I would like to wish my fellow Summit County Farm Bureau members a Happy and Healthy New Year! I hope you all are enjoying the “mild” winter we have been blessed with, SO FAR!
As many of you know, Summit County Farm Bureau (SCFB) is passionate about preserving the viability of agriculture in our urban county. When land use planning aims to ensure the efficient use of space and resources, farmland can be protected while allowing room for communities to grow and thrive. SCFB monitors community planning and land use regulation to be sure to protect farmland with varying degrees of efficacy.
On June 25, 2019, the Akron Beacon Journal published an article detailing the advocacy efforts that took place by our SCFB members at a Summit County Council meeting. Thanks to the efforts of our members, Council members were willing to re-categorize farms/agricultural lands to the same category as residential properties in regards to the Summit County’s Surface Water Management Tax. Following this change, farmland no longer is categorized with commercial and industrial properties, which are taxed at a much higher rate. Due to our action, the Bath Township farmland owners have realized a substantial annual savings and thanks to the modifications of the language in the Surface Water Management District’s code, this protection will apply to any farmland owner in Summit County as well, regardless of township or municipality.
Farm Bureau has a history of working for landowners. If you are like many Summit County farmland owners, you know that your property tax bills went up sharply for several years but many of you saw a decrease in 2018. In Summit County, average cropland value actually decreased by 30% from 2015 to 2018 and a second decrease will occur this year, which is the next reappraisal year! This improvement is due to Ohio Farm Bureau’s aggressive action that resulted in a reformulation of the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) calculations.
Beyond local public policy successes like re-categorizing of the Summit County Surface Water Management Tax and CAUV reform, there are great benefits that you, as SCFB members enjoy:
- Access to staff of lawyers and policy advocates for information relating to landowner issues
- Family Fun: Join Farm Bureau this winter at a game with the Cavs and Monsters!
- Complimentary advertising in our Business Member Directory and/or our Buy Local/Farm Markets Directory
- Member discounts from many local, state and national vendors
- As well as access to a wide variety of educational information; free seminars, newsletters, website feature articles, and Facebook posts.
Your membership support allows us to offer all this and continue our work to preserve farmland for Summit County farm families. On behalf of the SCFB, let me THANK YOU!
Timothy E. Walsh, P.E.
Summit County Farm Bureau President