A gathering of Ohio farmers recently traveled to Washington to meet with various state representatives and discuss the 2013 Farm Bill and other vital farm legislation.

For Ohio farmers, the failure of the 2012 Farm Bill was a personal matter. After the House Agriculture Committee and the Senate passed versions of the bill, House leadership, led by Ohio Representative and Speaker of the House John Boehner, blocked the bill, fearing a conservative backlash in an election year.

Farmers are hoping that 2013 will see a more concerned Congress passing a new, five-year farm bill. They’ve already begun an aggressive lobbying campaign, hoping to pressure Congress to take quick action.

While Congress has passed a temporary extension of the expired farm bill, this is not a permanent solution to most farmers. The uncertainty of farming without a five-year farm bill is disconcerting to many farmers. “They won’t invest until they know the rules of the game,” he said. “Farmers are smart people. They can figure out how to operate within the rules.”

Ohio farmers, in their continuing efforts to pass a new farm bill, are meeting with their Representatives and Senators, reminding them that while the power of the farm sector may have declined, farmers and rural Americans are still a powerful influence in politics.

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer