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Keeping farmers a part of the sustainability conversation

Farmers from around the country are preparing for the 2023 Farm Bill debates and sustainability and conservation are high on the list. 

Ohio Corn and Wheat at-large director Scott Ruck says utilizing tools like cover crops and proper nutrient stewardship are key.  “It’s doing the right thing,” he says.  “And ultimately the environment wins in the long run.  But, we have to do it sustainably, too.  Because we can’t spend all kinds of money saving the environment and it costs us our bottom line.  It’s doing it smart.”

AUDIO: Scott Ruck, Ohio Corn and Wheat

Camden, Ohio farmer Rachael Vonderhaar with Ohio Corn and Wheat says it’s critical that farmers are engaged in the discussions that will shape conservation and sustainability policy in the Farm Bill. 

She tells if those policies put farmers out of business, they aren’t sustainable. “We need to understand how all the pieces come together,” she says.  “From precision agriculture, to what’s being applied, to the health of the soil, and making sure we’re not leaving out a piece.  Air quality, water quality – it all works together and that’s what sustains the family.”

AUDIO: Rachael Vonderhaar, Ohio Corn and Wheat

Brownfield interviewed Ruck and Vonderhaar during this week’s Commodity Classic.