Fremont, OH – Today, the House Agriculture Committee held the fifth in a series of listening sessions entitled “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Perspectives from the Field” at Terra State Community College in Fremont, Ohio.

Two Members of Congress were joined by approximately 230 members of the public participating in person or streaming online. Audience members discussed topics including crop insurance, conservation, specialty crops, local and regional food systems, and research, extension, and education.

There are currently more than 77,000 farms in operation in Ohio covering 13,965,295 acres. Food and agriculture are the largest contributor to Ohio's economy at $124 billion, and farming helps provide approximately one out of every eight jobs in the state. Ohio is one of the top egg producing states in the country.

Members of the House Agriculture Committee issued the following statements following today’s event.

“Thank you to my friend Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur for hosting one of the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill listening sessions in her home state of Ohio. It has been a joy to have her as one of our newest Committee Members,” said Chairman David Scott. “I would also like to thank House Agriculture Subcommittee Chair Cheri Bustos for all her hard work as she has chaired multiple listening sessions. The great feedback we gathered today will be an important tool as we prepare for the 2023 Farm Bill.”

“Growing up in a small, family-run grocery store, our neighbors made what we sold. I know firsthand the grit and determination that define Ohio’s rural communities, and on the House Agriculture Committee, I am working to deliver for them. Taking what we’ve heard here in Fremont, Ohio, I look forward to working with Representative Cheri Bustos on a Farm Bill that invests in the farmers and agricultural producers who make and grow what makes and grows America,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur.

“Every five years, we have the opportunity to renew the programs our family farmers rely on through the Farm Bill,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. “What’s most important during that process is hearing directly from folks from across the country about what’s working and what can be improved. During the third stop on my listening tour, it was wonderful to join Congresswoman Kaptur right here in Ohio to listen to local farmers and ag stakeholders. Their input is vital as we set the stage for a 2023 Farm Bill that best serves every part of our ag community.”

Photos from the event will be available here.

Full video of the listening session can be found here.