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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Shortly after the Phase One trade deal was struck between the U.S. and China, the final tranche of the latest Market Facilitation Program (MFP), representing up to 25% of the 2019 program allotment, was delivered to farmers. A de-escalation to the 18-month trade war is in sight and although USDA has not made mention of future MFP payments, some experts wonder if there is a need for another round of funding allocated to farmers this year.
The discovery period for crop insurance levels for corn and soybeans, based on the futures prices, happens every February. This sets the base price for individual revenue and yield insurance products and prevent plant payments, which were heavily utilized in 2019.
“The fact that farmers are not seeing the benefit of new trade deals in the form of higher exports has led to a decrease in the U.S. soybean price,” said Ben Brown, assistant professor of professional practice in agricultural risk management with Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Because of that, I think there is some justification to provide an income support to producers.”
Ohio farmers realized some significant MFP payments in 2019, averaging $70 per acre. Due to the wet planting season, MFP payments on prevent plant acres were at most $15 per acre and low yields across parts of the state triggered crop insurance payments as well.
“When you add that all up, the 2019 returns per acre for corn was estimated at $18 per acre,” Brown said. “Looking at 2020 with no MFP payments announced and an average Ohio corn yield of 174 bushels, we are calculating a loss of $35 per acre. So the impact of a potential MFP in 2020 could be the difference between losing money or coming out with a little income left in the pocket to support our farms across the state.”
Brown says one of the downfalls of the MFP program is that farmers aren’t certain if or when those payments are coming and how much they might be. He encourages producers to stay away from making management decisions based on expectations from the previous year.
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.
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