Applications for Ohio Farm Bureau Health Plans now available
Members have three ways to apply: contacting a certified agent, calling 833-468-4280 or visiting ohiofarmbureauhealthplans.org.
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Note: This article was reviewed March 2025.
1. Landowners can enroll in an agricultural district with their county auditor. The land must be at least 10 acres, or if less than 10 acres, have an average gross income of at least $2,500 from agricultural production. While the requirements are the same as for the Current Agricultural Use Valuation program, a landowner must enroll in each program separately.
2. Agricultural district registration affords important benefits to landowners, including an affirmative defense in certain nuisance suits that might be filed against a landowner for their agricultural activities. Other benefits concern assessments for water, sewer and electric and eminent domain review.
3. If land is in a municipality, the agricultural district enrollment must be approved by the city’s legislative body and the benefits of the ag district program can be modified.
4. Agricultural security areas are an opportunity for a group of landowners and local officials to make a commitment to keeping land in agricultural production for at least 10 years. During an Agricultural security area agreement, no non-agricultural development will be permitted on the property.
5. Agricultural security areas need to be at least 500 acres of contiguous farmland, have all landowners agree to enroll, and be located in unincorporated areas of a township or county. An application must be filed with the county auditor, and the local governments must hold a hearing and pass a resolution approving the area.
More landowner information
For further explanation of these tips and other information on other topics impacting landowners, Ohio Farm Bureau members can log in and download the Landowner Toolkit. Not a member? Join today!
Also, listen to Legal with Leah, a podcast featuring Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis discussing topics impacting landowners.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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