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Last November, I wrote about the many forms of risks farmers encounter.

Because 2024 brought severe drought conditions to much of the state, the stress from those extreme conditions was top of mind. This year it seemed like it wouldn’t stop raining.

Safety and risk in farming is never “solved,” so our work to help members prepare and navigate as much as possible is a longstanding goal. That makes this issue of Our Ohio seem like a sequel to last year. The good news is we have both new opportunities and results to report.

After last year’s historic drought, and with Farm Bureau’s backing, both the state of Ohio
and the federal government provided disaster relief funding.

Last year we featured the Ohio Farm Bureau Health Benefits Plan and its impact on Courtney Spencer and her family when she was faced with a breast cancer diagnosis in 2022. Courtney is on the road to recovery, and that’s the best news of all. I am very happy to report that our ability to help even more members with health coverage is on the way. Legislation signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine was a huge step in creating Ohio Farm Bureau Health Plans for individuals and families. This new law will allow Ohio Farm Bureau to offer members access to affordable, personalized health care plans, particularly those who do not have access to health insurance as an employee benefit or who are uninsured or underinsured due to high costs and limited options in the marketplace.

Nationwide’s work on ATV/UTV safety is a welcome campaign. Many of us appreciate how fun and valuable these vehicles can be, but they can be dangerous if certain precautions
aren’t taken.

Last September, you may have heard about the Comp Dairy fire in Ashtabula County. An electrical fire that started in the parlor caused the evacuation of 1,100 dairy cows and extensive damage to the farm. We have an update on the Comp family farm’s comeback after this very scary and difficult situation.

The Ohio Mental Health Alliance’s survey results were published last year showing top results for farm stressors. In this issue, take a look at the information that features FARM-TOK, a study focused on reducing loneliness within Ohio farming and rural communities. Sara Tallmadge, who won our Excellence in Agriculture award in 2024, is a clinical research coordinator at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Sara is working on this project. Because Farm Bureau members like Sara have a network far and wide, we can help with this important work.

As we enter harvest season, keep farm safety and overall health and wellness in mind. And know that your Farm Bureau team is working hard to have your back.