Much like in their nursery in northeast Ohio, Mike and Patti Boyert hope the seeds they are planting with the help of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation are perennials that stand the test of time. The foundation’s new Growing Tomorrow Grant was created to help inspire, encourage and nurture young agricultural professionals and entrepreneurs to find creative and transformative ways to address challenges facing the agricultural sector today, and to generate wider and deeper public understanding of farming and the ways that agriculture impacts our nation and our communities. This grant-making progr ..read more

The Census of Agriculture, released by USDA every five years, helps to tell the story of agriculture at the farm level. The latest data shared from the 2022 census shows a scenario that farmers are very familiar with: turning adversity into success. As an example, updated statistics show that although Ohio realized a loss in the number of farms in 2022 compared to 2017, total sales from those farms jumped from $9 billion in 2017 to over $15 billion in 2022. Plus, despite the obstacles it takes to get started, more people are wanting to be a part of this great way of life. In fact, the number ..read more

A decades-old building with a completely renovated interior, shiny new exterior paint and pies to die for inside sits on the southeast corner of Route 68 and New Burlington Road in the Wilmington hamlet of Lumberton. Emma Buchanan Its rebirth is a welcome sight in a community that fretted about the eyesore the once iconic 68 Family Restaurant had become after it was left to waste away in 2015. The unlikely yet perfectly logical new owners, Farm Bureau members Emma Buchanan and her husband Sam Ginn, came by way of San Francisco, though at least one of them had left their heart in northern Clin ..read more

Continuing a sweet corn legacy can be a tad daunting. When Original Lutz Farms Sweet Corn of Warren, Ohio, announced on Facebook that it was not growing or selling corn in 2021, the farm’s social media page was flooded with distraught customers near and far who had patronized the northeast Ohio business for many years. Between 2021 and 2022, Harvey Lutz sold his sweet corn handling equipment to fellow farmers Nate and Kaylee Zimmet of Cortland. While the couple grew up in farming families, the Zimmets had been row crop farmers with limited direct-to-consumer retail marketing experience up to ..read more

Ohio Farm Bureau’s legal team has created a new members-only resource for those looking for information about rules and regulations for small-scale food businesses. The Small-Scale Food Business Guide covers both federal and state regulations for selling food products such as raw meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods, cottage foods, fruits and vegetables, honey and more. The guide provides a breakdown of the registration, licensing, processing, food safety, inspection, labeling, and any other regulatory/legal standards to be considered when running a small-scale food business. Look at this guide whe ..read more

The following information is provided by Nationwide, the No. 1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.¹ Selling farm products directly to consumers is a way for farmers and ranchers to diversify revenue. There’s massive consumer demand for food products straight from farms and ranches. Direct-to-consumer ag sales got popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, new resources and technology are broadening the different types of sales tools and strategies available to farmers. Selling direct can be a lucrative addition U.S. farmers sell more than $10 billion in food directly each year. This includes f ..read more

Krysti Morrow is still looking for the “sweet spot” for marketing the lamb, beef and chicken she and her husband sell to individuals from their Rocky Knob Farms in Morgan County. But the young mother has had plenty of success as she figures out how to best promote the retail side of the farm through regular emails, lively blogs on the farm website and forays onto Facebook and Instagram. “Consistency is the key,” said Morrow, 31, who has owned the 36-acre farm in McConnelsville with her husband, Levi, since 2016. “You want to show up in people’s email inboxes and on social media regularly, so ..read more

When customers shop at Bonner Farms Beef and Market near Garrettsville, they’re looking for information along with their meat. “That’s the backbone of the local meat shop,” said Richard Bonner. “People who come into our shop want to know where the meat is coming from, and they’re paying a premium for it.” From left: Joe, RaeLynn and Richard Bonner To fill that consumer demand, Richard and his wife, Rae Lynn, have expanded on their family farm by opening a meat shop and building a processing facility. This vertical integration allows them to control every step in the production process from ra ..read more

Created in 1993, Ohio Proud is the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s marketing program that identifies and promotes food and agriculture made in Ohio and grown in Ohio. The Ohio Proud logo allows consumers to easily find and buy products that are made in their home state. The program helps business owners and producers with marketing, sales and support – empowering Ohio companies to grow and thrive. To explain more about Ohio Proud’s mission and impact, ODA Director Brian Baldridge participated in a Q&A about the program. Q: Explain the importance of Ohio Proud. A: The Ohio Proud program t ..read more

The following information is provided by Nationwide, the No.1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.¹. Finding time to talk to your family about succession planning for your farm may be difficult. You may also be uncomfortable with the thought of selling your farm or handing over control to family members. But making the time to develop a transition plan for your farming business will help you ensure that your (and your family’s) wishes are met, emotional stress is minimized, and financial risks and opportunities are addressed. A trained financial professional can help you develop your transition ..read more