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.