News

Farmer leaders of the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) visited every Ohio congressional office this week to advocate on behalf of issues that affect soybean farmers’ bottom line. Topics of conversation included trade, the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill, Renewable Fuels Standard and biofuels, and infrastructure funding.

“Every year farmer leaders from soybean and other agricultural organizations around the country go to see their state’s representatives in person, and time and again we’ve seen those personal relationships pay off for our members,” said Allen Armstrong, OSA president and Clark County soybean farmer. “Emails and phone calls throughout the year on issues are important, but it’s just as important to look our elected officials in the eye and shake their hand.”

One of the first topics addressed during these meetings was the importance of continued positive trade with China and other NAFTA partners, as well as with other Asia-Pacific countries through bilateral or multilateral agreements.

Additionally, farmer leaders emphasized farmers’ priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill negotiations, including maintaining the current crop insurance program and reauthorizing ARC and PLC, and giving farmers a choice to sign up for either program on a crop-by-crop basis.

To see a complete list of the American Soybean Association’s federal legislative and regulatory priorities for 2018, visit https://soygrowers.com/about-asa/policy-resolutions/.