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United to Grow Family Agriculture Since 1934

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OFU Insurance Now Offers MedSupp with Silver Sneakers!

May 10, 2016 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Ohio Farmers Union members save on health insurance and now we offer a Medicare Supplement plan for people aged 65 and over that comes with Silver Sneakers – at no additional cost. Dave Shindollar tells me the Silver Sneakers program  is a $500 annual value to you via Medical Mutual and your local YMCA.

Open enrollment applies – no medical questions – call Dave Shindollar at (800) 321-3671 or email him dshindollar@ohfarmersunion.org for prices and more information.

silverSneakers1SilverSneakers2

Filed Under: Blog, Home-Feature Tagged With: Insurance, Medicare Supplement, Ohio, Ohio Farmers Union, Silver Sneakers

Sen. Sherrod Brown to Help Ohio Farmers Union Kick Off 82nd Convention

January 25, 2016 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

Ohio’s senior U.S. Senator and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee member, Sherrod Brown, will deliver remarks to the 82nd Annual Ohio Farmers Union Convention on Friday.

Brown is expected to meet and greet OFU members around 11:45 on the convention floor and he’ll speak at 12:20.

“Sherrod Brown has been a friend to Ohio family farmers through thick and thin,” said Ron Sylvester, OFU spokesman.

“His command of agricultural issues and help in our fights in Washington for items like a fair Farm Bill and Country of Origin Labeling are things for which our members appreciate Senator Brown,” Sylvester said.

This being OFU Convention time, the family farm organization that boasts 4,000 members statewide will also discuss and vote on public policy positions for 2016.

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson will also attend OFU’s convention and address the gathering on national policy issues.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Convention, Ohio Farmers Union, Roger Johnson, Sherrod Brown

Logan: Why We Fight for Country of Origin Labeling

May 27, 2015 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

by Joe Logan, President OFU

Joe Logan, OFU

OFU President Joe Logan addressing the organization in January 2015.

Sometimes it seems like a colossal waste of time and energy but organizations like ours are compelled to rise and speak out when destructive things are happening. Such was the case last week as an extraordinary series of events took place in Washington D.C.

On May 18, a dispute resolution panel from the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced its decision that an existing U.S. law requiring food companies to apply Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL) to many meat products presents a hardship to other nations who wish to sell their products to American customers. The dispute was initiated by Canada and Mexico, who together export about 7% of the beef and 5% of the pork consumed by Americans. Oddly, the dispute panel was chaired by a representative of Mexico.

As a result of their decision, Canada and Mexico will be given the chance to prove/document the economic harm they have suffered. Pending sufficient proof, they will be entitled to impose an equal value of penalties onto the offending country (the U.S.) in the form of tariffs of any American products of their choosing.

The WTO settles many such disputes each year and the process is often a multi-year affair, which includes numerous delays and much negotiation among the parties before a final resolution. This case, however, is taking a radically different course. The nations claiming to be harmed (Mexico and Canada) are supported by some organizations who are authorized by the U.S. government. As ridiculous as it might seem, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) – two organizations authorized by the U.S. Congress — are siding with our trading partners and against the United States in this case.

L-R: Joe Logan, Edward Edney, office of U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Roger Wise, OFU Treasurer. Logan and Wise were in Washington lobbying Congress on COOL in late May 2015.

L-R: Joe Logan, Edward Edney, office of U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Roger Wise, OFU Treasurer. Logan and Wise were in Washington lobbying Congress on COOL in late May 2015.

The rationale for this strange occurrence is simple but frightening in its implications. Our livestock producing, processing and marketing systems have been changing in profound ways. Our pork, poultry and beef industries have become highly integrated and globalized. They are now dominated by a handful of very large, global corporations. Gone are the days when independent farmers raised hogs and chickens and offered them for sale in local or regional markets. Although many independent cattlemen still raise calves, the feedlots where most cattle reach market weight are dominated by large corporate beef processors.

In such a global, integrated system, both processors and importers have taken seats on the boards of the organizations (like NCBA and NPPC) that were once held by independent farmers and ranchers. Now, those organizations serve the interests of their global corporate giants who own and control the lion’s share of the livestock, processing plants and distribution chains. If today’s globalized, integrated system had been this firmly in place in 2002, we would never have been able to get COOL enacted, despite that it is very strongly supported by both consumers and independent farmers.

The National Farmers Union fought vigorously for the better part of two decades to get COOL passed by Congress and enacted by USDA. We have been extremely proud to have championed a policy that was so robustly supported by consumers and that gave those remaining independent farmers and ranchers a chance to redeem the benefits of their extraordinary efforts to produce safe, high quality food products for American Consumers.

The changing structure of the livestock and food industry, along with the changing character of our more partisan congress, have created a seismic shift in the political landscape for issues like COOL. Members of Congress can now ignore the enormous popularity of issues like COOL (90% approval) and instead bow to the interests of corporate lobbyists who can provide resources needed to overwhelm any political foe.

In this political environment, it is not surprising that the opponents of COOL – the global food processing companies have mustered the resources to influence key members of congress to take extraordinary actions like the one that occurred on May 19: The House Ag Committee Chairman introduced a bill to repeal the COOL. Not only did Chairman Conaway introduce the bill, but he conducted an expedited “mark up” and committee vote to approve his bill the following day.

Despite our feverish efforts to inform many thoughtful members, the bill easily passed out of committee and will be scheduled for a vote on the floor of the House in June. After several days of work talking to hundreds of members of the House and Senate, we believe we have headed the stampede. We feel confident that the WTO process will have a chance to play out before Congress takes repeals the law.
We are also confident that Canada, Mexico and the global meat processors will be hard pressed to demonstrate any legitimate harm from our COOL law. If so, our hard-fought and highly popular policy may survive and serve the interests of consumers and for years to come.

If you haven’t already, please call your member of Congress and ask your friends and family – farmer and consumer alike – to do the same. Tell your representative that Americans deserve to know where their food comes and that America’s – and Ohio’s – family farmers deserve their right to proudly proclaim their bounty is a product of the U.S.A.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Canada, Conaway, Congress, COOL, Joe Logan, Mexico, National Farmers Union, Ohio Farmers Union

OFU Forum Demonstrates Hope for Lake Erie

February 26, 2015 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Attendees listen to Dr. Jeffrey Reutter of Ohio Sea Grant in Ottawa.

Attendees listen to Dr. Jeffrey Reutter of Ohio Sea Grant in Ottawa.

OTTAWA – State and federal experts on agriculture and water quality gathered in Ottawa today to explain what’s causing harmful algal blooms (HAB) in the western basin of Lake Erie and what farmers can do to help alleviate the problem.

The Ohio Farmers Union and the Ohio Environmental Council sponsored the forum. Farmers in attendance were from northwest and west central Ohio in the heart of the Maumee River watershed.

“These gatherings are important to keep getting the message that Lake Erie can be restored and farmers will do their part,” said Ohio Farmers Union President Joe Logan.

“Farmers also come away with a great deal of information about best management practices in dealing with nutrients and keeping as much as fertilizer on their fields and out of our streams and lakes,” Logan added.

Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, director of Ohio Sea Grant and a researcher who has studied Lake Erie since the 1970s, told the gathering that Lake Erie is unique among the Great Lakes due to its relatively shallow depth and the rate at which water flushes out of the lake. In the western basin, where the algal blooms generally begin and are at their worst, Reutter said the flush out rate is 20 to 50 days.

He demonstrated that phosphorous overload in Lake Erie is indeed at the root of the HAB problem and that reducing the amount of phosphorous by 40 percent would curtail the blooms.

Another unique aspect of Lake Erie is the sheer amount of agricultural land that is encompassed by watersheds draining into its western basin Reutter said. The Maumee River watershed drains 4.5 million acres of agricultural land directly into the Maumee Bay near Toledo. In all, there are 7 million acres of agricultural land that drain into the western basin.

Reutter points to the fact that the lake was cleaned up in the 1970s and told the forum that it can happen again.

Also presenting was Greg LaBarge from the Ohio State University Extension. LaBarge explained the state’s new fertilizer applicator certification that must be completed by producers farming more than 50 acres by Sept. 30, 2017. To date well over 1,000 farmers have completed the training and in the coming months another 7,000 are expected to get certified. LaBarge said there are approximately 40,000 farmers with more than 50 acres in production in the state.

An agronomist who specializes in fields, LaBarge gave examples of several best practices already in use by many Ohio farmers. He said that there are a few other items that should get more attention by producers. Among these are efforts to slow down the movement of water off of a farmer’s land, looking at each field and its risk profile separately and building up soil quality.

Also speaking at the forum were Jocelyn Henderson, Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources; John Wilson, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Christopher Gibbs, Mercer County FSA and Marla Koerner, USDA.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Greg LaBarge, Harmful Algal Blooms, Jeffrey Reutter, Lake Erie, Ohio Farmers Union, Ohio Sea Grant

Farm Solutions and Opportunities Forum, February 26

February 16, 2015 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

ofulogofbfeatJoin Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, director of Ohio Sea Grant and representatives from USDA and OSU Extension as they discuss nutrient management in the Lake Erie basin on February 26 in Ottawa.

Sponsored by the Ohio Farmers Union and the Ohio Environmental Council, the Farm Solutions and Opportunities Forum will present those attending with the current science regarding Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms, the context of agriculture in the lake region and what farmers are doing to mitigate nutrient runoff from their lands. The forum will provide opportunities for citizens in the western basin of Lake Erie to learn more about this vital watershed and farmers will get the latest information on best practices and state and federal programs that may be put to use on their farms.

Speakers include:

  • Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, Ohio Sea Grant
  • Greg LaBarge, OSU Extension
  • Jocelyn Henderson, ODNR, Division of Soil and Water
  • John Wilson, Natural Resources Conservation Program, USDA
  • Chris Gibbs, Ohio Farm Service Agency, USDA
  • Joe Logan, Ohio Farmers Union
  • Adam Rissien, Ohio Environmental Council

The event will be held Thursday, February 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Putnam County Educational Service Center, 124 Putnam Parkway, Ottawa, Ohio. Registration is free and open to the public. Registration for the forum may be made by contacting Linda Borton, Ohio Farmers Union at lborton@ohfarmersunion.org or at 800-321-3671. Lunch will be provided for registrants.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Forum, Jeffrey Reutter, Lake Erie, Nutrient Management, Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Farmers Union, Putnam County

81st OFU Convention Preview

January 26, 2015 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Here’s the press release sent statewide by the Ohio Farmers earlier today:

ofulogofbfeatWater Quality, Farmland Tax on Deck for Ohio Farmers Union 81st Convention

State Representatives Sheehy, Patterson will be honored on final day of meeting

COLUMBUS – Ohio’s educational and advocacy organization dedicated to family farming will tackle several hot button issues in Ohio during its 81st annual convention in Columbus this Friday.

“We expect 2015 to be an exceptionally important year for Ohio’s farmers in terms of state legislation and Kasich administration tax policies,” said Linda Borton, executive director of the Ohio Farmers Union.

“Farmers in Ohio are facing additional regulation with manure application and they are already feeling the effects of agricultural property taxes increasing by 50 to 300 percent in the past couple of years,” Borton said.

“Those two items – water quality and the broken CAUV formula – will be major points of emphasis for our policy committee,” Borton said.

CAUV, or Current Agricultural Use Valuation, is a state tax formula instituted in the 1970s to help protect Ohio farmland by lowering the property tax bills for farmland. The program is responsible for keeping much of Ohio’s agricultural lands in production as the lower property tax rates do not skew the farmers’ cost of production, especially in areas where rural land is threatened by urban sprawl and suburban development.

Due to changes in commodity markets and the effects of a changing larger economy, over the past two to three years, the formula used by the Ohio Dept. of Taxation for determining a farmer’s CAUV tax value has begun to wildly fluctuate. In many cases across the state, family farmers have seen their farmland property taxes rise by 300 percent or more in a single year.

Borton said that on the water quality front, OFU is expected to adopt policy for 2015 urging the Ohio General Assembly to take a “science-based and targeted” approach to new regulation. During the debate over H.B. 490 in 2014, OFU President Joe Logan and other members asked the Ohio House to limit tighter regulatory schemes to distressed watershed areas such as the Maumee River Basin in northwest Ohio.

“No one wants to see the algae problems we’ve had in Lake Erie and in other waterways,” Borton said.

“The key is for regulation to be fair, fact-based and targeted,” Borton added.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Ag Policy, CAUV, Convention, Current Agricultural Use Value, John Patterson, Legislator of the Year, Mike Sheehy, Ohio, Ohio Farmers Union, Water Quality

Presentations and Clips from OFU’s Lake Erie Solutions Forum

September 23, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Lake-Erie-Forum640I’m working on a story and our own video coverage from what turned out to be an excellent set of presentations from Dr. Jeff Reutter, Ohio Sea Grant; Greg LaBarge, OSU Extension; Todd Hesterman, farmer and NW Ohio Coordinator of Conservation in Action and Adam Rissien from the Ohio Environmental Council. For now, find below the PowerPoint presentations from our presenters and links to media coverage of the event. Thanks to all who attended and to our presenters!

OFU Farmers Seeking Solutions Forum – Presentations

  • Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, Ohio Sea Grant (PDF)
  • Greg LaBarge, Ohio State University Extension (PDF)
  • Todd Hesterman, NW Ohio farmer and Coordinator of Conservation in Action Program (PDF)
  • Adam Rissien, Ohio Environmental Council (PDF)

OFU Farmers Seeking Solutions Forum – Media Coverage

  • Worst Risk to Toledo water has passed – for this year – The Blade
  • Scientists meet with farmers to discuss Lake Erie’s algae problem (Text) – NBC24
  • Scientists meet with farmers to discuss Lake Erie’s algae problem (Video) – NBC24
  • Farmers share algae solutions at Toledo forum (Video) – Toledo News Now 11
  • Ohio Farmers Union discussing water quality solutions (Video) – ABC13

13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Toledo News Now, Breaking News, Weather, Sports, Toledo

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Adam Rissien, Algae, Greg LaBarge, Jeff Reutter, Joe Logan, Lake Erie, Nutrient Management, Ohio, Ohio Farmers Union, Phosphorous, Todd Hesterman, Water Quality

OEC’s Jack Shaner on Agriculture and Lake Erie’s Woes

September 3, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Jack Shaner of the Ohio Environmental Council talked to OFU members and organization’s board of directors at the recent summer picnic. Here, he discusses recent events in the western basin of Lake Erie and agriculture’s role in the watershed’s problems:

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Algae Blooms, Jack Shaner, Lake Erie, Nutrient Management, OEC, Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Farmers Union, Phosphorous, Toledo

OFU Summer Update from Joe Logan and Linda Borton

September 2, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

At OFU’s recent summer picnic and full board meeting, I caught up with Executive Director Linda Borton and President Joe Logan to get a video update on how the organization is doing this year:

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Joe Logan, Linda Borton, Ohio Farmers Union, Video

OFU Endorses ‘Move to Amend’

September 1, 2014 By Ron Sylvester 2 Comments

At its recent full board of directors meeting, the Ohio Farmers Union endorsed the organizaiton, Move to Amend.

The grassroots organization has a simple goal that will be a Herculean task: get the U.S. Constitution amended to explicitly state two things:

  1. Corporations are not people
  2. Money is not speech

Watch the video below featuring Prof. Steve Nelson of Miami University. Nelson is the SW Ohio organizer for Move to Amend and spoke to the OFU board at the annual summer picnic at the Ohio Caverns:

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Constitution, Move to Amend, Ohio Farmers Union, Steve Nelson

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