Article

Working together for Ohio farmers to advance and strengthen our communities is the mission of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. This grassroots membership organization was founded in 1919 is committed to supporting our farm and food community.

If you are a follower of this column and my articles, you probably already know that I am passionate about this organization. Farm Bureau is the voice for agriculture, but also for consumers. Farm Bureau is open to all who support our mission, whether you work professionally in the agricultural industry or simply appreciate and understand the value of agriculture in your community.

I think there are a lot of things that Farm Bureau is doing and advocating for that you care about and possibly benefit from. So, I’m going to share with you some of our priority issues and accomplishments.

When COVID-19 hit, weak links in the food supply chain became evident. Farm Bureau secured $10 million in state funding for meat processing grants to help existing plants in Ohio expand capacity and fund new construction, and continues to promote policies and programs to increase meat and poultry processing capacity in Ohio to make the food system more resilient for farmers and consumers.

Farm Bureau advocates for rural Ohioans. The organization works to secure resources to rebuild, repair, or modernize transportation infrastructure, including rural roads and bridges, ports, and inland waterway locks and dams.

Another priority issue is Ohio Rural Broadband Expansion. It has been a slow process, but Farm Bureau is fighting to get rural Ohioans connected.

Available health care is another priority. Farm Bureau supports the expansion of telehealth into rural communities to provide critical health care needs, including access to behavioral health care. They also manage OFB Health Benefits Plan.

When Farm Bureau advocates for farm businesses, it is advocating for all small businesses. It defended Ohio’s small business tax deduction, making the first $250K of business income nontaxed. It has saved Ohio employers an estimated $72.1 million in workers’ compensation premiums through group rating programs.

Do you care about 4-H, FFA and the county and state fair? Farm Bureau is advocating for and preserving funding for local services including OSU Extension, Soil and Water, high school ag education career tech and FFA. Plus, Farm Bureau is working with nine major Ohio agricultural groups to bring forth a set of recommendations to modernize the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair. They have made sure that the agricultural community was at the discussion table.

ExploreAg is a program I can’t talk enough about. This program offers free summer camps and experiences to any Ohio high schooler who is interested. It is a fun way to explore careers that will support our food and agricultural industries. The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation works with an ever-growing list of collaborators: OSU, University of Findlay, Wilmington College, Hocking College, Central State University, and more.

This is not an exhaustive list of benefits to nonfarming members, but hopefully some things that you hadn’t thought of before. Consider this: The average age of today’s U.S. farmers is increasing, and the total number of farmers continues to decrease, yet they are feeding more people than ever each year.

If benefits listed do not make you want to become a Farm Bureau member, knowing that your support to those that feed us every day should. Interested? Call 440-426.2195 or email [email protected] or visit ofbf.org.

Submitted by Mary Smallsreed, a member of the Trumbull County Farm Bureau and grew up on a family dairy farm in northeast Ohio.