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| Some environmental lessons learned from Ohio’s farmers |
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April 22 is Earth Day, which is an excellent time to remember those for whom everyday is Earth Day – our farmers. At this year’s recent Farm Forum, I met with Ohio’s agricultural leaders to discuss with them the status of Ohio’s leading industry. In turn, they shared with me their thoughts on the opportunities and challenges facing the industry and what solutions they recommend to assist Ohio farmers.
The forum was entitled How the Agriculture Industry Can Lead Ohio’s Economic Recovery. Industry leaders raised a number of issues for discussion including the industry’s main priority of providing a safe and reliable food supply and the importance of trade opportunities.
It was made clear at the forum that Ohio is home to some of the most resourceful and productive farmers in the world. While commodity prices have come down and producers are struggling with high input costs and credit challenges, the industry continues to make worthy advancements.
The agbioresource industry of today not only provides us with a safe and reliable food and fiber supply but with renewable energy and everyday products made with our own homegrown commodities. Soybeans and corn are helping to lessen our dependence on foreign sources of oil by replacing petroleum in everyday products such as ink toners, plastics, foams and powder coatings.
Ohio farmers and ranchers are working diligently and successfully to provide Ohioans and Americans with affordable biodegradable products made with plant material, which is good for our farmers and good for our environment.
I want to take this opportunity to highlight three Ohio farmers who have recently earned national recognition for their stewardship of the environment.
John and Jim Anderson, of Shreve, Ohio, recently were honored with the American Sheep Industry Assoc.’s Environmental Stewardship Award. The father-and-son team was recognized for preserving the forests and natural beauty of their farm.
The Andersons also spearheaded a low input sustainable forage base to ensure the health of their sheep flock, soil and water. They believe that by being watchful stewards of the environment, future generations will be able to enjoy the same natural resources as themselves.
Additionally, John Buck was recently named the 2009 Conservationist of the Year by the American Soybean Assoc. He belongs to a long line of proud Ohio farmers, managing a farm that has been in his family since 1936. The third-generation farmer is responsible for increasing the number of no-till acres since taking over the family business in 1999. Due to his efforts, the farm is now 100 percent no-till.
I am happy to say that when I was governor of Ohio I appointed the Ohio Farmland Preservation Task Force to devise incentives to stop the loss of productive farm acreage.
One recommendation of the task force that I implemented right away was the creation of the Office of Farmland Preservation within the Department of Agriculture to coordinate statewide efforts to retain farms.
Since 1999 the department’s easement programs have preserved nearly 200 farms totaling more than 35,000 acres. I put another recommendation into action in January 1998, when I signed the Farmland Protection Executive Order. The order directed state agencies to take into account farmland preservation goals in making land-use decisions.
I am always happy to do my part to assist Ohio farmers and the environment. In fact, when I came to the U.S. Senate in 1999, I continued to make agriculture one of my top priorities. As the former “Ag Governor” of Ohio I have now been named the “Ag Senator” by the Ohio Cattleman’s Assoc. and other Ohio agriculture industry organizations for my strong support of the state’s agriculture industry.
John and Jim Anderson and John Buck are living examples of how one person can make a big difference in helping the environment, and I applaud them for their outstanding efforts. My hope has always been that our children’s children will receive a world better than the one we inherited. This Earth Day I hope you will look at the environment around you and find ways to make that hope a reality. |
| 4/22/2009 |
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