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