When the Farmers for a Sustainable Future coalition started looking at publicly available data on agricultural production and its role in the environment, what it found was “a pretty amazing story,” said Andrew Walmsley, American Farm Bureau Federation director of congressional relations, during a September briefing with the Ohio Farm Bureau policy development committee.

Since 1948, U.S. farmers have been able to increase their output by more than 270%, while inputs have remained relatively flat, he said. “We’re producing more while using about the same, or less, resources that we did several generations ago. That’s a pretty incredible story.”

In fact, U.S. agriculture would have needed nearly 100 million more acres in 1990 to match 2018 production levels. And the use of ethanol and biodiesel in 2018 reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 17 million cars off the road.

“We should be more comfortable with talking about and spreading the message about what we have been doing in ag, while recognizing there might be room for improvement and more we can do,” Walmsley said.

These conversations are increasingly taking place under the umbrella of climate change, a topic that makes some farmers uncomfortable. But they shouldn’t be.

“We have a lot of questions, but the space is moving forward,” said Jack Irvin, Ohio Farm Bureau’s senior director of state and national policy. “Do we want to be part of the conversation or do we want to be contrarian?”

With strides farmers have been taking to reduce their carbon footprint, overall greenhouse gas emissions are under 10% for the industry. In fact, of overall GHG emissions in the U.S., according to U.S. EPA figures, agriculture comes in at 659 mmt (million metric tons), well below transportation, electricity generation, and industry sectors.

If overall land use and forestry are included, agriculture would actually be a net sink for carbon, not a contributor to emissions, Walmsley said.

The Farmers for a Sustainable Future coalition includes major crop and livestock commodity groups, as well as broad agricultural organizations like the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union. It advocates for voluntary, incentive- and science-based conservation programs that improve environmental sustainability as well as individual farm profitability. It’s also working to make sure any policy debate will recognize farmers’ contributions, efficiency gains and the impact of their carbon sequestration efforts.

“We want to continue to incentivize innovation,” Walmsley said.

“At the end of the day, when we talk about sustainability, we’re talking about economic viability. If we’re not profitable, we’re not going to be able to continue on to the next generation — or potentially the next growing season.”

Learn more at SustainableFarming.us.

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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