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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The passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 signed into law by President Trump March 23 was a win for farmers. Along with clarifying requirements on electronic logging devices and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the budget bill also addressed the cooperative tax deduction discrepancy, rural broadband needs and funding for career and technical education, among others.
“Undoubtedly there has been a lot of confusion and uncertainty surrounding many of these issues, and we applaud Congress for listening to our concerns and working to try and quickly address them,” said Jack Irvin, OFBF senior director, state and national policy.
The federal spending bill is in effect though Fiscal Year 2018, which ends in September.
Cooperative Tax Deduction
The budget legislation amends the cooperative tax deduction, Section 199A. This provision restores balance to commodity markets and re-establishes fairness between cooperative and noncooperative agriculture producers, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018. Federal tax reform signed into law in December had included a gross sales deduction of 20 percent when selling to a cooperative only. This legislation returns to tax policy more closely aligned with what was in place before major tax reform was passed late last year.
Rural Broadband
The law creates a $625 million pilot program within the Rural Utility Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Rural Electrification Act. At least 90 percent of the households must be in a rural area currently without sufficient access to broadband to be eligible to receive a loan or grant under the pilot program. Ohio lawmakers are also working on broadband access legislation at the state level.
Career and Technical Education
Perkins Basic State Grants received a $75 million increase within the legislation, a sign of support in Washington for career and technical education funding.
According to the Association for Career and Technical Education, in addition to the Perkins increase other programs that saw a bump within the budget bill included Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (ESSA Title IV-A), Pell Grants, work study programs and apprenticeship opportunities.
These issues were lobbied for when Farm Bureau county presidents visited Washington, D.C. in March and met with their legislators on Capitol Hill.
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.
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