HOYTVILLE – For more than 90 minutes Friday afternoon, Northwest Ohio farmers and producers had the ear
of a United States senator.
Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, visited the Mark Drewes farm, just north of Hoytville as part of the senator’s
"listening tour" in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill.
Drewes introduced Brown as an "advocate and friend" of the farmers.
"He has shown a true concern for us," Drewes said.
In his opening comments, Brown said he wanted hear from the 20 people gathered for the discussion at the
rectangular "roundtable."
He listened, and he asked focused questions after hearing what the grain farmers, livestock producers and
agricultural organization leaders had to say.
Brown noted that he is the first senator from Ohio to serve on the agriculture committee in 40 years.
He asked those gathered to tell him their thoughts on the Average Crop Revenue Election program
specifically.
As authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, producers on eligible farms may elect to participate in ACRE. They
may receive revenue-based payments as an alternative to receiving price-based counter-cyclical payments.

Brown said ACRE had its roots from a similar round table discussion four years ago in neighboring Henry
County.
"I want to hear from you on this," he said. "I also want you to tell me what we ought to
do with crop insurance."
The senator warned those gathered around the table and 20 or more others attending in the Drewes’ barn,
to expect cuts in the 2012 Farm Bill.
Anthony Bush, an official with the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, shared with Brown some
proposed changes to the ACRE program being proposed by officials in the organization.
"This is hot off the presses, it was just released this morning," Bush said. "You are the
first legislator to see this. It is an excellent approach to improving the ACRE program."
Brown and the group frequently used the term "safety net." Rather than flat subsidies or direct
payments, the general consensus was that the producers were simply desiring protection from bad weather,
a natural disaster, diseases, insects or other circumstances which might destroy a significant portion
of their crop yield.
Various speakers spoke about specialty crops; organic farms, both in grain and livestock; foreign trade
and exports; aquaculture; ethanol and other biofuels; and conservation programs. The ethanol topic
ignited one man’s fuse. He asked, "Are we really going to tun food into fuel?"
Others in the group shared their belief there will be enough to do both.
One man spoke about his concern with the widespread use of Round-up and the domination of the chemical’s
corporate maker, Monsanto; and one woman spoke about her concerns for food safety and how the farm is
often the one scapegoat for problems it may not have caused.
Jay Griffith, a Luckey area farmer said he was happy with Brown’s visit.
"I’m really glad he was here. When you get that kind of audience, you have to jump at the chance to
talk," Griffith said.
The senator shared mutual satisfaction with how the session went.
"It is clear they are looking for that safety net in prices," Brown said of his audience.
Though the senator said there were no surprises at this visit, "I always learn something."
One thing he said he learned on Friday was how many organic farmers suffered as prices plummeted last
year and some producers gave up pursuing the "organic" niche
Drewes said it was an honor to host the senator, but it was "more important to be able to air our
views and for him to hear our concerns."
Adding, "He does care he’s proven that in the past. It doesn’t matter if you are a D or an R
(Democrat or Republican), he has worked very well with us in the past and I’m sure he will in the
future."