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State
Representative Jim Buchy
Senate
Bill 150 Proposes Changes to Ohio’s Agriculture Industry
To Improve
Water Quality
Farmers
are the backbone of our local economy, so it is important to provide
them with tools to continue to prosper while protecting local
waterways. Ohio agribusiness men have worked tirelessly to adapt to
changing circumstances around them by adopting nutrient management
plans in order to preserve our natural resources and protect the
soil.
One
piece of legislation being considered by the legislature would
further improve these efforts. Senate Bill 150 focuses on reducing
nutrient over-loading on Ohio ground. It accomplishes this goal by
requiring training for agribusinessmen spreading chemical fertilizer
on farm ground. The farmers in the Grand Lakes St. Mary’s Watershed
have served as excellent examples of responding to the need to
protect Ohio’s waterways by voluntarily adopting nutrient
management plans. The positive steps made in the Grand Lake St.
Marys Watershed are paving the way for changes to agriculture
statewide.
S.B.
150 will require farmers with 50 or more contiguous acres to attend a
continuing education course on fertilization application. This
certification process will support practical and feasible best
management practices.
The
bill will ultimately build on the efforts of the Ohio Farm Bureau to
promote the 4R program to improve farming practices throughout Ohio,
by advocating for the right nutrient, at the right time, in the right
amount, in the right location. The best way to improve farming
practices in Ohio is through education, and this bill takes a step in
the right direction.
Although
nutrient management plans are completely voluntary, Ohio’s major
agricultural groups support creating a plan to help farmers meet the
new industry requirements. There are resources available, such as
Ohio State Extension, professional agronomists, the Soil and Water
Conservation office, and the Farm Services Agency, to help
agricultural professionals develop appropriate nutrient management
plans. By having a state -approved nutrient management plan in place,
affirmative defense may provide legal protection to farmers.
Please
stay in touch and provide your input on the issues of the day by
taking a legislative survey at tinyurl.com/buchymarch2014
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