Ag - Our Financial Foundation

Ohio's economic well-being directly tied to success of its dairy industry
June 13, 2009

WARM summer days in Ohio bring one of my favorite things: ice cream - rich, luscious ice cream. As we celebrate National Dairy Month this June, keep in mind the many homegrown dairy products we enjoy daily, such as cool glasses of milk and a refreshing bowl of ice cream on a hot summer evening.

Ohio is home to 3,490 dairy farms and 76 milk-processing facilities that produce nearly 5 billion pounds of milk each year.

Nationally, Ohio ranks first in Swiss cheese production, fifth in the number of dairy manufacturing plants and 11th in total milk production.

However, the success of Ohio's agricultural industry is being threatened by a Washington-run special interest group, which moves from state-to-state advocating for agricultural regulations that are devastating local farmers.

This organization, the Humane Society of the United States, differs from our local nonprofit humane societies, which focus on responsible pet ownership and animal adoptions.

During these difficult economic times, agriculture is a financial rock on today's shifting economic sands. Supporting our dairy industry not only creates and maintains jobs, but also keeps Ohio competitive in the world markets. We need to ensure that we support and promote our dairy industry and our local dairy farms. Read More

It’s easy for most people to forget that agriculture is the foundation upon which everything is built in this country. Most of us have never seen empty grocery store shelves. But this doesn’t happen by accident. It takes the hard work and dedication of America’s family farmers and ranchers. There is a threat to this foundation, however. There are some people that want to regulate these families right off the land. Apparently they favor food that has been grown in other countries. Consumers need to realize that when they vote on these innocent sounding farm reforms that there are far reaching consequences for the families that grow their food.