Ohio Farm Bureau supports Issue 1
The ballot initiative asks Ohio voters if the state should strengthen the petition process and raise the threshold to 60% for approving constitutional amendment proposals.
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Ohio farmers caravan to Kansas to bring relief to wildfire victims
At least a hundred farmers and supporters gathered at the last rest area on I-70 West before the Indiana state line to caravan across the country Friday morning. The rest area was the designated rendezvous place before Ohio farmers took supplies to victims of wildfires that continue to wreak havoc on the western plains.
Parts of Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas have seen hundreds of thousands of acres scorched this month. The loss in livestock, land and property is staggering and Ohio farmers are traveling to Kansas to help.
“You just feel for them so much,” said Jana Caudill of Champaign County, who was heading across the country with 11-year-old son Jace and cousin Brendan Bayliss of Logan County. “We want to give them whatever relief we can. The tables will turn (someday).”
At least 15 trailers heavy with hay, several semis, cars and trucks loaded with feed, fencing materials, milk replacers and other supplies came together quickly, thanks in large part to the efforts of Rose and Greg Hartschuh of Crawford County who organized the effort largely through the use of social media.
FFA chapters from Valley View and Twin Valley South high schools made snack packs for the drivers to take on their journey along with collecting other donations such as water and safety glasses.
Sarah Birtch from Duma Meats in Mogadore said her company had posted a Facebook Live video of the effort and that, coupled with coverage from a Cleveland television station, caused donations from customers to pour in – everything from cash to Pedialyte. On Friday morning, she was handing out money to drivers to help cover the cost of their fuel. Farm Bureau member benefits partner Grainger also donated 100 dust masks for volunteers.
“People were just flying to our place and donations are still coming,” she said. “Everybody wants to help. Look at this, it’s wonderful.”
Follow the group via Facebook. Ohio’s Country Journal Editor Matt Reese is accompanying the group and will be reporting throughout the trip.
Caption: Luke Dull of Montgomery County secures the farmers helping farmers sign on the back of his hay load.
I'm eternally grateful for the support Ohio Farm Bureau scholarships provided in helping me turn my dreams into reality.
I appreciate the benefit of having a strong voice in my corner. The extras that are included in membership are wonderful, but I'm a member because of the positive impact to my local and state agricultural communities.
I see the value and need to be engaged in the community I live in, to be a part of the decision-making process and to volunteer with organizations that help make our community better.
Farm Bureau involvement has taught me how to grow my professional and leadership experience outside of the workforce and how to do that in a community-centric way.
With not growing up on a farm, I’d say I was a late bloomer to agriculture. I feel so fortunate that I found the agriculture industry. There are so many opportunities for growth.
Labor has always been an issue, mainly because we are a seasonal operation. So that's a challenge finding somebody who only wants to work three months out of a year, sometimes up to six months.
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
If it wasn't for Farm Bureau, I personally, along with many others, would not have had the opportunity to meet with our representatives face to face in Washington.
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