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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
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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