Farming has never been easy, but today it feels nearly impossible. Like many Ohio farmers, I’m staring at skyrocketing input costs, drastically lower crop prices, and continued uncertainty in trade because of tariffs and global instability. And while these challenges weigh heavily on farm families, the truth is that they also threaten something much larger: your food, your fuel, and your way of life.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture releases something called the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, or the “WASDE” report. It’s one of the most important documents in farming, because it reveals how much corn, soybeans, and wheat are expected to be grown, how much will be used, and what’s left over in storage. Those numbers directly affect the price farmers get for their crops.
The latest WASDE report shows we’re heading into harvest with an enormous corn surplus, over 2 billion bushels. To put that into perspective, that’s enough corn to fill Ohio Stadium more than 38 times! This abundance will flood the market and drive prices even lower. For farmers, that means backbreaking margins that could spell the end for some operations.
Some argue that the fix is simple: just grow less. But those same critics don’t understand that cutting back production won’t fix the problem; it will only make things worse by destroying jobs, weakening rural economies, and increasing America’s dependence on foreign food and fuel during a time of global instability.
The real solution is expanding demand, and Ohio is already leading the way. Our state is home to seven ethanol plants that generate $1.3 billion in annual economic output and support more than 47,000 jobs. Ethanol doesn’t just help farmers; it helps consumers save money every time they fill up. That’s why we’ve long supported a common-sense fix: updating outdated regulations to allow for the permanent, nationwide, year-round sale of E15, sold commonly in Ohio as Unleaded 88. This change wouldn’t cost taxpayers a cent, but it has been held up by red tape for far too long. Now is the time for action.
These are challenging times, not just for farmers, but for every Ohioan. What we need now isn’t empty promises, but change that only a proven innovator and leader will be able to provide. Someone who will cut through the bureaucracy that’s holding us back and fight for solutions that restore profitability, strengthen both rural and urban communities, and protect Ohio’s number one industry, agriculture.
This is why the Ohio Corn & Wheat Political Action Committee recently made the bold decision to endorse Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor. Some have asked, “Why now?” I ask in return, “Why wait?” Farmers have stayed quiet too long, hoping things would get better. They haven’t, and the truth is, they’ve gotten worse.
I understand that it’s not just farmers who are struggling, and I also know that low grain prices don’t stop at the farm. They ripple through Ohio’s entire economy. When farms struggle, local businesses feel the impact, which means less investment in our schools and communities. It also leads to higher prices for families at the grocery store and the gas pump. Whether you live in Mt. Gilead like I do, downtown Columbus, or elsewhere in Central Ohio, your daily life is directly connected to the success of farmers.
That’s why leadership matters. Ohio needs a governor who will expand demand for our grain, create certainty for our communities, and keep resources we all use like food and fuel affordable. That’s what we see in Vivek Ramaswamy.
I encourage you to meet him for yourself, ask tough questions, look him in the eye, and decide if he earns your trust as he did ours.
For Ohio’s farmers, for Ohio’s families, and for Ohio’s future, it’s time to act.
Ray Van Horn
Chair, Ohio Corn & Wheat Political Action Committee 
