by Christopher C. Esker, Esq.
Changes to the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Membership Categories Means Changes for the Summit County Farm Bureau Membership Model
Membership in the OFBF, which comes with your membership in the Summit County Farm Bureau, supports programs that ensure the growth of Ohio food and farms, such as advocating for good government policy, developing opportunities for young farmers, providing student scholarships and grants, supporting local food efforts, creating food literacy programs for kids, hosting community building events and funding efforts to protect the environment, water quality, farmland preservation and more.
Last fall the OFBF made changes to the membership classes to reflect changes in agriculture’s role, not just in Ohio, but across the nation and around the world. While the OFBF and your own SCFB trace their roots to 1920s rural Ohio living, globalization and the growing integration of agriculture, economics, public health, education – well, you name it – means that it was time for the OFBF to better define its membership roles and rolls.
If you are a farmer or your job is directly impacted by the health of Ohio agriculture, then become an Active Member. Benefits include having a voice in the OFBF’s advocacy efforts, voting on policy positions, discounts on Nationwide Insurance products and many other products and services essential to the farm and food community. Whether it’s supporting 4-H and agricultural education programs, insuring fair taxation, defending landowner rights, or working to make new policies allow families to continue to farm, Active Membership helps your SCBF (and the OFBF and American Farm Bureau Federation) engage at the local, state and national levels on the decisions that impact farming and communities. In addition, Active Members receive exclusive access to insights about current issues and a platform to share their views. As a grassroots organization, the OFBF is guided by the direct input of members who have a vested interest in the success of the state’s more than $100 billion food and agricultural economy. The SCFB’s current annual dues for Active Members are just $88. Go to https://ofbf.org/active-member/ to learn more.
If you are age 18 to 24 and a farmer, or your job is directly impacted by the health of Ohio agriculture, then become a Young Active Member for just $25. That will give you a voice in the OFBF’s advocacy efforts, the right to vote on policy positions, and the benefit of discounts on Nationwide Insurance products and other products and services essential to the farm and food community. Plus, participate in a vibrant Young Ag Professionals program – there are dozens of local Young Ag Professional groups around the state. Some focus on education and professional development, others on community development, still more on social gatherings – and all of them have a bit of everything. You even have the opportunity to work with the SCFB to create your own group. Membership funds are allocated toward a variety of programs that ensure the growth of Ohio food and farms: advocating for good government policy, developing opportunities for young farmers, providing scholarships and grants, supporting local food efforts, creating food literacy programs for kids, hosting community building events and funding efforts to protect the environment, water quality, farmland preservation and more – all for just $25. Go to https://ofbf.org/young-active-member/ to learn more.
If you are interested in local foods, landowner rights and issues, protecting agriculture, and preserving Ohio’s farm heritage and lifestyle for the next generation, then become a Community Member – close enough, horseshoe-wise, to the former Associate Member role. OFBF and SCFB connect you to the information you need to protect your land, your family and your lifestyle. Enjoy a variety of savings opportunities on everything from insurance to cars to travel and much more.
Each day, your SCFB, OFBF, and AFBF advocates work on issues that affect all Ohio landowners at the national, state and local level. OFBF staff experts provide members with the latest information on property tax issues, wildlife management, private property rights and more, including a $2,500 reward program to protect your assets against theft on your property.
Community Members stay connected with food and farm happenings in Ohio through subscriptions to Our Ohio magazine and Buckeye Farm News as well as the SCFB’s own newsletters, mailings, emails, website, and Facebook page. Community Members are passionate about landowner rights, protecting the jobs of family and friends that are impacted by Ohio’s agriculture communities and preserving the heritage and lifestyle that you cherish for your family and future generations.
From our convenient educational forums on issues that affect you such as taxes and property rights to policy updates and unique opportunities to interact with elected officials, SCBF, OFBF, and AFBF together connect you to the information you need to protect your land, your family and your lifestyle. Community Members also enjoy benefits and savings programs including Nationwide Insurance discounts, property owner workshops, and savings on leisure and travel, home and health, and more, plus special invitations to food, farm and gardening events, networking opportunities and access to a variety of educational opportunities – and all of this for just $88 in annual dues. Learn more at https://ofbf.org/community-member/.
Finally, the OFBF recognized that some folks just want to be informed, involved, intrigued, and in the know without having direct agricultural roots – and for those, the new Our Ohio Supporter membership has been created. Supporters care about the future of Ohio food and farms, and value the SCFB and OFBF as a strong voice to insure that farmers are respected, treated fairly, and encouraged to operate in a way that improves our land and surrounding communities. Supports share the mission to protect Ohio’s food and farms and ultimately make Ohio a better place to live. If you care about the future of Ohio food and farms, you should be an Our Ohio Supporter. Not only will you affect the stability of agriculture in Ohio, you will enjoy a direct connection to agriculture information that affects all Ohioans. Your SCFB and the OFBF are organizations not only for farmers, but for those who believe in what farmers do: Provide food, resources and jobs for our communities. In fact, one in seven jobs in Ohio is rooted in agriculture.
Becoming an Our Ohio Supporter is a great way to find out about and contribute to the work of Farm Bureau in your local community. Our Ohio Supporters receive Our Ohio magazine to enjoy food and farm stories, tips and recipes delivered to your mailbox six times per year, and help the OFBF continue to tell the story of how agriculture impacts the daily lives of all Ohioans through the award-winning Our Ohio television series, e-letter, website, magazine, social media outlets and Town Hall Ohio radio, as well as the SCFB’s newsletters, notices, website, and Facebook page. Our Ohio Supporters stand behind a great variety of programs that nurture the growth of Ohio food and farms, such as development opportunities for young farmers, agriculture-based scholarships and grants, local food efforts, food literacy programs, community events, efforts to protect our land and water resources, farmland preservation and more. Our Ohio Supporters receive special invitations to food, farm and gardening events, opportunities to network, plus access to a variety of educational workshops. All for just $25 annually. Learn more at https://ofbf.org/our-ohio-supporter/.
With these newly organized classes your Summit County Farm Bureau, the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and the American Farm Bureau Federation are better positioned to move strongly into the future, roots still deeply anchored in Ohio’s fertile soils.