Ohio Farm Bureau Health Plans: What’s next?
Specific enrollment details for the new Health Plans will be available this fall. In the meantime, add your name to the notification list for when the plans are ready.
Read MoreAs multiple pipeline projects move to construction phase throughout the state, they haven’t come without some headaches for farmers.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has seen a growing number of farmer concerns with regard to drainage activities and soil remediation as part of the ET Rover pipeline project. While Rover’s FERC-approved Ag Mitigation Plan and easement language allows the company to dispose of standing water into adjacent tracts of land off the designated right of way, they must compensate impacted landowners for damages.
Farm Bureau laid the groundwork for such agreements. As early as summer 2015, OFBF staff started meeting with ET Rover officials as they looked to lay pipeline on a northwest diagonal from Monroe County to Fulton County. In those meetings, Farm Bureau stressed the importance of mitigating impacts to farmland and conducting adequate land remediation as part of the company’s pipeline development project.
Farm Bureau organized landowners to testify at FERC hearings and conducted more than 100 pipeline briefings along the project route since early 2015 to educate landowners on pipeline regulations and how to obtain qualified legal counsel.
Be sure to reference your easement agreement with the pipeline company to familiarize yourself with practices that are allowed and those that are not – before, during and after construction. When faced with potential damage to land or pipeline construction that does not comply with your lease agreement, there are some specific steps landowners can take to address concerns:
As construction continues, farmers should inspect their land holdings regularly and document what is taking place through notes and photos.
Most on-site construction companies and their personnel are subcontractors and do not always have the authority to address the issue. Two hotlines have been established for landowners to contact to address pipeline issues:
It’s always best to consult legal counsel before signing any agreements to ensure the full extent of your concerns are addressed and adequately compensated. It’s equally important to obtain legal advice when considering a remedy or compensation for damages.
Farm Bureau continues to work with regulators and landowners to ensure issues that arise are addressed quickly and adequately. In the coming weeks, more local meetings will be held to update landowners on the progress of several pipeline projects and identify ongoing concerns.
Specific enrollment details for the new Health Plans will be available this fall. In the meantime, add your name to the notification list for when the plans are ready.
Read MoreKayla Scott of Mineral City serve Farm Bureau members in Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson and Tuscarawas counties.
Read MoreThe 2025 Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Golf Invitational raised $115,000 for foundation scholarships, grants and programs that help enhance agricultural communities and support careers in agriculture.
Read MoreThe goal will be for members to have access to these new health plan options as early as January 2026.
Read MoreAny unlicensed handlers who use restricted use pesticides will need to have additional training. Farm Bureau will be working on legislation to give employers a choice on how to provide training.
Read MoreThe budget includes funding for: H2Ohio, animal health and animal disease response, the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State, and the Brownfield Remediation Program.
Read MoreThe 2025 algal bloom for the Western Lake Erie Basin is expected to have a severity index of 3, according to the final forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Read MoreKyle and Samantha Daugherty of Coshocton County are the perfect example of next generation agriculturalists embracing the world of technology on their family farm.
Read MoreBefore deciding whether to organize your farm or business as an LLC, talk to an attorney, accountant or other trusted financial adviser who can help you determine if it’s the right move.
Read MoreOver 30 tour participants witnessed a variety of conservation strategies in action, including cover crops, no-till and strip-till systems, two-stage ditches, land buffers and advanced manure management.
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