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