Once again, 2018 proved to be a challenging
year for Ohio soybean farmers, with
harvest just now wrapping up for some. I hope that everyone had a safe and successful harvest despite all the challenges we have faced.

I am honored to serve as your 2019 Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) president. Our new chairman, Allen Armstrong, did a wonderful job serving our organization as president for the past year and I am thankful for his leadership, guidance and friendship. Thank you, Allen, for your service and dedication to Ohio soybean farmers.

In December, we were pleased to see the 2018 Farm Bill completed. Both OSA and the American Soybean Association (ASA) advocated for timely passage of the bill, and we are happy with the outcome. With the passage of the Farm Bill, farmers across the country will now have much needed certainty for our farm programs.

At press time, we are still faced retaliatory the tariffs on soybeans and are lobbying for an agreement with our top international customer, China. We  are cautiously optimistic that the two countries will find a solution soon,  especially with China’s recent promise to begin buying more U.S. soybeans. Until then we will continue to work on your behalf by telling Congress and the administration that agriculture, but most importantly soybean farmers, rely on trade agreements to compete in the international marketplace.

Following the November election, we look forward to working with Governor Mike DeWine and to build upon an already strong relationship as we begin to develop plans for water quality improvement. We will continue to emphasize the need for solutions that are based on sound science that will protect Lake Erie, without sacrificing Ohio agriculture’s ability to produce food and grow our economy.

Congratulations to Bret Davis, OSA board member and soybean farmer from
Delaware County. Bret was elected secretary of ASA in December. Bret’s election allows him to represent Ohio soybean farmers and all U.S. soybean farmers on a much larger scale and we are proud to have his leadership during these challenging times in agriculture.

I hope you all enjoyed time with family and friends and had a safe and happy
holiday season!