Launching Our Ag Policy Tracker

With all that is going on with food and farm policy on the state and federal levels, our policy team is committed to providing our community with up-to-date information that impacts them. That is why we are excited to launch our new ‘Ag Policy Tracker’, where we’ll be monitoring state and federal policy actions, agency directives, and White House orders that shape our food and farm system and affect producers and eaters in the OEFFA community.

Key Entities of the Ag Policy Tracker

This new tool will be consistently updated to include state and federal legislation we are watching, as well as administrative updates and agency changes. Replacing our old marker bill tracker, it will also feature OEFFA-endorsed marker bills.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for updates that are relevant to the OEFFA community and our member-driven priorities. We invite you to check out the tracker, sort by date, and use the search function to find relevant updates. Familiarize yourself with the different entities behind agricultural policy:

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): The USDA shapes agricultural policy through the implementation of the farm bill, regulation of food labeling and safety, administration of conservation programs, collection of research data, establishment and enforcement of regulations and standards, and oversight of financial, technical, and risk management assistance. All agencies (including the USDA) are part of the executive branch of government and function at the federal, state, and county levels.
Congress: Members of the Senate and House of Representatives, known collectively as Congress, influence agricultural policy through the passage of the farm bill roughly every five years, the annual appropriations process, individual legislation, and USDA oversight. As the entity responsible for creating laws, Congress is considered the legislative branch.
White House: Each White House/president/administration can influence agricultural policy through executive actions, agency directives, administrative appointments, budgetary proposals that outline spending priorities for USDA programs, regulatory decisions, trade negotiations, and priority-setting that influences farm conservation, subsidies, and disaster relief. The White House is part of the executive branch.
Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA): The ODA shapes agricultural policy at the state level by regulating food safety, setting standards for livestock and environmental stewardship, managing farmland preservation, collaborating with local districts to enforce conservation rules and protect water quality, and awarding grants to strengthen the food supply chain and promote economic development.
General Assembly: The Ohio General Assembly influences farm policy primarily through legislation and state budget appropriations. It may also create regulatory bodies that manage agriculture, land use, and water quality. The General Assembly also oversees the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program and its tax incentives for qualified farmland.
Governor: The Ohio Governor may influence farm policy through their executive-led environmental initiatives (like H2Ohio), the signing of relevant legislation into law, and key cabinet appointments (especially the Director of Agriculture).
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The EPA may influence agricultural policy through pesticide laws and the establishment and enforcement of environmental regulations that direct how farmers use inputs, manage waste, and emit greenhouse gases.
Judicial Branch: The judicial branch primarily influences food and farm policy through its interpretation of laws and review of relevant USDA, EPA, and ODA regulations and compliance. Courts also serve as a check on the power of the executive branch.

Check it Out

We invite you to bookmark this page so that you can stay updated on policy actions that influence our food and farm system. As always, let us know how the Ag Policy Tracker serves you, or how it can be optimized to better meet your needs. Let us know your thoughts by reaching out to policy@oeffa.org.