WOOSTER, Ohio — There is a lot happening in Ohio agriculture and Farm Bureau — from selecting a new national president, to dealing with water quality, nutrient management, and pipeline and CAUV issues, according to Roger Baker, district trustee for Wayne, Ashland, Medina and Summit counties.
Baker told members and guests attending the Wayne County Farm Bureau annual meeting that their farm bureau membership is about more than just the member benefits.
He said Farm Bureau is doing a lot of work on energy issues around the state, as well as the state budget, water quality, trade issues and EPA’s attempts to regulate the waters of the U.S.
The OFBF recently passed a resolution opposing Issue 3, which would legalize growing and marketing marijuana in the state for medicinal and recreational use. Baker said the issue would create a monopoly for a few growers in the state, and concerns about monopolies could apply to other businesses.
New model
Baker said the new membership model for OFBF has been approved and counties are reviewing the model and determining how they will make it work in their counties. Baker recognized Susan and Dean Shoup for earning a Murray Lincoln Award, for signing 50 or more members during the membership campaign.
Pam Haley, who represents Wayne County as the northeast region’s trustee, encouraged members to be part of a council, as they provide the grassroots base for the state Farm Bureau.
Haley also noted that she is retiring from the state board due to family commitments. Dean Shoup, county president, recognized board treasurer and incoming president, Mike Kauffman, for his work throughout the year, serving as the council liaison, and as a member of the code and nominating committees.
Shoup said the county Farm Bureau has focused on education projects, including an educational meeting on proposed pipeline project in the county. Council awards were presented to “YRU Farmers,” and “Meadowlarks and Crows.”
New members. Elected to the board of trustees were Mike Haley, Mike Kauffman, Kurt Mairs, Rhett Acker, Don Shoup and Bob Hange. Elected as delegates to the 2016 OFBF annual meeting were Richard Bloomfield, Bob Hange, Don Shoup, Emily Horst, Roy Mangun and Stan Smith.
During the meeting, members voted on county, state and national policies and approved changes to the county code, including setting membership fees, defining the membership categories, setting the number of a quorum needed to conduct business at board meetings, and dispersing the remaining funds in the event that the organization should disband.
Local policies included working with agricultural organizations to find funding for manure storage, developing nutrient management plans, utilizeing Ag Security Areas for manure storage areas, and working with county agencies to provide job training and on-farm placement.
State policies
State polices included working with the Livestock Care Standards Board to remove the mandate to cease tail docking by 2017, encouraging OFBF to annually check the calculation of agricultural land values to ensure the formula does not cause excessive swings to CAU Values, and encouraging landowners to request that pipeline companies provide an annual transmission fee payment, based on the gross value of the product transmitted through the line.
National policies included food quality and safety, and education and labelling — to limit the term “milk,” to products made from mammals.
