Ohio joint ag committee hearing Aug 2023

Among the items Ohio Farm Bureau supported in the new state budget was $190 million for the Ohio Expo Center 2050 project. The state budget allocation approved in June will allow for buildings to be renovated and renewed, and infrastructure repaired and upgraded at its current location to make the Ohio State Fair and Expo Center the best in the country.

Ohio agriculture groups, led by Ohio Farm Bureau, were involved in this process for several years, culminating in February 2023 with recommendations on the State Fair and Expo Center that were shared with Gov. Mike DeWine’s 2050 Ohio Expo Task Force.

The ag groups’ vision and involvement is paying off now. 

“The Ohio State Fair is one of the greatest opportunities we have to bridge the urban/rural divide and showcase our amazing industry and way of life to hundreds of thousands of Ohioans every year,” Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Adam Sharp said during his Ohio House and Ohio Senate Joint Ag Committee testimony this week. “Through the task force, many interested parties gave input on what the future of the fair should look like, and out of the final study, the vision for the Ohio Expo Center emerged.”

Sharp noted that the work done by the 2050 Task Force, including working with third-party master planning consultants, has lifted up the importance of investing and keeping the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair at its current location and investing in its future without removing its footprint in central Ohio. Supporting thousands of 4-H and FFA students, along with showcasing careers in agriculture, are just some of the many ways this investment helps secure the future success of the state’s No. 1 industry.

The recommendations were shared with the Ohio Expo 2050 Task Force to ensure that the input, ideas and concerns of the agriculture industry, including preserving the current location and footprint with a strong investment for improvements, were properly incorporated into the state’s new Vision Plan. The ag groups put forth their objectives in areas such as the mission and vision for the Expo Center; land use and optimization; the overall experience for youth and the public; and funding, governance and operations.

“This historic investment in the vision for this fair and the Ohio Expo Center will allow us to continue that great mission for generations to come,” Sharp said.

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.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Giving farmers a voice
The plan we are on is great. It’s comparable to my previous job's plan, and we are a sole proprietor.
Kevin Holy's avatar
Kevin Holy

Geauga County Farm Bureau

Ohio Farm Bureau Health Benefits Plan
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
Gretchan Francis's avatar
Gretchan Francis

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Bringing the farm back to life
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.
Jody Brown Boyd's avatar
Jody Brown Boyd

Brown's Family Farm Market

Finding farm labor
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.
David Thomas's avatar
David Thomas

Ashtabula County Auditor

CAUV: Past, present and future
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.
Hannah Kiser's avatar
Hannah Kiser

Sandusky County Farm Bureau

Farm Bureau involvement
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.
Chad Ruhl's avatar
Chad Ruhl

Farm manager, CSI Insurance

Select Partner Program
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.
Mary Smallsreed's avatar
Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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