Fun at the Farm Science Review

Wow! What a fun Farm Science Review! The weather was the best we have had in recent years and we really enjoyed the chance to talk with so many of you who dropped in to see us. We got to lament the challenges of a difficult 2019 but celebrate the bright future of agriculture in Ohio too. We also had the chance to talk with many great guests who will be featured in upcoming broadcasts, podcasts, videos, and OCJ stories.

This year’s late harvest boosted attendance at the farm show, which attracted 114,590 people over three days. Typically at this time of the year, many farmers are driving combines. Instead, some were eyeing brand-new combines and tractors displayed at the show, taking pictures of their children and grandchildren behind the wheel at the Farm Science Review.

Under sunny skies and welcoming mild temperatures, visitors learned about the economics of producing malting barley, legal issues associated with growing hemp, the most common mistakes made by family-run farms, and tactics to reduce the risks of producing corn and soybeans, among other topics.

“During a challenging year, Farm Science Review provides a lot of optimism for those in the agriculture field,” said Nick Zachrich, manager of FSR. “Here, farmers can enjoy themselves and also learn how to improve their operations.”

Many of the educational talks at Farm Science Review addressed Ohio’s agricultural crisis in which persistent spring rain delayed or prevented planting on an unprecedented number of acres statewide.

Along with the tension that came with late or no planting this year and low commodity prices, unresolved trade talks between the United States and China, the nation’s top soybean buyer, are adding to the uncertainty.

Sometimes families add to the pressures of farming by how they run their businesses, noted Jolene Brown, a professional speaker and author who gave a talk on the most common errors family-run farms make.

“We run as a family-first business and that means, ‘Don’t rock the boat and make Dad mad,’ ” Brown said. “If you want to be a family-first business, that’s OK as long as your business can be a hobby.”

Mark your calendars for next year’s Farm Science Review, which will be Sept. 22-24, 2020.