Legal with Leah

News of new training requirements for new Commercial Drivers License (CDL) holders has raised questions and concerns about how it impacts farmers. For this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel, Leah Curtis, discusses the New Entrant Training program rules and what they mean for agriculture.

What types of firearms are permitted for deer hunting in Ohio? That is a question that Ohio Farm Bureau's policy counsel, Leah Curtis gets asked every year. She answers that in this Legal with Leah with a look back to 2013, when Ohio Farm Bureau passed grassroots policy to support a change to Ohio’s hunting laws.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently signed HB172, fireworks legislation that represents a compromise between the Legislature and the Governor’s office. What's in the bill when it comes to personal firework displays, safety precautions and property owners? Ohio Farm Bureau's policy counsel Leah Curtis covers it all in this Legal with Leah.

As input prices for the 2022 crop production year continue to skyrocket, Ohio Farm Bureau is hearing that some people have had input contracts cancelled or changed due to “force majeure". On this Legal with Leah, find out more about this contract provision and what you need to look for when entering into an agreement.

Who you vote for and who you vote with may be changing as Ohio’s election map gets a refresh through a process called “Redistricting”. For this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Policy Counsel, Leah Curtis, talks more about the process, how it works and what it means for Ohioans.

Honey bees are growing in popularity in Ohio, but what are some things to consider if you are looking to become a beekeeper. In this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Ty Higgins and policy counsel, Leah Curtis, visit about the basics of beekeeping.

Chances are that as you traverse Ohio’s countryside you have seen signs for The Ohio Scenic Rivers Program. The state currently has 15 designated Wild, Scenic and Recreational rivers comprising 27 stream segments. More than 830 river miles are protected in the Ohio scenic river system, with some new designations being proposed. For this Legal with Leah, learn how the process works with Ohio Farm B...

The passage of Ohio's SB 52 made some major changes to the process of developing wind and solar projects in Ohio. For the Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau's policy counsel, Leah Curtis, talks about the consequences of the legislation and what those currently in a lease or thinking about a lease need to know.

Proposed legislation in Congress would eliminate stepped-up basis and tax capital gains at death as ways to raise revenue for government spending. These changes would have a major impact on family farms throughout Ohio and across the country. For this Legal with Leah, Ty Higgins discussed the implications of these changes in the tax code with Ohio Farm Bureau’s policy counsel Leah Curtis and share...

The term “stray voltage” has been used for over 50 years to describe the existence of voltage between two objects that should not, under normal circumstances, have any voltage difference between them. All stray voltage is unintentional and undesirable, yet it is not all that uncommon. In this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis shares how an Ohio dairy farm, recently impac...

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says of the almost 1.5 million unemployment claims filed since May of 2020, half were flagged as fraudulent. Why is this happening and what do you do if you are a victim of unemployment fraud? Ohio Farm Bureau's Ty Higgins visits with OFBF's policy counsel Leah Curtis about the issue and how to protect yourself from unemployment fraud.

There are two words that give almost any farmer and landowner some angst - eminent domain. For this Legal with Leah, Ty Higgins visit with Ohio Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis about the tradeoffs of eminent domain and what landowners need to know if they find themselves in a lawsuit because of it.

Vaccinations for COVID-19 have begun around the state and the country and every state has its own plan for which groups get the vaccine at what point. What does the rollout for Ohio look like, when will the farm and food sector have access to the vaccine and will there be workplace vaccine requirements? Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis answers these questions on the latest Legal with Le...

Dairy farmers in Ohio and across the country who sold milk to Dean Foods prior to the company’s bankruptcy are now being asked to help Dean Foods’ pay for their debt. Those farmers have received debt settlement letters demanding dairy farmers repay money they made for producing and shipping milk. What should you do if you recieve one of these letters. Ohio Farm Bureau's Policy Counsel Leah Curtis...

For this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau policy counsel, Leah Curtis, and Ty Higgins look at the instances where a landowner could be found liable for a trespassers injuries. Find out more about Intentional Conduct and Attractive Nuisance examples in Part 2 of the Landowner Liability series.

There are quite a few advantages of being a landowner, including tax deductions, returns on the investment, and potential borrowing power. But owning land also comes with some liability. For instance, what if someone gets hurt while trespassing on your property? That's the topic of this Legal with Leah as Ohio Farm Bureau's Ty Higgins visits with OFBF Policy Counsel Leah Curtis.

Thousands of farmers across Ohio and the country planted soybeans this spring with the intention of using the weed killer dicamba to keep those bean fields clean. Then, a court ruled to vacate three brands of the herbicide’s EPA registration and there were some questions about being able to use dicamba at all in 2020. For this Legal with Leah, we have an update and answers to the many questions th...

Food supply issues due to COVID-19 has had some consumers worried about what they may not be able to find at the grocery store meat case. That has led to a push to connect with local farmers for meat, putting a strain on local butcher shops. The wait time for freezer meat is a far out from a couple of months to a year. Because of that, home butchering is seeing a renaissance of sorts. Ohio Farm Bu...

The possibilities of property damage or putting the public in danger are just some important reasons to keep farm animals inside the fence. There can be civil or criminal implications for an animal running at large. Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis covers the ramifications of repeated offenses of livestock escaping the farm in this Legal with Leah.

Oil and gas production is still a big business for Ohio. In fact, the state realized an increase in production in the latter part of 2019. But the oil and gas industry, and more specifically the lease agreements that are made within it, have also been the reason for a good amount of litigation. Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis tackles one of the lawsuits that is getting some attention r...

For many Ohio drivers, knowing the rules of the road pertains to things like wearing your seat belt, staying below the speed limit or using a turn signal. But there are many rules out there that only apply if you are driving a big rig with a heavy load, as many farmers do. Some of the road rules that were created for those situations literally change with the weather, including the Frost Law. That...

The time change. We do it twice a year, like clockwork. One hour ahead in the spring and one hour back in the fall. It is a painstaking task that, if forgotten, makes up way late for church or way early to ball practice. But just why do we do it and it is still necessary? For this Legal with Leah, we’ll try to figure it all out. Leah Curtis is Policy Counsel with Ohio Farm Bureau.

As majestic and harmless as sky lanterns may seem, the come with the possibility of dangerous consequences. In this Legal with Leah, learn about the rules that come with setting off sky lanterns and the options landowners have if damage is caused by them.

Get it in writing is good advice, especially when it comes to leasing land. On this episode of Legal with Leah, Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis explains why and what a good lease should look like.

With farm equipment on rural roads this fall, farmers should be sure their Slow Moving Vehicle and Speed Identification Symbol signs are properly displayed. Just as important, motorists should know what those signs mean. Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis talks with Joe Cornely about how these signs contribute to road safety.