By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

OXFORD, Ohio — Last week’s gathering during the Futures of Farming Conference held at Miami University in Oxford attracted a wide array of people and backgrounds.

Paul Bohannon, a chemical salesman from Dayton, Ohio, was recently laid off from his job and was looking at farming as a possible way of surviving in today’s tough economic climate. Ray Arlinghaus of Hamilton, Ohio operates Lori Ridge Farm, specializing in peaches, tomatoes and cut flowers. He wondered how laws and policies in Ohio might affect his established business.

Bohannon and Arlinghaus were among 200 who attended the conference, and all attendees were there to learn how agricultural policy will affect Ohio’s farming futures. The goal of the conference was to critically assess the potential futures for agriculture that exist and foster new ideas and collaboraitons.

“Farm policy has had a profound affect on individual farms in Ohio,” said Dr. Howard Sacks, conference moderator and director of the Rural Life Center at Kenyon College in Ohio. “While farmers try their best to eke out a living there are an abundant number of pressures from inside and outside the ag community. Farmers must be attentive to what’s facing them and realize that future initiatives can be shaped by their involvement.”

Sacks was key moderator of a panel that included David Drake, Ohio farm loan chief at USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Chris Henney, director of legislative relations at Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and Sylvia Zimmerman, president of Innovative Farmers board of directors.

And not all panelists were in agreement as to the biggest hurdles facing farmers nowadays.

“Food safety and consumer confidence should be the top priority, regardless how it is produced,” Henney said in his wrap-up on the day. “Second, marketing assistance at all levels of farming is vital. Keeping farming viable is key and making sure it is profitable is also key. Finally, ag policies hurt farmers as they should have the right to farm to fit their business model. As long as it’s environmentally, socially and economically sound. This is what makes America great.”

Hindering much of farmers’ efforts, Henney states, are organizations like animal rights groups that often try to dictate livestock production practices.

And while Henney says that regulations are needed to govern the farmers, Zimmerman cautioned that liberties may be wrongly taken away at times.

“Farmers not only should have the right to farm but they should have the right to do so without Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs,” Zimmerman said.

“Farmers should unite to see that some of the policies which come out of the ODA and EPA should be determined on a case-by-case basis. Too oftentimes the trustees of townships and county commissioners don’t have the large picture to determine what correct agriculture policy should be in place for their area.”

Zimmerman is afraid that future policies are leaning toward giving those outside the agricultural community the power to dictate policies for those living on the farm.

“There are lots of emotional issues on the plate in front of those in agriculture and people just need to be heard,” she said.
While there were some opposing views between panelists at times, all agreed that farmers will need financial assistance (not bailouts) during these difficult times.

“The farmer needs to export more of his crops and he needs to keep more of his land from being developed in ways other than farming,” Drake said. “We also need to keep farmers farming and keep beginning farmers to the forefront so they are recognized as the future of agriculture. We can do this by providing financing for farmers at a better interest rate under better terms.”

But keeping those in farming may be a difficult chore. According to Butler County Extension Specialist Steve Bartels, there are 1,000 farms in Butler County.

In 1977 there were 80 farm families who made their living directly from the farm.

Today there are just eight such farm families. But that doesn’t deter people like Bohannon and others from looking at farming opportunities.

“My grandmother farmed in Greenfield, Indiana and I’m serious about exploring the opportunities that farming has to offer,” Bohannon said. “Hopefully I can use my science background to help me get started.”

While this session was attended by most, other breakout sessions (spearheaded by notable moderators and panelists) touched on preserving soil for future generations, what future farmers need to know, how neighbors approach the future of agriculture and the future energy supplies and prices affecting our agriculture system.