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United to Grow Family Agriculture Since 1934

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Photos from a Busy Day at Statehouse for Ohio Farmers Union

March 22, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

ofuinactionIn the photo above, State Sen. Robert Hagan talks to Ohio Farmers Union members at the Statehouse last Wednesday about the state of fracking regulation and his proposal to raise the state’s severance tax. Hagan’s proposal calls for a 7.5 percent “frack tax” which is still well below other gas and oil producing states such as Oklahoma and Texas. Gov. John Kasich’s most recent proposal would raise the severance tax on fracked oil and gas to 2.5 percent – and put a good portion of the revenue into a state income tax cut that would primarily benefit upper income earners.

BurkleyAbove, State Rep. Tony Burkley discusses state budget issues and S.B. 150 the nutrient management bill pending in the House Agriculture Committee. L-R: Burkley, at desk; Sue Culver; Fred Culver; Jeff Navarre and Joe Logan.

GreenAbove, OFU members with State Rep. Doug Green after a discussion of agricultural nutrient management. L-R: Keith Lenz; Diane Adams; Roger Wise; Green; Bill Pritchard.

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OFU President Joe Logan makes a point in the office of House Ag Committee Chairman Dave Hall. R-L: Logan; Mel Borton; Linda Borton; Sue Culver; Fred Culver.

State Rep. Nickie Antonio is working with Sen. Hagan on many issues related to fracking and severance taxes in Ohio.

State Rep. Nickie Antonio is working with Sen. Hagan on many issues related to fracking and severance taxes in Ohio. She and Hagan hosted OFU’s first meeting Wednesday.

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Above, OFU Vice President Bill Miller discusses manure management and loopholes in current state law affecting waste management in livestock farming with Spencer Gross. Gross is the legislative aide for State Rep. Timothy Derickson, Miller’s representative. OFU’s lobbying day this year coincided with a tremendously busy committee schedule for both houses of the state legislature as senators and members dealt with opening hearings on the governor’s Mid Biennium Review bill (MBR). The MBR comes in the second year of each biennial budget and is the opportunity to tweak the state budget. Additionally, both houses are currently working on the first state Capital Bill in four years.

All Photos by Ron Sylvester, Ohio Farmers Union

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bill Miller, Bill Pritchard, Bob Hagan, Diane Adams, Doug Green, Fred Culver, Joe Logan, Keith Lenz, Linda Borton, Mel Borton, Nickie Antonio, Roger Wise, Sue Culver

Lots of News Out of OFU’s 80th Convention

February 5, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

1conventionThe Ohio Farmers Union has a new president and rural concerns about the long-term effects of fracking and the disposal of toxic drilling wastewater continue to dominate policy discussions among its membership.

OFU held its 80th annual state convention this past weekend. With 110 delegates attending from the state’s county Farmers Union organizations and several additional non-voting members, the family-farmer and consumer oriented group had its largest convention in several years. Nearly 250 people packed the convention hall for remarks by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, right, speaks to OFU youth delegate Joe Schmitz of Darke County at the 80th OFU Convention.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, right, speaks to OFU youth delegate Joe Schmitz of Darke County at the 80th OFU Convention.

Brown will get the chance this week to vote once again on the beleaguered, two-year delayed Farm Bill. The U.S. House accepted political compromise last week and approved a final version of the bill. Pending Senate passage later this week, President Barack Obama is expected to sign the measure which will replace most direct payments to farmers with an enhanced system of crop insurance.

“There are several titles in the farm bill, all of them important to this state. You think about rural development, you think about conservation titles, you think about commodities in title one and what we’ve been able to do there, and obviously you think about the nutrition part and all that helps make our state better,” Brown said.

“I’m virtually certain we’ll pass it, and I am virtually certain the president of the United States will sign it,” Brown added.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bill Miller, Convention, Fracking, Joe Logan, Nutrient Management, Ohio Farmers Union, Roger Wise, Severance Taxes, Sherrod Brown, Tom Vilsack

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