By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — U.S. Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) recently held his 10th annual Farm Forum with state farm leaders. The senator discussed Ohio’s agriculture industry and listened to concerns the leaders had about the challenges facing the agriculture industry and what solutions they recommend.

Greg Hargett, assistant director of ODA, Dr. Bobby Moser, dean and vice president for agricultural administration at the Ohio State University (OSU), Jack Fisher, executive vice president of the Ohio Farm Bureau, and commodity organization representatives were in attendance.

The fiscal situation, a transportation reauthorization bill, Issue 2, energy and climate change were some of the topics Voinovich talked about to the leaders.

Government spending is out of control, according to Voinovich.
In his first ten years in the Senate the annual deficit was six percent of the budget. In 2009, the deficit climbed to 40 percent and the administration projects the deficit will go to 42 percent his year.

“This is astounding,” Voinovich said. “It doesn’t take an economist to realize our course is unsustainable.”

Passing a transportation reauthorization bill would be helpful to a number of industries including agriculture, according to the senator. It would provide an opportunity to improve crumbling roads and bridges, spur the economy, and improve congestion on the freight system.

Voinovich congratulated the group on Issue 2’s passage and pledged support if the HSUS places an initiative on the ballot this year.

Voinovich was proud that the nation’s farmers and ethanol producers met the production goals mandated by the Renewable Fuels Standard. Last year, the industry produced 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol. According to the Renewable Fuels Assoc., the value of crude oil displaced by ethanol amounted to $21.3 billion.
Yet it is discouraging that, despite that fact that the cap and trade bill was defeated last year, and despite the economic crisis this country is in, Senators Kerry, Lieberman and Graham plan to introduce climate legislation, according to Voinovich.

Analysis done by the Fertilizer Institute that showed that passage of the 2009 Lieberman-Warner bill would have added $6 to $ 12 billion to total crop production costs on eight major U.S. crops, according to Voinovich.

In the discussion that followed different components of regulation were brought up including the FDA’s new regulations for leafy greens, according to Jack Fisher, OFBF.

“Others brought up that regulations are a detriment to the business climate, they don’t serve a good purpose and they’re not cost-effective in a tough economy,” Fisher said.

Also, Congress is not addressing the composite of immigration law and labor law as it impacts farm workers, Fisher said. This is a difficult situation for everyone in agriculture.

“If you can’t get reliable labor for our perishable crops you don’t plant them,” he said. “I am aware that we are not doing as many pickles, tomatoes and other hand harvested crops because we do not have a reliable labor source always available.”

Dr. Moser talked about the challenges to research and extension funding and how difficult that has been. Land grant college play an important role in research and development and OSU is trying to adjust.

When concerns about the estate tax being reinstated came up Voinovich said he thought the tax would be addressed but not repealed; that perhaps a similar exemption would be applied.
If there was a theme to the discussion that followed Voinovich’s comments it was an expression of appreciation for that fact that a Voinovich, who doesn’t have an agricultural background, has been very available to the agricultural community, Fisher said.

“It is unique that a U.S. senator has committed for 10 straight years to reach out to agriculture and we’re appreciative of that,” Fisher said.