Farm Bureau applauds Congress for full passage of Continuing Resolution
The bill includes short-term spending, disaster aid and a farm bill extension.
Read MoreOhio Farm Bureau is continuing to work with state leaders on having broadband accessible for all Ohioans across the state. Entire Ohio communities continue to have no broadband connectivity or limited reliability, putting them at an economic disadvantage, said Jenna Beadle, OFBF director of state policy.
“The biggest thing we hear from our members about not having broadband is the economic impact for those in the workplace and how even students are affected because they increasingly have to do their homework online and can’t always run over to McDonald’s or their local library for Wi-Fi access,” she said.
Last year the state legislature failed to pass a bill establishing a residential broadband expansion program through the Ohio Department of Development Services. Ohio Farm Bureau has been meeting with state leaders to reintroduce the bill, which would provide grant money to help offset the high infrastructure cost for companies putting broadband into areas with few customers.
The 2018 Farm Bill addressed broadband, requiring the Trump administration to create a 20-agency task force to determine ways federal agencies can support expanded broadband access. The task force recently made recommendations for streamlining the permitting process, using federal assets to lower the cost for projects and using data from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to create more accurate maps to show where broadband is still limited or lacking. The 2018 Farm Bill also increased USDA’s authority to create grants and loans for middle-mile projects.
About 39 percent of rural Americans don’t have access to broadband, compared with just 4 percent of urban Americans. Source: Federal Communications Commission
The bill includes short-term spending, disaster aid and a farm bill extension.
Read MoreThe disaster relief funding disbursement will be overseen by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and administered through local soil & water districts.
Read MoreThe winners of the 2024 Ohio Farm Bureau Advocacy in Action Award are Roger Baker of Wayne County and Neall Weber (posthumously) of Franklin County.
Read MoreThe requirement for businesses that are registered with their state to file information about beneficial owners with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is in flux.
Read MoreOhio’s Electric Cooperatives recommend safe energy conservation during extreme cold snaps to help alleviate demand.
Read MoreDelegates discussed many important topics including carbon sequestration and mental health at the Ohio Farm Bureau’s 106th Annual Meeting.
Read MoreBill Patterson, Cy Prettyman and Adele Flynn will continue to serve as officers for Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
Read More10 Ohio Farm Bureau members were elected to the federation’s state board during the 106th annual meeting.
Read MoreThe grants help inspire, encourage and nurture young agricultural professionals and entrepreneurs to find creative and transformative ways to address challenges facing the agricultural sector today.
Read MoreThe 2024 Distinguished Service Award recipients are Dr. John Mossbarger of Fayette County, Sen. Rob Portman of Warren County and Jane Scott of Franklin County.
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