Roger Wise — Page 3

Five Ohio members of Congress receive award from NFU

September 14, 2011 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Five Ohio Members of Congress Recognized by NFU

(R-L) Sen. Sherrod Brown, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Rep. Marcia Fudge, Rep. Betty Sutton and Rep. Tim Ryan

Five Ohio members of Congress were awarded the Golden Triangle Tuesday by the National Farmers Union for demonstrating leadership and supporting policies that benefit family farmers, rural residents, ranchers and fishermen.

The five Ohioans are:

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo
U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights
U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles

“Recipients of the Golden Triangle Award have been strong advocates for family farmers and ranchers, and exhibit similar principles and policies to Farmers Union,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We are pleased to honor those who have proven to be true allies of our organization and our members across the country.”

Roger Wise, president of the Ohio Farmers Union said, “These members of Congress get it. The deck is stacked against family farmers and rural communities when it comes to policy and legislation. All five of these representatives have worked to ensure that our local economies are not left out in the cold when the big money interests show up on Capitol Hill.”

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Action Alert: Let Sen. Brown Know You Support Funding New GIPSA Rule

August 29, 2011 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Ohio Farmers Union President Roger Wise asked OFU members last week to sign letters to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in support of funding the new Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) rule.

OFU President Letter to Members & Farmers and Letter of Support to Sen. Brown

“For decades, a very small handful of giant meatpackers and processors has been underpaying and unfairly treating farmers and ranchers. However, funding for a new GIPSA rule is being considered by the US Senate subcommittee for Ag Appropriations (which Senator Sherrod Brown serves on) and we need to show support for it so the Senator stands strong with family farms,” Wise wrote.

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USDA: No rulemaking will require CDLs for farmers

August 11, 2011 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Apparently, the rumors circulating that the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was considering regulations to require commercial drivers licenses for farmers or farm workers was just that – rumor.

Ohio Farmers Union President Roger Wise was in Columbus for a meeting late last week with U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Deputy Secretary John Picaro and Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Edward Avalos. Picaro told the room of rural development and Ohio Dept. of Agriculture officials, including ODA Director James Zehringer, that one of the reason he was in Ohio was to dispel the myth that there were any regulations being considered in Washington which would require farmers to attain CDLs.

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VIDEO: Interview with Roger Wise & Linda Borton

August 4, 2011 By Ron Sylvester 2 Comments

On July 30 Linda Borton was named interim executive director of the Ohio Farmers Union. Linda has been serving and will continue to serve as interim secretary/treasurer of the OFU Board of Directors.

In the past year Linda has been instrumental in helping OFU – an organization she has been involved with for years – keep its head above water financially as OFU re-establishes itself after a former employee stole operating funds. The video below was taken at the OFU annual Summer Picnic in Clyde, Ohio:

VIDEO: Ohio Farmers Union President Roger Wise Updates Members at Annual Picnic

August 3, 2011 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

The Ohio Farmers Union held it’s annual Summer Picnic on July 30 in Clyde, Ohio. OFU President Roger Wise sat down for a few minutes in front of the video camera to update members on the state of OFU. Tomorrow, we’ll have a second video featuring Roger and new OFU Interim Executive Director Linda Borton.

Beginning Farmers in New Knoxville Helping to Build Healthy, Sustainable Food System in Ohio

July 8, 2011 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

Deb Eschmeyer at the Bexley Farmers Market in late June

Jeff & Deb Eschmeyer come from a conventional agriculture background in a part of Ohio known for its expansive farms on good flat ground worked by generations of families of German descent.

Both Jeff and Deb grew up in farm families and for a time these high school sweethearts who now operate their own small farm acted on another convention of rural life – they left the farms and their small town of New Knoxville and sought their fortunes in various places — Chicago and Washington, D.C. among others. They pursued careers that intersected with agriculture, but “the farm” was far away as they held jobs like Legislative aide to former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton (Jeff) and program director for the D.C.-based non-profit the National Family Farm Coaliiton (Deb).

Today however, the Eschmeyers have come full-circle in a sense and their place in the world and Ohio’s economy is anything but conventional.

Jeff Eschmeyer & OFU President Roger Wise at the Bexley Farmers Market

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Ohio’s Grain Indemnity Fund Strong, But Adjustments May Be On The Way

July 5, 2011 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

David Simmons of the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture

Ohio’s grain Indemnity Fund was the chief topic of discussion at a recent Ohio Farmers Union Town Hall in Archbold.

Northwest State Community College President Thomas Stuckey, State Sen. Cliff Hite, David Simmons of the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture and Roger Wise and Bruce Yancey of the Ohio Farmers Union spoke and answered questions from the 50 to 60 meeting attendees.

The meeting was hosted by the OFU chapters in Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams Counties and Northwest State Community College.

Farmers in this area of northwest Ohio have been affected by the recent failure of Archbold Elevator, Inc. located at 3265 CR 24 in Archbold, Ohio. ODA has recently approved 85 claims associated with its failure submitted to the state grain Indemnity Fund. Those claims are to be paid pending approval of the Ohio
Controlling Board on July 11. The total cost to the Fund of the Archbold claims will be $3.4 million.

Simmons’ role at ODA is administrator of the section of the agency that oversees the Indemnity Fund among other programs related to grain, feed and seed. He gave a presentation about the history of grain elevator regulation in Ohio and updated farmers on the health of the Indemnity Fund.

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