“Today’s decision by EPA to accept the health effects information submitted by the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy clears a major hurdle for E15. Now manufacturers who wish to register E15 may choose to rely on this data for completing their applications.

“We are one step closer to having E15 available for widespread distribution in the U.S. American consumers deserve a choice at the pump. According to Growth Energy, the average price of a gallon of E15 is 76 cents cheaper than a gallon of gasoline. E15 is a homegrown fuel that saves consumers money and helps wean us off of our addiction to foreign oil. Today’s decision is a win for rural America, a win for national security, and a win for the environment.”

Daniels has represented Ohio’s 17th Senate District since January 2011 and will submit his resignation to the Ohio Senate on Wednesday. He is expected to be sworn in and begin his duties as ODA director on Thursday, February 16.

Daniels replaces Jim Zehringer who Kasich appointed to lead the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in November 2011. Chief of Animal Health and State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey has served as interim director of ODA since November and will resume his previously-held duties upon Daniels’ swearing-in.

Daniels is a life-long farmer and, together with his father and uncle, operated Daniels Brothers farm in Greenfield. Prior to his election to the Ohio Senate in 2010, Daniels served eight years in the Ohio House of Representatives and a total of 18 years in local government as a Highland County commissioner, a Greenfield city councilman, and the mayor of Greenfield.

“Show Me Energy’s use of BCAP is a compelling example of how farm bill energy title programs are incentivizing the production of dedicated energy crops,” said Flick. “We need to be increasing those programs that will help revitalize rural America and help America become more energy secure. The United States is a country with unlimited potential to do great things. I believe that America’s farmers, ranchers and rural residents have a bright future ahead of them with the right incentives. Renewable energy is the future of rural America.”

Show Me Energy Cooperative is owned by 612 farmers in Western Missouri.

“We greatly appreciate Steve taking the time to come out to Washington, D.C., and sharing his story with the Senate Committee on Agriculture,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “It is important for Congressional leaders to see that programs like BCAP are not expenditures, but rather investments that help us reach a new era in renewable energy. We were pleased to hear bipartisan support on the committee for the inclusion of funding for flex fuel pumps in REAP. The secretary also reiterated his strong support for this in order to meet the administration’s goal of installing 10,000 flex fuel pumps nationwide.”

The family farmer and consumer group approved language for this year which supports a limited moratorium on the issuance of permits by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for new instances of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the state. The OFU supported moratorium differs from those supported by some Democrats in the Ohio General Assembly and by some Ohio environmental groups in that it is tied to a preliminary U.S. EPA report due on fracking later this year – rather than the final study results due in 2014.

U.S. EPA is currently studying what, if any, effects fracking has on ground and surface water, according to Ron Sylvester, OFU’s director of external relations. He said that OFU members from the eastern and northeastern areas of Ohio are being inundated with information, both pro and con, about the gas industry and the effects of fracking in places like Pennsylvania.

“We’re not asking for much – the report is due by the end of this year. Our members who own family farms would like a bit more objective information. We’d like to hear what EPA has to say,” said Sylvester.

“And, what’s the rush? Natural gas prices are historically low and the U.S. is nowhere near ready from an infrastructure and market standpoint to take advantage of this bounty and become energy independent,” Sylvester added.

OFU did not join others in calling for a longer moratorium because the group has no issues with the responsible use of natural gas and wishes to respect the property rights of rural landowners.

“We believe that at the end of the day this opportunity can be handled in a way that is fair to farmers and landowners from a market standpoint, environmentally responsible and with appropriate, responsible rules for the industry,” Sylvester said.

In other business, the Ohio Farmers Union approved 2012 policy language which:

• Called for the restoration of full funding for the Office of the Ohio Consumers Counsel,
• Opposes privatization of the Ohio Turnpike,
• Supports Ohio Dept. of Agriculture wishes to expand the farmer-funded Ohio Indemnity Fund, and,
• Re-affirmed its support for Ohio’s current energy policy which calls for 25% of electricity generated for Ohio to be from renewable resources by 2025.

Once nominated by a local farmer, school district administrators are eligible to submit an application for either a grant of up to $10,000 or a grant of up to $25,000 to support a science and/or math educational program. The more farmers that nominate a school district, the more it demonstrates community support and strengthens the school district’s application.

Eligibility is determined, in part, by whether or not a school district’s home county is considered rural under the program rules. The following counties in Ohio are eligible:

(Not in alphabetical order)  Allen, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams, Wood,  Ashland, Crawford, Erie, Huron, Lorain, Ottawa, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot,  Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Trumbull, Wayne, Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Darke, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Shelby, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, Ross, Union, Coshocton, Holmes, Tuscarawas, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Greene, Montgomery, Preble, Warren, Adams, Brown, Highland, Perry

The nomination deadline is April 15, 2012; school applications are due April 30, 2012. Visit the website to learn more about the program and submit an online nomination.

“The president’s budget proposal for FY 2013 would cut agriculture programs by $32 billion over ten years, which is $9 billion than the agreement reached late last year in a bipartisan, bicameral manner by the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.

“Agriculture has and continues to do more than its fair share toward reducing the federal deficit. Efforts to cut even more by slashing support for family farmers should be directed elsewhere. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the closing of 259 facilities across the country because of these draconian budget cuts. The ‘cut-first, ask questions later’ attitude in Congress is now showing its true costs.

“These budget cuts highlight a reality that we must look for new solutions within the agriculture industry to ensure that farmers and ranchers are protected even as the available funds diminish. Farmers need a safety net for difficult times – when markets collapse and when disaster strikes. The Market-Driven Inventory System (MDIS), which NFU and the University of Tennessee have been recently developing, would help to do just that. Had it been in place from 1998 to 2010, the federal government would have saved about 60 percent in farm program spending compared to the costs of the programs that were actually implemented during that period.

“NFU appreciates that the proposed FY 2013 budget maintains strong support for natural resource conservation and environmental issues, but we are concerned that funding is permanently reduced for many key conservation programs. Because we are in a farm bill reauthorization year, this will further exacerbate the budget hole for agriculture programs. This makes the passage and completion of a farm bill in 2012 an imperative but difficult task for the Congress and the administration.

“While we were not pleased with the decrease in funding levels, we were pleased with the renewable energy initiatives and the drive to increase America’s energy independence. The president’s budget also emphasizes food safety, food security, and increased nutrition and obesity reduction.

“Our nation’s family farmers and ranchers provide us with the safest, most affordable, most abundant food supply in the world. As a matter of national security we must support them.”

At our recent Ohio Farmers Union Convention, Jeff Eschmeyer, who runs Harvest Sun Farm with his wife, Debra, gave a presentation on his experiences in the NFU’s Beginning Farmers Institute. The Institute introduced the Eschmeyers to other beginning farmers and held workshops where the group learned about the business side of agriculture and how to navigate situations like taking over for an older member of the family.

This video was taken at the convention. If you are a beginning farmer and want to know more about NFU’s program, check out this post.

National Farmers Union (NFU) encourages individuals who are contemplating starting a career in farming or ranching to apply for the Beginning Farmer Institute. The program is also open to those across the nation who have just begun farming or are in the process of transferring an operation from a parent, relative, or non-relative.

Ohio Farmers Union members, Jeff and Deb Eschmeyer of New Knoxville, were Institute participants in 2011.

Beginning farmers and ranchers face a seemingly unlimited number of decisions to make, from drawing up a business plan and arranging financing to learning what programs are available to make it easier to start up and sustain a successful operation.

“This program will answer the questions new farmers have, and more importantly share our expertise to answer questions that people do not always think of asking when they begin farming,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “The Beginning Farmer Institute underscores our commitment to growing family agriculture.”

Applicants accepted into the 2012 program will attend three separate education sessions, to be held in April in Washington, D.C., November in Minneapolis, Minn., and at the NFU Convention in March 2013 in Springfield, Mass. Program topics will cover business planning, understanding U.S. Department of Agriculture programs, tax and record keeping, and marketing.

A $25 registration fee is required for accepted candidates. The NFU Foundation will cover the costs of materials, transportation, and lodging. This program is supported by the NFU Foundation, Farm Credit and CHS Foundation.

To apply, visit here, fill out the form and return it by the March 14, 2012, deadline.

“Cliff Hite and our members don’t always agree on every issue, but he’s been a great friend to family farmers and is a respectful and willing listener when farmers or consumers come before his committee,” said Roger Wise, president of the Ohio Farmers Union.

“Sen. Hite has been responsive on issues like Ohio’s Grain Indemnity Fund – a farmer-financed way to protect our investments and grain at elevators that go bust – and has been available to OFU every single time we’ve asked for his time.”

“Sen. Hite, we believe, means what he says when he told us “Ohio will get it right” on natural gas fracking in the Marcellus and Utica Shales and we believe that issues related to natural gas development which come before his committee will get a fair hearing in a bipartisan spirit,” Wise added.

“Cliff Hite received this award for exemplifying the sort of legislator Ohioans want to see working on Capitol Square – one who is willing to work across the aisle when common sense dictates and one who understands and respects the broad range of opinion among family farmers and consumers.”

Hite was awarded a plaque by the Ohio Farmers Union on Saturday afternoon at the conclusion of OFU’s annual convention in Columbus. Hite is chairman of the Ohio Senate Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Committee.