TROY, Ohio — The 200 farmers and agricultural leaders who met in Troy last weekend for the 21st annual Farm Forum raised questions of all kinds, from the importance of Ohio’s corn to conservation programs, from crop insurance to how federal budget cuts might affect Ohio farmers.

But the 2012 farm bill was key in the hearts of most attendees. The Farm Forum was hosted by U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for constituents in the 8th Congressional District.

Among panel members was Adam Sharp, vice president of public policy at Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. Sharp, a partner in his family’s dairy and grain farm in Fairfield County, was asked to lay out the range of options in a new farm bill under Title 1, the commodity title.

A former counselor on agricultural policy to the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he said his comments were based on conversations with various farm organization representatives, members of Congress, the House Ag Committee staff and others.

“The Joint Select Committee’s ‘secret farm bill’ was drafted in the fall (of 2011),” Sharp began. “Details were never released, but I think we have to look at that ‘deal’ as an indicator of where we may head with a new bill.

“If we look at the economy now and where we are headed, we are in the toughest spot we’ve ever been,” said Sharp, noting total farm bill spending may be cut by $23 billion over the next decade, including $15 billion from the commodity title. “Other indicators of the ‘deal’ include the elimination of direct payments, ACRE, SURE and CCP as currently written.”

According to Sharp, of $64 billion in the commodity title 77 percent goes to direct payments.

He added marketing loans and crop insurance would be maintained and the bill would offer replaced programs with three options, including a Stacked Income Protection Plan, a multiyear, shallow loss Ag Risk Coverage (ARC) and a Target Price Program with higher target prices based on planted acres.

Other ideas, Sharp said, include a Systemic Risk Reduction Program and various versions of “multiyear loss” presented at the farm bill hearing by commodity groups a week ago.

Among many concerned questions from the audience – those pertaining to crop insurance, direct payments and possible storage programs – Sharp and other panelists reminded attendees the total farm bill is less than 2 percent of the annual federal budget. Panelists reiterated that 75 percent of the farm bill is food and nutrition programs and less than one-fourth of 1 percent of the federal annual budget is commodity programs.

“We’re at a historical turning point for farmers,” Sharp said. “Agriculture will take a big budget hit and the community must be willing to do its part. We take great pride and it’s not in the best interest to jeopardize production. We can’t solve the budget on the backs of farmers.”

Several members of the congregation asked panelists if the 2012 farm bill will indeed pass this year. “It’s a little hard to forecast before committee action, but I expect it will happen by early summer,” said panelist Bart Fischer, chief economist, House Agriculture Committee. “Passage will hinge on the Senate.”

“It should pass, but what it looks like is anybody’s guess,” said panelist Karl Gebhardt, chief, Division of Soil and Water Resources, Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Also on the panel was Michael Torrey, president and CEO of Michael Torrey Associates. Bobby Mosher, vice president for agricultural administration and dean at The Ohio State University, introduced this year’s panelists.

“At last year’s forum in Piqua, the conversation focused on excessive regulations coming out of Washington and the need to expand overseas markets for Ohio farmers,” Boehner said. “Since then, the House has worked to eliminate government barriers that hurt farmers and ranchers.”