Legal with Leah

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 Bureau's policy counsel, Leah Curtis.

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 shares information about a Farm Bureau Action Alert for members to share how these changes would affect their livelihoods.

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 impacted by stray voltage, actually found themselves in court because of it.

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 Leah. Links referenced in the podcast: EEOC Guidance - https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-covid-19-and-ada-rehabilitation-act-and-other-eeo-laws CDC Toolkit - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/toolkits/essential-workers.html

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 and Ty Higgins discuss the issue on this Legal with Leah.

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 that have been swirling around dicamba.

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 Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis has some important information for those processing their own meat in this Legal with Leah.

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 recently.

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’s our focus on this Legal with Leah. Leah Curtis is Policy Counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau.

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.

What the agriculture sales tax exemption covers and what it doesn’t, particularly when it comes to motor vehicles, is the topic of conversation for this Legal with Leah. Ty Higgins and Ohio Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis have the details.

For 100 years, people have turned to Ohio Farm Bureau to help them in the legislative arena at the state and national level. More and more, members are relying on Farm Bureau in the legal world as well. Many have asked how they could contribute to these legal actions over the years. In this Legal with Leah, Joe Cornely, Ohio Farm Bureau senior director of communications, visits with Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis about the newly formed legal fund.

In this Legal with Leah, Ty Higgins visit with Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis about the reasons for Ohio's tax hike on gas, how those funds will be used and how our new gas tax compares to other states in the region.

Some aspects of the new two-year state budget will better protect farmers from nuisance lawsuits. Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis visits with Ty Higgins, Ohio Farm Bureau director of media relations, about the language included in the budget and its importance to agriculture.

As details are released about Ohio's new 2 -year, $69 billion budget, you will be hearing a lot about a 4% state income tax cut, 21 being the new age to buy tobacco or vaping products, and a new presidential primary date. But what’s in this budget for agriculture. In this podcast, Ty Higgins gets those details from Ohio Farm Bureau's Directors of State Policy, Tony Seegers and Jenna Beadle and Policy Counsel Leah Curtis.

If you were unable to plant, is your CAUV designation at risk? Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis explains the law and what you should do. Plus, an update on the decline in farmland taxes.

On this episode of Legal with Leah, Ty Higgins visits with Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis about a recent Supreme Court decision regarding eminent domain, the topic of the first Supreme Court case that Ohio Farm Bureau has been involved with in the organization's 100 year history.

If you’re hiring kids to work on the farm this summer, there are a number of rules you need to follow. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis runs it all down.

There have been many developments on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR) front since the law was passed by Toledo voters. In the latest Legal with Leah, Ty Higgins visits with Ohio Farm Bureau's Policy Council Leah Curtis about the actions being taken by both sides of the issue and why farmers should keep up with LEBOR updates, whether they live in the watershed or not.

Toledo voters will soon decide whether farmers can be sued by Lake Erie. In this update of the Lake Erie Bill of rights on Legal with Leah, Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis says the court has ruled the measure can be voted on later this month.

You could be sued….. by Lake Erie. Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis explains the scary consequences of the proposed Lake Erie Bill of Rights on Legal With Leah.

If you’re selling foods from your home kitchen, there are some state regulations you should know about. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis helps keep you legal on this episode of Legal with Leah.

Lots of folks say they’re confused about how to make an informed vote for judges. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis says that’s not good, and tells us how to fix it.

Two wins on the legal front for farmers who faced potentially troubling rulings dealing with agriculture and water quality. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis shares the good news.

On this episode of Legal with Leah, Ohio Farm Bureau’s first engagement with the Supreme Court of the United States was a special opportunity. Policy Counsel Leah Curtis shares the experience with us. LWLP

For the first time ever, Ohio Farm Bureau is engaged in a case before the Supreme Court of the United States. Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis explains.

A North Carolina judge has awarded rural residents millions of dollars because nearby hog farms smell, attract flies and increase truck traffic. Can that happen in Ohio? Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis has some answers.

New, lower CAUV valuations will be applied this year in 24 Ohio counties. Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis talks about what this means and how it came to be.

Farm employers should be aware of updates to the Worker Protection Standards rules. Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis explains who has to do what.

If you plan to sell food direct to consumers, you should know about Ohio laws that spell out the rules. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis explains.

SCOTUS on WOTUS - a Supreme Court ruling gives farmers a win on the Waters of the U.S. case, and USEPA slow plays the whole issue. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis shares the good news.

An update on Commercial Drivers Licenses, and potential changes coming for those who have their CDL: Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis has the latest.

Landowners have immunity (mostly) from suits brought by recreational users of property. Leah Curtis, Farm Bureau’s legal counsel, has details.

The recent CAUV reforms more accurately value land in conservation, but some landowners need to get with their county auditor to take advantage of the changes. Farm Bureau Policy Counsel Leah Curtis explains.

Farmers may soon be subject to federal air emissions reporting requirements. Farm Bureau policy counsel Leah Curtis covers all the details on a pending Nov. 15 deadline.

If enacted poorly, county charter governments could hurt Ohio agriculture. A recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling drew heavily on Ohio Farm Bureau’s views on the issue. Policy Counsel Leah Curtis has the story.