Summer is here again, and it is once again policy development time for your local county farm bureau. Policy development is the process that shapes the grass roots voice of your organization. Ask yourself what new and emerging issues are impacting you that farm bureau needs to take a stance on?
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ating farm bureau policy starts at the county level. Every county farm bureau solicits policy ideas from its county membership. The policies can address a completely new issue, or change an existing policy impacting agriculture. New policy ideas are submitted by county members to the policy development committee made up of county farm bureau members. The committee then recommends which ones will be presented for approval at the annual county meeting.
Each September, Summit County Farm Bureau holds an annual meeting in which all our active farming members are invited to attend, share a meal, and vote on policies that impact agriculture. Some policies are specific to issues we face in Summit County. Some policy issues are broader and can impact state or national policy. Once the language is approved at our annual meeting, it may be presented in Columbus at the Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in December. This is where our county policy could be added to the state farm bureau policy if it is accepted by delegates from all the county farm bureaus of Ohio.
In the past few years, new policies have addressed such topics as pipeline or oil and gas leasing, tax reform, or who has jurisdiction over policing livestock care. The last item was a policy developed and approved by the state farm bureau delegation, and it was developed right here in Summit County last year.
New policy ideas can be submitted in writing by mail to the Summit County Farm Bureau office at 1200 N. Main St. North Canton, OH 44720 or by email to summit@ofbf.org, by July 31.
Let your voice be heard and submit your policy idea today.