COLUMBUS, Ohio — Landowner rights, energy development and the Ohio State Fair were among the topics discussed by delegates at Ohio Farm Bureau’s 103rd annual meeting. A record 385 delegates representing all county Farm Bureaus participated in the debate and discussion.
“The policy work that our delegates do during our annual meeting is what being a grassroots organization is all about,” said Jack Irvin, Ohio Farm Bureau’s vice president of public policy. “Now that their work is done, our work begins with lawmakers in Columbus and Washington, D.C. as we continue to act on the issues important to our members and all of Ohio agriculture.”
Members supported transparency for landowner energy lease holders, including proper notification of lease transfers and a requirement of well inspection reports to landowners. Delegates also voted in favor of protecting the Ohio State Fair. They encouraged a strategic review to enhance the fair as an event, as well as protecting the current location and addressing the needs of the facilities of the Ohio Exposition Center.
Ohio’s hunger challenges also were addressed as members agreed to supporting government incentives for producers who distribute surplus and cosmetically imperfect produce to local food banks. New policy also calls for roundabouts to be engineered and constructed to accommodate modern farm equipment and tractor trailers and use graduated curbing where possible.
Other policy votes addressed recognizing the importance and promotion of urban agriculture and enhancing the process and notification procedures when rivers are designated by the state as wild or scenic rivers.
More than 800 members and guests attended the meeting in Columbus Dec. 9-10.
Ohio Farm Bureau’s mission is working together with Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen the state’s communities. Learn more at ohiofarmbureau.org.
— Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
COLUMBUS, Ohio (OFBF) – Twenty Ohio Farm Bureau leaders are serving on the 2022 Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Policy Development Committee. The committee collects and organizes public policy recommendations from county Farm Bureaus and presents the final policy suggestions to be voted on by Ohio Farm Bureau’s delegates during the state annual meeting in December. In […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Solar and wind energy development is thriving in Ohio, and most of that development will occur on leased farmland. Programs in the newly enacted federal Inflation Reduction Act might amplify renewable energy development even more. The decision to lease land for wind and solar development is an important one for a farmland owner, […]
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Ohioans can start planning visits to all of their favorite fairs across the state. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has released the official dates for the 2022 fair season, which includes Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair. The Paulding County Fair will kick off the 2022 fair […]
