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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Ohio 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.
Stat
About 39 percent of rural Americans don’t have access to broadband, compared with just 4 percent of urban Americans. Source: Federal Communications Commission
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.
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.
Featured Articles
Legal with Leah: Changes to Fuel Taxes and Dyed Diesel Regulation
Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis breaks down changes to Ohio’s fuel tax, recent federal guidance on dyed diesel and what farmers need to know about the rules still in place.
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Gripp business solution to establish Ohio test group
Gripp is launching a 60-day cohort in mid-January for Ohio Farm Bureau members, offering discounted access to its asset-tracking app.
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Ohio must not make it easier to seize your property for data centers, other projects
Ohio Farm Bureau recently published an op-ed in The Columbus Dispatch highlighting the importance of protecting private property rights as discussions continue around expanding eminent domain powers in Ohio.
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What would Grandma and Grandpa have wanted?
These discussions should not begin and end with a developer’s offer. Identifying family goals now gives the family something to plan around.
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Ohio Farm Bureau, partners pack 10,000 meals to kick off Food and Farms Month
Ohio Farm Bureau joined leaders from across Ohio’s food and agriculture industry this week to pack 10,000 meals for central…
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Ohio Farm Bureau supports expanded use of dyed diesel
The administration recently issued an executive order easing restrictions on the use of tax-exempt dyed diesel fuel for on-road agricultural transportation.
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Legal with Leah: Eminent Domain and Quick Take
Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis explains how the eminent domain process works in Ohio, what ‘quick take’ means and when it can be used.
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Ohio Farm Bureau statement on gas tax holiday
As fuel prices skyrocket across the state, lawmakers are preparing to return to the Statehouse to vote on the temporary suspension of Ohio’s gas tax.
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Ohio’s 2026 top conservation farmers honored
Since 1984, the Conservation Farm Family Awards program has recognized Ohio farm families for their exemplary efforts conserving soil, water, woodland, wildlife, and other natural resources.
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