Town Hall Ohio

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. On this Our Ohio Weekly, we talk all things solar with two Ohio Farm Bureau experts. 00:00 - Dale Arnold, Ohio Farm Bureau’s Director of Energy Policy and Ohio Farm Bureau’s policy counsel, Leah Curtis talk about the current issues around Ohio’s solar industry and what Farm Bureau members need to know before signing an agreement. 23:50 - On this week’s To the Beat of Agriculture, you’ll hear from a Butler County farmer who was recently elected to the U.S. Grains Council and about the type of impact that organization makes not only in Ohio, but across the world. 32:20 - Earlier this month, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) w

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 this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - Nick Zachrich, manager of Farm Science Review, talks about all of the exhibits, activities, field demonstrations and other highlights of this year’s show. 23:50 - On this week’s To the Beat of Agriculture, we’ll hear the story of a farm in eastern Ohio whose history with conservation led to a much deserved award. 32:20 - Ohio’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation will be set up at this year’s Farm Science Review to visit with attendees about hearing protection on the farm. BWC’s Admin

A TMDL, or Total Maximum Daily Load determines the maximum amount of a given pollutant that can be discharged into a body of water and still allow that water body to meet its water quality goals. One such TMDL is being put together right now by Ohio EPA for a big chunk of northwest Ohio, the Maumee River Watershed. On this Our Ohio Weekly learn more about how TMDLs work and what this new one could mean for Ohio agriculture. 00:00 - Joshua Griffin, Ohio EPA Environmental Specialist talks about Ohio’s newest TMDL, the development process and impacts on northwest Ohio. 16:50 - Ohio Farm Bureau’s Sr. Director of Policy Development & Environmental Policy, Dr. Larry Antosch, talks about Farm Bureau’s involvement in the TMDL process and the organization’s overall policy on TMDLs. 23:50 - “To the Beat of Agriculture, hear from the C.O.O of a family farm in Jeffersonville. Learn about his sister, Gail Betterly and the incredible gift of a Nationwide life insurance policy she left for the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation

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 this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - American Farm Bureau is giving the dairy industry a chance to talk about pricing and meaningful changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order system. The Forum will be held on October 14th-16th in Kansas City. AFBF economist Danny Munch shares the details. 16:50 - Ohio Farm Bureau recently filed two amicus briefs in prominent court cases. One being Ohio Power v. Burns case, an eminent domain case at the Supreme Court level here

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. 00:00 - American Farmland Trust Midwest Regional Director Kristopher Reynolds shares what trends are showing us for farmland loss across the country and how Ohio falls into the mix. 16:50 - American Farmland Trust has mapped out three scenarios for the future of farmland across the country. Reynolds talks about what they a

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. 00:00 - Ohio’s new State Resource Conservationist with NRCS, Eric Schwab talks about the natural resource priorities NRCS has in the state, and how partners and producers have made a measurable impact. 16:50 - Cathann Kress, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences talks about her reappointment to the post and Delaware County Farm Bur

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. It is a very busy time for fair manager Virgil Strickler and assistant manager Alicia Shoults, but they take some time to tell us everything we need to know before getting back to the giant slide, sky glide and foods we have never tried. 00:00 - Virgil Stricker, General Manager of the Ohio State Fair and Alicia Shoults, Assistant General Manager give all of the details of what to see and do when you visit the 167th Ohio State Fair, July 27th through August 7th. 23:50 - On this week’s “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear from a man who left his career to work alongside his father-in-law on the farm. Learn how he became involved in Ohio Farm Bureau and the skills he acquired through Farm Bureau’s AgriPOWER program. 32:20 - When yo

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 this Our Ohio Weekly, we will focus on practical issues landowners, hunters, and other lessees may consider while drafting leases. 00:00 - Rusty Rumley, a Senior Staff Attorney at theNational Agricultural Law Center shares how to help minimize legal risk and other potential problems when it comes to a hunting lease and how both the landowner and the hunter need to recognize these issues prior to entering into a lease. 23:50 - As our “To the Beat of Agriculture” series introducing you to state trustees of Ohio Farm Bureau continues, hear from

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? How are larger companies protecting themselves from such attacks and what could you be doing to protect your operation? Find out on this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - John Gray, Chief Information Officer, Ohio Farm Bureau and Michael Moore, Executive Vice President - EFC Systems, Inc. talk about how the organizations they work for and with are taking appropriate cybersecurity measures to protect themselves from attacks that could impact the entire food supply chain. 23:50 - This week “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear a story of one man’s journey from the front lines of war battlefields to planting fiel

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, Ohio Farm Bureau's Dr. Larry Antosch, senior director of policy development and environmental policy and Jordan Hoewischer, director of water quality and research, share the results of the 2022 Ohio Water Quality Status Report. 00:00 - Antosch and Hoewischer give the details of the 2022 Water Quality Status Report. 23:50 - As we continue to feature Ohio Farm Bureau state trustees “To the Beat of Agriculture”, this week hear from the representative of District 12, Kyle Walls. He talks about how he came into agriculture as a first generation farmer and how taking a job all the way in South Dakota helped cement his future in the Buckeye State. 32:20 - With county fair

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 this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - Ohio FSA Director John Patterson talks about his new role and the goals he has set for himself and his team throughout the state. 16:50 - Director Patterson has been impressed with the early success of H2Ohio and shares his views are what farmers are doing and will need to do in order to maintain healthy soils on the farm and clean water for all Ohioans. 23:50 - On this “To the Beat of Agriculture”, meet Ohio Farm Bureau’s District 8 Trustee, Roger Baker. Hear about his l

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 this Our Ohio Weekly, meet these off-the-beaten-path reporters and find out what they are learning about rural Ohio. 00:00 - Reporters Emma Davis and Céilí Doyle discuss the challenges of covering rural Ohio for their respective news outlets and how becoming entrenched in the people and the stories of those parts of the state have impacted their reporting. 23:50 - As we feature more Ohio Farm Bureau state trustees “To the Beat of Agriculture”, this week we meet the organization’s District 19 Representative. Learn about John Mossbarger’s background in the e

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 Jonathan McCracken on this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - Director McCracken gives an overview of his agency and what his new role entails, as well as some of the challenges and opportunities facing USDA Rural Development in Ohio. 23:50 - On this “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear from a Washington County farmer representing Ohio Farm Bureau’s District 17 as a state trustee. Learn about how Al Miller now owns his family farm and the importanc

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is well known how big of a challenge mental health in the U.S. is, but very few realize how rural parts of our country are being impacted. A new nonprofit, Rural Minds, was launched last year to provide rural Americans with efficient access to existing mental health service organizations and address the importance of overcoming the stigma around mental health challenges. 00:00 - The Founder of Rural Minds, Jeff Winton, talks about why he started the non-profit organization to combat mental health challenges in rural America and if progress is being made in breaking down the stigmas that come along with the issue. 23:50 - On this week’s “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear from a Zanesville resident whose family farm has operated since the 1800’s. Learn more about Ohio Farm Bureau State Trustee Matt Bell’s operation and his hopes for the next generation of farmers in his family. 32:20 - Farm Bureau has been working to encourage conversations about stress and mental hea

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. 00:00 - Newly appointed Ohio NRCS Chief John Wilson talks about stepping into his new role and some of the challenges and goals he has for his agency moving forward. 23:50 - On this week’s “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear from the President of Ohio Farm Bureau, Bill Patterson, as he shares his story of diving into agritourism and how Farm Bureau truly begins in your community with the local farmer. 32:20 -

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 this Our Ohio Weekly, we'll go over the results. 00:00 - Dr. Joy Rumble, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership at Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences highlights the findings of their meat options survey. 23:50 - On this “To the Beat of Agriculture, we’ll hear from the First Vice President of the Ohio Farm Bureau and learn how Cy Prettyman’s passion for livestock as a child turned into a 30-year (and counting) agricultu

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 talk about the role of biofuels in the President's announcement and how the future of homegrown energy looks. 00:00 - Troy Bredenkamp, Senior VP for Government and Public Affairs with the Renewable Fuels Association and Donnell Rehagen, CEO, Clean Fuels Alliance America talk about what The Biden Administration’s biofuels announcement means for their industries and what the future of ethanol and biodiesel could look like. 16:50 - 23:50 - “To the Beat of Agriculture” as we meet more Ohio Farm Bureau board members, hear from the current

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 and on this Our Ohio Weekly, Ty visits with the organization’s Senior Director of Food & Agribusiness, Tim Derickson. 00:00 - Tim Derickson, Senior Director of Food & Agribusiness at JobsOhio shares the agency’s mission and a recent study about Innovation and Infrastructure in Ohio. 23:50 - On this “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear from the Representative of the 13th District, Jerry Lahmers. He represents Ohio Farm Bureau members in

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. 00:00 - Melinda Witten, Senior Director, Leadership Development with Ohio Farm Bureau, Christine Snowden from Franklin County and Greg Tholen from Highland County talk about the AgriPOWER program and some of the takeaways from being a part of Class XII. 23:50 - On this episode of “To the Beat of Agriculture”, meet Chris Weaver, Ohio Farm Bureau Board Trustee representing the 1st District of Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams Counties. He talks about his California roots and the

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 from Kris Swartz, farmer and Chair, Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative, Jordan Hoewischer, Director of Water Quality and Research, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and Dr. John Fulton, Professor and Extension Specialist, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. 00:00 - Swartz, Fulton and Hoewischer talk abo