Last week, the Ohio AgriBusiness Association (OABA) submitted official comments to the Directors’ Ag Nutrient and Water Quality working group. OABA and member companies such as Morral Companies and the Andersons have been active participants in the group since last summer. The goal of the group—which is led by the directors of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)—is to find solutions to address agriculture’s cumulative impact on Ohio’s water quality.
In the comments, OABA commended the agency directors for bringing the group together and expressed approval of the 4R approach the group will be using as a foundation for the recommendations it will submit to Governor Kasich in early February. OABA expressed its members’ willingness to be part of the water quality solution but cautioned that a one-size-fits-all strategy is not the answer.
OABA stressed that flexibility is crucial in order to maintain a viable agricultural industry while addressing environmental and water quality concerns; Ohio agribusinesses are willing to make some sacrifices for the common good, but not at the expense of being able to provide valuable and necessary services Ohio farmers need to produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for the United States and the world.
To read OABA’s full comments, click here. If you would like more information about the Ag Nutrient & Water Quality Working Group or the 4Rs, see the following past News & Notes articles: