General

2024 OEFFA Policy Year in Review 

2024 was a big year for our policy work. The successes and lessons of last year are shared—shared with those of you who provided testimony at the Statehouse, met with legislators on farms or on Capitol Hill, engaged in our new policy caucuses, or followed along with us here or on Instagram

Together, we accomplished a lot in 2024.

We extend our deepest gratitude to you, our community, for all we were able to do last year. Policy change is a long game, and our collective voices and actions made a mark on food and farm policy matters that will reverberate throughout 2025 and beyond. 

Thank you. 

Advocating for Change

The year began with a new policy director, Milo Petruziello, and renewed efforts to influence a new farm bill and advance soil health legislation in Ohio. Winter and spring found us busy engaging with our community and coalition partners, including a few trips to D.C. with member leaders.  

It was an honor to advocate on Capitol Hill with Patty Allen and Kristy Buskirk in February, and with Joe and Renee Ramunni and Dave Shively when we returned in March. Together, these voices amplified the needs of Ohio farmers in 16 congressional meetings

As temperatures rose—and precipitation levels dropped—we were busy fostering new and existing relationships with Ohio members of the General Assembly and House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Milo joined the agriculture advisory council of Ohio District 7 Congressman Max Miller, who served on the House Agriculture Committee.  

It was great to hear the stories of farmers in our network over five in-district events at Foraged & Sown, Woodlyn Acres, LLC., County Line Family Farm, Agraria, Bay Branch Farm, Shalom & Tranquility Community Garden, and Bruce Kress’ farm. It was equally rewarding to hear farmers express their needs through two roundtable meetings with Amy Bruch of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), and at NOSB’s in-person meeting in Portland, Oregon.  

Throughout the year, OEFFA’s member-driven priorities were made clear to local and federal legislators. Together, the OEFFA community sent 571 emails and placed 80 calls to members of Congress and the Ohio General Assembly. 

Connecting with Community

The beginning of 2024 marked the launch of our OEFFA Policy Film Screening Series. It was great to connect with 200+ faces new and familiar at screenings of Food Chains, Digging In, SEED: The Untold Story, and The Ants & The Grasshopper. 

Harnessing the energy of a community ready to engage, we launched our new OEFFA Policy Caucuses in the middle of the year. More than 41 people joined us in caucus meetings centered on advancing policy that protects our environment, propels organic agriculture, combats consolidation, strengthens our local and regional food systems, and supports ALL farmers.  

As the 2024 Election neared, we set out to provide nonpartisan resources to our community. Developed with My Grow Connect, Green Umbrella, and other food and farm advocates and organizations, our candidate questionnaire spanned 10 member-driven priority topics and was sent out to all Ohio-based federal candidates. Responses from six candidates were listed on our website, and 29 people accessed the related toolkit to assess their local candidates on food and farm issues important to them.  

Advancing Soil Health’s Profile

Fueled by needs of farmers in our network facing extreme weather events, our commitment to soil health was strengthened throughout 2024. Members of the OEFFA-led Ohio Soil Health Initiative (OSHI) were ready to activate on this commitment, coming together to plan the inaugural Ohio Soil Health Week and advocate at the Statehouse for other soil health legislation. 

In April, our Soil Health Advocacy Day brought 28 advocates to the Ohio Statehouse in meetings with 43 legislators. The day began with words from two soil health champions in the state: Senator Tim Schaffer, who introduced the amendment to H.B. 162 recognizing Ohio Soil Health Week, and Representative Juanita O. Brent, sponsor of H.B. 568, the Healthy Soils Task Force Bill.  

It was a grounding experience to travel around the state to meet six soil stewards during the filming of our Soil Stories video series, a project funded by the National Healthy Soils Policy Network. Then, the inaugural Ohio Soil Health Week took place from November 10-16, 2024! 

Throughout the week, 724+ attendees attended 19 statewide events celebrating and educating on soil health and Ohio’s soil health stewards.  

While autumn did not bring the new farm bill we have spent years working toward, it did bring movement to local legislation to recognize the importance of soil health and celebrate those who steward it. After OEFFA members took three trips to the Ohio Statehouse to give in-person testimony—and many others provided written testimony—we ended 2024 with the news that H.B. 162 is on its way to being signed into law by Governor DeWine! 

The Future is Bright

There are some exciting things on the horizon for the new year. We’re excited to welcome our first OEFFA Policy Fellow to the team, host a soil health luncheon in the spring, and record and produce our first-ever podcast. In 2025, we still need to get a truly farmer-friendly farm bill through Congress, advance additional soil health legislation through the Ohio Statehouse, and navigate relationships with key stakeholders in our food and farm system. And we will do all of it together.  

Thank you for being a valued part of the OEFFA Policy community. For ways to get involved, reach out to policy@oeffa.org.