The 2024 Ohio Agriculture and Rural Communities Action Plan
Ohio Farm Bureau 2024 priority issues focus on business climate, regulatory environment, preserving Ohio’s farming heritage, healthy rural communities, and grassroots advocacy.
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Listening Session 7 – Cleveland
April 13
The Midtown Tech Hive
6815 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44103
The state of Ohio is calling for ideas as it creates a five-year plan to steer future broadband expansion efforts, and we would like to make sure Ohio Farm Bureau members have a seat at those tables. Farmers and those within the agricultural industry have unique technological needs, but continue to lack consistent broadband access.
The Department of Development is soliciting public comments and launching a multi-stop listening tour to gather input as it eyes a potential slice of $42.45 billion in federal dollars for expansion efforts through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The state is planning to funnel those dollars through the Residential Broadband Expansion Program, a fund launched in 2021 that during its initial round of investment awarded $232 million to finalize projects across the state.
Initially fueled with a $20 million infusion in 2021, the program landed another $230 million in the last budget (HB110, 134th General Assembly), leading to an initial round of awards officials believe represents about $250 million in private investment and an impact to 52,000 households in 31 counties.
And we want to hear how that investment has impacted your home and business, and where more work can be done to advance the access of those in rural Ohio. We invite you to attend the following listening tour stop and engage with representatives for the Department of Development:
Listening Session 7 – Cleveland
April 13
The Midtown Tech Hive
6815 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44103
10:30 a.m. – Businesses and Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 p.m. – Local Government
2:30 p.m. – Nonprofits and Community Organizations
4 p.m. – Ohio Residents
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.
The plan we are on is great. It’s comparable to my previous job's plan, and we are a sole proprietor.
We really appreciate what Farm Bureau has done to get people interested in this line of work and workforce development and getting people interested in this industry.
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.
We work terrifically with the Ashtabula County Farm Bureau, hosting at least one to two outreach town hall events every year to educate new farmers and existing farmers on traditional CAUV and woodlands.
Because we are younger farmers just starting out, Farm Bureau has a lot of good opportunities and resources to help us grow in the future.
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.
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