One of the state’s bills that is most important to agriculture is House Bill 49, Ohio’s two-year operating budget. When the bill was first released, Ohio Farm Bureau’s policy department went through it, line by line, making note of items impacting agriculture and the state’s business climate. Staff members testified at hearings, had one-on-one meetings with lawmakers and talked with university, business and various agricultural groups on how the proposals would affect them. As of press time, the budget bill had not been passed. By law a balanced budget must be passed by June 30 every two years.

Here is a look at some of the issues, besides CAUV, Ohio Farm Bureau worked on in the budget bill:

Water Quality

Farm Bureau supported adequate funding of several programs that help provide needed research and technical assistance in the area of water quality. Those include Ohio State University’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Extension, Agricultural Technical Institute and Sea Grant program. OFBF also supported greater funding for Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Education

OFBF was successful in securing an amendment to the budget in the House that would protect the relationship between the Ohio FFA Association and the Ohio Department of Education. Currently Ohio FFA operates within the education department, and Farm Bureau wanted to ensure that continues by outlining the relationship in statute.

OFBF also supported allowing school districts to integrate content from one state-approved course to another – specifically career-tech courses – so students could receive credit for both subject areas (for example, credit for both science and agriculture).

OFBF supported the removal of a provision that teachers complete an on-site work experience with a local business or chamber of commerce to renew their teaching license.

Food Processing – Apple syrup/butter exemption

OFBF supported an exemption for apple syrup and apple butter producers from food processing standards if they directly harvest at least 75 percent of the apples used to produce those items. This change is directly reflective of OFBF policy.

Drug Crisis

The budget sets up a Medication assisted treatment drug court program in several Ohio counties to provide addiction treatment to persons who are dependent on opioids, alcohol, or both and requires community addiction service providers to provide specified treatment to the participants in the program based on the individual needs of each participant.
In addition, $300,000 was earmarked to establish local court-appointed special advocate programs in areas of the state with high numbers of heroin users and overdoses. At press time, the budget contained $176 million for addiction treatment.

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.
Mandy Way's avatar
Mandy Way

Way Farms

Farm Labor Resources
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.
Ernie Welch's avatar
Ernie Welch

Van Wert County Farm Bureau

Strong 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.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Leadership development
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.
Jaclyn De Candio's avatar
Jaclyn De Candio

Clark County Farm Bureau

Young Ag Professionals program
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.
Jenna Gregorich's avatar
Jenna Gregorich

Coshocton County Farm Bureau

Growing our Generation
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
Jared Hughes's avatar
Jared Hughes

Groovy Plants Ranch

Groovy Plants Ranch
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.
Austin Heil's avatar
Austin Heil

Hardin County Farm Bureau

Washington, D.C. Leadership Experience
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.
Mary Smallsreed's avatar
Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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