As 2020 presidential candidates jockey for position, interesting issues can arise and become a national topic of conversation seemingly overnight.
So was the case when potential 2020 Democratic nominee Elizabeth Warren spoke in Iowa about foreign companies buying American farmland. Suddenly Ty Higgins, Ohio Farm Bureau’s director of media relations, started receiving phone calls on a topic not related to water, trade or a wet spring for Ohio farmers.
Higgins told National Public Radio in a May interview that “once a foreign entity buys up however many acres they want, Americans might never be able to secure that land again. So, once we lose it, we may lose it for good.”
In Ohio, about half a million acres of farmland are owned by foreign investors — with Germany and the Netherlands leading in most land bought. China is another significant investor.
Higgins noted there is no federal restriction on foreign farmland purchases, so it is up to each individual state to come up with its own regulations. For example, it is restricted in Iowa, where no farmland is owned by foreign investors, whereas Higgins said in Texas it is a “free for all.”
In Ohio, there is voluntary registration by the foreign entity with the state, but nothing prohibiting those overseas from purchasing farmland.
The loss of farmland itself is of particular concern, Higgins said. “Every acre of productive farmland that is converted over to something other than agriculture is an acre of land that no longer produces food,” causing a ripple effect in the state’s economy and a potential hardship on rural communities. Higgins comments with NPR also were later included in a story done by Newsweek.
The House and Senate have voted to pass a bill that avoids a looming government shutdown. The bill, which includes short-term spending, disaster aid and a farm bill extension.
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The disaster relief funding disbursement will be overseen by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and administered through local soil & water districts.
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The winners of the 2024 Ohio Farm Bureau Advocacy in Action Award are Roger Baker of Wayne County and Neall Weber (posthumously) of Franklin County.
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The requirement for businesses that are registered with their state to file information about beneficial owners with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has been paused.
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Delegates discussed many important topics including carbon sequestration and mental health at the Ohio Farm Bureau’s 106th Annual Meeting.
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Bill Patterson, Cy Prettyman and Adele Flynn will continue to serve as officers for Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
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10 Ohio Farm Bureau members were elected to the federation’s state board during the 106th annual meeting.
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The grants help inspire, encourage and nurture young agricultural professionals and entrepreneurs to find creative and transformative ways to address challenges facing the agricultural sector today.
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The 2024 Distinguished Service Award recipients are Dr. John Mossbarger of Fayette County, Sen. Rob Portman of Warren County and Jane Scott of Franklin County.
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