Town Hall Ohio

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. 00:00 - Rebecca Singer, CIFT's President and CEO and Elizabeth Murawski, Business and Workforce Development Manager for CIFT talk about how their organization encourages economic development by providing technical innovations and solutions for the food processing and agricultural industries. 23:50 - Meet Young Ag Professionals Jonathan and A

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 this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - 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 and Dr. Mary Doidge, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at McGill University in Montreal discuss their project that focuses on the past and expected future climate conditions, and how farmers plan to adapt. 23:50 - After a series of life changing events

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 Our Ohio Weekly, find out what the latest data suggests. 00:00 - Dr. Larry Antosch, senior director of policy development and environmental policy with Ohio Farm Bureau and Jordan Hoewischer, Ohio Farm Bureau's director of water quality and research discuss how Ohio and the state’s farmers are doing on holding up their end of the Western Lake Erie Collaborative agreement? 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", meet the 2021 Golden Owl Award winner, Don Hammersmith. 32:20 - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown talks about how trade policy might change under the Biden Administration and what he is hearing from farm familie

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 boom 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? Ironically energy that uses light is becoming a heavy topic in Ohio and we will cover it all on this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - Dale Arnold, director of energy policy with Ohio Farm Bureau and OFBF's senior director of state and national policy, Brandon Kern, talk about the development of solar energy projects across the state and how the process of starting a project may be changing. 23:50 - Meet the newly elected Ohio Farm Bureau state trustee, Danielle Burch, "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - Ohio Farm Bureau's director of water quality and research, Jordan Hoewischer, talks about th

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 this Our Ohio Weekly. 00:00 - The JBS cyber attack puts even more emphasis on more regional capacity needs. Ohio Farm Bureau's Brandon Kern talks about what is being done in Ohio in that front. 05:58 - The Ad Council's Hannah Lipps and Charysse Nunez talk about the COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, giving Americans all of the information they need before making the decision to get vaccinated. 23:50 - Meet the newly elected President of Ohio FFA, Jacob Zajkowski, "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - Dr. Christina Canfield M.D., a family medicine physician from Wakefie

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. 00:00 - American Farm Bureau's director of congressional relations, Andrew Walmsley and AFBF Shelby Swain Myers discuss the emerging markets for sustainability and carbon credits. 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", meet the new President of the American Sheep Industry and Ohio sheep farmer, Susan Schulz. 32:20 - American Farm Bureau's director of congressional relations, Andrew Walmsley and AFBF Shelby Swain Myers talk about the revenue potential in the carbon market. 42:20 - The application deadline for Ohio Farm Bureau's Young Ag P

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 this Our Ohio Weekly, find out about the newly released results. 00:00 - Ohio State University's College of Food Agriculture and Environmental Sciences' School of Environment and Natural Resources' Dr. Douglas Jackson Smith, Dr. Shoshanah Inwood and Dr. Andrea Rissing talk about The Ohio Farm Poll, what the results told us and future plans for the poll. 23:50 - When you think of bison, what comes to mind? Rolling pastures, tumbleweeds and a sandy desert? You probably don't think about Ohio. On this "To the Beat of Agriculture", meet a bison farmers from Grove City. 32:20 - Ohio farmers were

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. 00:00 - Comedian Greg Warren talks about his Amazon Prime special "Where the Field Corn Grows". 16:50 - Ray Atkinson, American Farm Bureau's Director of Communication, gives details on the new Farm State of Mind resource directory for those struggling with farm stress and mental health. 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", meet the 2021 Ohio Pork Council Pork Industry Excellence Award winner, Duane Stateler, and here about his farm that is several generations strong. 32:20 - Hocking County Farm Bureau’s Ivory Harlow shares info about Hocking County

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. 00:00 - Brett Sciotto, President and CEO of Aimpoint Research and Ohio Farm Bureau's Executive Vice President Adam Sharp talk about Aimpoint's Farmer of the Future research. 23:50 - Meet Farm Girl with Curls blogger, Lauren Eyre, "To the Beat of Agriculture". She is now a member of the Aimpoint Research Agri-Food WatchDesk Team. 32:20 - Gregg Doud, Aimpoint Research VP of Global Situational Awareness and Chief Economist, gives a short and long term outlook for the farm economy.

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. 00:00 - Learn about Ohio Corn and Wheat and some of the things happening on the farm today. 16:50 - Find out how corn farmers and ethanol can be a big part of the climate conversation and other issues OCWGA have their eye on. 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", meet John Linder. He farms in Morrow County and is currently the President of the National Corn Growers Association. 32:20

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. 00:00 - Dean Kress talks about the challenges her faculty and staff faced and how they navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic to continue operations and education. 16:50 - Innovation and research also continued at CFAES. Dean Kress shares some of the new happenings on Waterman Farm. 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", hear the story of Groveport, Ohio farmer, Katherine Harrison, and her farm that is home to a growing goat yoga operation (among other things). But more than that, Harrison Farm is about planting seeds of persevera

Ohio Farm Bureau has new leadership. Former president Frank Burkett left the OFBF board and was elected to the Nationwide board of directors shortly thereafter. Ohio Farm Bureau founded the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in 1926, which later became Nationwide. Burkett’s selection to the Nationwide board demonstrates the company’s continued deep connections to the ag industry. On this Our Ohio Weekly, meet newly elected president, Bill Patterson, and learn about his vision and goals in his new Ohio Farm Bureau role. 00:00 - New Ohio Farm Bureau president Bill Patterson talks about the challenges and goals his organization has in 2021 and beyond. 16:50 - Jack Irvin, vice president of public policy with Ohio Farm Bureau shares how proposed legislation in Congress would tax capital gains at death and eliminate stepped-up basis as a way to raise revenue for government spending, causing Farm Bureau to issue an Action Alert to our members. 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", visit one Perry Cou

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. On this Our Ohio Weekly, Ty Higgins visits with ag media mogul, Rob Sharkey, who is changing the way farmers and those involved in agriculture get their entertainment and information. 00:00 - Rob Sharkey, The Shark Farmer, talks about why he started his podcast and how it has boomed into shows on SiriusXM radio and RFD-TV. 23:50 - In honor of Women's History Month, meet Central State ag instructor Dr. Cindy Folck "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - The deadline to sign up for the 2021 ExploreAg Camps is April 2nd. Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation's executive director Kelly Burns has all of the details. 42:20 - USDA/NASS will be s

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. 00:00 - Chad Wilson, Associate Vice President, Office of Government Relations with Nationwide talks about Hands-Free Ohio and why the initiative is so important. 16:50 - Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy with Ohio Farm Bureau talks about Stepped-Up Basis, how it would work in President Biden's tax plan and what farm families should be aware of. 23:50 - You might know Ohio farmer Cory Atley

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. On this 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. 00:00 - Adam Sharp, executive vice president of Ohio Farm Bureau and OFBF’s senior director of state and national policy, Brandon Kern talk about some of their organization's policy issues for 2021. 23:50 - "To the Beat of Agriculture", meet a farmer who had a lucrative career outside of agriculture, but couldn't resist the pull for he and his wife to get back home . 32:20 - Ohio Farm Bureau’s Policy Counsel Leah Curtis talks about a recent win in an eminent domain case. 42:20 -Ivory Harlow, organization director for Ross

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. 00:00 - Ohio No-Till Council President and Hardin County farmer Jan Layman and Council board member and Highland County farmer Nathan Brown talk about why No-Till farming works for them and how the practice is trending upward. 23:50 - Meet a Ross County farmer who walked away from a successful career and took a massive financial gamble to start a farming career "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - Ohio Farm Bureau’s Senior Director of policy development and environmental policy, Dr. Larry Antosch, talks about the newly revised 590 Nutrient Management Standard. 42:20 - Lindsay Shoup, o

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. On this Our Ohio Weekly we will get a behind the scenes look at the case and what its result means for Ohio farmers. 00:00 - Leah Curtis, policy counsel for Ohio Farm Bureau and Tom Fusonie, an attorney with the law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease. 23:50 - Meet educator Becky Cropper and hear how she is positively impacting young lives in southwest Ohio classrooms "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - Jack Irvin, vice president of public policy with Ohio Farm Bureau gives the details on Governor DeWine's budget proposal for 2021-2022 and what it means for agriculture. 42

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. 00:00 - Barnwood Builders star Mark Bowe. 23:50 - Barn artist Bob Kroeger talks about his journey to preserve rural Ohio history "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - Jason Berkland, Associate Vice President of Risk Management with Nationwide gives details about Grain Bin Safety Week and the Nominate your Fire Department Contest. 42:20 - The ARC/PLC signup deadline is March 15th. Find out about an upcoming webinar designed to help farmers make their election decisions from Ohio State Extension Educator, Mary Griffith.

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 this Our Ohio Weekly, hear some of Secretary Vilsack’s ideas for his return to USDA and learn about a 2020 success story in the work of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation. 00:00 - Secretary Tom Vilsack talks about water quality and diversifying America's food supply system and Mike Townsley, chairman of Bob Evans Farms/Post Refrigerated Retail shares about his involvement on the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Board. 16:50 - OFBF Foundation Executive Director Kelly Burns talks about the successes of 2020 and some scholarship opportunities. 23:50 - New Foundation Board member, Jenna Gregorich, tells her story of being the f

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. As you might imagine, those in the farm banking world are keeping a close eye how their customers are fairing. On this Our Ohio Weekly, we get a near and long-term outlook for agriculture from the CEO of Farm Bureau Bank. 00:00 - Farm Bureau Bank CEO WIll Hileman. 23:50 - Jim Croskey, beekeeper from Holmes County was recently recognized nationally for his craft. He tells his story "To the Beat of Agriculture". 32:20 - Land o Lakes CEO Beth Ford spoke to American Farm Bureau members at the 2021 Virtual Convention and shared her thoughts on the issues of rural broadband and climate smart farming practices. 42:20 - OFBF Policy Counsel Leah Curtis talks about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for Ohio a