Ohio Farmers Union

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Ohioans Landlines Safe for Now, Ag Bill Stalls in Ohio Senate

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There was good and there was bad in what ended up as Substitute H.B. 490, but after eight months in the Ohio General Assembly, the bill is dead.

The bill was an omnibus measure originally a part of Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s Mid Biennium Review. It contained several hundred pages dealing with matters under the jurisdiction of both the Ohio Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The bill included a prohibition on spreading manure on frozen, snow-covered or saturated ground in the western basin of Lake Erie, movement of the Ag Pollution Abatement Program from ODNR to ODAg and some tightening of regulation on the handling wastewater from fracking operations.

It also included, as an unexpected – some would say unwanted – gift from outgoing House Speaker William Batchelder a provision which would have allowed telecommunications companies in Ohio to pull the plug on landline phone service offerings for customers. The Ohio Farmers Union has been urging rural residents to call their state senators to demand that provision be taken out.

Senate President Keith Faber said today that HB 490 had become too weighed down with amendments. He said that while the House had eight months to work with the bill, the Senate has had only a week and could not do it justice in lame duck.

For now, it’s all over for HB 490 – but there’s always next year for many of the bill’s original provisions.

NFU Blasts Anti-Family Farmer Language Snuck Into Federal Appropriations Bill

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nfunr2National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson and United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) President Danni Beer today sent a letter to the House and Senate leaders strongly objecting to three anti-family farmer and rancher provisions slipped into the 2015 Appropriations Act in the dark of the night, without a single congressional hearing or an ounce of public discussion.

“NFU and USCA are very concerned that the report language included on Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) could be used as an opportunity to stop the appeals process at the World Trade Organization or re-open the legislation that mandated COOL, both of which are unacceptable,” notes the letter. “Congress should not intervene in the WTO process.”

Formally known as Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, the bills are being considered before both the House and the Senate this week. The joint letter points out that also hid inside the Act is a provision that orders the Secretary of Agriculture to refrain from implementing a reformed beef checkoff program, with the irony that the closing period on public comments for the beef checkoff is today.

“National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is so fearful of losing its $40 million-plus revenue stream through the beef checkoff that it has lobbied for this language to be included in the report rather than allowing producers the ability to have their comments recognized and addressed through the commenting process. NCBA has lobbied Congress on a mandatory producer checkoff program that they control,” notes the letter.

Also contained in the proposed Act is a legislative provision that prohibits the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) from implementing regulations on the livestock and poultry industry that would address an array of fraudulent, deceptive, anti-competitive and retaliatory practices.

The letter points out that gutting the GIPSA law “would deny farmers protection from retaliation when they use their first amendment rights to speak with congressional representatives, deny them the right to a jury trial, and deny them the right to request information on how their pay is calculated. This provision is unconscionable.  Its inclusion in a funding bill is unacceptable to NFU’s and USCA’s members.”

“We strongly object to the use of the appropriations process as a mechanism to limit the secretary’s authority to uphold the COOL law, to respond to the dire need for reform of the beef checkoff, and to address anti-competitive market concerns.”

Read the letters in their entirety here.

NFU’s Comments to USDA on Beef Checkoff Reform

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nfunr2National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture today urging major and immediate changes to the current beef checkoff program including a clear separation between any organization receiving checkoff funds and those that lobby.

“NFU believes a very clear separation must exist between all taxpayer-supported, checkoff-funded organizations and related commodity organizations which advocate and lobby for policy positions. In the case of the beef checkoff, such a line of separation does not exist,” said Johnson.

Johnson suggests that there should be a new beef checkoff program that, like every other checkoff program, is devoted to research and market development, but divorced from all political, policy advocating organizations. “Every other commodity checkoff program has separated the policy organization from the non-political, promotional entity. Under this popular model, checkoff dollars are used exclusively for research, market promotion and product improvement.”

Johnson points out that the beef checkoff is the only program that has failed to embrace this new paradigm, which has caused an enormous rift in the industry. “Ranchers dislike that their checkoff dollars are being controlled by a lobbying organization that is fighting against the very policies many of these ranchers support. All other commodity checkoff programs have gone to this model, and it is time for beef to follow suit,” he said.

Johnson notes that the current beef checkoff is controlled by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), an organization that has “aggressively lobbied against a number of very important producer and consumer programs, frequently placing themselves in direct opposition to the very producers they purport to represent.”

Johnson says a long list of such examples abound, including NCBA’s aggressive opposition to Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) in court, at the World Trade Organization and in Congress; NCBA’s opposition to the Renewable Fuel Standard; and NCBA’s opposition to the 2014 Farm Bill, including provisions written specifically to aid livestock producers suffering from disastrous, weather-related livestock losses. “Such actions undermine producer confidence in the check-off program because cattle producers know that NCBA also controls the check-off program, which is required to operate in a strictly non-political, independent fashion,” he said.

[Read more…]

Annual OFU Kids Poster Contest

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Roger and Sandra Wise teamed up last year to announce award winners in the 2014 Poster Contest.

Roger and Sandra Wise teamed up last year to announce award winners in the 2014 Poster Contest.

Just a reminder that entries for the annual OFU Poster Contest for kids grades 1-6 is December 31, 2014.

OFU will once again award winners at our Annual Convention in January. Contact your county Farmers Union chapter or Linda Borton at 800-321-3671 for poster blanks. The theme this year is Renwable Sources of Energy (such as wind or solar).

H.B. 490 Update

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OFU leaders and other CAUV stakeholders meet with State Rep. John Patterson and Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Gary Scherer in December.

OFU leaders and other CAUV stakeholders meet with State Rep. John Patterson and Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Gary Scherer in December.

This past week OFU President Joe Logan, Executive Director Linda Borton and myself spent Wednesday at the Statehouse talking to legislators and the Senate Agriculture Committee about H.B. 490. Additionally, we delivered written testimony to Senate Ag from Ashtabula/Lake/Geauga Farmers Union President Mardy Townsend on 490.

OFU continues to urge members to contact their state legislators regarding the insertion of anti-consumer telecommunications language by the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The language would allow telephone service providers to abandon their landline (copper wire) service to Ohio residents. OFU opposes this measure due to the fact that many rural residents would not have a viable option from the standpoints of reliability and cost in place of their traditional landline telephone service. The language put into the bill does contain any guarantees regarding consumers.

As for the rest of this bill – and you can get background here – since the election, House Republicans watered down some of the regulatory measures regarding horizontal well drillers and frack water disposal, but on the whole there is still some progress in terms of greater scrutiny of frack water disposal and stiffer penalties for willful polluters. On the ag front, a ban on application of fertilizers (and manure) on frozen, snow covered or saturated ground was put in the bill in the House. This prohibition applies only to the western basin of Lake Erie.

CAUV Note

OFU leaders also met with State Rep. John Patterson and Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Gary Scherer on the problems with the CAUV or Current Agricultural Use Value, property tax system. State legislators are getting plenty of calls regarding the wild upward fluctuations in CAUV values around the state. Patterson created a task force in northeast Ohio to document the problem and propose remedies for the Kasich Administration and lawmakers. While it appears no fix will be available for 2014, legislators and others we spoke to this past week believe there will be CAUV reforms in early 2015.

2015 OFU Convention is January 30-31, 2015

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*Update* Read the Pre-Convention Press Release

It’s time to save the date and start making plans to join us in Columbus for the Ohio Farmers Union Annual Convention. We will be meeting again this year at the Columbus Airport Marriott, 1375 N. Cassady Ave., Columbus.

A block of rooms has been reserved. If you’re staying with us Friday night, call 614-383-3621, ask for Nicole and request the Ohio Farmers Union room rate. Our block is being held until January 15.

If you want to forgo the phone call, you can use this link to make your reservation online.

Questions? Call Linda Borton at the Ohio Farmers Union, 800-321-3671.

Updated 1/25/2014: Convention Schedule

Scholarship Essay Contests

As always, OFU will conclude our annual college scholarship contests at the Annual Convention. Entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2014.

Kids’ Poster Contest

OFU will once again award winners in the annual Poster Contest for kids, grades 1-6. Entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2014. Contact your county Farmers Union chapter or Linda Borton at 800-321-3671 for poster blanks. The theme this year is Renwable Sources of Energy (such as wind or solar).

 

OFU, Other Ohio Ag Organizations Ask Portman to Support Renewable Fuel Standard

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U.S. Sen. Rob Portman

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman

The Ohio Farmers Union joined eight other Ohio agricultural organizations in a recent letter urging Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, to continue to support the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The groups, including the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the Ohio Ethanol Producers Association, cited several statistics showing the importance of Ohio’s ethanol industry to thousands of farming and working families across the state.

Read the letter here.

Since 2006, the RFS has mandated a minimum amount of renewable fuel be blended into transportation fuel in the U.S. According to stats from ethanol producers in Ohio, there are seven ethanol plants in the state producing over 500 million gallons of ethanol per year from corn purchased from 3,400 Ohio farmers. The Obama Administration has put off setting annual ethanol quotas through the U.S. EPA for more than a year. This has created uncertainty in the marketplace and may help ethanol opponents in Congress muster the political strength to roll back the RFS.

OFU and others are communicating with federal officials and elected representatives to keep up American progress in the renewable fuels arena.

NFU Calls for New Direction for Beef Checkoff

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National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson today called for a ‘new direction’ for the current beef checkoff program in an Agri-Pulse guest column, while also praising Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for seeking public comment on how to strengthen and modernize the outdated program.

“The checkoff program as we know it today has remained virtually unchanged for three decades while the world around it has morphed dramatically,” said Johnson. “This has raised serious doubts about the structure of the checkoff and whether it is capable of appropriately funding the much-needed research and exploring the new markets and new opportunities that the American beef industry so desperately needs. Clearly, the beef checkoff is in dire need of a major course correction.”

Johnson noted that the current checkoff’s need for change stemmed from the fact that it is both underfunded and unacceptably inflexible. Johnson offered principles to guide adequate reform of the program under the Commodity, Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996.

“The modernized beef checkoff should be a single program, modeled after the 1996 Act,” said Johnson. “It would have a clear separation of the policy organization from the non-political, promotional checkoff entity… exclude processors and importers from positions of leadership, ensuring that beef producers are always at the helm… and be precluded from allocating a single dime to any organization engaged in lobbying.”

“The idea of bringing new ideas and much-needed change to the checkoff is nothing new, and in fact, organizations like NFU met for three years discussing a new direction,” noted Johnson. “But the meetings were a bridge to nowhere, because they were largely controlled by the organization that has a vested interest in making sure the current structure never changes. That organization, of course, is the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).”

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In Memoriam: Steve Elliott, President, Marion County Farmers Union 1957-2014

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Steve Elliott, right, with Clinton County Farmers Union President Walt Streber in August 2014.

Steve Elliott, right, with Clinton County Farmers Union President Walt Streber in August 2014.

In late November, the Ohio Farmers Union lost a great member, leader and friend in Steve Elliott. Steve was president of the Marion County Farmers Union and an active member of the Ohio Farmers Union board of directors. He could always be counted on to participate in Farmers Union events and meetings. He was an organic farmer and worked his farm along with his brother. Many of us will remember Steve – in his bib overalls – quick to dispense his dry wit and often seeing a side of an issue that everyone else in the room had missed.

His obituary follows below:

Steven A. Elliott, age 57, of LaRue, died Sunday morning November 23, 2014 at his residence. He was born September 2, 1957 in Marion to the late Earl L. and Bernice Marie (Robinson) Elliott.

He is survived by one brother; Earl D. (Janet) Elliott of LaRue and one sister; Delores A. (Roy) Rinehart of Alvada, Ohio. Three nieces and five nephews.

Steve was president of the Marion County Farmers Union. He was on the Board of Directors of the International Organic Crop Improvement Assn. and was treasurer of the local chapter of that organization. Member of the LaRue Community Alliance. He was very willing to help out with anything or anyone about organic farming.

Memorial services were held November 28, 2014 at the Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home in LaRue, Ohio.

Those who wish may make contributions to the LaRue Baptist Church 217 N. High St. LaRue, Ohio 43332.

Remembrances and Condolences may be expressed at www.stofcheck-ballinger.com.

U.S. Will Appeal WTO Ruling on Country of Origin Labeling

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from the National Farmers Union

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson applauded today’s decision by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to appeal the recent World Trade Organization ruling on Country-of-Origin Labeling for family farmers, ranchers, and consumers. Johnson also urged Congress to leave the popular labeling law alone and allow the WTO process to run its course.

“The decision today by the USTR to appeal the WTO ruling on COOL is the right thing to do for American family farmers, ranchers and consumers,” said Johnson. “The October WTO ruling found once again that the COOL law is WTO-compliant and acknowledged that the May 2013 USDA regulations were a significant improvement in terms of providing more accurate information to consumers. Nonetheless, the WTO incorrectly found the rules were noncompliant and an appeal is the obvious course of action.”

Johnson noted that the popular sentiment towards the labeling law shared by family farmers and consumers is not echoed by large international meatpackers, who continually try to pressure Congress to repeal the law.

“The multinational meatpacking industry continues to urge Congress to repeal COOL laws before the WTO process runs its course,” said Johnson. “These are inappropriate attempts to prevent consumers from having access to basic information about their food. Congress should ignore these scare tactics and allow the WTO process to play out before acting prematurely.”

“American consumers have been crystal clear that they want to know where their food comes from and family farmers and ranchers are proud to provide it,” said Johnson. “The decision by the USTR to appeal the WTO’s erroneous finding demonstrates full support for American family farmers, ranchers and consumers.”

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