AT ISSUE: Landowners claim to have gained legal ownership of an abandoned railroad corridor through their land under the legal theory of adverse possession (exclusive possession of the land for at least 21 years).

FARM BUREAU ACTION: OFBF filed an amicus brief in the successful appeal of the case at the lower level, where the court had ruled, in part, in favor of the landowners. OFBF filed the same at the Ohio Supreme Court.

OUTCOME: In February, the Ohio Supreme Court released a mixed opinion. It ruled in favor of two Farm Bureau families, saying a lower court erred in its ruling that they hadn’t proven they had exclusively possessed portions of the corridor in dispute. But the court rejected the adverse possession claim of a third Farm Bureau family, saying the railroad made it clear to the landowner it was the owner of the property. The court also overturned a precedent that required specific wording in a deed to allow land to revert to the original landowner when the property is no longer used for a specific purpose.

NEXT STEPS: The Ohio Supreme Court ordered Wayne County Common Pleas Court to rehear the adverse possession claims of the two Farm Bureau families. The Ohio Supreme Court was asked to reconsider its denial of adverse possession for the third Farm Bureau family and whether the land reverts to the original landowner if it’s no longer used by the railroad, even if the deed doesn’t spell that out.

UPDATE (May 1, 2018): The Ohio Supreme Court denied reconsideration of the landowners’ claims without further comment. The case will now be returned to the lower court for further proceedings consistent with the opinion issued by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Ohio Farm Bureau membership

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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