WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, received the National Farmers Union’s highest legislative award in Washington.
The Golden Triangle is awarded for outstanding leadership and public policy support of family farmers, ranchers and rural communities across the U.S.
Brown and Kaptur have captured multiple Golden Triangle awards over their careers.
“Ohio’s family farmers don’t have better friends in Washington than Sherrod Brown and Marcy Kaptur,” said Ohio Farmers Union President Joe Logan. “Year after year, through tough policy problems and hard votes, Marcy and Sherrod put people first and honor the hard work and unique American perspective of rural Ohio.”
“The Golden Triangle Award recognizes farm and food champions in Congress that display outstanding leadership on the issues that are important to both our industry and our organization,” National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said of Kaptur and Brown. “We’re appreciative of their insight and devotion to securing the nation’s food supply for the good of both American family farmers and consumers.”
The Golden Triangle, first presented in 1988, symbolizes the core principles of the Farmers Union organization: education, cooperation and legislation. This year’s Golden Triangle honorees were selected for their leadership and dedication to improving the livelihoods of family farmers and ranchers.
Logan said that Kaptur and Brown were both advocates for a common-sense Farm Bill. He also noted that their support for reforming, rather than simply abandoning the Affordable Care Act — which has led to hundreds of thousands more Ohioans gaining access to quality, more affordable health insurance — were key to their awards this year. Logan said Kaptur and Brown are also longtime proponents of fair trade policies that don’t sacrifice American workers and values to multinational corporate interests.
Logan was also in Washington this week to lobby Congress accompanied by a team of OFU members and staff. The group visited Ohio’s House and Senate offices and spoke with ag legislative assistants and members of Congress. They advocated for a Farm Bill conference report similar to the current Senate bill, the renewable fuel standard and pushing back from what appears to be an ad hoc trade policy being generated by the White House.
“Farm incomes are down 50 percent over the past five years — even without the tariff tit for tat with countries like China,” Logan said.
“Farmers Union remains an advocate of fair trade, but this is not the time to put family farms at the tip of the spear,” Logan said.
— Ohio Farmers Union