The complicated road to cattle market transparency

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Ty Higgins

As the price the consumer pays for products like meat continues to rise, the price that farmers get for their animals has remained relatively stagnant. That, unfortunately, is nothing new. The long-standing frustration over imbalances in the meat industry has led to calls for greater transparency in livestock markets.

In Ohio, Farm Bureau has led the charge in creating more advantageous marketing opportunities for livestock producers, including the creation of the Meat Processing Grant Program. These grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to Ohio livestock and poultry producers so they can implement processing efficiencies, expand or construct facilities at existing sites, assist in training and certification and improve harvest services.

One of the newest efforts to address the pressing needs facing America’s cattle industry is the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act, which was introduced in the U.S. Senate in November 2021. This legislation calls for the establishment of a cattle contract library, updated mandatory price reporting and increased fines for companies that violate the Packers and Stockyards Act.

When this bill was first introduced, Farm Bureau gave it the full support of the organization. It was after the 2022 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Atlanta, when policy changes were made, that one aspect of the legislation fell out of favor with the nation’s largest farm organization.

Farmers’ decision

“Our delegates voted in January to not support a mandatory minimum negotiated trade,” said Scott Bennett, American Farm Bureau director of congressional relations.

According to Bennett, a mandatory minimum negotiated trade would create a government mandate that forces livestock processing facilities to purchase a set percentage of their live animal supply via cash bids to enable price discovery in cattle marketing regions. In order to establish regionally sufficient levels of negotiated cash trade, the secretary of agriculture, in consultation with the chief economist at USDA, would seek public comment on those levels, set the minimums and then implement them.

It was a tight vote on the delegate floor between those who supported mandatory minimum negotiated trade and those who didn’t.

“The deciding factor among our delegate body was do I want the government involved in my business or do I not want the government involved in my business,” Bennett said. “On the flip side, there was this thought that I don’t want government in my business, but these packers are just so big and they have such control over the market that the government stepping in is the only answer to the issue.”

Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy with Ohio Farm Bureau, hears the same sentiment from members across the state.

“We have producers with both frames of mind on this one,” Kern said. “If you listened to American Farm Bureau delegates on the floor in Atlanta, and I think Ohio is very reflective of this, there was a conversation that considered government intervention versus freedom to market your product. I think everybody agreed that we need more price transparency and more discovery to make sure farmers are getting a fair price, but it is the methods that we use to get there that were debated.”

Packers and Stockyards Act facelift

The Packers and Stockyards Act, which serves as an arbiter for producers to use if they feel like there is anticompetitiveness in the marketplace, may be getting a facelift through this newly introduced legislation.

“We are anticipating some rules that would amend the Packers and Stockyards Act from USDA in the coming weeks,” Bennett said. “One will address anticompetition and tweaks to what that definition entails, and another will address the tournament pay system in the poultry sector. We don’t know what the exact content is at this point, but we are ready to respond during the public comment period, and Farm Bureau will be heavily engaged to try and make sure that the Packers and Stockyards Act remains strong for small producers across the country.”

There is an ongoing investigation at the Department of Justice as it looks into the meatpacking industry. The investigation began after excessive volatility in the live and fed cattle markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Farm Bureau recently wrote a letter to the DOJ, asking for a written update on the volatility in the live and fed cattle markets within 90 days.

How to report unfair practices

As a result of the pressure put on the Department of Justice to investigate violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act, USDA and DOJ launched a new tool for farmers to anonymously report potentially unfair and anticompetitive practices in the livestock and poultry sectors. 

Complaints or tips given at farmerfairness.gov will go through a preliminary review by USDA Packers and Stockyards Division staff and Department of Justice staff. If a complaint raises sufficient concern under the Packers and Stockyards Act or antitrust laws, it will be selected for further investigation by the appropriate agency. This action may lead to the opening of a formal investigation.

“We have been advocating for that and USDA listened,” Bennett said. “So if you feel like you are in a marketplace that is being unfair to you, this new resource is a great place to start.”

Letter to EPA stresses concerns about Enlist bans in Ohio

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Ty Higgins

In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to prohibit the use of Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides in certain Ohio counties, Farm Bureau, along with the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association and the Ohio Soybean Association, wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan to voice their concerns about the new policy.

Twelve counties in Ohio are on the banned use list: Athens, Butler, Fairfield, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hocking, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Vinton and Washington, impacting nearly 270,000 soybean acres across the state.

“The restriction on use in certain counties came with no warning to producers and no logical implementation plan,” the groups said in the letter. “Farmers who have already purchased the product went to bed on January 10 thinking they had secured a crucial input in a time of scarce supply, only to wake up the next morning to find the EPA has prohibited its use. What are farmers who have made thousands of dollars in investment in this product supposed to do without time to account for this new regulatory restriction?”

The letter pointed out that in addition to the financial hit the EPA is handing down to these farmers, the decision leaves them without many options for soybean weed control. Very few products on the market can replace Enlist, and with current supply chain disruptions that continue to plague the country’s entire economy, the products that can are in extremely short supply.

The groups questioned why EPA’s decision came with virtually no communication and no answers to important questions like how were counties selected, how are the endangered species identified to trigger a prohibition of use selected, and why are portions of counties in some states subject to the ban while other states are facing whole county prohibitions on use?

“Farmers are angry, and rightly so,” the letter states. “The Biden administration needs to start to communicate with producers about these questions and account for the competitive disadvantage their decision has placed on farmers in these counties.”

In addition, the groups asked the administration to create a more open and transparent process as to how it intends to use the Endangered Species Act to evaluate agricultural products in the future.

Read the full letter.

Online Extra

Ohio Farm Bureau to EPA: Rethink RFS proposals

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Ty Higgins

The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation recently provided comments concerning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule regarding proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) for 2021 and 2022, as well as EPA’s proposal to retroactively adjust the already-finalized RVO for 2020.

The letter pointed out how renewable fuels have been a tremendous success story for the country and the rural economy and how the Renewable Fuel Standard has reduced the country’s dependence on foreign crude oil, reduced air pollution, increased farm incomes and provided good-paying jobs in rural America.

“Following the implementation of the RFS2 in 2007, the U.S. experienced tremendous growth within the agricultural sector,” the letter read. “U.S. farmers responded to these new market signals by expanding crop production by 3 billion to 4 billion bushels of corn and over 1 billion bushels of soybeans, crops that are used to produce corn-based ethanol and soybean oil biodiesel.”

The letter asserted that with the exception of the proposal to reopen the final 2020 standards, Farm Bureau believes the proposed rule represents an important and long-awaited step toward restoring order, integrity and stability to the RFS. It also noted that Farm Bureau supports the proposed volumes for 2022 for all categories of renewable fuel, and specifically commends EPA for proposing to set the implied requirement for conventional renewable fuels at the statutory level of 15 billion gallons.

“We also support EPA’s proposal to account for projected exempt volumes from small refineries when setting RVO percentages, and Farm Bureau agrees with EPA that, ‘in the interest of transparency,’ the agency should release basic information about entities seeking exemptions from RFS compliance,” the letter read. “While we understand EPA’s proposed denial of 65 pending small refinery exemption petitions is not the subject of this docket, we also want to voice our strong support for that decision.”

As for the 2021 RVO and the proposed revision to the 2020 RVO, the letter addresses serious concerns Ohio Farm Bureau has about EPA’s questionable use of its “reset” authority. 

“While we understand EPA has a statutory obligation to consider resetting future RFS volumes when certain thresholds are met, it does not appear that Congress intended for EPA to use its reset authority for the purpose of retroactively addressing unforeseen market anomalies like COVID or weather-related disasters”

The letter underlined that EPA’s current proposals for 2020 and 2021 show a lack of appreciation for farmers who did not stop producing for the U.S. in the midst of the pandemic and would only add to the uncertainty now facing farmers and biofuel producers. 

“These proposed requirements undercut the growth of homegrown biofuels and hold back our efforts to revitalize rural communities, create clean energy jobs and reduce emissions of the transportation sector. Now more than ever, it’s vital that EPA set strong biofuel requirements as soon as possible.”

Read the full letter to the EPA regarding the agency’s RFS proposal.

Legal with Leah: Economic development and eminent domain

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Lynn Snyder

After the major news of Intel building a massive technology plant in Licking County, “progress” is making its way deeper in rural areas of Ohio. That has spurred some conversations about how future economic development projects will look, and some are wondering if eminent domain will play a role in finding the land resources for those projects. For this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis talks about economic development and eminent domain.

 

Listen to Legal with Leah, a podcast featuring Ohio Farm Bureau’s Policy Counsel Leah Curtis discussing topics impacting farmers and landowners.

Transcript

Ty Higgins [00:00:00] After the major news of Intel building a massive technology plant in Licking County, progress is making its way deeper into rural areas of Ohio. That has spurred some conversations about how future economic development projects will look. And some are wondering if eminent domain will play a role in finding the land resources for those future projects. That’s our topic matter for this Legal with Leah. Leah Curtis joins me. She’s policy counsel with Ohio Farm Bureau. So let’s start with what eminent domain is and go from there.

Leah Curtis [00:00:31] Eminent domain is the idea that the government takes your property for some sort of public purpose. The government has to show that it’s necessary to take it and that it’s going to be used for a public use. Aside from the government here in Ohio and most other states in the country and at the federal level, there’s also some companies that will have the right to use eminent domain. So the government has sort of said we’re transferring our power to you and those companies are mainly utilities, and that’s for the purpose of making sure everyone has access to public utility services.

Ty Higgins [00:01:03] So what types of things do we see eminent domain used for?

Leah Curtis [00:01:07] So from the government side, we see it more for things like roads. It could be a new school building. It could be a park. It could be trails, any of those uses that are going to be open to the public, and then utilities are typically using this for that utility infrastructure. So transmission lines, easements for water lines, underground power lines, those kinds of things to make sure everybody can access those services.

Ty Higgins [00:01:32] And I guess one of the reasons we’re getting calls at Farm Bureau is the question of can the government take my land and then give it to somebody else?

Leah Curtis [00:01:39]  So we get this question still a lot, even though it’s been fairly settled in Ohio for a while. So the confusion comes because at the federal level, the U.S. Supreme Court has said that that can happen, so the government could take land and give it to another private user for the purposes of economic development. In Ohio, though, we have our own constitution and our Ohio Constitution and our Ohio Supreme Court has said that that is not allowed, that there are very, very limited circumstances where that can happen. There’s really only a handful of situations where that could happen. And so we can’t really use economic development as a public reason for taking property by the government.

Ty Higgins [00:02:22] So what might happen when a major economic development project like Intel happens in my area?

Leah Curtis [00:02:29] So obviously, there’s going to be some changes to your neighborhood, and eminent domain might be used because of infrastructure needs. Projects like that may need different water services or electric services or broadband. Broadband is not a public utility, but it might get bumped into there. So there may be some eminent domain happening to accommodate all that new infrastructure, and private entities might approach you about selling your property. They’re not going to have that right of eminent domain necessarily to buy it, to put a house on or to put a new building on. But they may be making you offers to sell that property in order to locate other portions of their business or to build houses, that kind of thing.

Ty Higgins [00:03:11] So if I’m a landowner and I’m faced with eminent domain threat, what can I do?

Leah Curtis [00:03:15] So if you think that you’re going to have an eminent domain situation on your hands, as soon as you know or even suspect, we would really suggest that you speak with an attorney early in the process. When you start with working with an attorney in that process, you can lay the groundwork a lot better. And unfortunately, we have had situations where people have called us and they have just ignored the situation, even up to ignoring court summons. And that is not going to end well for anyone, for any landowner. So if you get a letter about it, if you hear about it, you think it’s happening, it’s a good idea to get in with an attorney early and start to lay that groundwork to make sure you can either fight that taking or negotiate for the best terms possible for you.

Ty Higgins [00:04:00] You mentioned how eminent domain is constantly a concern for Ohio Farm Bureau members. So what are we doing as an organization on that front?

Leah Curtis [00:04:06] So we talk to members pretty much every week, I would say, someone who has an eminent domain concern and we can definitely help you with kind of understanding how the process works and what the law is, and we can help you find some legal counsel if you need help with that. But then on the other side, the legislative side, we’re also trying to work on some reforms to eminent domain laws. We had a major eminent domain reform in 2007, and that was a long time ago. And now we know there are other issues that need to be addressed when it comes eminent domain, particularly around protections for the landowner. So we are taking a look at that and trying to push for some reforms to our eminent domain law to make it a better situation for landowners.

Ty Higgins [00:04:51] Plenty of resources and great information on our website. While you’re there, you can listen to other episodes of Legal with Leah. Leah Curtis, policy counsel with Ohio Farm Bureau, thank you.

Leah Curtis [00:05:02] Thank you.

 

 

Ohio Farm Bureau submits WOTUS comments to EPA

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Ty Higgins

This week, Ohio Farm Bureau submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the agencies’ proposed rewrite of the Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS). These changes would significantly expand the land mass regulated by the federal government and would lead to costly and complex permitting requirements that small businesses and farmers aren’t equipped to navigate.

“The definition of WOTUS is critically important to Ohio farmers,” Farm Bureau stated in the letter. “Growing crops and raising animals are water-dependent enterprises. For this reason, farming in Ohio occurs on lands where there is either plentiful rainfall or an adequate water supply available for crop irrigation and animal watering. Across the Ohio agricultural landscape, there are many features that are wet only when it rains and that may be located many miles from the nearest ‘navigable’ water. Ohio farmers regard these features as low spots on farm fields.”

The letter emphasized Ohio Farm Bureau and its members’ disappointment about the agencies’ proposed rule, and reminded how the current Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) was clearly protecting Ohio’s lakes, rivers and streams. 

“It provides Ohio farmers clarity and predictability by establishing clear bright line definitions, clarified the level of government, federal or state, responsible for overseeing water features and dry land that is occasionally wet, excluded ditches and areas where water collects after rain events as well as defined and excluded prior converted cropland as jurisdictional wetlands. The agencies should keep the NWPR in place, rather than revert to definitions of WOTUS that test the limits of federal authority,” the letter said.

Additionally, the comments highlighted how Ohio farmers are taking proactive, voluntary steps to conserve resources and protect water resources by working with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and NRCS to install conservation practices. The letter also pointed out how clean water regulations must continue to protect farmers’ ability to implement environmentally beneficial projects and conduct routine maintenance on their farms such as installing grass waterways and riparian buffers without the requirement to obtain a permit.

“Clarity and predictability are paramount,” the letter stated. “Farmers need a rule that draws clear lines of jurisdiction that they can understand without hiring consultants and lawyers. To ensure that law-abiding farmers and other landowners can understand and comply with the CWA, any definition of “waters of the United States” must provide clarity and certainty.”

There is still time to submit comments to the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers. The deadline is Feb 7. Learn more about the issue and how to send your comments.

Over $60,000 in Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation scholarships available  

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Lynn Snyder

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation has more than $60,000 in scholarships available to Ohio students from rural, suburban and urban communities who are pursuing degrees connected in some way to agriculture.

Through 12 scholarship funds, approximately 50 awards will be made to deserving students. The deadline to apply online is Feb. 28, and all applications require letters of recommendation, an essay, school transcripts and photos.

The Yvonne Lesicko Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Yvonne Lesicko, Ohio Farm Bureau’s vice president of public policy, who passed away in 2020. The Yvonne Lesicko Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to honor Yvonne and provide support for the next generation of student leaders. The income from this endowment provides scholarship assistance in perpetuity to students majoring in agricultural and environmental policy or agriculture related fields, such as food production, scientific research, education/outreach, policymaking, advocacy, or leadership development for women.

In honor of the legacy of Dr. C. William Swank, who served as Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president from 1968-1996, Ohio Farm Bureau created the Bill and Helen Swank Scholarship Fund. During his 40-year career, Swank helped Ohio Farm Bureau grow into the advocacy organization it is today, all the while keeping the economic and social well-being of farm families top of mind.

The Richard & Carole Cocks Scholarship is intended to recognize students who come from those areas that provide so much through farming. This year, the scholarship will award two scholarships of $3,333 to deserving students entering their sophomore year of college from select rural Ohio counties. Each scholarship award is renewable for up to three years and a total of $10,000 per student.

The Joseph Kelly Memorial Scholarship was established in 2018 to honor the life of Joseph Kelly and to continue his legacy of generosity and service. The Joseph Kelly Memorial Scholarship is an annual, merit-based competition that focuses on rewarding students pursuing degrees related to agriculture.

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Scholar Award recognizes students for academic effort, community service and career interests that use agriculture to enhance the partnership between producers and consumers in rural, suburban and/or urban settings.

The foundation’s Women’s Leadership in Agriculture Scholarship Program is awarded to applicants who may not be majoring in agriculture directly, but whose chosen career field will benefit a field related to agriculture or community development such as food production, scientific research, education/outreach, marketing, policymaking, advocacy or leadership development. The program was established by an endowment from the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee.

The scholarship’s namesake John C. “Jack” Fisher believes in this saying from Ohio Farm Bureau’s first Executive Vice President Murray Lincoln: “People have within their own hands the tools to fashion their own destiny.” His vision for this scholarship is to enable people to acquire the necessary tools for a more fulfilling life. Funding for this scholarship comes from the contributions made through the Fisher Fund for Lifelong Learning.

Known as “Mr. Farm Bureau” to his family and friends, Kenny Walter devoted 34 years of his life to Ohio Farm Bureau. The Kenny Walter Scholarship Fund is awarded to students pursuing post-secondary education in agriculture who come from a Farm Bureau family in the 29 northeastern counties Walter covered as a regional supervisor and organization director.

The Darwin Bryan Scholarship Fund was established in 1985 in honor of Darwin R. Bryan whose enthusiastic leadership during his 37 years of service to Ohio Farm Bureau has been an inspiration to rural youths throughout Ohio. The scholarship fund assists students who have been active in the Farm Bureau youth program and/or whose parents are Farm Bureau members.

The Cindy Hollingshead Scholarship Fund was established in 2011 to honor Cynthia Anne (Cindy) Hollingshead for her 39 years of service as executive secretary of Ohio Farm Bureau, as well as a lifetime of volunteer commitment to local government and community service activities. The objective of the scholarship fund is to assist students who plan to pursue careers focusing on agriculture, community service or association leadership.

The Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association is a nonprofit trade association representing 2,500 thoroughbred owners and trainers who race at Ohio’s three commercial thoroughbred race tracks. The objective of  The Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association Scholarship is to assist students who plan to pursue careers focusing on food or agriculture.

The Dr. David A. Benfield Scholarship Fund was established in 2019 by colleagues and friends of Benfield to honor his 17-year career as associate director of OARDC and associate vice president and director of the Wooster Campus in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and his passion for agricultural education and research. The scholarship is specifically for students in livestock and crop sciences at ATI. The purpose of this scholarship fund is to provide $1000 to students entering their second year at Ohio State ATI who are enrolled in livestock and crop related majors. 

In addition, some county Farm Bureaus have their own scholarship programs. Visit ohiofarmbureau.org/counties to access the county websites for more information.

For more information about the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, contact Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Executive Director Kelly Burns at 614-246-8275.

This is a news release for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ty Higgins, 614-246-8231 or [email protected].

Coverage of the 103rd American Farm Bureau Annual Convention

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Ty Higgins

Monday, Jan. 10

Today, American Farm Bureau members heard from President Joe Biden. Through a pre-recorded video message, the president expressed his appreciation for what farmers do to feed their families and America’s families and highlighted some of the ways his infrastructure bill and efforts to address unfair pricing practices in the livestock industry will help create transparency in the marketplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The president’s message was followed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (pictured above with AFBF President Zippy Duvall). Secretary Vilsack covered a wide range of topics including the supply and demand issues being realized in agriculture, as well as rural broadband, climate-smart agriculture and the importance of maintaining strong export markets. He assured attendees that the relationship between USDA and Farm Bureau is strong and how his agency works with AFBF on all major policies that come across his desk.

Ohio Farm Bureau members gave back to the Atlanta community during the AFBF Convention by joining the Outreach Program and putting together packaged meals for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Together with other state Farm Bureau members, they succeeded in reaching the goal of packaging 8,500 meals.

Sunday, Jan. 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall gave his keynote address, sharing stories of his travels across the country over the past year. He emphasized how the American Farm Bureau team is sharing stories from farm country on the Hill in Washington, D.C., with the administration, and through many communications channels that reach far and wide. He said sharing those stories is important within our organization, too, because we are stronger when members understand what their neighbors in other regions are facing.

Ohio Farm Bureau received an Award of Excellence, which recognizes state Farm Bureaus that demonstrated outstanding achievements in four program areas: Advocacy, Coalitions & Partnerships, Engagement & Outreach, and Leadership & Business Development.

American Farm Bureau Foundation announced its 15th Book of the Year, “How to Grow a Monster” by Kiki Thorpe. Ohio received a Leader Award from American Farm Bureau Foundation for the state board’s support of the foundation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ohio Farm Bureau President Bill Patterson visited with national farm media about the 2021 successes for Ohio Farm Bureau and the issues being tackled this week at the national level.

Stacie Anderson from Wood County made a strong showing in the Sweet 16 round of American Farm Bureau’s Discussion Meet on Sunday. Competitors tackled this question:

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries. What can we, as young farmers and ranchers, do to create a more preventative, rather than reactive, approach to farm safety in our communities?

Stacie is a great representative for the Buckeye State and Ohio Farm Bureau is proud of her efforts. Congratulations to her on a job well done!

Finally, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Senior Director of Communications, Ty Higgins, was part of a panel addressing mobilizing the conversation around mental health. He shared Ohio Farm Bureau’s efforts on this front, and fellow panelists also discussed what other state Farm Bureaus are doing to actively promote, support and advance the conversation around mental health in farm and ranch communities.

Saturday, Jan. 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first two rounds of the 2022 American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet included Ohio’s Stacie Anderson from Wood County. Anderson and fellow competitors shared their thoughts and ideas about topics including:

As the world population increases, so will the need for renewable resources. On a local level and across the globe, how can Farm Bureau help farmers and ranchers continue to increase their efficiency in the use of valuable resources and transition to “Green Energy” practices on their farm or ranch?

COVID revealed several cracks involving the processing of livestock. How can Farm Bureau policy support easing government regulations to ensure long-term economic viability for local animal processing facilities, while ensuring the health of workers and that a healthy product is still delivered to consumers?

Anderson is moving on to the Discussion Meet Sweet 16 Sunday morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Everett introduced the judges to his farm, his family and how his military background prepared him for going back home to work on the family farm. Everett traveled to Atlanta from Shelby County to compete in the American Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture Award contest. Everett shared his world adventures during his time in the U.S Navy and how he hopes to get more military veterans involved in agriculture in Ohio and across the country. 

Sunday’s plethora of programming includes two general sessions, 12 workshops, the live pitch competition for the final four Ag Innovation Challenge teams and the Sweet 16 round of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet. AFBF President Zippy Duvall will deliver his keynote remarks during the opening general session at 9:30 a.m.

Friday, Jan. 7

More than 125 Ohio Farm Bureau members and staff are traveling to Atlanta to celebrate this past year’s achievements and represent Ohio member interests as Farm Bureau policy priorities are set for the coming year at the American Farm Bureau 103rd Annual Convention.

Four Ohio county Farm Bureau projects were chosen to participate in the County Activities of Excellence program, and young agricultural professionals Joe Everett and Stacie Anderson  will be competing in the national Excellence in Agriculture and Discussion Meet contests, respectively.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall will give his annual address to Farm Bureau members during the opening general session of the convention at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, Jan. 9, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak during the closing general session at 11:30 a.m.

This is the first time in Farm Bureau history that the convention is being offered in-person and on a virtual platform at the same time. For those unable to attend the 2022 American Farm Bureau convention in-person, consider registering for the virtual event. Select workshops and sessions will be broadcast live with most available for on-demand viewing on the convention virtual platform.

You can view the full convention schedule on the 2022 American Farm Bureau Convention Website and follow the action as it’s happening on OFBF’s social media through Facebook and by following the #AFBF22 hashtag on Twitter.

Federal action plan created to address livestock markets

Posted on

Ty Higgins

The White House this week announced an Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain.

Some of the key points from the Jan. 3 announcement include the dedication of $1 billion of American Rescue Fund money for the expansion of independent processing capacity. Also announced is a hotline at the Department of Justice for the public to report concerns about potential violations of the competition laws. Lastly, the administration hopes to work in various ways to increase transparency in the marketplace, including aspects of legislation that American Farm Bureau supports.

“The idea is that more independent processing and greater transparency in the marketplace should lead to a market that is fair to all players, certainly those that raise and sell the livestock,” said Scott Bennett, American Farm Bureau Federation congressional relations director. “AFBF plans to work with this administration in efforts that help us reach this goal.”

Bennett added the action plan would fit well with a cattle contract library, which American Farm Bureau supports.

“While the announcement doesn’t directly pertain to the cattle contract library, this announcement should provide some tailwinds for efforts like these,” Bennett said. “The cattle contract library and the efforts announced would work well together in the marketplace, so we hope to see that come to fruition as soon as possible.”

Callicoat joins Farm Bureau public policy team

Posted on

Ty Higgins

COLUMBUS, Ohio (OFBF) – Evan Callicoat has been named director of state policy for Ohio Farm Bureau. He will represent the interests of Farm Bureau members with the Ohio General Assembly and throughout state government.

Callicoat comes to Farm Bureau from the Ohio Treasurer’s office, where he worked as part of the economic development department. He also brings farm policy experience through working with Ohio Corn and Wheat and Ohio AgriBusiness Association.

He was raised on his family farm in Clark County and was active in 4-H and FFA. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University where he majored in agribusiness and applied economics. Prior to that, Callicoat served as a state officer for Ohio FFA.

Ohio Farm Bureau is the state’s largest and most influential farm and food organization. Its mission is working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities. Learn more at ohiofarmbureau.org.

Editors: A high-resolution photo of Mr. Callicoat is available for download.

Questions should be directed to Ty Higgins, 614-246-8231 or [email protected]. 

Ohio Meat Processing Grants now available

Posted on

Ty Higgins

The newly created Ohio Meat Processing Grant program is now accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis. The program provides grants of up to $250,000 to Ohio livestock and poultry producers so they can implement processing efficiencies, expand or construct facilities at existing sites, assist in training and certification, and improve harvest services.

“A lack of capacity for meat processing at the local level is an issue that pre-dated COVID, but the pandemic really brought it home when we started to see major disruptions in our nation’s food supply chain,” said Ohio Farm Bureau Senior Director of State and National Policy, Brandon Kern. “The vulnerabilities in the food system became very real for consumers and for the lawmakers that represent them, and this policy is a great step forward to help create additional options out there for local processing on a smaller scale.”

As consumers dealt with the realization of fewer quantities and options of meat cuts at the grocery store, farmers were having issues of their own when it came to finding a place to move market-ready livestock off of the farm, as larger facilities shut down and smaller ones became overwhelmed.

“This program is the perfect example of grassroots in action as this all started with conversations with Ohio Farm Bureau members in Gallia County who were interested in being able to expand their meat processing capacity but were limited on the resources to do so,” Kern said. “That conversation worked its way to the state level, and we worked with legislators to put something in place that was going to be useful and meaningful to help Ohio’s food supply system move in the right direction.”

Guidelines

The grants can be used by businesses that own or operate a meat processing facility located in Ohio that was in operation as of July 1, 2021. The facility must provide processing services for livestock and/or poultry producers, and it must be a for-profit entity, such as a corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture or sole proprietor.

Grants can be used to reimburse businesses for costs incurred after the date the application was submitted at the project location identified in the application, as long as the costs do not violate state or federal law and are not otherwise specified as ineligible costs.

Eligible uses include:

  • New/upgraded machinery/equipment.
  • New/upgraded technology products.
  • Personnel training costs.
  • Plant construction/expansion – confinement.
  • Plant construction/expansion – processing.
  • Plant construction/expansion – refrigeration.
  • Food safety certification costs.
  • Cooperative interstate shipment program costs.

For detailed information on the program and for application instructions, visit Development.Ohio.Gov/MeatProcessing.

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