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OEFFA Farmers Face Impact of Government Shutdown, Other Federal Issues
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is a community of sustainable and organic farmers, handlers, producers, and consumers across the U.S. The challenges faced by those in our network are unique to diversified and usually small- or mid-scale farms that provide healthy food to their communities. The government shutdown, tariff negotiations, staffing changes at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other recent events have specific implications for these farms and the local communities that benefit from their products. We have been actively connecting with individuals who want to share their stories to uplift some of the experiences of those in our community. “I do not know…
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Member Spotlight: Dan Halterman
Originally published in the Summer 2025 edition of the OEFFA newsletter. Dan Halterman considers himself a “global accumulator of wealth.” He’s dubbed his backyard a “nutrient funnel,” where he composts banana peels from Central America, coffee waste collected from a local Starbucks, bags of leaves sourced from neighbors, and produce from California and beyond. All of this nutrition concentrates in Halterman’s backyard garden at his home in the North Linden neighborhood of Columbus. And then he eats it. Before retiring from more than three decades with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, he would have a desktop compost collector at work and tell colleagues as they dropped off apple cores or…
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Ohio Legislature Passes HB 65, Officially Recognizing Ohio Soil Health Week
House Bill 65, the Agriculture Appreciation Act, passed the Ohio legislature on June 24, 2025, and was signed into law by Governor DeWine yesterday, on July 1. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) and members of its Ohio Soil Health Initiative (OSHI) celebrate the passage of this bill and the opportunities that come with it. The bill makes several specified day and week designations relating to agriculture, including recognizing the second full week of November as “Ohio Soil Health Week.” OEFFA thanks Sen. Tim Shaffer for his 2024 amendment recognizing Ohio Soil Health Week and applauds Reps. Klopfenstein and Peterson for reintroducing the bill this session. Ohio Soil Health Week celebrates…
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Statement: Budget Reconciliation Bill Threatens Passage of Much-Needed Farm Bill
On May 22, 2025, House Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This budget reconciliation legislation would slash critical support systems for families, increase funding for agricultural subsidies inaccessible to most farmers, and imperil the likelihood of farm bill reauthorization. As the bill moves through Congress, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) urges the Senate to reject it and its potential to devastate the farm bill coalition and threaten the passage of a desperately needed new farm bill. Since the reauthorization of the 2018 Farm Bill, the cost of living has increased, requiring more families and communities to stretch resources and make difficult decisions when purchasing food.…
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Farmers, Organizations Impacted by Funding Freeze Ask USDA to Honor Farmer Contracts
Since January, billions in lawfully signed federal funding contracts have been frozen for review or cancelled. As the situation unfolded, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) surveyed our community to assess the impact. We interviewed three respondents, briefly capturing their experiences in the short video below [transcript here]. As farmers prepare for each growing season, they must make decisions with a large degree of uncertainty in the outcomes. How the weather, market, seeds, and soil respond is out of their hands. Despite their experience and planning, every year is a gamble that their yields will be what they need. Farmers must always tolerate uncertainty; however, this growing season…
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OEFFA Launches 2025 Farm Tour and Workshop Series
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) announces its annual Farm Tour and Workshop Series. The 2025 series of public tours and workshops includes a number of events showcasing organic and ecological farms in Ohio and one in West Virginia, plus educational and social opportunities. This programming opens the door for farmers, gardeners, educators, and conscious consumers to learn about local foods and farming firsthand. “OEFFA is excited about this year’s farm tour series and grateful to our farmer members and partners who are sharing their experience and expertise with anyone interested in learning more about farming, where our food comes from, and why healthy soil is so important…
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Mental Health Awareness Month: Resources for Farmers
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, making it a good time to center our farmers and recognize all they go through to feed our communities and steward our land. Farmers carry a lot on their shoulders—climate unpredictability, market fluctuations, stress, isolation, and uncertainty. This is a heavy load to bear alone. That’s why we’ve prepared some mental health resources for farmers. If you are experiencing a crisis, call 988 to talk to a caring counselor. You are not alone. Breaking the Stigma Agriculture is Ohio’s top industry. Farmers give their all to keep the industry strong and our communities fed. Many factors are out of farmers’ control, and that can…
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Member Spotlight: OEFFA Authors
Originally published in the Winter 2025 edition of the OEFFA newsletter. As rich as the lands we grow on, the OEFFA community is also an abundant source of education and inspiration. We are fortunate to have members who share their expertise in myriad ways, including through the written word. For this member spotlight, we connected with three OEFFA authors. Deborah Fleming, Ashland County Deborah Fleming is an important voice for Ohio agriculture and our environment. The first essay she wrote was inspired by an interaction that many of us could likely relate to. After telling someone she was from Ohio, she was met with their grimacing face. Ohio has a…
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TOPP Mentorship Spotlight: Nanda Kishore Methuku
By Lindsey Marshall, Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) Intern Originally published in the Winter 2025 edition of the OEFFA newsletter. How does one become a farmer? Many farmers in the United States inherit their farms through generations, continuing the family legacy. Others acquire their farms through succession, a process where farms are passed down to new families or individuals. However, a small percentage are first-generation farmers. Beginning farmers account for only 30 percent of producers in America, and an even smaller fraction are beginning organic farmers. Starting a farm is challenging, with financial hurdles and market volatility posing significant barriers. Nanda Kishore Methuku started his career as a…
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OEFFA Announces 2025 Award Recipients: Dave Shively, Amalie Lipstreu, Molly Sowash, CJ Morgan
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) has named the 2025 recipients of its Stewardship, Service, and Beginning Farmer awards. Dave Shively of Henry County received the Stewardship Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the cultivation of sustainable agriculture; Amalie Lipstreu of Licking County received the Service Award, which recognizes extraordinary service in support of sustainable agriculture; and Molly Sowash and CJ Morgan of Athens County received the Beginning Farmer Award, which recognizes innovation and commitment to overcome systemic barriers faced by new farmers. “This year’s awards winners are a testament to OEFFA’s strong, enduring community. Not only do they find ways to break through barriers, they share their…
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