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That was a message that was loud and clear from our members coming out of our 104th annual meeting in December. The Ohio Farm Bureau team and our volunteers will relay that same message to lawmakers in Columbus and Washington, D.C. throughout the year.

According to American Farmland Trust, over 500,000 agricultural acres will be taken out of production and converted to both urban and highly developed uses and low-density residential uses by 2040.

There are many different ideas as to how to protect the farmland we have in Ohio which, by the way, is almost half of the state. One of those is the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Farmland Preservation Program. Since its inception, the program has helped 589 family farms in 61 counties preserve 91,507 acres in agricultural production. Currently, this important program faces legal challenges when it comes to development and eminent domain. Our members see the value in this program and the need to preserve it, so they are calling for the support of additional funding for the Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program (LAEPP) to help meet the growing demand for farmland preservation efforts.

Another way to keep farmland viable is to have a plan for what happens to that land once the next generation takes over. Nationwide’s Land As Your Legacy program can help families have a clear vision for the long-term future of the farm. Many of us wish to see the farm continue for many years to come, but it is only a wish until you put it in writing. You can find out more by visiting with your local Nationwide representative.

In addition to those programs, the most effective way to protect Ohio farmland is to keep farms strong. If agricultural production is supported by lawmakers, farms will be sustainable. If the farm economy is working, those farms will thrive. And if those farms belong to an organization that is vigilantly protecting their best interests, like Ohio Farm Bureau, farm families will succeed.

There is no doubt that pressures from industry, investors, energy and sprawl will continue to mount across Ohio in a battle for highly productive ground. Perhaps it is time once again for a larger conversation about farmland preservation in our state, as each acre taken jeopardizes future food production and food security for our nation.

Farm Bureau will work diligently to find ways to help our state’s economy and population grow, while maintaining the land and resources to continue to feed both.

Adam Sharp is Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president.