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CAFOs: A Q&A with OEFFA Member Emily Kichler
We are so thankful for our vast number of policy member leaders who interact with us on a regular basis. Emily Kichler recently reached out with her research on CAFO systems that we wanted to share with our OEFFA network.
Emily Kichler is a cook, a student of environmental policy at Virginia Wesleyan, and a long-time food system reform advocate—from WWOOFing and learning about different methods of sustainable farming around the country, to work in food assistance, to composting legislation advocacy, to farm policy advocacy with OEFFA and Farm Action. Emily is an active participant in the OEFFA Policy Caucuses and joins us at the Statehouse for advocacy days.
We had the opportunity to chat with Emily about CAFOs. Read on for her take.
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OEFFA Farmers’ Thoughts on Tariffs
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. They’ve been on our minds for months, as we’ve all followed the roller coaster of announcements, retaliations, negotiations, and pauses. But what exactly are tariffs? More importantly, how might the recent trade war impact our farmers?
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Policy and Pints: You’re Invited!
It has been an interesting few months, especially for those in food, agriculture, and environment spaces. As such, there is no better time to be in community! As part of the recently launched 2025 OEFFA Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series, our team will be traveling around the state to connect with local organizations and community members.
Dubbed Policy and Pints, our informal gatherings will provide an opportunity for folks around Ohio to connect with OEFFA policy staff, learn about our work, and see how you can plug into these advocacy efforts. You’ll be able to dip your toes into the world of food and farm policy issues, sip on beverages from sustainable breweries and ciderhouses, and engage with other changemakers!
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You’re Invited to Advocate for Healthy Soil
Globally, around one-third of soils are degraded. By the middle of the century, 90 percent or more could become degraded. In the Midwest alone, more than 57.6 billion metric tons of topsoil have been lost over the past 160 years.
At the same time, healthy soil has been increasingly shown to hold more water, reduce runoff and protect water quality, require less fertilizer, and sequester carbon. Thriving soil results in healthier crops, providing a positive return on investment for farmers and ranchers. Isn’t all of this worth protecting?
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Amplifying Farmers’ Voices in DC
Abundant cherry blossoms greeted our team in Washington last week. They arrived just in time for peak bloom. The weather was kind, and people from all over were out and about enjoying the brightly pungent ambassadors of spring. After a tumultuous few months, the vibrant trees offered a welcome bit of beauty and proudly declared a timely reminder of new beginnings.
Milo and Lauren, OEFFA’s policy director and grassroots policy organizer, went to the annual National Organic Coalition (NOC) fly-in. Our team was joined by farmers Bridget Burgess of Hirzel Farms and Charlie Eselgroth of Buckskin Valley Farms. In just a few days, the NOC delegation had Hill meetings with over 60 congressional offices and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials.
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The Path to a New Farm Bill (Regularly Updated)
It’s GO time! Our federal policy team has been busy at work keeping up to date with the farm bill action in Congress. In this blog, you’ll find all relevant updates, with the oldest news at the bottom and the most recent updates at the top. Stay tuned for more as things are moving.
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That’s A Wrap: 2025 OEFFA Policy Film Screening Series
On Sunday, March 23, our team wrapped up our second-annual film screening series. All in all, we had nearly 200 folks registered for screenings of Feeding Tomorrow, Organic Rising, and Farming While Black! Together, we learned about the realities of organic and sustainable agriculture and the programs and people making our food system more just, resilient, and regenerative. Here are some highlights from each film.
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OEFFA Launches Funding Freeze Action Center
Across the country, tens of thousands of farmers and the organizations serving them have been impacted by an unprecedented freeze on federal funds obligated under signed, lawful contracts. Beginning as soon as he took office on January 20, President Trump signed several executive orders targeting the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, and climate-related actions. As a result, many federal programs and funding contracts have been paused, modified, or altogether terminated.
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Farm Action Agriculture Consolidation Data Hub
Guest post featuring Angela Huffman of Farm Action. Originally published in the Winter 2025 OEFFA Newsletter.
A key priority for the OEFFA Policy team is addressing consolidation in food systems and advocating for policies that support small and mid-sized farming operations. We are digging into a new report and data hub published by the advocacy group Farm Action, which reveals that just three dozen corporations now control almost every industry involved in growing, processing, and distributing food in America.
We discussed the findings with Farm Action president Angela Huffman, who is a long-time OEFFA member and a graduate of OSU’s College of Public Affairs. Huffman also raises registered Katahdin sheep on her family’s 200-year-old farm in northwest Ohio.
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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.