Applications for Ohio Farm Bureau Health Plans now available
Members have three ways to apply: contacting a certified agent, calling 833-468-4280 or visiting ohiofarmbureauhealthplans.org.
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Both federal and state lawmakers have recently begun to address an issue that continues to plague rural communities — the availability and reliability of broadband connectivity.
“It might sound cliché, but our lives are becoming more dependent on technology,” said Tony Seegers, director of state policy for Ohio Farm Bureau. “With new broadband access comes increased economic and educational opportunities and development. Without it, Ohioans in these unserved and underserved areas will continue to fall behind.”
The Agricultural Broadband Coalition, of which Farm Bureau is a member, applauded bipartisan leaders in the U.S. House and Senate for introducing the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 in late January. The legislation, which is co-sponsored in the U.S. House by Ohio Congressman Bob Latta, will help to facilitate the deployment of broadband internet across rural America. The legislation creates the Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States. Within a year, the task force is intended to bring together public and private stakeholders to evaluate current programs affecting broadband internet access on rural land, identify and measure existing gaps in coverage and develop policy recommendations to address that gap.
The Ohio House of Representatives passed Ohio House Bill 281, sponsored by State Rep. Rick Carfagna, in late January. HB 281 has the similar objective of the federal legislation of increased broadband access. That legislation requires the Ohio Department of Development Services to establish the residential broadband expansion program. The goal is to provide grant money to assist with residential broadband service expansion projects in eligible areas, which include a residential area in a municipal corporation or a township that is without access to broadband service and not already in line to receive funds for broadband.
Situations happen where residents want broadband but the broadband provider does a cost/benefit analysis of providing service and determines it would be too costly. This happens in a lot of rural areas, Seegers said. Included in the Ohio legislation is grant money that can help partially fund this broadband funding gap, he said.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
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.
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.
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.
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