The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association (OCWGA) and the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) recently endorsed Ohio Senate Bill 229 and Ohio House Bill 634, bipartisan legislation that would invest significant new resources to protect water quality throughout the state.

OCWGA and OSA representatives testified, May 22, in favor of HB 634, sponsored by Rep. Steve Arndt, R-Port Clinton, and Rep. John Patterson, D-Jefferson, before the House Finance Committee and in favor of SB 229, sponsored by Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, and Sen. Sean O’Brien, D-Bazetta, at the Senate Finance Committee.

If approved, the two bills would:

• Invest as much as $20 million in farm equipment and other initiatives to reduce phosphorus runoff in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

• Invest $10 million to prevent open lake dumping of dredged materials in Lake Erie.

• Invest $2.65 million in the Ohio State Sea Grant’s Stone Laboratory near Put-in-Bay to pay for research lab space and monitoring devices.

• Invest $3.5 million to support the conservation efforts of the soil and water conservation districts in the Western Lake Erie Basin.  

"Ohio grain farmers have demonstrated their commitment to the protection of both soils and water quality by investing their time and money to work with partners and find solutions," says OCWGA board member Mark Drewes. "We applaud this bipartisan coalition of legislators for making the health of Lake Erie and other bodies of water a priority."

"This will help even more farmers implement best management practices," says OSA President Allen Armstrong. "Farmers have invested millions of dollars in research and education to address water quality, and we would welcome new resources from the State of Ohio."

For more information, please visit formyfarm.com.

Source: OCWGA, OSA