Ohio Farm Bureau shares members’ concerns with Joint Data Center Committee
Ohio Farm Bureau shared members’ concerns about the rapid growth of data centers across the state and the long-term impacts on agriculture and rural communities.
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As plans for data centers have expanded at a rapid pace in Ohio, thousands of Ohio Farm Bureau members have raised their voices calling for transparency, asking for answers around their economic implications and for the removal of any exclusive tax exemptions.
“As a grassroots organization, the voices of our members are the strongest tool we have in our advocacy efforts, and data centers are another prime example of our farm families making their concerns heard loud and clear,” said Ohio Farm Bureau President Bill Patterson. “Our members understand the need for data centers to help power our agricultural technology and the potential economic growth around them, but we want to make sure that our communities are appropriately compensated and don’t bear the burden of cost and loss of resources.”
Efforts by Ohio Farm Bureau members and staff have included testimony in favor of data center studies, multiple calls for transparency and the overwhelming success of an action alert where thousands of farmers and rural community members asked for the removal of the data center sales tax exemption.
Ohio Farm Bureau appreciates Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent decision to pause consideration of any new data center tax exemption requests, through the Ohio Tax Credit Authority, as the Ohio General Assembly’s Joint Data Center Committee looks at the growth of data centers in Ohio.
“By allowing the joint legislative data center study committee to examine the rapid growth of data centers and identify potential legislative solutions, the state will have a better understanding of what these facilities will mean both economically and environmentally for our communities,” Patterson said. “We look forward to keeping up the drumbeat by engaging with the joint committee as they study data centers and ensuring our farmers and rural communities do not bear the brunt of these new developments.”
This is a statement for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ryan Matthews, 614-246-8210 or [email protected].
To grow a network and gain perspective and knowledge in the industry through personal and professional development has been invaluable. Every day I learn and grow.
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.
Farm Bureau is what really got the word out. It’s been one of their goals to get this done.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
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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