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OFU calls for financial incentives and policy changes to address nutrient loss

Joe Logan, President, Ohio Farmers Union

The President of the Ohio Farmers Union says financial incentives and policy changes will be needed to curb nutrient loss in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Joe Logan says the next Farm Bill should include a commodity loan program that encourages farmers to adopt conservation practices.

“We think this would be amenable to dovetailing it with a buy up provision that would allow farmers that are willing to adopt additional conservation practices to buy up that loan rate and give themselves a higher safety net,” says Logan.

Logan tells Brownfield financial incentives alone will not be enough to help reduce nutrient loss. He says the organization has been working with the Ohio Department of Ag to revisit the permitting process for large livestock operations.

“Maybe we need to look closer at locating permitted facilities in particular watersheds that are already over burdened with livestock. Ohio Department of Agriculture in our opinion really needs to make changes and up their game as well as farmers doing the same,” says Logan.

Logan says it will take both incentives and policy changes for Ohio to reach its 40 percent phosphorous reduction goals in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Brownfield spoke with Logan following a water quality forum sponsored by the Ohio Farmers Union in Northwest Ohio.

Audio: Joe Logan, President, Ohio Farmers Union

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