Ohio Farmers Union

Serving Family Farmers and Consumers Since 1934



United to Grow Family Agriculture Since 1934

Farmers Affected by the Pandemic Should Look at USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

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The USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program provides direct relief to certain farmers who have experienced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

The application deadline for this program is September 11, 2020.

Many crops are eligible for CFAP payments. For instance, in the ‘non-specialty crop’ category, malting barley, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum and durum wheat are eligible among others.

As for livestock, pigs less than 120 pounds, hogs greater than 120 pounds and different cattle categories are eligible.

Dozens of specialty crops are eligible for the program as are dairy, wool and nursery crops and cut flowers.

For all the information please visit the CFAP website and thoroughly explore it.

Black Farmers: Beyond 40 Acres and a Mule

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Sponsored in part by the Ohio Farmers Union, this event is FREE and open to the public.

People of African descent have a long agricultural tradition. In spite of their forced farm labor under chattel slavery in the Americas, in emancipation most African Americans returned to this tradition as independent farmers or sharecroppers.

This conference will be discussing the influential history of black farmers in Ohio with an emphasis on the strength of community, preparing the next generation of underrepresented farmers for the future, and cultivating the cooperative business model to promote healthy farming and sustainable businesses. There will be keynote addresses, breakout sessions, networking, a resource fair, and more!

Keynote Speakers: Anna-Lisa Cox, author of The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality and Terry Cosby, USDA – NRCS.

Other speakers include Kevin McGruder, Ph.D. and Cornelius Blanding, President of the Federation of Southern Cooperative.

Primary sponsors include: Community Solutions, Antioch College, and The Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center.

To participate online or via the limited in-person opportunities due to the pandemic, please visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-farming-beyond-40-acres-and-a-mule-tickets-107866166608https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-farming-beyond-40-acres-and-a-mule-tickets-107866166608

Conference Lineup:

Friday, Sept. 11th 2020

Friday Afternoon 

Local Agriculture Tours – Central State University 

Location: 1400 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce, OH 45384 

Time: 4:00pm 

*Parking available at the Research Farm

*This is a limited in-person opportunity 

*In order to practice proper social distancing, individuals will be split into groups of no more than 10 people for each tour site.

Tour Stop 1: Seed to Bloom Botanical and Community Garden

A place to learn, explore, dream and grow. The newly-finished garden features a learning center, space for community gardens, a water feature and places for people to reflect, relax, and enjoy nature.

Tour Stop 2: Aquaponic Demonstration Center

The aquaponic center features various layouts, designs, and technology to showcase options and ideas for farmers considering or actively using aquaponic systems to grow fish and fresh produce. 

Tour Stop 3: Research and Extension Farm

Central State has many exciting research projects including hemp, corn breeding, organic weed control and more. The tour will include some of the research plots and visits with the researchers.

Friday Evening

Time: 7:00pm 

Welcome/Opening Remarks – Presented by Jerolyn Barbee, Assistant Director, The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center 

Evening Keynote Address: Anna-Lisa Cox, Author of The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality

Saturday, Sept. 12th 2020 

Conference Start Time: 10:00am

10:00am – Welcome/Opening Remarks/Water Cooler – Black Farming Committee Member

10:15am – 10:45am: Beyond 40 Acres & A Mule – Dr. Kevin McGruder, Historian, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Antioch College

10:45am – 10:55am: Watering hole/Break

11:00am – 11:45am: Urban Conservation – Highlights from Ohio’s cities: Cleveland,

Columbus and Cincinnati – Terry Cosby, State Conservationist, USDA

11:45am – 11:55am: Water Cooler/Break

12:00pm – 12:45pm: Cooperative Farming – Presented by Cornelius Blanding, Executive Director, The Federation of Southern Cooperatives

12:55pm – 1:55pm: Lunch on your own/Water Cooler

2:00pm – 2:45pm, 3:00pm – 3:45pm Afternoon Breakout Sessions – Breakout sessions will run concurrently

*Participants can choose up to two breakout sessions to attend.

Breakout Sessions Include: 

  • 1890 Land-Grant Resources, Presented by Central State University
  • Technical Assistance and Local Farming Resources Presented by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA)
  • Farming During a Pandemic – led by Dr. Alcinda Folck, State Program Leader, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Central State University and Brad Bergefurd, Specialty Crops, The Ohio State University
  • Succession Planning presented by local farmer, Branson Pyles
  • Ohio Farm Bureau Federation – ExploreAg Youth Programming, Presented by Kelly Burns 

4:00pm – 4:45pm – Where do we go from here? – Facilitated Discussion 

5:00pm – Conference Adjourns

USDA Issues Initial Report on Cattle Market Disruptions

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Click Here to download the entire report in pdf.

In a report released in late July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provided an update on its investigation into recent market disruptions and price volatility in the beef industry.

The investigation was prompted by complaints from ranchers, who attributed the rising spread between live cattle prices and boxed beef prices to anticompetitive practices among meat processors. The report neither exonerates beef packers nor reveals violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act. However, it does provide policy recommendations for strengthening competition and transparency in the industry.

Said the USDA in the opening of its report:

This report, prepared by AMS in coordination with USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist, first summarizes market conditions, fed cattle prices, boxed beef values, and the spread before and after the fire and plant closure at the Tyson Holcomb plant. The report then summarizes market conditions, fed cattle prices, boxed beef values, and the spread before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It does not examine potential violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act.  The investigation into potential violations is ongoing, and therefore, AMS has limited ability to publicly report the full scope and status of the investigation.

A vocal proponent of open and competitive markets, National Farmers Union (NFU) welcomes USDA’s inquiry into these two events. However, as farmers endure unfair and abusive conditions, the report must be accompanied by real and meaningful reforms, as NFU President Rob Larew affirmed in a statement:

“Price fixing in the meat industry is not a new phenomenon; a century ago, Farmers Union members were contending with similarly high levels of concentration among meatpackers and the anticompetitive practices that kind of market power enables. Recognizing the immense danger of unchecked corporate consolidation, Congress and the White House worked together to restore competition and shield farmers and ranchers from abusive treatment.

“We appreciate USDA’s efforts to examine this issue and present potential solutions, but it is clear that this is just the beginning; now, like 100 years ago, radical and immediate action is needed to create a fair and balanced food system. The agency must thoroughly conduct its ongoing investigation, for which we intend to hold them to account. Additionally, we urge legislators, USDA, and other federal agencies to strengthen protections for farmers and ranchers, enforce existing antitrust regulations, and prevent future abuses of market power.”

To download a copy of the report, CLICK HERE.

Corona Virus Pandemic: Legitimate Information for Rural Ohioans (and everyone else)

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The news and information landscape in the U.S. is more confusing than ever. Legitimate, balanced and professionally edited journalism is on its heels due to the decline of local newspapers and locally-produced radio.

Then, there’s the partisan-driven “news” operations online creating linkbait to enrich site owners by enraging folks to click through to get barraged with ads or other sales schemes. Along these lines are also the purely ideologically partisan or other bad actors who are put out one side of the story or disinformation to forward political fortunes or simply troll Americans to weaken our communal bonds.

Sometime after March 24, this post will become a standing page here at ohfarmersunion.org that will be updated as needed. For now, here’s a curated collection of where folks can get real information.

Reliable Government Sources of Corona Virus (COVID-19) Info

The state of Ohio has set up a page that is a catch-all of information from various state agencies and Gov. Mike DeWine. You will find information about statistics regarding confirmed cases, tips and guidance to stay healthy, the governor’s executive orders and other pandemic guidelines for all Ohioans and individual groups as well as info for business and consumers.

The state of Ohio has also set up a hotline to answer citizen questions. This is being managed by the Ohio Dept. of Health: 1-833-427-5634.

As of March 24, 2020, Gov. DeWine and Ohio Health Dept. Director Dr. Amy Acton are giving live-streamed daily updates for Ohio. You can stay on top of the schedules for these news conferences and watch them live or recordings after the fact at The Ohio Channel. Some Ohio local television stations are carrying these news conferences live.

Nationally, the best general source of information from the federal government is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Corona Virus-COVID-19 Resource page. CDC’s page is a great resource for staying on top of what experts know about symptoms to look for and preparedness guidelines for various communities from senior citizens to health care professionals.

Internationally, the United Nations-afilliated public health organization is the World Health Organization. Their Corona Virus resource page has a lot of information in the context of the worldwide nature of the disease. Their library of recent news conferences and their daily “Situation Reports” are good indicators of where we’re at in the worldwide battle. There are also areas to check up on specific countries and a dashboard that’s a one page snapshot of maps and statistics.

Ag-related Corona Virus Updates

Ohio

National

  • On this page, the USDA has information primarily related to conducting business with USDA and FSA offices during the outbreak.
  • If you want general information on agriculture and food regarding the outbreak, this page at USDA’s main site has FAQs on a variety of topics.

Reliable News Sources for Corona Virus: Ohio and National

Sources on this list that normally are pay-walled, but have suspended their paywalls for Corona Virus coverage (as of March 24, 2020).

  • Daily updates from the Statehouse News Bureau, a group of radio and TV journalists who provide reporting for Ohio’s public TV and radio stations are being carried by many of Ohio’s public TV stations daily. The Ohio Channel is a partner. Look to the Ohio Channel’s Facebook and Twitter feeds for updates. In Columbus, for instance, WOSU has aired these updates around the PBS NewsHour or before Gov. DeWine’s news conferences.
  • Speaking of the PBS NewsHour, it remains a great resource where considerable time is being spent on reporting about the virus and government response without all the cable news opinion panels.
  • The Columbus Dispatch is covering not only Columbus and Central Ohio, but state government-related news about the pandemic.
  • Dayton Daily News is covering Dayton, Montgomery County and Miami Valley with Laura Bischoff in Columbus covering state government.
  • Cleveland.com has the best from The Plain Dealer and their own team of journalists. Cleveland.com also has reporters in Columbus covering state government.
  • Cincinnati Enquirer has southwest Ohio covered and also a Statehouse reporter in Columbus.
  • There are still several smaller cities and regions with daily newspapers in Ohio, although their numbers have dwindled. Check out your local paper’s website, and if you can afford it, subscribe.
  • The news coverage of the Corona Virus pandemic is free from both the Washington Post and The New York Times. Yes, their opinion pages contain pieces that you may not agree with, but their news coverage is still well-edited and stories are reported by journalists who do not write opinion pieces.

Info for Nerds: Deep Dive with Universities

The public health programs and research at Johns Hopkins University are world-renowned. JHU has gathered their Corona Virus response generally on this page. Another public service they are providing is the constantly updated pandemic data dashboard and map courtesy of JHU’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease and Research Policy (CIDRAP), not only aggregates the latest scientific papers and research on the virus, but part of their mission is essentially news reporting for the public on issues of infectious disease. As an aside, CIDRAP is also an important resource for the midwest and the nation regarding Chronic Wasting Disease which continues to spread through deer herds.

What About Social Media?

Well … you’ve got to be your own editor regarding links being posted around Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. That means: consider the source. Is the source a well-edited traditional or online publication that adheres to basic journalistic standards and ethics in news reporting? If it’s a particularly “shocking” story, is it covered by other outlets as well?

An example of this: The Drudge Report has a headline that links to the Daily Mail in the UK. The Daily Mail is one step up the food chain from the National Enquirer. Would you base decisions that affect yourself or your family on what you read in the National Enquirer? The Daily Mail sometimes covers the same subjects that respected news organizations cover. If a story from a source like them alerts you, see how it’s covered (or if it’s covered) by major newspapers or TV outlets in the U.S.

For a good read from an Ohio State University expert on social media and disinformation in light of the pandemic, check this out.

Corona Virus Update: ODA’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab

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from Ohio Dept. of Agriculture:

“Many of you have reached out concerning the implications of the Stay At Home Order issued by Governor Mike DeWine to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Diagnostic services provided at the ADDL will continue. 

Safety precautions are in place to limit human to human contact between visitors, couriers and our laboratory staff. If you plan on dropping samples off at the lab, please call 614-995-1495 or 614-989-8036 for directions on how to proceed with sample delivery to the laboratory.

At this time, we plan to maintain continuity of operations to the best of our ability. We will continue to operate at normal business hours: 8 AM – 5 PM Monday – Friday.

For necropsy cases, veterinarians are encouraged to submit completed submission forms ahead of time by fax or email. The submission form can be accessed here. During the COVID-19 response, no partial payments will be accepted and all charges will be billed to the referring veterinarian.

We will keep you informed if anything changes. Please give us a call if you have any questions or concerns.”

2020 Ohio Farmers Union Special Orders of Business

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As Adopted by the Delegates to the 85th Annual Ohio Farmers Union Convention, Lima, Ohio January 25, 2020

Click Here to Download a PDF of 2020 Special Orders

Special Order of Business 2020-01 Current Policy Focus of Ohio Farmers Union Concerning Lake Erie Water Quality and Nutrient Management

Lake Erie is the source of drinking water for 11 million people and contributes over one billion dollars annually to Ohio’s economy. Restoring and protecting Lake Erie and its watershed has been a significant challenge over the years.

The Ohio Farmers Union has supported voluntary initiatives such as the 4Rs program, cover crops, filter strips, buffer zones and blind outlets in efforts to reduce nutrient runoff into Lake Erie.

The Ohio Farmers Union has also advocated for further regulation of confined/concentrated animal feeding facilities/CAFOs and that nutrients only be applied at the agronomic rate.

These ideas, for the most part, have fallen on deaf ears. Lake Erie continues to exhibit problems related to nutrient overload.

The Ohio Farmers Union now calls on the state of Ohio to impose a moratorium on the issuance of new permits for livestock CAFOs in the Maumee watershed. We would rescind our call for a moratorium if there were to be a census of livestock in the Maumee watershed coupled with state policy to regulate the number of animal units to be limited to the watershed’s carrying capacity.

The Ohio Farmers Union reiterates from our Special Order of Business in 2019 that we believe the spreading of fertilizer – including manure – be limited to the agronomic rate, especially in any watershed designated as impaired by the U.S. or state of Ohio EPA.

Special Order of Business 2020-02 The Will of Congress Should Prevail on SNAP Work Requirements

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a vital part of the U.S. social safety net as the foundation of federal efforts to fight hunger across the nation.

The U.S. Congress engaged in debate during consideration of the 2018 Farm Bill over more strenuous work requirements for SNAP recipients. In the end, Congress chose to leave existing work requirements unchanged and the Farm Bill was passed and signed into law.

The current Administration has enacted a rulemaking process within USDA to limit states’ ability to waive the existing work requirements. Workforce readiness, poverty and adequate employment are localized issues and the states should have the ability – as they already possess – to maintain state-level flexibility in administration of SNAP.

The Ohio Farmers Union urges the President and USDA Secretary to abandon additional SNAP work requirements that are not in line with the will of Congress. Furthermore, OFU urges Congress to act to protect the existing flexibility in state-level SNAP administration.

Special Order of Business 2020-03 Increased Accountability for State & Federal Checkoff Funds

OFU’s long-standing policy supports commodity checkoffs – only if they are voluntary, and with the decision to opt in made by the producer at the original point of sale.

Whereas the U.S. Supreme Court has determined that checkoff contributions are mandatory “government speech” and that producers cannot become exempt from the obligation to contribute, even if they disagree with the actions and positions taken by checkoff organizations; and

 Whereas several commodity checkoff organizations have fallen under the influence of global processing and distribution corporations, such as Smithfield and JBS, who operate under the ownership and control of foreign corporations, therefore,

We propose that federal and state checkoff funds be paid directly to the appropriate federal or state treasury and then be audited by the corresponding federal or state auditing agency to assure that the actions of checkoff groups comply with the intentions of the Congress, in support of the interests of domestic agricultural producers. The Ohio Farmers Union urges that the Ohio Governor in conjunction with the Ohio State Auditor to take seriously the governance of these multi-million-dollar public-private entities and ensure that farmers’ hard-earned, coerced contributions are being used according to state and federal laws and not directly for political lobbying activities.

Special Order of Business 2020-04 Healthcare Reform for Rural America

The Ohio Farmers Union has long supported reform of the U.S. healthcare system. Our Special Order of Business on healthcare in 2019 outlined several commonsense reforms that could be made in the healthcare, health insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

With the passing of every year, healthcare costs continue to rise and political leaders in Washington, D.C. refuse to enact any meaningful reforms that would guarantee every American access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Rural Americans are especially vulnerable to the ills of the nation’s healthcare system on many fronts. There are far fewer service providers and in many rural counties in Ohio there is only a single insurance provider available in the ACA Healthcare Marketplace.

The Ohio Farmers Union believes that at the least, there needs to be a public health insurance option available to all Americans who are not covered by health insurance through their workplace. The Ohio Farmers Union urges its members to strongly consider any 2020 U.S. presidential candidate’s healthcare policy a primary decision point in whether or not they will support a candidate. We believe any candidate’s public policy should be based on making access to quality healthcare universal and affordable.

Special Order of Business 2020-05 Supporting Renewable Energy in Rural Ohio

According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the Earth’s atmosphere peaked at 414 parts per million level in May 2019—the highest level in the past 800,000 years of Earth history (1). The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere now increases every year and the rate of increase is accelerating (2). These sharp increases in CO2 have triggered an era of global climate change which will have profound effects on agriculture in the present and on the basic ability of future generations to survive on this planet.

 The Ohio Farmers Union recognizes that climate change is based on sound science and has been caused by human activity since the dawn of the industrial revolution. We believe that the transition from coal and (eventually) petroleum-based fuels to wind and solar energy generation – as well as renewable biofuels and geothermal energy – is a necessary first step in our response to CO2-induced climate change. We also believe that wind and solar development provides unique economic opportunities for Ohio’s rural economy, providing leasing fees to landowners, tax benefits for rural school districts, and high-tech jobs for young Ohioans.

To this end, OFU urges the Ohio General Assembly to remove existing obstacles like unreasonable wind turbine setback requirements and preferential ratepayer incentives for fossil fuels. We also urge the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to provide guidance and prompt regulatory approval for solar and wind projects, both for investor owned utilities and for local community owned projects.

Special Order of Business 2020-06 Monopolistic Corporate Concentration in Ag Industry Ohio

Farmers Union is appalled at the increasing consolidation in all sectors of the agricultural economy. We do not believe that the Department of Justice is doing its legally mandated work of preventing monopolies. Therefore, we continue to support the Senator Cory Booker’s “Food and Agribusiness Merger Moratorium and Anti-Trust Review Act” (2019 S 1596).

Special Order of Business 2020-07 Ohio Needs Regulation on Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Lands

According to USDA data reported by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and the Associated Press, more than 28 million farmland acres valued at around $52 billion are owned or long-term leased by foreign investors. These lands if put together would roughly equal the size of our state of Ohio.

Ohio is one of several states with lax or non-existent regulation of foreign ownership of agricultural land or agricultural infrastructure. The Ohio Farmers Union would support legislation in the Ohio General Assembly enacting a moratorium on the foreign ownership agricultural land or infrastructure in Ohio.

While food security is one important reason for a ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land and infrastructure, foreign corporate concentration of ownership of key parts of the U.S. food supply is growing. The Ohio Farmers Union believes that American farms, farmland and food supply infrastructure should be owned U.S. citizens, or that non-U.S. citizens or U.S.-based companies should be severely limited in ownership of agricultural lands and infrastructure critical to our system of food.

Ohio currently calls for some registration of foreigners who own property within the state, but our state is one of several states in the union that do not have prohibitions or limits on foreign ownership agricultural lands or economic interests.

The Ohio Farmers Union calls upon the Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio Governor to seriously investigate this issue and propose and enact legislation regarding foreign ownership of agricultural land and/or agricultural businesses or infrastructure in our state.

Special Order of Business 2020-08 Renewable Fuel Standard Decisions in Washington Continue to Reward Fossil Fuel Companies at the Expense of Farmers

The Ohio and National Farmers Union organizations have long supported the Renewable Fuel Standard. The RFS was passed by Congress in 2005 as part of the Energy Security Act and signed by the President.

The main provision of the RFS simply states that annually a prescribed number of gallons of transportation fuel in the United States shall contain renewable fuels. While corn-based ethanol has been a major focus of the annual renewable fuel blending targets, the law also calls for advanced bio-fuels research and usage over time.

Blending ethanol into the nation’s gasoline supply has reduced the nation’s dependence on foreign oil imports and created a dynamic ethanol industry. RFS-driven ethanol production has also had the additional benefit of providing a market opportunity for Ohio and U.S. corn growers.

The problem in recent years with RFS is twofold. The U.S. EPA is supposed to annually set ever-growing targets for the amount of ethanol blended into the nation’s fuel stocks. Problem number one is that U.S. EPA, under successive administrations, has been derelict in its duty to set these targets on time and ensure certainty in fuel and agricultural markets. The second problem is the granting of so-called ‘hardship waivers’ to the fossil-fuel industry-owned gasoline refineries. These waivers were meant to ensure ethanol blending did not add to profitability concerns at individual facilities that may be less suited to handle the blending of ethanol into their product. The current Administration has granted an historic number of these waivers. Media and agricultural interest groups have noted that many of these waivers are being granted to profitable refineries, subverting the intent of the Energy Security Act – and harming the stability of U.S. ethanol producers like POET and U.S. corn markets.

The Ohio Farmers Union calls upon the Administration to stick to the letter of the law as defined by the Energy Act of 2005 and subsequent legislation passed by Congress outlining how the Renewable Fuel Standard should be administered. Further, OFU asks the Administration to review hardship waivers granted to refiners and rescind those that do not serve the purpose and intent of RFS legislation. Finally, OFU asks the Ohio General Assembly to pass a resolution of support for the Renewable Fuel Standard, acknowledging the benefits to Ohio farmers and the overall economy of Ohio’s ethanol industry – from pump to field.

Special Order of Business 2020-09 Industrial Agricultural Integrators and Indemnity for Environmental Cleanup Related to Confined Animal Feeding Facilities and Operations

As corporate concentration has taken over the U.S. livestock industry, more and more farmers have found themselves in the position to stay in business by ceding to the equipment, facility and contractual demands of so-called integrators – or large ag businesses that contract for animal production and supply the stock and feed to farmers and demand certain infrastructure by farmers.

Integrators in the ag economy have changed the landscape from many family-sized farms, to fewer family farms and more confined animal feeding facilities and confined animal feeding operations.

In this changing economic landscape, many farmers are left with the choice to either abandon farming or to grow larger – succumbing to the demands of the integrators to make investments on their land for specialized buildings and equipment that are needed to safely and effectively raise larger numbers of livestock. These investments are often made by the farmer, not the integrator, although the integrator, being a large corporation, sets the terms of engagement between themselves and the farmer.

When these farms fail, it’s the belief of the Ohio Farmers Union that the environmental cleanup and final safe and environmentally benign disposition of agricultural waste such as manure should be the responsibility of the integrator. Given Ohio’s severe water quality issues, especially in the Maumee Watershed, OFU is calling on the Ohio General Assembly to investigate the feasibility of establishing an Ohio Agricultural Integrator Environmental Indemnity fund. While we would leave it to the normal legislative process to establish how such a system would work, we believe that through some regular fee or levy on the integrators, this fund should grow and be administered by the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture in the event that a CAFF or CAFO enters bankruptcy or otherwise fails.

Special Order of Business 2020-10 Prohibit Brine from Oil & Gas Operations from Being Used as Dust Suppression and De-icing Treatments

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has been testing “brine” from conventional and horizontal oil and gas for radioactivity. These results show high levels of Radium-226 and radium-228, both of which induce cancer. Therefore, the Ohio Farmers Union asks the state of Ohio to prohibit the use of all brine for both dust suppression and de-icing.

OFU 2020 Convention Returns to Lima

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The Ohio Farmers Union Annual Convention will return to the Howard Johnson Hotel, Banquet and Conference Center in Lima, Ohio for 2020.

This 86th annual meeting of the family farm organization will be held January 24-25, 2020.

Contact your county or regional Farmers Union president to inquire about becoming a delegate or simply attend for the fellowship and presentation on state and national farm policy, industrial hemp, how trade has affected family farms – and a 2020 trade outlook – as well as the Friday night banquet.

Saturday will conclude the convention with more special guest presentations and the adoption of OFU’s 2020 policy priorities – the ‘special orders of business.’

Click Here for 2020 Registration Form

The change in venue from Columbus to Lima was a success last year. The facilities in Lima offered everything OFU had access to in Columbus and the reviews from delegates and participants was positive.

One interesting wrinkle this year will be a visit from National Farmers Union Vice President Patty Edelburg as NFU is going through its first leadership change since 2009 when Roger Johnson was elected president. Johnson announced his retirement recently after a strong ten years of leading NFU.

Ohio Dept. of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda will open this year’s convention with an address to the assembly on Friday. Other speakers lined up for the convention include the president of the Ohio Hemp Growers Coop and an agricultural trade expert from Ohio State University. Other speakers will be announced soon.

OFU will hold a policy committee meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 2020. For information contact Ron Sylvester at rcs[at]ronsylvester[dot]com. Proposed Special Orders of Business will be adopted at the convention from among proposals adopted by the policy committee and any proposals from the floor that meet the rules of the meeting.

To register for the convention:

Download this registration form.

To receive the OFU discounted rate for a hotel room at Howard Johnson’s please contact the hotel at 419-222-0004 and mention the Ohio Farmers Union when making your reservation.

2020 Joseph Fichter Essay Contest – Apply Now

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The 2020 Joseph Fichter Scholarship will be awarded January 25, 2019 at the 85th Annual Ohio Farmers Union Convention in Lima.

OFU high school seniors should apply now. The deadline for applications is January 22, 2020 at noon.

Entrants in the contest shall write on this theme for 2020:

2020 may go down as the year an industrial hemp industry begins in Ohio. The Ohio Dept of Agriculture will soon officially begin the state hemp program.

Based on information from ODA’s website and news coverage from other states, what’s your view of the feasibility of hemp becoming a profitable crop for family farmers? In your answer, consider things like the cost of licensing and proposed regulations as outlined in the ODA rules proposal. Also, consider the larger market forces for industrial hemp – where will farmers market their crops, are there other states in the U.S. or regions in Canada where there has already been success in hemp cultivation? Is industrial hemp an exciting new opportunity or are there too many risks in a market that is not fully formed?

Any member of the Ohio Farmers Union who is a high school senior may compete for this scholarship. Students who are not members but are sons, daughters or grandchildren of OFU members may apply.

First-place will receive $750 and the runner-up will receive $250 toward their post-secondary education expenses.

For complete instructions and to apply, please visit the Official Fichter Contest Page here. and follow the instructions.

This is the first year we’ve taken the essay application process completely online, here are a few notes:

  • It’s suggested that you write your essay in a Word or other document type, save it and then cut and paste it into the editor at ohfarmersunion.org. In the event there is any issue with the app, you’ll have your essay saved.
  • OFU’s website is secure. Entrants records, including name address, email, etc. will be deleted after the OFU convention.
  • If there are any issues with the website and application online, please do not hesitate to contact Ron Sylvester with OFU at rcs@ronsylvester.com.

Deadline for online applications is January 20 at noon.

NATIONAL FARMERS UNION

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Contact

Ohio Farmers Union
P.O. Box 363
1011 N. Defiance Street
Ottawa, Ohio 45875
Phone: (419) 523-5300
Toll Free: (800) 321-3671