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OFBF supports bill that would remove barriers for beginning farmers
Ohio Farm Bureau members are backing a bill that would help the next generation of farmers by removing barriers to entry and exit.
Ross County Farm Bureau President Kaitlyn Meeker, a grain farmer from southern Ohio, says the bill would provide an incentive for owners who sell land or ag assets to beginning farmers.
“It really bridges the gap between young farmers and older farmers,” she says. “It can help with transition planning. It gives the older generation a tax break for leases or purchases of property or equipment.”
She tells Brownfield beginning farmers face barriers.
“Stepping into agriculture takes a lot of capital. You have to have land to rent or own and you have to have all the equipment available to you,” she says. “…Also farmland isn’t being made. What’s there is there so instead of selling it off for houses or something else, this bill can provide an incentive to keep it in agriculture.”
House Bill 95 would create the Ohio Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program. The bill passed the House, and farm bureau members are advocating for the bill’s passage in the Ohio Senate and to have it signed into law.
OFBF says agriculture in Ohio is at a generational crossroads, and strategies must be deployed to ensure the next generation of farmers is well positioned to continue the state’s strong position as a top agricultural production state.
The organization says it will work to support young and beginning farmers as they face significant challenges in this current economic environment; advocate for career technical education to encourage the growth of agricultural education programs; and promote the growth of critical workforce development programs like TechCred and industry credentialing.