energy development

Legislation addressing orphan oil and gas wells landowners contend with throughout the state was signed into law by Gov. Kasich on June 29.

“Currently 250,000 vertical and horizontal wells have been drilled in the state with potentially thousands of them being orphaned, meaning their owners are untraceable,” said Jenna Beadle, OFBF director of state policy. “Our members are often plagued with one or more orphan wells on their property and this legislation will encourage more landowners to report the existence of orphan wells on their property and create more financial resources to begin plugging these wells.”

The legislation alleviates several of the challenges associated with orphaned wells. Significantly, it creates a prioritization structure that will cause Ohio Department of Natural Resources to evaluate these wells and develop a strategy to begin quickly addressing them in order of urgency.

Wells would be classified as:

• Distressed – high priority
• Moderate – medium priority
• Maintenance – low priority

This scoring matrix causes ODNR to evaluate these wells and begin quickly addressing orphaned wells that are the most hazardous to the surrounding environment.

Also, landowners will no longer be penalized on their federal income taxes for receiving financial assistance from the ODNR’s Orphan Well Program to plug an orphaned well.

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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