By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

OTTAWA, Ohio — The Ohio Farmers Union (OFU) is opening its doors again. Those doors were closed a couple of years ago when it was found, through an audit, that more than $260,000 had been embezzled from the OFU treasury.
“It was discovered that our former secretary-treasurer had been embezzling for quite some time,” said Roger Wise, OFU president, of Kathy Beutler. “She has since been convicted and is serving a sentence in the Marysville Women’s Prison. It was devastating to OFU.”

The OFU was in serious financial trouble, Wise said. Most of the staff was first put on furlough, but eventually had to be let go. The organization has been operating with a shoestring staff.

“For the last two years we have been recovering from that and finally, we are somewhat recovered,” Wise said. “We have a long way to go but at least we’re on the right track and focused.”

OFU membership dropped during that time, but Wise said it was a pleasant surprise that they lost only a few members. Linda Jones-Burton, a former secretary-treasurer before Beutler, was able “to pick up the pieces and get OFU back on track,” Wise said. Volunteers helped with answering the phone and fulfilling other duties. OFU’s insurance products stayed in place.
“Quite frankly, the embezzlement kind of solidified us within our core, brought us together,” Wise said. “We had some lengthy and in-depth discussions at a couple of full board meetings. They were certainly spirited, but in the end everybody had the same goal and the same objectives in mind and we’ve come thorough it pretty well.”

The OFU is placing advertisements in several publications to let the public know it’s back in business. The group is having the website redone – it had been neglected and is out of date. The new website will be user-friendly.

Some of OFU’s advertising dollars are going to publications which promote local food and farmers’ markets. That’s where OFU’s niche is, Wise said.

“Those are the folks that our policy is supportive of – local food, of knowing the farmer and where food comes, organics – we’ve got a good relationship with the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA),” he explained. “We’re interested in the urban folks – urban gardens, anything that has to do with local food.”

Another focus is on getting representation in Columbus, although a full-time lobbyist is not yet in the plans.

“The budget is the big focus in Columbus,” Wise said. “When that is over with, there are a number of issues that the Farmers Union wants to and should weigh in on. We haven’t done that in the last two years and that is unfortunate …
“We need to let people know there is an alternative to some other farm organizations and that we’re viable and willing to welcome them.”

The OFU is also keeping an eye on hydraulic fracturing-drilling for natural gas, Wise said. That is important to OFU members in Ashtabula County and other parts of the state.

“We understand the value and need for that natural gas, but we are also are concerned about process – that in an attempt to get one resource, we don’t harm another one, which would be water,” Wise said.
“There are a host of issues that we should be involved in, and that we haven’t to the extent that we should have.”