The Ohio Farm Bureau’s “Our Ohio Weekly”: Recent Episodes
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The Ohio Farm Bureau’s “Our Ohio Weekly”: Working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities.
Harmful algal blooms have been impacting the Western Lake Erie Basin for years and, based on rain, sun, wind, temperatures and other factors, no two years are the same. Over the past year, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has started to develop what’s called a TMDL for the Maumee River Watershed to address algal blooms and the sources of nutrients that attribute to those blooms. What does the Total Maximum Daily Load development process look like and how far along is the one being designed for a major part of northwest Ohio? Find out on the next Our Ohio Weekly.Guests - Joshua Griffin, an Environmental Specialist with Ohio EPA
Dr. Larry Antosch, Senior Director of Policy Development and Environmental Policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
Ohio Farm Bureau members celebrated “Our Legacy, Our Future” as the organization held its 104th annual meeting earlier this month in Columbus. Nearly 370 delegates from all 88 Ohio counties established the organization’s policy goals for the coming year, recognized county Farm Bureau and individual achievements and honored industry leaders. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, we will recap this year’s annual meeting of Ohio’s largest farm organization.
Guest: Adam Sharp, Ohio Farm Bureau’s executive vice president
Agricultural lands in the U.S. grow an astounding array of food, fiber, biofuels, and other raw materials. This abundance has made the U.S. one of the most food secure nations in the world. Yet it can also mask vulnerabilities. For too many Americans, it is easy to brush off farmland loss or view it as inevitable. This puts our future at risk according to American Farmland Trust’s newest Farms Under Threat 2040 Report. The report focuses on the unsustainable impacts of development on American farmland and it quantifies what our nation could lose if sprawling development continues—or save through more compact growth—by the year 2040. Find out more about this report on this Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest: American Farmland Trust Midwest Regional Director Kristopher Reynolds
With an economic impact for Ohio worth nearly $1.5 billion, the equine industry is a big money maker for the state. Ohio has a horse population of about 306,000, making it the 6th most populous state in the country when it comes to horses. It also has the 6th most horses per square mile of land in the country with that number being over 7. That stat continues to grow at a galloping rate. On this Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about Ohio’s standardbred industry with the Executive Director of the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association and get all of the details about the 2023 Young Ag Professionals Winter Leadership Experience.
Guest - Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Executive Director, Renee Mancino
Young Agricultural Professionals committee member, Sara Tallmadge
University of Missouri economist, Ben Brown
Bruce Loughner with Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation
Recently, the FBI informed the Food and Agriculture sector that ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively impacting the food supply chain. Why would farmers and the companies they work with be targeted through cyberattacks and what does something of that nature even look like? Get answers from industry experts on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Michael Moore, Executive Vice President - EFC Systems, Inc.
John Gray, Chief Information Officer, Ohio Farm Bureau
At the end of his term in January 2023, Congressman Bob Gibbs (OH-07) will be retiring after over a decade in Washington, D.C. Gibbs is the only former state Farm Bureau president to be elected to Congress, and recently Ohio Farm Bureau's Ty Higgins made a trip to Gibbs' northeast Ohio farm to visit about his time in public office and how it all started with his involvement in Farm Bureau. Hear their conversation on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - United States Congressman Bob Gibbs (OH-07)
Journalism is changing. With the consolidation of small newspapers and mergers of some of Ohio’s larger media outlets, small towns aren’t getting a whole lot of attention these days. But two journalists are looking to rural Ohio for stories and sharing what they find with the entire nation. Emma Davis and Céilí Doyle have covered agriculture, education, broadband, infrastructure and many other challenges and opportunities for Ohio less populated areas. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, meet these off-the-beaten-path reporters and find out what they are learning about rural Ohio.
Guests - Emma Davis reports for Knox Pages and Ashland Source and Céilí Doyle is a writer for the Columbus Dispatch.
Over the last 90 years, Nationwide has grown from a small mutual auto insurer started by Ohio Farm Bureau members to one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world. Early growth came from working together with other Farm Bureaus that sponsored the company. Today, the Fortune 100 company offers a full range of insurance and financial services across the country and remains the largest farm insurer in the county. Learn more about Nationwide Agribusiness as we visit their Des Moines, Iowa headquarters this hour.
Guest - Brad Liggett, President of Nationwide Agribusiness
Keeping family on the same page when it comes to planning out the next months, years or generations of the farm is not for the faint of heart, but this week’s guest on Our Ohio Weekly, Andy "Caygeon” Junkin is helping many farms by doing the heavy lifting for these weight conversations. Junkin is widely recognized as the leading expert on farm succession and farm debt turnarounds, having written five books and spoken in 14 states on the topic.
Guest - Andy "Caygeon" Junkin, Founder of Stubborn.farm
The goal of USDA Rural Development is to help improve the economy and quality of life in rural America by offering loans, grants and loan guarantees to help create jobs and support economic development and essential services such as housing; health care; first responder services and equipment; and water, electric and communications infrastructure. They also offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural producers and cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their operations. Ohio’s USDA Rural Development office has a new state director. Meet him on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest - Jonathan McCracken, state director of USDA Rural Development in Ohio
Ohio Farm Bureau’s farmer leaders including young agricultural professionals, AgriPOWER Class XIII members and county presidents and vice presidents visited Washington, D.C. last month. Over the three day trip, participants heard from experts and in turn voiced their thoughts to help legislators make the connection between what is happening on Ohio farms and what is being debated in the halls of Congress and within federal agencies. We cover some of the highlights of the trip on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown
As host Ty Higgins continues the conversation about solar energy in Ohio with two Ohio Farm Bureau experts on the next Our Ohio Weekly, they get into more details about community solar. They cover the important aspects of community solar leases, how liability and eminent domain fit into the solar discussion and how your tax situation may change if you become involved in a lease.
Guests - Dale Arnold, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Director of Energy Policy and Ohio Farm Bureau’s policy counsel, Leah Curtis.
Solar energy in Ohio has been (pun intended) a pretty hot topic over the past few years as more and more landowners in all parts of the state are being approached about signing leases to utilize their property to collect energy from the sun. That growing interest in the Buckeye State has led to difficult discussions, tough decisions and a divide in opinion across the countryside. We talk all things solar with two Ohio Farm Bureau experts on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Dale Arnold, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Director of Energy Policy and Ohio Farm Bureau’s policy counsel, Leah Curtis.
Ohio State’s Farm Science Review, which turns 60 this year, plans to highlight its decades of providing valuable information to farmers and producers, while focusing on continuing to educate for the future. The premier agricultural education and industry exposition is set for Sept. 20–22 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London. Hosted by Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the 60th FSR will focus on “Embracing Time and Change.” Get a preview of the show on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Nick Zachrich, Farm Science Review manager
Harmful algal blooms have been impacting the Western Lake Erie Basin for years and, based on rain, sun, wind, temperatures and other factors, no two years are the same. Over the past year, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has started to develop what’s called a TMDL for the Maumee River Watershed to address algal blooms and the sources of nutrients that attribute to those blooms. What does the Total Maximum Daily Load development process look like and how far along is the one being designed for a major part of northwest Ohio? Find out on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Joshua Griffin, an Environmental Specialist with Ohio EPA
Dr. Larry Antosch, Senior Director of Policy Development and Environmental Policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
Last week, The Biden Administration discussed how its strategy to spur the development of homegrown biofuels is critical to expanding Americans’ options for affordable fuel in the short-term and to building real energy independence in the long-term by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. The President announced new steps to achieve that goal by increasing fuel supplies, offering more consumer choices, and reducing gasoline prices for Americans. On this weekend's Our Ohio Weekly, we discuss the role that homegrown biofuels have in this plan and what the long-term future of the industry looks like?
Guests - Troy Bredenkamp, Senior VP for Government and Public Affairs with the Renewable Fuels Association
Donnell Rehagen, CEO, Clean Fuels Alliance America
In December 2021, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack requested that the dairy industry “get in a room” and work collaboratively to build consensus and find solutions to Federal Milk Marketing Order shortfalls. He specified that “the only way this works for the industry is to do the hard job of listening to one another.” In response to his request, the American Farm Bureau Federation is hosting an industry-wide dairy conference to discuss dairy pricing and meaningful changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order system. Find out more about the Forum on the next Our Ohio Weekly
Guests - Danny Munch, economist, American Farm Bureau
Good news for all farmers in the Lake Erie Watershed wanting to join the nearly 2,000 already signed up for the H2Ohio water quality program. To date, over 1 million acres have Voluntary Nutrient Management Plans, a key component of H2Ohio. This week, we visit with the Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Dorothy Pelanda, to find out more about the initiative, and other important items, like food security and their work with county fairs, that fall under the purview of ODA.
Guests - Dorothy Pelanda, Director, Ohio Department of Agriculture
Agricultural lands in the U.S. grow an astounding array of food, fiber, biofuels, and other raw materials. This abundance has made the U.S. one of the most food secure nations in the world. Yet it can also mask vulnerabilities. For too many Americans, it is easy to brush off farmland loss or view it as inevitable. This puts our future at risk according to American Farmland Trust’s newest Farms Under Threat 2040 Report. The report focuses on the unsustainable impacts of development on American farmland and it quantifies what our nation could lose if sprawling development continues—or save through more compact growth—by the year 2040. Find out more about this report on this Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest: American Farmland Trust Midwest Regional Director Kristopher Reynolds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)has announced a second round of funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives (EQIP) Cover Crop Initiative. The program provides an investment of $38 million to 11 states, including Ohio, to help agricultural producers mitigate climate change through the adoption of cover crops. This second round of funding expands program eligibility to all state producers. On this Our Ohio Weekly, we will learn more about this program and the many other conservation initiatives being prioritized by NRCS.
Guest - Ohio’s new State Resource Conservationist with NRCS, Eric Schwab
After a two-year hiatus, The great Ohio State Fair is back this week! The 167th edition of the fair will have everything that we are used to when it comes to walks through the barn, the iconic butter cow, some deep-fried food on a stick, concerts, music, Smokey Bear and so much more. On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, learn everything you need to know before getting back to the giant slide, sky glide and foods you have never tried.
Guests - Virgil Stricker, General Manager of the Ohio State Fair
Alicia Shoults, Assistant General Manager of the Ohio State Fair
Leasing property for hunting and similar outdoor recreation has proven for many to be an attractive option when it comes to generating additional revenue for landowners, while also granting greater access to the outdoors. These leases are different from a typical agricultural lease so it's important to consider issues such as liability and managing shared access to the property in the event the land is also going to be used for agricultural or silvicultural purposes. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, we will focus on practical issues landowners, hunters, and other lessees may consider while drafting leases.
Guest - Rusty Rumley, a Senior Staff Attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center.
Ohio Farm Bureau keeps close tabs on many things that may impact their members and their way of life. Most of the time that would be proposed legislation or regulation, but we also keep tabs on litigation at the local, state and federal levels. At Farm Bureau’s recent Ag Day at the Capital, nearly 350 members traveled to Columbus to visit with lawmakers and were invited to a special panel to hear from some very important people, including Supreme Court Justices Pat DeWine and Patrick Fischer, for an inside look at the workings of the highest court in Ohio.
Guests - Ohio Supreme Court Justices Pat DeWine and Patrick Fischer
Recently, the FBI informed the Food and Agriculture sector that ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively
impacting the food supply chain. Why would farmers and the companies they work with be targeted through cyberattacks and what does something of that nature even look like? We get answers from industry experts this hour.
Guests - Michael Moore, Executive Vice President - EFC Systems, Inc.
John Gray, Chief Information Officer, Ohio Farm Bureau
From the continued growth of the H2Ohio water quality initiative to the recent soil test research from The Fertilizer Institute, data shows farmers are making progress in the ongoing efforts to protect clean water throughout Ohio. Two members of the Ohio Farm Bureau team are heavily involved in many of those efforts and on this Our Ohio Weekly get the results of the 2022 Ohio Water Quality Status Report.
Guests - Dr. Larry Antosch, Ohio Farm Bureau senior director of policy development and environmental policy and Ohio Farm Bureau’s Director of Water Quality and Research, Jordan Hoewischer.
What started as an unprecedented meeting between members of American Farm Bureau and America’s cattle organizations has turned into meaningful legislation that is looking to dramatically change how cattle are marketed. These changes would give more transparency to the process and more income for the farmer. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, we talk about the issues involving cattle marketing and what is being done in Washington D.C. to give livestock producers a more fair market in the future.
Guests - Scott Bennett, Director of Congressional Relations with American Farm Bureau
Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy for Ohio Farm Bureau
Dr. Juan Leon, Chief of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Meat Inspection
From conservation to disaster assistance, crop insurance to Farm Bill programs, the Farm Service Agency has many important tasks falling under its purview. They work with dairy farmers, livestock producers, row crop farmers, beginning farmers, specialty crop farmers, beekeepers and just about everyone who contributes to the front end of our food supply system. That means there is always something to talk about when it comes to FSA and we will have that discussion with the new executive director of Ohio FSA on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Ohio FSA Director John Patterson
Journalism is changing. With the consolidation of small newspapers and mergers of some of Ohio’s larger media outlets, small towns aren’t getting a whole lot of attention these days. But two journalists are looking to rural Ohio for stories and sharing what they find with the entire nation. Emma Davis and Céilí Doyle have covered agriculture, education, broadband, infrastructure and many other challenges and opportunities for Ohio less populated areas. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, meet these off-the-beaten-path reporters and find out what they are learning about rural Ohio.
Guests - Emma Davis reports for Knox Pages and Ashland Source and Céilí Doyle is a writer for the Columbus Dispatch.
The goal of USDA Rural Development is to help improve the economy and quality of life in rural America by offering loans, grants and loan guarantees to help create jobs and support economic development and essential services such as housing; health care; first responder services and equipment; and water, electric and communications infrastructure. They also offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural producers and cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their operations. Ohio’s USDA Rural Development office has a new state director. Meet him on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest - Jonathan McCracken, state director of USDA Rural Development in Ohio
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Rates for depression are higher in rural America than in urban areas and suicide rates among people living in rural counties are 25 percent higher than those in major metropolitan areas. Addressing mental illness is a significant challenge in rural America due to unique barriers that include fewer primary care providers than in cities, as well as a lack of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and broadband internet at home. Over the past few years there has been a major movement to bring mental health in rural America to the forefront, including a new nonprofit to tackle this challenge. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, learn about Rural Minds.
Guests - Jeff Minton, Founder of Rural Minds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has many divisions to assist the just as many important aspects of American agriculture. Conservation is one of the most valuable attributes of farming, as it keeps farms viable for the long term, which allows farm families to continue the tradition of raising products used for food, fuel and fiber generation after generation. This week, learn more about the agency that provides farmers with financial and technical assistance to use conservation to help the environment and agriculture succeed as we visit with Ohio’s Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Guests - John Wilson, State Conservationist for Ohio's Natural Resources Conservation Service
According to the Farm Service Agency of the USDA, nearly 3 percent, or 35.2 million acres of U.S. farmland is foreign-owned as of December. 2019. Several states have enacted laws or introduced legislation to limit foreign ownership of farmland in the United States. The National Agricultural Law Center joins us on this Our Ohio Weekly to provide a status report on those laws and where Ohio stands on the issue of foreign-owned ag land.
Guests - Harrison Pittman, Director, National Agricultural Law Center
Throughout the U.S., there has been growing interest in alternative meat options, including plant-based and lab-grown meat. A team of researchers in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University recently surveyed 1,250 Ohio consumers and 130 Ohioans who identified themselves as members of the agricultural industry to better understand how consumers would like to learn about meat option, as well as industry perceptions regarding meat and plant-based alternatives. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, we'll go over the results.
Guests - Dr. Joy Rumble, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership - CFAES Wooster
Last week, The Biden Administration discussed how its strategy to spur the development of homegrown biofuels is critical to expanding Americans’ options for affordable fuel in the short-term and to building real energy independence in the long-term by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. The President announced new steps to achieve that goal by increasing fuel supplies, offering more consumer choices, and reducing gasoline prices for Americans. On this Our Ohio Weekly, we discuss the role that homegrown biofuels have in this plan and what the long-term future of the industry looks like?
Guests - Troy Bredenkamp, Senior VP for Government and Public Affairs with the Renewable Fuels Association
Donnell Rehagen, CEO, Clean Fuels Alliance America
Recently, food and agriculture groups released the sixth annual Feeding the Economy report, a historic farm-to-fork economic analysis revealing how these sectors influence the local and broader United States economies. The report shows that 1.5 million jobs in Ohio are tied to food and agriculture and those industries add over $10 billion dollars to the state’s bottom line annually. As those numbers continue to grow, so does the need for improved and additional infrastructure and the recruitment of more workers into these career paths. JobsOhio is a major part of those efforts. Find out all about this organization on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Tim Derickson, Senior Director of Food & Agribusiness, JobsOhio
Each year, Ohio Farm Bureau hosts AgriPOWER, designed specifically for farmers and agribusiness professionals. This year-long program focuses on public policy issues confronting agriculture and the food industry such as consumer relations, regulations, energy, and trade policies. It helps individuals develop the skills necessary to become effective leaders and advocates for agriculture by learning from experts in these fields. On this Our Ohio Weekly, hear from some recent graduates of AgriPOWER and find out more about the program.
Guests - Melinda Witten, Senior Director, Leadership Development with Ohio Farm Bureau
AgriPOWER Class XII graduate Christine Snowden from Franklin County
AgriPOWER Class XII graduate Greg Tholen from Highland County
According to Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, nearly 31% of Ohio or over 8 million acres of the state is under forest cover. Almost 6 million of those acres are held by some 336,000 nonindustrial private landowners. If you are one of those owners, you probably already know that properly managing your woodland improves forest health, aesthetics, and wildlife habitat. It also provides soil stabilization, clean water, self-satisfaction, and a potential source of income. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, we discover more about Ohio’s timber industry.
Guests - John Kehn, Northern Service Forestry Coordinator, Division of Forestry - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Last month, the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative released their findings of the 2021 Assessment Survey Report on practices being used by farmers in the Lower Maumee watershed to manage water and nutrients. The survey results establish a baseline of adoption for various farming practices in the Lower Maumee watershed. The information will allow for a more targeted approach to help increase some practices, while also displaying that some practices are already adopted at an adequate level. What do the results tell us? What are farmers doing right and what could be improved to protect soil and water? On this Our Ohio Weekly, learn about the entire report.
Guests - Kris Swartz, farmer and Chair, Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative
Jordan Hoewischer, Director of Water Quality and Research, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Dr. John Fulton, Professor and Extension Specialist, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University
Some important deadlines are looming for farmers wanting to join the nearly 2,000 already signed up for the H2Ohio water quality program. To date, over 1 million acres have Voluntary Nutrient Management Plans, a key component of H2Ohio. This week, we visit with the Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Dorothy Pelanda, to find out more about the initiative, and other important items, like food security and their work with county fairs, that fall under the purview of ODA.
Guests - Dorothy Pelanda, Director, Ohio Department of Agriculture
From Waters of the U.S., to the Enlist ban, to the Renewable Fuels Standard, EPA has ruffled quite a few feathers in agriculture lately. As those challenges come, organizations like Farm Bureau jump in and join in the conversation to make sure the agency has all of the information needed when new ideas that may have an impact on farmers across the country are introduced. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, find out about new policies being put forth by the EPA and what Farm Bureau is doing to help them make sure their rules make sense for everyone involved.
Guests - Ryan Yates, Managing Director of Public Policy with American Farm Bureau
Brandon Kern, Senior Director of State and National Policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, food-at-home prices increased 3.5 percent and food-away-from-home prices increased 4.5 percent in 2021. That trend looks to continue throughout this year with the food we eat at home predicted to increase between 1.5 and 2.5 percent, and food-away-from-home prices are predicted to increase between 3.5 and 4.5 percent. This, of course, has an impact on every American in a different way, but why are food prices so high and what types of food items are being affected the most? On this Our Ohio Weekly, we talk about food prices and inflation.
Guests - Dr. Zoë Plakias, Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics at Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The average Ohio farm real estate value, including land and buildings, averaged $6,600 per acre last year, according to the National Ag Statistics Service. That’s a 3.9 percent increase from 2020. Ohio’s cropland value was $6,800, an increase of 5.3 percent from the previous year and pasture values in the Buckeye State were up 2.1 percent from 2020 at $3,440 per acre. On this Our Ohio Weekly, find out what has caused this spike in land values and if the bubble will pop anytime soon.
Guests - Randy Dickhut, senior vice president of real estate operations with Farmers National Company
Chip Carpenter, Auctioneer/Broker at United Country Real Estate & Auction Services
What started as an unprecedented meeting between members of American Farm Bureau and America’s cattle organizations has turned into meaningful legislation that is looking to dramatically change how cattle are marketed. These changes would give more transparency to the process and more income for the farmer. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, we talk about the issues involving cattle marketing and what is being done in Washington D.C. to give livestock producers a more fair market in the future.
Guests - Scott Bennett, Director of Congressional Relations with American Farm Bureau
Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy for Ohio Farm Bureau
Dr. Juan Leon, Chief of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Meat Inspection
There is always a lot to take in at the Ohio Farm Bureau Young Agricultural Professionals Winter Leadership Experience, with plenty of educational seminars, resources for new and beginning farmers and an abundance of networking opportunities. At the event last weekend in Cincinnati, attendees also got some education and advice from a panel of more seasoned farmers. On this Our Ohio Weekly, hear some of their advice to younger farmers.
Guests - Steve Hirsch, a fifth-generation owner of Hirsch Fruit Farm in Ross County and board member for Nationwide
Rose Hartschuh, an Ohio Farm Bureau board member who operates a dairy and raises grain crops, alfalfa and cover crops in Northwest Ohio.
An Ohio State University study found that 1 million Ohioans – nearly 12% – can’t get high-speed internet or are underserved where they live. Only 61% of rural residents have access to broadband. Rural Ohioans’ quality of life depends on technology. Whether it be for education, business, health care, or technology on the farm, our need for reliable internet access is critical. The Ohio Broadband Expansion Program is hoping to change that trend, but will it be enough?
Guests - Tom Reid, Broadband Consultant with Reid Consulting Group
Jenna Reese, Director of State Policy, Ohio Farm Bureau
Earlier this month, the American Farm Bureau Federation hosted their 103rd Annual Convention. Members from across the country traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to celebrate successes of 2021 and set the organization’s priorities for 2022. Some VIPs also took part in the event, including AFBF President Zippy Duvall and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, to share their expectations for farmers for this year and further into the future.
Guests - American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack
Show synopsis: The first part of a new year is always a great time to reflect on the past 12 months and set goals for the next 12. What went right, what went wrong and what did we learn? This week on Our Ohio Weekly, we ask those questions from an agricultural perspective and get the answers from an economist, an agronomist and an agribusiness leader.
Guests - Dr. Roger Cryan - Chief Economist, American Farm Bureau
Chris Henney – President and CEO, Ohio Agribusiness Association
John Brien – Eastern Agronomy Manager, AgriGold
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these past two years have been anything but normal. However, while most of the world was put on pause, farmers never stopped working and neither did their associations. Along with Ohio Farm Bureau, organizations like the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association and Ohio Soybean Association continue to advocate for trade policies that work for Ohio farmers, as well as monitor water quality and biofuel legislation, engage legislators and regulators, and talk with our farmer members. On this Our Ohio Weekly, hear from leaders of Ohio’s corn, wheat and soybean groups.
Guests - Tadd Nicholson, Executive Director, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association
Kirk Merritt, Executive Director, Ohio Soybean Association
Jay Truitt, CEO, Policy Matters
We often hear the term “conventional agriculture”, but with so many advancements in technology, farmers of all shapes and sizes are far from conventional compared to just a few decades ago. One of the newest trends in agriculture is growing food “vertically”. 80 Acres Farms, located in southwest Ohio, is taking that approach. They are the world's first fully automated indoor farm, capable of producing an abundance of crop varieties year-round. No soil, no pests and complete control of the environment 24/7. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, find out how vertical farming works and how it will fit into the future of American agriculture?
Guests - Rebecca Haders, vice president of creative and marketing for 80 Acres Farms
Chieri Kubota, professor of controlled environment agriculture at Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
For generations it has been ingrained in our society that after you graduate high school, the next logical step is continuing your education at the college level. Although there is value in getting a degree in a specialty of your choice, many students are finding a different path to a successful career by foregoing 2 or 4 year universities and diving right into a career. Realizing that that thought process is growing, while the workforce is shrinking, Sunrise Cooperative created the RISE FFA Career Program, and from that, Sunrise University. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, meet the CEO of Sunrise and two of his newest employees who decided to fill out a job application instead of a college application.
Guests - George D. Secor, President/CEO of Sunrise
Ohio Farm Bureau members were “Together Again” as the organization held its 103rd annual meeting earlier this month in Columbus. Nearly 385 delegates from all 88 Ohio counties established the organization’s policy goals for the coming year, elected leaders, recognized county Farm Bureau and individual achievements and honored industry leaders. On this Our Ohio Weekly, get a recap of this year’s annual meeting and hear from the organization’s President and Executive Vice President.
Guest: Ohio Farm Bureau President Bill Patterson and OFBF Executive Vice President Adam Sharp
Show synopsis: Farm life can be demanding and stressful and those stresses have reached a critical stage with pandemic impacts on top of natural disasters, extreme weather events, financial pressures due to fluctuating commodity prices, labor shortages, trade disruptions and other factors over the past several years. On this Our Ohio Weekly, find out if the issues of farm stress and mental health are getting as much attention as needed when it comes to helping those who need it.
Guests: Nathan Brown, Highland County Farmer / mental health advocate
If you’ve watched a few shows on Comedy Central or NBC’s Last Comic Standing or have purchased peanut butter in bulk you have more than likely run into this week’s guest. Comedian Greg Warren joins us to talk about his new Amazon Prime special “Where The Field Corn Grows”. Warren is smart enough to understand what he doesn't know, and it's in his common-sense attempt to understand basic agriculture and the farm life that he harvests the ridiculous and absurd.
Guests: Comedian Greg Warren and American Farm Bureau Director of Communications Ray Atkinson
A different type of farm is coming to the Buckeye State. Soon, the town of Pioneer, Ohio will be home to a nearly 500,000 square feet facility that will be used to grow Atlantic Salmon. Science and technology breakthroughs from 30 years ago have spawned into a burgeoning industry where farms grow quality food to a booming world population and produce that food with their neighbors and the environment in mind. On this Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about one of Ohio’s newest farmers - AquaBounty
Guests - AquaBounty President and CEO, Sylvia Wulf
According to the Farm Service Agency of the USDA, nearly 3 percent, or 35.2 million acres of U.S. farmland is foreign-owned as of December. 2019. Several states have enacted laws or introduced legislation to limit foreign ownership of farmland in the United States. The National Agricultural Law Center joins us on this Our Ohio Weekly to provide a status report on those laws and where Ohio stands on the issue of foreign-owned ag land.
Guests - Harrison Pittman, Director, National Agricultural Law Center
The Collegiate Farm Bureau at The Ohio State University serves many purposes. The organization provides support to students who are engaged in the field of agriculture and is a connection between current industry professionals and students involved in the industry. The organization also creates a diverse student organization that is educated and passionate about the agriculture industry, farm policy, and innovation. Learn more about Ohio State's Collegiate Farm Bureau on this week's Our Ohio Weekly
Guests - Collegiate Farm Bureau at The Ohio State University President Tyler Zimpfer and Vice President Joel Shoup
After beginning to recognize certain, disruptive trends emerging in the farming sector, Columbus-based Aimpoint Research launched a study giving them and the ag clients they serve an extensive look into the future of agriculture. This landmark research revealed the psychology of the farmers who are most likely to lead the industry in 2040 and both the internal and external factors impacting their success. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about the Farmer of the Future and how the evolution of agriculture might be shaping up.
Guests - Brett Sciotto, President and CEO of Aimpoint Research
Gregg Doud, Aimpoint Research VP of Global Situational Awareness and Chief Economist
The first electric vehicle was created in 1832. Needless to say the technology has come a long way since that time and now there are more than 10 million Electric Vehicles on the road. The vast majority of these EVs are on California, New York, Florida and Texas highways, but when will we start seeing EVs in rural areas and even put to use on farms? On the next Our Ohio Weekly, we take a look into EVs and agriculture.
Guests - Dale Arnold – Director of Energy Policy - Ohio Farm Bureau
Dr. Scott Shearer, a professor and chair of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Ohio State University.
Farmers are used to getting paid for raising a quality product — soybeans, sweet corn, apples, peppers. But a farm’s value lies in its soils, too. What if farmers could get paid for building a quality soil? Just like markets for those soybeans, there’s now a small, but growing, commodity market for building and storing carbon in a farm’s soils. So how do farmers get paid for storing carbon? On the next Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about carbon markets.
Guests - Julia Brown, Communications and Media Relations Manager for the Ohio Soybean Association
Amanda Bahn-Ziegler, Account Manager for Truterra
Aldyen Donnelly, co-founder of Nori Inc
Mike Thompson and Bryan Randell from Indigo Ag
Ohio Farm Bureau’s farmer leaders, including young agricultural professionals, AgriPOWER Class XII members, along with county presidents and vice presidents, made their way to Washington, D.C. at the end of September. Over three days, participants heard from experts and, in turn, voiced their thoughts on topics as far reaching as tax policy to climate to broadband development. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, hear more about this opportunity for members to help legislators make the connection between what is happening on Ohio farms and what is being debated in the halls of Congress and within federal agencies.
Guests - Senator Rob Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown
Spanning over 10,000 acres on three campuses, Ohio State’s College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences boasts an impressive area of learning. But more than acres, they also cover a lot of ground with their offerings for young people wanting careers in agriculture, including 22 bachelor’s degree majors, 26 associate degree majors and 32 minors. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, we’ll visit with the Dean in charge of everything happening at OSU’s CFAES, Dr. Cathann Kress.
Guest - Dr. Cathann Kress, vice president for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Twenty Ohio Farm Bureau leaders are serving on the organization's 2021 Policy Development Committee. The committee collects and organizes public policy recommendations from county Farm Bureaus and presents the final policy suggestions to be voted on by Ohio Farm Bureau’s delegates during the state annual meeting in December. In its initial session, the committee heard from government leaders, subject matter experts and Farm Bureau staff on a variety of topics. On this Our Ohio Weekly, hear from some of the members of this year’s Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee.
Guests - Dr. Larry Antosch, Senior Director of Policy Development and Environmental Policy with Ohio Farm Bureau and OFBF Policy Development Committee members Danielle Burch and Jonathan Zucker
Launched by Governor Mike DeWine in 2019, H2Ohio is a comprehensive water quality initiative that is addressing serious water issues that have been building in Ohio for decades. Areas of concern include harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie caused by phosphorus runoff from farm fertilizer, wastewater, and home sewage treatment systems due to aging infrastructure, and lead contamination from old water pipes and fixtures. H2Ohio was first funded by the Ohio General Assembly with an investment of $172 million in the 2020-2021 state budget, which allowed the program to rollout to 14 counties in the Maumee River Watershed. Additional funding in the latest budget means the program is expanding. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, find out what H2Ohio means for the state’s agriculture sector.
Guests - Clark Hudson, Program Coordinator for H2Ohio in the Western Lake Erie Basin
According to Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, nearly 31% of Ohio or over 8 million acres of the state is under forest cover. Almost 6 million of those acres are held by some 336,000 nonindustrial private landowners. If you are one of those owners, you probably already know that properly managing your woodland improves forest health, aesthetics, and wildlife habitat. It also provides soil stabilization, clean water, self-satisfaction, and a potential source of income. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, we discover more about Ohio’s timber industry.
Guests - John Kehn, Northern Service Forestry Coordinator, Division of Forestry - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
An Ohio State University study found that 1 million Ohioans – nearly 12% – can’t get high-speed internet or are underserved where they live. Only 61% of rural residents have access to broadband. Rural Ohioans’ quality of life depends on technology. Whether it be for education, business, health care, or technology on the farm, our need for reliable internet access is critical. The Ohio Broadband Expansion Program is hoping to change that trend, but will it be enough?
Guests - Tom Reid, Broadband Consultant with Reid Consulting Group
Jenna Reese, Director of State Policy, Ohio Farm Bureau
The way we consume media is changing. You could be listening to music or shows in your car or tooling around in your shop or garage as it airs on your local radio station or you might be listening to the podcast version on your mobile device or even a smart speaker. This goes for just about any program being produced these days for any segment of our society...including agriculture. For this week's Our Ohio Weekly, Ty Higgins visits with agriculture media mogul, Rob Sharkey, who is changing the way farmers and those involved in agriculture get their entertainment and information.
Guests - Rob Sharkey, The Shark Farmer
The Ohio State University’s Farm Science Review, which was held online last year because of the pandemic, will return this year to be live and in person for the 59th annual event. Farm Science Review attracts over 100,000 visitors from all over the United States and Canada, who come for three days to peruse 4,000 product lines from 600 commercial exhibitors, and learn the latest in agricultural production. The educational programs feature Ohio State and Purdue specialists and are second to none in the agricultural exhibition world. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about this year’s Farm Science Review.
Guests:
Nick Zachrich, manager of Farm Science Review
Brooke Beam, OSU Extension Educator in Highland County
Barnwood Builders follows five fun-loving West Virginians who salvage antique log cabins and barns. The show celebrates the American pioneer spirit, and pays tribute to the hard work and craftsmanship that built our nation. They have even made quite a few trips through rural Ohio. On this Our Ohio Weekly, meet the foreman of DIY Network’s Barnwood Builders, Mark Bowe, as he talks about the show, his work crew and why Ohio barns have become some of his favorites.
Guest - Mark Bowe, star of Barnwood Builders
We often hear the term “conventional agriculture”, but with so many advancements in technology, farmers of all shapes and sizes are far from conventional compared to just a few decades ago. One of the newest trends in agriculture is growing food “vertically”. 80 Acres Farms, located in southwest Ohio, is taking that approach. They are the world's first fully automated indoor farm, capable of producing an abundance of crop varieties year-round. No soil, no pests and complete control of the environment 24/7. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, find out how vertical farming works and how it will fit into the future of American agriculture?
Guests - Rebecca Haders, vice president of creative and marketing for 80 Acres Farms
Chieri Kubota, professor of controlled environment agriculture at Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
The business of news - how it's generated, how it's distributed and how it's consumed has changed exponentially in what seems like a very short time and it keeps changing. What used to be local TV stations and hundreds of local newspapers has morphed into countless television networks and, sadly, very few newspapers covering small town America. On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, hear from industry experts from print and broadcast about the changing landscape of news in a digital world.
Guests - Alan Miller, Executive Editor, The Columbus Dispatch
Walker Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Columbus Underground
Denise Eck, News Director WCMH NBC4
For generations it has been ingrained in our society that after you graduate high school, the next logical step is continuing your education at the college level. Although there is value in getting a degree in a specialty of your choice, many students are finding a different path to a successful career by foregoing 2 or 4 year universities and diving right into a career. Realizing that that thought process is growing, while the workforce is shrinking, Sunrise Cooperative created the RISE FFA Career Program, and from that, Sunrise University. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, meet the CEO of Sunrise and two of his newest employees who decided to fill out a job application instead of a college application.
Guests - George D. Secor, President/CEO of Sunrise
Jacob Walters, 2021 RISE FFA Career Recipient.
Shaun Hall is a participant in Sunrise University.
The saying “necessity is the mother of innovation” has rarely been more true for modern society than it was during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. That is particularly true for the farm and food sector. Farmers found new ways to market their products, manufacturers changed how food was packaged and delivered and more made-at-home recipes were Googled by the American public than ever before. There is one Ohio organization that specializes in helping those that grow and process our food more successfully and, needless to say, they have been very busy over the past 18 months. Learn more about the Center for Innovative Food Technology, or CIFT, on this Our Ohio Weekly
Guests - Rebecca Singer - President and CEO, CIFT
Elizabeth Murawski - Business and Workforce Development Manager, CIFT
According to the National Safety Council, 1 in 4 car crashes are due to mobile phone usage while driving, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 4.2% of drivers are distracted at any given time between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Add to that that studies show that 41% of car trips between those hours in 2019, involved significant cell phone distractions. The Hands-Free Ohio bill, which revises Ohio’s law relative to distracted driving, will soon be introduced in the Ohio House. On this Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about the issue and what lawmakers are hoping to do about it.
Guests - Chad Wilson, Associate Vice President - Office of Government Relations, Nationwide
In light of climate-induced risks and uncertainties like increasing extreme rainfall events and warmer temperatures, a team made up of research, extension, and outreach professionals at Ohio State are working together to identify how to promote sustainability and resilience in the Eastern Corn Belt. They are also trying to understand how farmers’ can adapt to these changing conditions while supporting both agricultural production and the protection of our critical ecosystem. Learn more about the study on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests
Dr. Robyn Wilson, Professor of Risk Analysis and Decision Science at Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources
Dr. Aaron Wilson, Research Scientist at Ohio State’s Byrd Polar & Climate Research Center
Dr. Mary Doidge, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at McGill University in Montreal
In 2015, The state of Ohio committed to reducing nutrient loading into Lake Erie by 40 percent by 2025. This commitment was made as part of the Western Lake Erie Collaborative agreement, which includes similar pledges from Michigan and Ontario, Canada. How do things stand halfway through this 10-year agreement? Is there any progress being made and is that 40 percent reduction goal attainable? On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, find out what the latest data suggests.
Guests
Dr. Larry Antosch, senior director of policy development and environmental policy, Ohio Farm Bureau
Jordan Hoewischer, director of water quality and research, Ohio Farm Bureau
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
While net cash farm income in 2020 was above the average net cash farm income for the 2013–2019 period, increased government payments to farmers accounted for a substantial portion of that rise. Although that certainly helped alleviate the immediate need for relief due to the pandemic, the future remains uncertain. Those in the farm banking world are keeping a close eye on how their customers are fairing. Hear their near and long-term outlooks for agriculture on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests
Will Hileman, CEO of Farm Bureau Bank
Beth Ford, CEO of Land o Lakes
Technology for solar energy has come a long way over the past 10 years and, as a result, solar development projects are increasing across Ohio at a rapid rate. But with this recent boon in solar comes questions and concerns for farmers and landowners. What should you be aware of when signing a lease, what role does the government play, how will new solar projects impact land use, real estate values and nearby communities. On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, the answers to those questions and more.
Guests: Dale Arnold, director of energy policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
While many have already started the vaccination process, there is currently a general lack of confidence. Overall, 40% of the U.S. public have expressed concerns, ranging from “skeptical” to “open but uncertain,” about getting vaccinated. The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative are leading a massive communications effort to educate the American public and build confidence around the COVID-19 vaccines. Find out more about those efforts on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests: Hannah Lipps, Rural/Conservative Consultant, The Ad Council
Charysse Nunez, Insights and Strategy Consultant, The Ad Council
While farmers are always open to new climate-smart practices and technology to reduce emissions levels, they could play an even larger role in the future to help achieve climate goals by adopting voluntary practices to offset Greenhouse Gas emissions, such as trapping carbon in the soil through increased conservation cover and reduced tillage. On this Our Ohio Weekly learn about the developing carbon markets for farmers. The questions, the challenges and the opportunities.
Guests: Andrew Walmsley, Director, Congressional Relations, American Farm Bureau
Shelby Swain Myers, Economist, American Farm Bureau
In 2019, Ohio farmers experienced shocks that tested the limits of Ohio agriculture. Heavy rains affected planting and harvesting times, economic turbulence contributed to lower commodity prices, and nonfarm economic growth pushed farmland costs up. To learn how farmers were impacted, researchers in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University created the Ohio Farm Poll. On the latest Our Ohio Weekly, find out about the newly released results.
Guests: Dr. Douglas Jackson-Smith, Professor and Associate Director, School of Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State's College of Food Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Dr. Shoshanah Inwood
Assistant Professor, School of Environment and Natural Resources CFAES
Dr. Andrea Rissing
Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Environment and Natural Resources CFAES
If you’ve watched a few shows on Comedy Central or NBC’s Last Comic Standing or have purchased peanut butter in bulk you have more than likely run into this week’s guest. Comedian Greg Warren joins us to talk about his new Amazon Prime special “Where The Field Corn Grows”. Warren is smart enough to understand what he doesn't know, and it's in his common-sense attempt to understand basic agriculture and the farm life that he harvests the ridiculous and absurd.
Guests: Comedian Greg Warren and American Farm Bureau Director of Communications Ray Atkinson
Although many challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic are still with us, as things begin to subside it is a good time to look back at those challenges and make changes that will alleviate the problems we faced should something like a global pandemic ever happen again. One of those challenges on the minds of Ohio Farm Bureau and its members has to do with the food supply system, which saw issues on both the production and processing sides in 2020. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear about lessons learned and steps being taken to prevent a repeat.
Guests
Dr. Dennis Summers, Asst. State Veterinarian with the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health
Roger High, director of livestock policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
After beginning to recognize certain, disruptive trends emerging in the farming sector, Columbus-based Aimpoint Research launched a study giving them and the ag clients they serve an extensive look into the future of agriculture. This landmark research revealed the psychology of the farmers who are most likely to lead the industry in 2040 and both the internal and external factors impacting their success. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about the Farmer of the Future and how the evolution of agriculture might be shaping up.
Guests - Brett Sciotto, President and CEO of Aimpoint Research
Gregg Doud, Aimpoint Research VP of Global Situational Awareness and Chief Economist
The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association represents nearly 2,000 farmers and advocates to protect its members freedom to farm and supports public policy on members’ behalf. The Ohio Corn Checkoff and the Ohio Small Grains Checkoff, also part of Ohio Corn and Wheat, are voluntary programs approved by Ohio farmers that collect funds from the sale of corn and small grains to develop and expand markets, fund research and provide education about the crops. On this Our Ohio Weekly, meet the executive director of Ohio Corn and Wheat and the association’s president as we talk about corn, ethanol, climate, the environment and more.
Guests - Tadd Nicholson, executive director of Ohio Corn and Wheat
Kelly Harsh, Delaware County farmer and president of Ohio Corn and Wheat
Spanning over 10,000 acres on three campuses, Ohio State’s College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences boasts an impressive area of learning. But more than acres, they also cover a lot of ground with their offerings for young people wanting careers in agriculture, including 22 bachelor’s degree majors, 26 associate degree majors and 32 minors. On this week’s Our Ohio Weekly, we’ll visit with the Dean in charge of everything happening at OSU’s CFAES, Dr. Cathann Kress.
Guest - Dr. Cathann Kress, vice president for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Ohio Farm Bureau has new leadership. Former president Frank Burkett of Massillon, left the OFBF board and was elected to the Nationwide board of directors shortly thereafter. Burkett served as the organization’s president for five years. Ohio Farm Bureau founded the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in 1926, which later became Nationwide. On this Our Ohio Weekly, we’ll meet newly elected president, Bill Patterson, and learn about his vision and goals in his new Ohio Farm Bureau role.
Guest - Bill Patterson, Ohio Farm Bureau president
Farming is often a family run operation. As with any business, proper business planning and estate planning ensures that future
generations can carry on the family farm. This week on Our Ohio Weekly learn about a program that was created specifically for farmers to help them make plans for the future of their operations.
Guest - Lauren Glovac, Land As Your Legacy
The way we consume media is changing. You could be listening to music or shows in your car or tooling around in your shop or garage as it airs on your local radio station or you might be listening to the podcast version on your mobile device or even a smart speaker. This goes for just about any program being produced these days for any segment of our society...including agriculture. This week's Our Ohio Weekly, Ty Higgins visits with agriculture media mogul, Rob Sharkey, who is changing the way farmers and those involved in agriculture get their entertainment and information.
Guests - Rob Sharkey, The Shark Farmer
According to the National Safety Council, 1 in 4 car crashes are due to mobile phone usage while driving, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 4.2% of drivers are distracted at any given time between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Add to that that studies show that 41% of car trips between those hours in 2019, involved significant cell phone distractions. The Hands-Free Ohio bill, which revises Ohio’s law relative to distracted driving, will soon be introduced in the Ohio House. On this Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about the issue and what lawmakers are hoping to do about it.
Guests - Chad Wilson, Associate Vice President - Office of Government Relations, Nationwide
From the food supply chain to rural broadband, regulatory reform to energy solutions, there is a lot on the plate of Ohio Farm Bureau as the organization advocates for the best interests of farmers and rural communities in Ohio. But don’t worry, there is a plan for solving those issues and many more. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, learn all about Farm Bureau’s Ohio Agriculture and Rural Communities Action Plan and how that plan is being put into place at the local, state and national levels.
Guests - Adam Sharp, executive vice president, Ohio Farm Bureau
Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy, Ohio Farm Bureau
No-till farming is nothing new. It was used as far back as 10,000 years ago. Research shows that adopting no-till practices is good for the soil. But what’s in it for the farmer? And how does No-Till farming fit into water quality, climate-smart farming and carbon sequestration? This week on Our Ohio Weekly, we’ll visit with members of the Ohio No-Till Council to find out why more farmers are becoming interested in No-Till.
Guests - Jan Layman, President of Ohio No-Till Council and Hardin Co. farmer
Nathan Brown, No-Till Council board member and Highland Co. farmer
The Lake Erie Bill of Rights, or "LEBOR" ballot initiative didn’t get very far after it was passed by Toledo voters in 2019, thanks to the fast action of Wood County farmers Mark Drewes. Drewes filed a lawsuit to thwart the attempt to give legal rights to Lake Erie and give Toledoans authority to sue farmers on behalf of the lake. The result of Drewes’ lawsuit was a U.S. District Court judge ruling, decisively, that LEBOR was invalid. This week on Our Ohio Weekly we will get a behind the scenes look at the case and what its result means for Ohio farmers.
Guests - Leah Curtis, policy counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau
Tom Fusonie, an attorney with the law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease
Show synopsis: Barnwood Builders follows five fun-loving West Virginians who salvage antique log cabins and barns. The show celebrates the American pioneer spirit, and pays tribute to the hard work and craftsmanship that built our nation. They have even made quite a few trips through rural Ohio. On this Our Ohio Weekly, meet the foreman of DIY Network’s Barnwood Builders, Mark Bowe, as he talks about the show, his work crew and why Ohio barns have become some of his favorites.
Guest - Mark Bowe, star of Barnwood Builders
With a new administration in the White House comes a new cabinet of leaders in all major departments of the U.S., including Transportation, Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency and Agriculture. The man tapped to lead the farm and food sector has some experience in that area. Tom Vilsack actually served as the Secretary of Agriculture under the Obama Administration. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear some of Secretary Vilsack’s ideas for his return to USDA coming up and learn about a 2020 success story as we recap the work of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.
Guests - Secretary
Tom Vilsack
Mike Townsley, Chairman, Bob Evans Farms/Post Refrigerated Retail
Robert Sprague, Ohio Treasurer
Little data exists on the millions of Americans who own and lease agricultural land but do not farm it themselves. That segment is known as non-operator landowners, or NOLs, and many of them are women. In 2018 American Farmland Trust began surveying NOLs across the country to gain knowledge and understanding of who these non-landowner operators are, their thinking and the philosophy about agriculture and how they interact with the farmers they work with as far as agreements, conservation other farming practices go. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear about some of the results of this survey.
Guest - Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, director of American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land initiative.
While net cash farm income in 2020 was above the average net cash farm income for the 2013–2019 period, increased government payments to farmers accounted for a substantial portion of that rise. Although that certainly helped alleviate the immediate need for relief due to the pandemic, the future remains uncertain. Those in the farm banking world are keeping a close eye how their customers are fairing. Hear their near and long-term outlooks for agriculture on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests
Will Hileman, CEO of Farm Bureau Bank
Beth Ford, CEO of Land o Lakes
Leah Curtis, Policy Counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau
Often a vision for retiring from a career in agriculture may be a bit different than most. Options can range from staying on the farm and helping during harvest and planting, just tinkering around the shop, or selling and moving to Florida. Whatever the vision and whatever the profession, having the financial resources to live their best lives during this time is something everyone would agree is important. On this Our Ohio Weekly, hear from one expert who is helping to prepare farmers, agribusinesses and their employees for retirement.
Guests
Rich Ohde, Regional Vice President of Workplace Solutions for Nationwide
Mike Rowe, CEO of mikeroweWorks Foundation
Paul Lyons, VP of Membership with Ohio Farm Bureau
Barry Ward, Ohio State University Extension
We have finally turned the calendar to 2021 and although the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic all still with us, this new year will be a time to look back at those challenges and make changes that will alleviate the problems we faced should something like a global pandemic ever happen again. One of those challenges on the minds of Ohio Farm Bureau and its members has to do with the food supply system, which saw issues on both the production and processing sides in 2020. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear about lessons learned and steps being taken to prevent a repeat.
Guests
Dr. Dennis Summers, Asst. State Veterinarian with the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health
Roger High, director of livestock policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
COVID-19 has, without a doubt, fundamentally changed the food system and consumer attitudes but what we can expect in 2021. What shifts are happening in purchasing behaviors? How is the food industry evolving to adjust? What’s ahead in the new year? On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear from industry experts and members of the Center for Food Integrity’s Consumer Trust Insights Council to find out if how we get, prepare or even order our food will ever be the same on the other side of a global pandemic.
Guests
Susan Schwallie, President of Food and Beverage, NPD Group
Kevin Ryan, founder of Malachite Strategy
Earlier this summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pegged the severity of the 2020 algal blooms on Lake Erie at a 4.5 on a scale of 10, one of the smaller forecasts in recent years. Final data concluded that the actual bloom came in at a 3. What goes into these forecasts? What does water quality research look like in Northwest Ohio and how will initiatives like H2Ohio impact the future severity of algal blooms? Take an in-depth dive into Ohio’s water quality on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests
Dr. Laura Johnson, Director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University
Jordan Hoewischer, Director of Water Quality and Research for Ohio Farm Bureau
Farming often is listed as one of the most stressful
occupations, yet most farmers say they wouldn’t trade it for any other job. However, stress that goes unrecognized and is not managed well can play havoc with the farm family and the farm operation. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, find out how to recognize the
common symptoms of stress, and effective ways to manage it.
Guests
Eric
Karbowski, Community Behavioral Health Extension Educator, Michigan State
David White, Account Manager for Government Relations, Ag Credit
Joe Dagher, Government and Legislative Affairs Officer, Farm Credit Mid America
In 2019, Governor Mike DeWine introduced his H2Ohio water quality initiative. The plan, which farmers in the Maumee River Watershed were able to sign up for earlier this year, is an investment in targeted solutions to help reduce phosphorus runoff and prevent algal blooms through a number of ways, including increased implementation of agricultural best practices and the creation of wetlands, improve wastewater infrastructure and replacing failing home septic systems. Despite a global pandemic, the rollout of H2Ohio began earlier this year. On the latest Our Ohio Weekly, find out how the initial rollout went and what the next year looks like for the program.
Guests:
Dorothy Pelanda, Director - Ohio Department of Agriculture
Janelle Mead, CEO - Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Kris Swartz, Past President - Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and currently serves as Chairman of the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative
For the first time in its more than 100 year history, Ohio Farm Bureau’s annual meeting was largely held remotely across the state this past week. The yearly face-to-face gathering of members from all around Ohio was prohibited by orders from the Ohio Department of Health limiting indoor gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this first-of-its-kind annual meeting allowed members to get involved as much as they chose from the comfort of their home, physically together with other delegates from their county or while they are working on the farm. On this Our Ohio Weekly, host Ty Higgins shares some of the many highlights of this year’s Annual Meeting.
Guests:
Adam Sharp, executive vice president, Ohio Farm Bureau
Frank Burkett, president, Ohio Farm Bureau
Kim Harless, Organization Director, Ohio Farm Bureau
Dr. John Newton, chief economist, American Farm Bureau
Creating opportunities and increasing demand for soybeans means farmers that grow the commodity will get more money for every bushel. That is the task for the Ohio Soybean Council, more commonly known as the Soybean Checkoff. Promoting effective policies and legislation at the state and national levels for those same farmers falls in the purview of the Ohio Soybean Association. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear from leaders from both organizations.
Guests:
Kirk Merritt, Executive Director of the Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio Soybean Association
Ryan Rhodes, President of the Ohio Soybean Association and Marion County farmer
Cover crops, conservation tillage, and water management are just some of the topics you will hear about when you tune in to the Field Work Podcast, which is now in its 2nd season. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, meet the co-hosts of the Field Work Podcast as we talk about all of the hot topics that come with keeping agriculture sustainable.
Guests: Field Work Podcast hosts Zach Johnson and Mitchell Hora
Anyone who cares for another likely has experienced the stress and possibly the feelings of helplessness that can come with taking care of an ailing person. Those feelings may be enhanced due to the concerns of older citizens during the COVID-19 crisis. Managing burnout and resources for caregivers will be discussed this week on Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest - Laura Cherry Akgerman, Disability Services Coordinator, Ohio State University Extension
The Agribusiness industry in Ohio includes the entire crop and livestock supply chain, from production through distribution to final sale, as well as industries such as landscaping, parks, and golf courses. A new study looked at the career opportunities in this space. The data is promising for those looking for a career in agribusiness and those careers span far beyond barns and fields. What types of career opportunities does the state's #1 industry hold for Ohio’s up and coming workforce and will there be enough of that workforce to go around? We will get the answers to those questions and more on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Dr. Bill LaFayette, owner, Regionomics®
Dan Durheim, Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation board member and Associate Vice President Sponsor Relations - Nationwide
Wade Smith of Whitehouse District 2 trustee of Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation chairman of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Board
Over five decades and five continents, Dr. Rattan Lal, a Distinguished University Professor in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), has reduced hunger by pioneering agricultural methods across the globe that not only restore degraded soil but also reduce global warming. His research recently paid off in a big way as he won the 2020 World Food Prize and $500,000. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, host Ty Higgins visits with Dr. Lal from some of his research plots on Ohio State’s Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Lab.
Guest - Dr. Rattan Lal, Distinguished Professor at Ohio State University and 2020 World Food Prize winner.
From chops to loins, ham to bacon, pork is the most consumed meat in the world. Pork production in the U.S. is worth an estimated $23.4 billion per year, with around 26% of the nearly 2.2 million metric tons of pork and pork products produced exported to other countries. Pigs consume billions of bushels of grain and oilseeds, giving a steady market to row crop farmers and they provide income for more than 60,000 pork producers, primarily in the Midwest. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, learn more about Ohio pork production and how the industry has weathered the challenges of 2020 and beyond.
Guests - Cheryl Day, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council
Dr. Chris Winslow, director of Ohio State's Ohio Sea Grant Program
The Supreme Court of Ohio was founded in 1802, established in the state constitution as a three-member court, holding courts in each county every year. The constitution was also approved that year, one year before Ohio officially became a state. The court now has seven members, a chief justice and six associate justices, each serving six-year terms and a total of 1550 other employees. On this Our Ohio Weekly, meet two of the Justices, Judi French and Sharon Kennedy, and learn about Ohio’s judicial structure and other functions of the highest court in the state.
Guests - Ohio Supreme Court Justices Judi French and Sharon Kennedy and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue
International trade has a major impact on U.S. agriculture. Exports are crucial in providing a market for a major share of crop production and a growing share of meat production. Efforts are underway to find new global partners that have a demand for U.S. ag products, deemed the safest, most abundant and affordable in the world. These new markets could lead to higher farm prices and greater returns to producers. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, here from the one leading those efforts.
Guests - Ted McKinney, USDA undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs
There have been countless stories about the devastating blow that COVID-19 has landed on many industries, businesses and individuals. Millions of Ohioans are seeing their professional and personal situations becoming more challenging with every day that goes by. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, find out how the Global Coronavirus pandemic has even wreaked havoc on those trying to help those in need, like food banks – who continue to feed as many people as possible as volunteers and food are in short supply.
Guests - Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Food Banks
One of the sessions of the 2020 Virtual Farm Science Review was held by Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, as their team focused on the Value Chains in Food and Agriculture. Our Ohio Weekly host Ty Higgins moderated that session as the panel talked about how corn, cattle, pork, milk and other sectors have adjusted to reduced ethanol production, lower prices and supply chain logistics due to COVID-19 and what the current financial situation looks like.
Guests - Ben Brown, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Agricultural Risk Management
Dr. Ian Sheldon, Professor and Andersons Chair of Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy
Ohio Farm Bureau is the textbook definition of a grassroots organization. Policies and issues that the state’s largest farm organization takes up on the behalf of agriculture are developed and voted on by their members. The process for putting future policies together started last month when Twenty Ohio Farm Bureau leaders began serving on the 2020 Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Policy Development Committee. The committee collects and organizes public policy recommendations from county Farm Bureaus and presents the final policy suggestions to be voted on by Ohio Farm Bureau’s delegates during the state annual meeting in December. On this Our Ohio Weekly, meet 2 of the Committee members and hear about some of the issues they are learning all about.
Guests - Dr. Larry Antosch, Sr. Director of Policy Development and Environmental Policy
OFBF Board Member Adele Flynn (District 3) N. Central Ohio
OFBF member Abram Klopfenstein from Paulding County
American Farm Bureau Director of Grassroots Outreach Michael Sistak
USDA-NRCS, Ohio's Doug Deardorff
Little data exists on the millions of Americans who own and lease agricultural land but do not farm it
themselves. That segment is known as non-operator landowners, or NOLs and many of them are women. In 2018 American Farmland Trust began surveying NOLs across the country to gain knowledge and understanding of who these non-landowner operators are, their thinking
and the philosophy about agriculture and how they interact with the farmers they work with as far as agreements, conservation other farming practices go. On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, hear about some of the results of this survey.
Guest - Dr.
Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, director of American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land initiative.
Farming is often a family run operation. As with any business, proper business planning and estate planning ensures that future generations can carry on the family farm. This week on Our Ohio Weekly learn about a program that was created specifically for farmers to help them make plans for the future of their operations.
Guest - Lauren Glovac, Land As Your Legacy
Every year at about this time, Ohio's young professionals involved in agriculture take a trip to Washington DC to visit with industry experts and key lawmakers about issues that are important to their generation and their livelihood. But since that trip to the Nation’s capital couldn't happen due to COVID-19 concerns, we are bringing D.C. to Ohio Farm Bureau’s Young Ag Professionals on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Dr. John Newton - Chief Economist, AFBF
Cody Lyons - Managing Director of Advocacy and Political Affairs, AFBF
RJ Karney - Director of Congressional Relations, AFBF
Jenna Beadle - Director of State Policy, OFBF
Aaron Harter, Co-Chair, OFBF YAP Committee
For the first time since small towns were settled, the number of deaths in rural America now outpaces births. Vast regions of the nation are literally dying. Or are they? In the new book Total Town Makeover, author Andrew McCrea takes you on a journey to places that are very much alive on the next Our Ohio Weekly!
There are committees for just about everything in the US Congress. From infrastructure to finance, intelligence to ethics, these committees take a deeper look into issues that may help or hinder Americans. One committee that Farm Bureau keeps an eye on is the agriculture committee. A Representative from Ohio was recently named to that committee. Hear from Congressman Troy Balderson about his newest role and his ambitions for it this week on Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest
U.S. Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12)
During the onset of COVID-19, the American Farm Bureau Federation quickly moved to ensure continuity and effectiveness of their operations and for all of agriculture in the US. Pivoting and adapting provided a reliable voice for members and elected officials and a reminder that agriculture is essential to feed America. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear from AFBF President Zippy Duvall about his personal COVID-19 experience and the work being done on farmers’ behalf at the national level.
Guest
Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau
Consumer trust is something that those of us in the agriculture sector continue to strive for. Sharing how
farmers grow the food that you buy is paramount to making sure you feel confident that what you put on the table for your family meals is safe. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, Ty Higgins covers consumer trust and the latest consumer trends.
Guests
Steve
Lerch, founder and president of Story Arc Consulting
Amy McCormick, Corporate Affairs Manager, The Kroger Co., Columbus Division
Farming often is listed as one of the most stressful occupations, yet most farmers say they wouldn’t trade it for any other job. However, stress that goes unrecognized and is not managed well can play havoc with the farm family and the farm operation. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, find out how to recognize the
common symptoms of stress, and effective ways to manage it.
Guests
Eric
Karbowski, Community Behavioral Health Extension Educator, Michigan State
David White, Account Manager for Government Relations, Ag Credit
Joe Dagher, Government and Legislative Affairs Officer, Farm Credit Mid America
Jason Meadows, Host of the Ag State of Mind Podcast
The air we breath, the water we drink and the ground we walk on are some things that many of us take for granted. Clear air, clean water and food are vital for life. For farmers, clean air, adequate water and healthy soils are vital to make a living. This week learn how government agencies, private industries and farmers are helping to strike a balance between growing the food we eat while protecting the natural resources we need.
Guests
Matt Lohr, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Andrew Wheeler, Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency
Bethany Starlin, President, Ohio FFA
The COVID-19 pandemic put a major strain on our food system. Logistics from the farm, to the processing plants to the grocery stores went awry and the food supply chain became a tangled mess that took weeks to unwind. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, industry experts weigh in on what changes may have to happen so a derailment of our food supply never happens again.
Guests
Kurt Loudenback, CEO and owner of Grand Prairie Foods.
Dr. Sally Rockey, Executive Director of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Mike Townsley, Chairman, Bob Evans Farms / Post Refrigerated Retail
Things are far from normal as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of going away, but as the spread slows and restrictions are eased, Ohio is beginning to open back up. Businesses are getting back to business and some of us will be able to enjoy a county fair, in one way, shape or form. On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, we'll learn how county fairs are going about making their decisions for a 2020 event and we will check in on an industry hit extremely hard by the pandemic, the horse racing industry.
Guests
Rod Arter, President of the Ohio Fair Managers Association
Dave Basler, Executive Director of the Ohio Horsemen Benevolent and Protective Association.
Renee Mancin, Executive Director of the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association
The Farmer Veteran Coalition was founded in 2008 with a handful of veterans looking to begin their farming careers. Today, there are 20,000 members and the organization is paving the way for more and more returning veterans to make the transition from the battlefield to a field of a completely different nature.
Guest - Farmer Veteran Coalition CEO Michael O'Gorman
The methods for farmers getting information that pertains to their industry and lifestyle have changed in many ways over the generations. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, Ty covers the evolving world of Farm Broadcasting.
Guests - The Ohio Ag Net's Dale Minyo and Tom Brand with the National Association of Farm Broadcasting
Cover crops, conservation tillage, and water management are just some of the topics you will hear about when you tune in to the Field Work Podcast, which is now in its 2nd season. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, meet the co-hosts of the Field Work Podcast as we talk about all of the hot topics that come with keeping agriculture sustainable.
Guests - Field Work Podcast hosts Zach Johnson and Mitchell Hora
What will agriculture look like in 10 years? Are farmers ready for more technology to keep them sustainable and profitable? On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear about how current innovations are being delivered to farmers of all types and how future inventions will make their way from a startup’s idea all the way to the farm.
Guest - U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue
Farmland is vital to this nation’s food security, yet it continues to be paved over, fragmented, or converted to poorly planned residential, commercial, energy and industrial uses. Millions of acres of America’s agricultural land were developed or converted to uses that threaten farming between 2001 and 2016, according to “Farms Under Threat: The State of the States,” a new report by American Farmland Trust. We’ll dig into the report on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - American Farmland Trust President John Piotti and American Farmland Trust Midwest Director Kris Reynolds
Inspiring those in agriculture to keep fighting for what the industry believes in. That is ag influencer Jay Hill’s goal. His story started with 10 acres and one tractor and he is now farming over 17,000 acres with 120 employees. Now, Hill takes his phone all around the farm to share the good and the bad with his nearly 50,000 instagram followers. Hear his message to new and beginning farmers coming up on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Ag Influencer Jay Hill
Over the past 2 months, as farmers and those all along Ohio’s food supply system have continued their essential work, Farm Bureau has been hard at work as well. Advocating and educating to help their members and everyone involved in agriculture navigate through the many challenges brought on by COVID-19. On the next Our Ohio Weekly, hear from 2 leaders of Ohio’s largest farm organization about the efforts being made at the state and national level.
Guests - Adam Sharp, executive vice president of Ohio Farm Bureau and Frank Burkett, president of Ohio Farm Bureau
During the most robust economy in history, about 1.6 million Ohioans relied on Ohio food banks to feed their families. Then COVID-19 hit and folks who already relied on food banks to stretch what their paychecks couldn’t cover were suddenly out of a job, as were thousands upon thousands of others. Find out how food banks are working through the crisis on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest - Lisa Hamler-Fugitt - Executive Director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks
A new study titled Eating 2020: How COVID-19 Will Change Consumer Engagement With Food, surveyed more than 1,800 participants and looked at purchasing trends before, during and after the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions. Learn about the study’s findings coming up on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest - Hinda Mitchell, President of Inspire PR
Our food, water and energy systems all have challenges, known as "Wicked Problems". Learn about those issues and some ideas on how to solve them on the next Our Ohio Weekly as Ty Higgins visits with Great Plains Institute CEO Rolf Nordstrom.
The Coronavirus pandemic has put a strain on just about every business sector across the country. Few more so than the restaurant industry. Restaurants that will survive this crisis most likely have had to do things much differently than their original business model would allow. Some restaurants even morphed into what are now known as groceraunts. Find out more about this unique concept that is keeping some restaurants in business on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Chris Ford – executive Vice President of Operations for Frisch’s Big Boy
Stephan Harman – co-founder of FUSIAN
Mark Swansen – President of Stauf’s Coffee Roasters
Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist for the FCM Division of INTL FCStone Financial Inc.
Chris Henney - President and CEO of the Ohio Agribusiness Association
In the military, it is common practice to put together contingency plans for those in the service and their families. These plans are developed for three phases...before deployment, during deployment and after deployment and they focus on trouble spots that many service men and women deal with, including moral, productivity and burnout. How could the idea of those types of contingency plans work for us as we have changed many aspects of our lives due to COVID-19? Find out how on the next Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Ivory Harlow, Ohio Farm Bureau Organization Director (former Army and National Guard member)
Brian Brown - Ag Influencer on YouTube
Yvonne Lesicko - vice president of public policy with Ohio Farm Bureau
COVID-19 has impacted almost every sector of Ohio’s food production system and the range of that impact is far reaching. This week we’ll hear from the state’s commodity groups about how their farmers are being affected directly from the global coronavirus pandemic and the steps they are taking to keep our food supply readily available.
Guests - Dr. John Newton – Chief Economist - American Farm Bureau Federation
Tadd Nicholson – Executive Director - Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association
Kirk Merritt – Executive Director - Ohio Soybean Association
Elizabeth Harsh – Executive Director - Ohio Cattlemen’s Association
Scott Higgins – President and CEO - American Dairy Association Mideast
Dave Shoup – President - Ohio Pork Council
Show synopsis: Anyone who cares for another likely has experienced the stress and possibly the feelings of helplessness that can come with taking care of an ailing person. Those feelings may be enhanced due to the concerns of older citizens during the COVID-19 crisis. Managing burnout and resources for caregivers will be discussed this week on Our Ohio Weekly.
Guests - Laura Cherry Akgerman, Disability Services Coordinator, Ohio State University Extension
Last week when Gov. Mike DeWine announced a ‘stay-at-home’ executive order, he also pointed out the importance of the food supply chain. He deemed people who have jobs along that chain as essential, giving those involved in agriculture an exemption from the order to continue to supply consumers with the food they need. How is Ohio’s food system holding up? Find out today as we visit with Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Restaurant Association and small farmer and a community grocer.
Guests - Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president Adam Sharp, Ohio Restaurant Association CEO John Barker, Rodhe's IGA Marketplace owner Scott Rodhe and Stark Co. small farmer Bill Brown.
Show synopsis: As usual with the annual Ohio Farm Bureau County Presidents’ Trip to Washington DC, there was not a lack of things to talk about when it comes to issues impacting agriculture and rural America. From CoronaVirus, to new trade deals around the globe, the rural broadband here at home, Farm Bureau representatives made their voices heard about the topics that matter to them. Get a recap of the trip this week on Our Ohio Weekly
Guests - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and American Farm Bureau Chief Economist John Newton
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda announced earlier this year that $30 million in H2Ohio funding will be available for Ohio farmers in more than a dozen counties. The funds will be awarded as part of Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio plan to reduce agricultural phosphorus runoff and prevent algal blooms in Lake Erie. This weekend on Our Ohio Weekly, find about more about H2Ohio and how farmers can qualify for funds.
Guests - Ohio Department of Agriculture H2Ohio WLEB Program Coordinator Clark Hutson and Ohio Farm Bureau Director of Water Quality Jordan Hoewischer.
Shortly after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp, many states ramped up efforts to legalize the crop within their borders. For Ohio, that opportunity came just last year when Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 57 into law, which created a hemp cultivation license to be administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. ODA’s Executive Director of the agency’s hemp program will give us the ins and outs of Ohio’s newest crop.
Guests - Ohio Department of Agriculture Hemp Director David Miran and Ohio Farm Bureau Director of State Policy Tony Seegers
Ag-LINK has been supporting Ohio’s farm community since 1986. In 2019, the Ohio Treasurer's office reopened Ag-LINK early to alleviate some of the borrowing costs for farm operators as they worked their way through a difficult year caused by extreme weather. Find out more about the Ag-LINK interest reduction program and how to apply for it this weekend on Our Ohio Weekly.
Guest - Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague
For the first time since small towns were settled, the number of deaths in rural America now outpaces births. Vast regions of the nation are literally dying. Or are they? In the new book Total Town Makeover, author Andrew McCrea takes you on a journey to places that are very much alive!
It is no secret that agriculture is a hazardous occupation. From large equipment to heavy loads to unpredictable livestock, there is the possibility of an accident around every corner. This week is National Grain Bin Safety Week and Ty visits with experts from Ohio State and Nationwide with some tips to help minimize grain entrapment situations.
Guests - Jason Berkland, Associate Vice President, Risk Management - Nationwide
Dee Jepsen, State Leader, OSU Extension Agricultural Safety & Health Program
Lisa Pfeifer, manager of Ohio State Extension's Grain CART program
There are many challenges facing agriculture today from labor shortages, to consumer perceptions to mental health and opioid addiction in rural Ohio. Those are just some of the difficult issues that were taken on recently by three contestants who took part in the 2020 Ohio Farm Bureau Discussion Meet. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, hear how they would tackle those obstacles in agriculture.
Guests - Micah
Mensing from Ottawa County, David Glass from Ross County and Kalyn Swihart from Allen County.
Food trends are changing rapidly. What impact do food trucks and food home delivery have on the overall food system and how is the food service industry adapting? This week on Our Ohio Weekly, The Ohio Restaurant Association joins Ty Higgins to answer that question.
Guests - Homa Moheimani, Manager of Communications with ORA and Shoshanna Gross, Manager of Major Events with ORA.
The methods for farmers getting information that pertains to their industry and lifestyle have changed in many ways over the generations. This week on Our Ohio Weekly, Ty covers the evolving world of Farm Broadcasting.
Our food, water and energy systems all have challenges, known as "Wicked Problems". Learn about those issues and some ideas on how to solve them as Ty Higgins visits with Great Plains Institute CEO Rolf Nordstrom.