Ohio Farm Bureau

The 2026 Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) update brings lower values in many reappraisal counties and a significant policy win on permanent pasture. Leah Curtis, associate general counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau joins this Legal with Leah to break it all down and shares what farmers should expect.

A recent meteorite in northeast Ohio has sparked fascination and a few legal questions. If a meteorite lands on private property, who owns it? Can people search for fragments on someone else's land? And what should landowners know about trespassing? On this Legal with Leah, Leah Curtis, associate general counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau discusses these questions and what this rare event can teach us a...

A recent case in North Carolina has reached the Federal Circuit Appellate Court, addressing property rights and the proper compensation for when former rail lines are "banked" and converted into public trails. On this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel, Leah Curtis discusses "rails to trails" projects, potential impact on farmland when these conversions happen, and Farm Bu...

Plans for data centers continue to pop up around Ohio, and so do the questions that come with them. Leah Curtis, associate general counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau, joins this Legal with Leah to talk about what these centers mean for local communities and how to stay engaged in the development process.

Four property tax reform bills were signed into Ohio law at the end of 2025. On this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis breaks down the bills and what the changes mean for Ohioans.

House Bill 10 introduced important reform to pesticide application rules in Ohio. On this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau Associate Genera Counsel Leah Curtis explains why the changes matter for farm families.

In recent years, there has been a new addition to our airspace. And while some may assume it's a bird or a plane, it may actually be a drone flying overhead. These unmanned aerial vehicles and systems can be a great instrument but can also create a nuisance. Leah Curtis, Associate General Counsel for the Ohio Farm Bureau gives an update on the latest policies surrounding drones.

The CAUV or Current Agricultural Use Value program, where farmland is taxed at a rate that reflects its value for agricultural purposes instead of its value as development property, is increasing once again in 2025. For this Legal with Leah, get an update on CAUV values with Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis.

Among a myriad of items included in the new state budget for Ohio, there are changes to pesticide licensing laws that Ohio Farm Bureau considers overly burdensome when it comes to the direct impact of Ohio agriculture. In this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel, Leah Curtis discussed these changes and what farmers need to know as they go into effect. ODA Private Applicator...

On this episode of Field Day with Jordan Hoewischer, we talk with Andrew Margenot from the University of Illinois about his streambank erosion research and its potential attribution of nutrients to our water bodies. This episode is the fifth and final in a series that will discuss legacy phosphorus in Ohio farm fields and tributary systems.

On this episode of Field Day with Jordan Hoewischer, we talk with Jay Martin and Michael Brooker from The Ohio State University about their field research on high phosphorus level fields and ways to work on assessing and lowering their impact on our water bodies. This episode is the fourth in a series that will discuss legacy phosphorus in Ohio farm fields and tributary systems.

On this episode of Field Day with Jordan Hoewischer, we talk with Will Osterholz from USDA Agricultural Research Service on edge of field monitoring, old vs. new phosphorus and his thoughts on legacy P. This episode is the third in a series that will discuss legacy phosphorus in Ohio farm fields and tributary systems.

On this episode of Field Day with Jordan Hoewischer, we talk with Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge and H2Ohio Engineer Manager Justin McBride about the success and future of H2Ohio and the need for future funding to keep Ohio’s farmers engaged in on-farm conservation. This episode is the first in a series that will discuss legacy phosphorus in Ohio farm fields and tributary...

On this episode of Field Day with Jordan Hoewischer, we talk with Chris Winslow from Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory about the status of Lake Erie, federal budget cuts, legacy phosphorus and other topics as well. This episode is the second in a series that will discuss legacy phosphorus in Ohio farm fields and tributary systems.

On the Legal with Leah Podcast, CAUV is often discussed as a farmland preservation tool, but there are some other tools in the law that landowners can consider. Ohio Farm Bureau's Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis shared what benefits ag districts can have for landowners.

On this Legal with Leah, Leah Curtis, Associate General Counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau is back yet again, to talk about the Corporate Transparency Act as a new deadline to file has been set.

Farmers may be feeling like they’re on a roller coaster when it comes to Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act. A previously reinstated filing requirement has once again been put on hold. Lots of CTA news over the holiday period and lots of conflicting information out there on where things stand, so Leah Curtis, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Associate Gener...

Some breaking news about the Corporate Transparency Act. As you have heard Ohio Farm Bureau’s Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis on the Legal with Leah Podcast, there was a deadline coming soon for most companies to file some information to the Federal Government. Seems that deadline has been eased a bit in light of some recent court decisions.

In 2023, the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative (OACI) conducted a randomized sampling of crop production fields within the HUC8 Scioto Watershed using a statistical approach to determine what practices are being used by farmers within this watershed to manage water and nutrients in crop year 2022. In this podcast, key findings of the report are unveiled.

Time is running out for thousands of farmers who may face steep fines and possible jail time for failing to file their businesses with the federal government as part of new rules through the Corporate Transparency Act. Ohio Farm Bureau's Associate General Counsel, Leah Curtis has details about the rules and upcoming deadline.

There is yet another lawsuit about the health of Lake Erie and targeting farmers about their role in water quality for the Western Lake Erie Basin. Find out more about the case and why Ohio agriculture groups are getting involved on this Legal with Leah.

What’s happening with CAUV values for those due for an update in 2024? Leah Curtis, policy counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau has the details in this Legal with Leah.

After years of advocacy from Ohio Farm Bureau and its partners, the Ohio Department of Taxation announced that it will address inaccurate woodland calculations in the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program. As Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Council notes in this Legal with Leah, these changes should result in significant tax savings for many woodland owners.

Ohio Farm Bureau is asking the highest court in the land take on a case to help Ohio landowners. In this Legal with Leah, OFBF Policy Counsel, Leah Curtis has the details of the brief the organization filed in the O'Connor v. Eubanks case.

A new license available to farmers to use in their direct marketing businesses is available. In this Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau's Policy Counsel, Leah Curtis discusses this new license, how it will be helpful to farmers who direct market and how Ohio Farm Bureau was involved in the process.