The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) applauds Gov. Mike DeWine’s investment of $100 million for the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s share of the H2Ohio program in his recently announced budget proposal. These funds will help farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin continue to implement best management practices that prevent nutrient runoff and help protect water quality for all Ohioans.

“We thank Governor DeWine and his team for their commitment to farmers as we continue to prioritize water quality,” said OSA President and Marion County soybean farmer Ryan Rhoades. “So far, the H2Ohio program has been successful in promoting the best practices for nutrient management on over a million acres of farmland and we look forward to building on that success in the coming years.”

The H2Ohio phosphorus reduction plan has focused first on reducing runoff into the Maumee River Watershed and Lake Erie and will eventually be offered to other parts of the state in the future. The original funding for the program was approved in 2019.

Additionally, the Governor’s proposed budget includes the following:

• $7 million in addition to the $12 million allocated in the recent capital appropriations for the Farmland Preservation Program, which will permanently preserve farmland through the purchase of agricultural easements from landowners
• Over $250 million toward expanding broadband access and infrastructure