Senate Bill 233, sponsored by Ranking Member Paula Hicks-Hudson, received its first hearing in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Hicks-Hudson told the committee the bill would create an Ohio Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force to develop policy and funding recommendations to strengthen local food systems and increase access to Ohio-grown foods.

Hicks-Hudson cited data from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio showing that an estimated 1,653,610 Ohioans—about 14 percent—were food insecure in 2022, up from approximately 11.8 percent in 2021. She also cited data from the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies indicating that, as of 2025, 67 of 88 counties have at least one food desert and one pharmacy desert; she said 91 percent of food deserts occur in areas at the state-average poverty rate and 41 percent occur in areas where the poverty rate is double the state average.

The task force would produce a plan with policy and funding recommendations and submit that plan to the General Assembly within two years of the bill’s effective date. The bill includes a sunset provision for the task force. Hicks-Hudson listed goals such as identifying obstacles to local production, sharing best practices, providing financial incentives and technical support for growers during transitions, expanding access to fresh Ohio-grown foods and educating the public and producers about benefits of local food systems. She said small growers often face paperwork and financial barriers to organic certification and that the task force should help connect growers to state resources.

Why it matters: Sponsor testimony framed the proposal as a state-level response to growing food insecurity and supply challenges, focused on expanding local capacity and supporting small and organic growers.

Hicks-Hudson said she has spoken with growers and community leaders across the state and that many are eager to participate. She urged committee support and stood ready to answer questions. The committee recorded no vote at the hearing; the item constituted the bill’s first hearing.