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Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown optimistic

May 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

With the work of the Senator Agriculture Committee behind them, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is optimistic when the full Senate takes up the Farm Bill on Monday, May 20.

“Generally it’s a good bill and we want to preserve the great majority of it on the Senate floor and get it to the House and move forward,” Brown said.

While feeling good about the Farm Bill on the Senate side, Brown has major issues with the cuts made to the SNAP program by the House Ag Committee.

“I’m very concerned about what this means to children and families and want to make sure that we don’t follow that in the Senate,” said Senator Brown.

Audio: Senator Sherrod Brown (5:45 mp3)

 

Filed Under: News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , ,

Putting a face with the issues

March 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

OFBF President Steve Hirsch_webThe Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) wrapped up their 67th annual County Presidents Trip to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, March 6. OFBF President Steve Hirsch of Ross County said the delegation did a great job of talking about the issues important to agriculture.

“They put a face on the Farm Bill, they put a face on immigration reform, they put a face on food safety, all of those issues that are important,” said Hirsch. “They said how important it is to farmers in their community or to their family farm and that’s what’s needed when you get here to D.C.”

Audio: Steve Hirsch, President, OFBF (2:30 mp3)

Before heading back to Ohio the County Presidents heard from both Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator Rob Portman.

Brown, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee told the County Presidents that while the latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report was disappointing when it comes to the Farm Bill, the Senate Ag Committee understands what they have to work with.

Senator Sherrod Brown_web“We still know we can save significant dollars for taxpayers, at the same time contribute to the budget deficit and at the same time we’re gonna strengthen farm programs and strengthen the safety net and especially what we can do with crop insurance,” Senator Brown said. “I’m still optimistic about the direction we move, I just wish the numbers were a little better.”

Audio: Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown (1:05 mp3)

Senator Portman talked with the Ohio Farm Bureau delegation about a number of key issues, including the importance of President Obama requesting Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).

“This President is the first since FDR not to ask for it, or to have it until last week and last week it’s my understanding he did say he’d like to ask for Trade Promotion Authority,” said Portman. “I’m all for it, I’ve introduced legislation to do it, I’m going to work with anybody, right, left or center, Republican or Democrat who wants to do it, why, because we need our Senator Rob Portman_webfarmers to be at the bargaining table to open up these other markets around the world that are very protectionist for the most part on agriculture, we’ve got real opportunities if we can get these markets open.”

Audio: Ohio Senator Rob Portman (1:45 mp3)

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , ,

Wheat Growers honor Brown and Gibbs

January 31, 2013 By Leave a Comment
L-R: Tadd Nicholson, Bryan Bush, Senator Sherrod Brown, John Hoffman, Lyndsey Murphy, Jack Irvin

L-R: Tadd Nicholson, Bryan Bush, Senator Sherrod Brown, John Hoffman, Lyndsey Murphy, Jack Irvin

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Ohio Congressman Bob Gibbs have been recognized for their support of the wheat industry. The National Association of Wheat Growers has presented the two with their 2012 Wheat Advocate Award.Both Senator Brown and Representative Gibbs were recognized for their efforts to pass a 5-year Farm Bill.

The Senator was also recognized for his work to improve programs like ACRE and for his support of developing a safety net for farms during times like the drought.

Congressman Gibbs was recognized for being the lead sponsor of HR 872, a bill that would help farmers from facing duplicative and unnecessary financial and administrative burdens in order to comply with various federal permits.

 

Filed Under: Crops, Events/Organizations, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , ,

85 Ohio counties designated disaster areas

September 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has declared 85 of Ohio’s 88 counties as natural disaster areas.

“Agriculture is an essential component of Ohio’s economy and our heritage, and if our farmers and Ohio’s food industry are suffering, Ohio suffers. The federal declaration will help keep farmers on their feet and mitigate some of the damage caused by the bad weather,” said Ohio Governor John Kasich.

The disaster declaration opens the way for farmers in primary and contiguous counties who are eligible, to access drought-related federal disaster assistance, such as low-interest emergency loans through the Farm Service Agency.

Information is available at local FSA offices.

U.S. Representative Bob Latta’s response to the disaster declaration:

Congressman Latta (R – Bowling Green) applauded the designations by saying, “With one of the largest agricultural districts in the state, I had the opportunity to tour farms in northwest Ohio and witness first-hand how these natural disasters have affected the crops and the business decisions farmers are currently making for next year’s crops. Our farmers and ranchers are used to working in unpredictable and harsh conditions, but it is critical they have the risk management tools to mitigate the impacts of the harsh circumstances they are facing now due to the natural disasters.”

U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) released the following statement in response to the announcement:

“I am pleased to hear that USDA has responded to our drought conditions by providing this designation. The agricultural community my district has been struggling through the brutal weather conditions this year, which have hit our state during the worst of economic times. It is my hope that this disaster designation serves as significant aid to the families of the 18th district who have been hurt by the production losses this year.”

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown’s response:

“These new resources will provide some relief to farmers and livestock producers dealing with this year’s record drought,” Senator Sherrod Brown said. “Although USDA’s assistance will help some producers get back on their feet, passing the Senate farm bill reauthorizes critical disaster programs which expired last year and makes much-needed reforms by building on crop insurance and creating a safety net to assist farmers when prices drop or when natural disaster strikes.”

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Senator Brown applauds USDA announcement

August 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Applauding the announcement that USDA intends to buy $170 million worth of pork, catfish, chicken, and lamb products from livestock producers impacted by the drought, and what it will mean for some Ohio producers, Senator Sherrod Brown also used the announcement as another opportunity to call for the U.S. House to schedule a vote on the Senate-passed 5-year Farm Bill.

“Although USDA’s purchase will help some producers get back on their feet, passing the Senate farm bill reauthorizes critical disaster programs which expired last year and makes much-needed reforms by building on crop insurance and creating a safety net to assist farmers when prices drop or when natural disaster strikes,” Brown said.

The Emergency Surplus Removal Program allows USDA to use funds to purchase meat and poultry products to support the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and the Emergency Food Assistance Program.

Filed Under: Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ohio Senator’s talk Farm Bill positions

August 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Ohio Senator’s Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown were at the Ohio State Fair on Friday, August 3.

In an interview with Brownfield, when asked about the disaster assistance legislation the U.S. House passed before adjourning for the August recess, Senator Sherrod Brown said he was just glad the House passed something. In the meantime, Brown shared his message to livestock producers.

“My advice is to talk with your House member of either party and ask them to move forward and get a 5-year that really does deal with the safety net for livestock, corn and soybean and specialty crops,” Brown said.

Audio: Ohio Senator, Sherrod Brown (2:20 mp3)

Senator Portman says if the House passed legislation reaches the Senate when they return in September, he’ll support it, as far as the Farm Bill.

“I have some concerns about the bill that passed the Senate, I was not able to support it because 80 percent of the bill is on the food stamp side,” Portman said. “I like the commodity title and I supported it, but I’m very concerned about the food stamp side, I’ve indicated to leadership that I’m willing to support a bill coming back that has some of the House reforms in it, I’m hopeful we can get that done in September.”

Audio: Ohio Senator, Rob Portman (3:55 mp3)

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Ohio Sen. Brown wants 5-year Farm Bill

August 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

With a Farm Bill that includes disaster assistance set to expire at the end of September, and what he describes as the “pathetic action in the House,” Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown on Wednesday, August 1, outlined again how the Senate passed farm bill provides critical assistance to farmers affected by the drought.

When asked about the House moving toward a more limited ag disaster aid bill in the short term, the Senator responded.

“The House is looking at kind of disaster alone, not a long term solution,” said Senator Brown. “I know it’s hard to put a Farm Bill together in the House, but in the end farmers want a reliable safety net that can protect them in situations of drought and situations of low crop prices and dealing with disasters in short term extensions don’t do that well.”

Joining Senator Brown on the call with reporters was Champaign County farmer Alex Ward and State Climatologist Jeff Rogers.

Ward, an 8th generation farmer says when it comes to the Farm Bill, crop insurance is the tool most needed going forward.

Audio: Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, conference call with reporters (12:45 mp3)

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Dodging Farm Bill obstacles

June 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

While the Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan is optimistic that the Senate will pass the 2012 Farm Bill, there’s always the chance of the legislation being derailed. And Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, a member of the Senate Ag Committee says there are several things that have the potential of doing just that.

“I think what can always derail a Farm Bill and that’s regional differences,” said Brown. “The other obstacle, there are people here that simply don’t want to see President Obama succeed and that means raising the spectacle or partisanship again and last there are 200 amendments, some that have nothing to do with agriculture and unrelated to anything that’s on the floor and those amendments can bog things done and cause the whole thing to implode, I’m hopeful it won’t.”

Senator Brown says it’s important for the agricultural community to continue to express the need to get this Farm Bill passed, before the current bill expires in September.

Audio: Senator Sherrod Brown, Conference call with reporters (19:05 mp3)

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