of concerns about a commonly used chlorine treatment, USDA and a Russian news agency reported last week. Russia plans to proceed, over U.S. objections, with a new law prohibiting chlorine as an anti-microbial treatment in...
Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $800 Million from Recovery Act to Accelerate Biof
As part of the ongoing effort to increase the use of domestic renewable fuels, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced plans to provide $786.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate advanced biofuels research and development and to provide additional...
Senate Agriculture Committee Shuffles Leadership Positions
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), chairman of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, recently announced several new subcommittee leadership positions. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) will assume chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit...
Senate Approves Health Care Bill Along Party Lines
The Senate on Thursday approved H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, on a 60-39 vote along party lines. Senate Democrats and Independents supported the measure; no Republicans voted for it.
Senate Cap and Trade Bill Reported
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and other Democratic members of the Environment and Public Works Committee reported S. 1733, the Kerry-Boxer cap-and-trade bill, out of committee to the Senate floor without any Republican members of the committee participating.
Senate Passes Bill Allowing FDA to Regulate Tobacco
The Senate approved a bill Thursday by a 79-17 vote that gives the Food and Drug Administration sweeping new powers to regulate tobacco products, including such factors as the amount of addictive nicotine in a cigarette and cigarette packaging and marketing. The 79-17 vote virtually ensures...
Senator Voinovich Hosts his Final Farm Forum
Last week Ohio's senior United States Senator George Voinovich held what is likely his last Farm Forum as he prepares to retire from the Senate at the end of this year. Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Jack Fisher along with representatives of Ohio's agricultural commodity organizations...
Senators express concerns about crop insurance
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to Vilsack that commended USDA for proposing a Good Performance Refund program aimed at strengthening the federal crop insurance program.
Several OFBF Priority Issues Included in HB 114 - Transportation Budget Bill
HB 114 (McGregor) – Transportation Budget Bill HB 114 recently passed the Ohio House and is now being heard in the Ohio Senate. It is the legislation that funds Ohio’s Department of Transportation, Public Safety, and other projects related to transportation and infrastructure in Ohio...
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Slideshow of 2012 Policy, Political, and Grassroots Activities
This video features Ohio Farm Bureau Vice President of Public Policy Adam Sharp recapping many of the organization's key policy, political and grassroots activities in 2012.
Stabenow Introduces Bill with Ag Offsets
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) introduced a bill that would establish an offsets program as part of the Senate cap-and-trade bill. The bill establishes an initial list of eligible offsets that include agricultural practices such as no-till, methane digesters, tree planting, precision fertilizer...
Stabenow officially announced as Senate Ag Chair
After being formally appointed yesterday to serve as chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said she looks forward to leading the committee and emphasized her belief that “agriculture is critical to our economy and is helping to lead our recovery.”