Country Life

Many years ago, I had a potential client call and demand my first available appointment. When I inquired about the reason for the emergency, she confided it was custom draperies. (It never ceases to amaze me the issues people can fight over.) This caller was provoked because her seamstress had created new drapes but they were lacking in fullness so the caller was refusing to pay the drapery maker. Since this was a civil dispute, valued at less than $6,000, small claims court provided a quick, inexpensive and fair forum. And no attorney was needed which meant I would not spend months quibbling about curtain negligence.

Within weeks of her call, the potential client had a hearing in small claims court. Neither she nor the curtain creator were happy with the decision which means the judge likely found an equitable resolution. And the matter, which involved much emotion and minimal funds, found closure, without depositions, interrogatories and other invasive, timely and expensive discovery actions.… Continue reading

Farm radio is local, it’s mobile and it’s trusted. Even with the abundance of multiple media and information sources that U.S. farmers have at their fingertips today, new market research shows the trust in the farm broadcaster still leads listeners to rank ag radio as their #1 choice for daily ag news and information.

The new national farm radio listenership study of 1,001 farmers and ranchers conducted by Kynetec Research also validates the importance of ag radio as a primary source for learning about ag products and services – and driving action.

In the survey, 42% of farmer respondents selected farm radio as their first choice for reliable ag news and information, far out-pacing other media sources. In addition, the majority said that hearing a farm broadcaster mention a product or company has a positive impact on their perception of that product or company.

“Growers value radio as a trusted source of quick, accurate updates on ag markets, prices and local weather,” says Debbie Boyle, Kynetec vice president, North America Agriculture.… Continue reading

The Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) within both the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and College of Engineering at The Ohio State University has been ranked ninth in the nation among graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-2026 Best Biological /Agricultural Engineering Graduate Programs rankings, released this week.

This prestigious recognition reflects FABE’s continued excellence in advancing the science and application of engineering in systems involving food, agriculture, and the environment. 

“The ranking is not only a sign of our dedicated faculty, but also a testament to the work that our students are doing,” said Scott Shearer, professor and chair of FABE. “Our department is constantly striving to be a national leader and to improve the experience for our students.”

Because FABE is uniquely positioned as a department within both CFAES and the College of Engineering, it offers students the best of both worlds: the extensive resources of a large research university and the personalized attention of a close-knit academic community.… Continue reading

In this special edition of the Ohio Ag Net Podcast, we take a heartfelt journey through the roots and growth of Ohio’s premier farm broadcast network. Host Matt Reese is joined by former owner Bart Johnson, legendary broadcaster Dale Minyo, and team member Joel Penhorwood.

Together, they unpack the legacy of Ed Johnson, the birth of Ohio Ag Net, the evolution of ag media through radio, print, and podcasts, and the stories—some serious, many humorous—that shaped nearly two decades of service to Ohio agriculture.

Also in this episode, featured audio from around the state, beginning just after the 8-minute mark:

• A Between the Rows update with OCJ Editor Brianna Smith and Dale Miller of Wayne and Holmes County
• Jennie Schultice from Farm Credit Mid-America on the Stock the Trailer program
• Pettisville teacher Donna Meller discusses ag in the classroom with GrowNextGen
• Luke Crumley of Ohio Corn & Wheat shares insight on H2Ohio and water quality policy

Main Podcast Conversation Resumes – 46:32
The crew reflects on the rise of podcasting, video integration, and what’s next for connecting with Ohio farmers.… Continue reading

Recent research on farmer stress has shed light on the challenges agricultural communities face, yet some experiences extend beyond stress into potentially traumatic territory.

To help participants learn how to support farmer well-being and long-term resilience, a Penn State webinar, “Farm Stress Series: Collective Trauma in Agriculture,” will occur from 11 a.m. to noon May 5.

This webinar is aimed at farmers, the agricultural community and mental health professionals.

Natural disasters, rapidly fluctuating markets, economic crises, on-farm injuries and the erosion of rural communities can have lasting effects on farmers’ mental and behavioral health, impacting both individuals and their families. In some cases, these effects ripple through entire communities in a phenomenon known as collective trauma, which can influence farmer decision-making and overall sustainability. Organizers noted that understanding these dynamics is essential for those who work with farmers and seek to support them.

Chris Morris, postdoctoral research associate with Iowa State University, will present during the session.… Continue reading

By Peggy Kirk Hall, Attorney and Director, Agricultural & Resource Law Program

Proposals that would formally designate several “ag-related days” in Ohio, allow Ohio Farm Bureau to provide healthcare benefit coverage to its members, regulate imitation meat and egg products, and expand homemade food production opportunities are receiving attention in the Ohio legislature.  Here’s a summary of the bills and where they stand in the legislative process.

H.B. 65 – Agriculture Appreciation Act

The Ohio House of Representatives passed H.B. 65 on April 2, and the bill was introduced in the Senate on April 8. Sponsored by Rep. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Rep. Bob Peterson (R-Sabina), the act proposes the following official designations:

• “FFA Week” as the week ending with the last Saturday in February.
• “4-H Week” as the week ending with the second Saturday of March.
• “Agriculture Day” on March 21.
• “National Farmers Market Week” as the first full week of August.

Two dozen white-tailed deer taken during the 2024-25 hunting season tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW), out of a total 5,783 deer that were tested. Twenty-three deer were taken by hunters in Allen, Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties. For the first time, a deer harvested by a hunter in Morrow County also tested positive for CWD.

CWD is a neurological disease that is fatal to white-tailed deer and other similar species, including mule deer, elk, and moose. Once an animal is infected, there is no cure for CWD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no strong evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans. Find more information on CWD at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Burning restrictions underway

The Ohio Division of Forestry is urging Ohioans to follow the state’s outdoor burning regulations and to take precautions if they plan to burn debris this spring.… Continue reading

By Dale Minyo, Ohio Ag Net

Each spring, Farm Credit Mid-America team members across Ohio and the region have something to look forward to — not only because they get to visit customers, but because they get to return something meaningful to them. Mid-March was Patronage Week, and for Rudi Pitzer Perry, FCMA Regional Vice President of Ag Lending, it’s one of the most rewarding times of the year.

“Patronage is the name for capital that any cooperative returns to its customers,” Pitzer Perry said. “We started giving patronage back in 2017, paid for the 2016 year, so we’ve been at this nine years now.”

In that time, Farm Credit Mid-America has returned more than $1.5 billion to customer-owners across its six-state area.

“This year specifically, we’re giving back $260 million across our six-state area. Ohio gets $58 million of that,” she said. “We mentioned we’re sitting in Mount Orab — it’s going to get $1.7 million back in investment to their community members that live here.… Continue reading

Show season is upon us, and Roger High of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association (and a noted livestock judge himself) joins several members of the Ohio Ag Net team for a unique discussion about the trends – both differences and similarities – between commercial and show livestock. Ohio Ag Net’s Jeff Reese and Joel Penhorwood, each with unique experience in the show world from a feed and showing perspective, join OCJ’s Matt Reese for this talk about the convergence between the world of market vs. show.

How do judges walk the line between the two standards? It’s a topic with many opinions, and we dive into a few of them in this episode. Tune in!… Continue reading

By Melanie Wilt, APR, Shift•ology Communication

The industrialization of the early 1900s sparked migration from rural to urban areas in the United States. By 1920, for the first time, more Americans lived in urban areas than rural regions. Since then, four generations of Americans have grown up with an urban living experience. That means — a century later — for the first time in U.S. history, most Americans don’t have personal memories of visits to grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ farms or homesteads. Yet, they’re yearning for sustenance only found through open space and connection with the natural world.

Today, 60% of Americans live in urban areas, but the minority living in rural areas have more influence and share-of-voice than ever before, and they are closing the gap by delivering the unapologetic straight talk welcomed by people from all walks of life. This was demonstrated as widespread rural support (75%) for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election became pivotal to send him back into the Oval Office.… Continue reading

By Joe Everett, Ohio Ag Net

All year farmers are busy maintaining and working on their farms. One thing that sometimes slips through the cracks is planning for the future of their operations. It can sometimes be a difficult topic but is vital to the existence of America’s family farms.

According to the USDA, an estimated 70% of U.S. farmland is expected to change hands within the next 20 years. Some of this farmland could unintentionally be sold out of the family if not handled correctly.

First, even before discussions start, it is important to understand how different family members communicate,” said Johnathon Cottingim, a farm succession planning attorney with Wright and Moore Law Co. LPA.

“There is no silver bullet for farm succession. There is not one single approach that guarantees success. The best course for a positive succession planning experience is to know your family. Some families are great at open and honest communication; others are not,” Cottingim said.… Continue reading

By Shelly Detwiler, berry farmer and dietician

Eggs have been stealing the headlines lately. Throw in Easter and finding eggs for your spring celebrations might be like, the return of the cabbage patch doll fiasco!

The story, according to the North Carolina Egg Association, is the deviled egg dates back to ancient Rome where eggs were filled with spicy sauce and served to guests of wealthy hosts. In the centuries that followed, boiled eggs have been filled with many things. In 13^th century Spain, a spicy mixture would be mixed with the egg yolks, then stuffed back into the egg whites and fastened together with small stick (like a toothpick?) In medieval times, eggs were stuffed with an array of things from raisins, cheese, and herbs, fried and then topped with powdered sugar or sauce. The term “deviling” made its debut to the Great Britian culinary world around the turn of the19^th century when hot and spicy recipes became popular.… Continue reading

By Jim Harding, OFA Director of Workforce and Professional Development

For nearly three-quarters of a century, young Ohioans have been learning about and developing an appreciation for the forests and wildlife of our state. Camp Canopy (previously known as the Ohio Forestry & Wildlife Conservation Camp) began in 1950 and has welcomed more than 10,000 high school aged students. It is a testament to the impact that this camp has had on young people when you hear camp stories from many professionals throughout Ohio today.

Some young people arrive at camp having spent many hours and days exploring woodlands and wildlands. Yet, every year it seems that more and more campers arrive at Camp Canopy with relatively little experience in the great outdoors. Regardless of their level of experience, the camp always has new and exciting ways to get the campers engaged in their natural world.  Campers experience what it takes to be a professional forester by practicing tree identification, forest measurements, and learning about silviculture and forest products. … Continue reading

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is seeking volunteers for the fifth annual Midwest Crane Count on the morning of Saturday, April 12. The Division of Wildlife is collaborating with the International Crane Foundation and Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative to conduct the survey.

The Division of Wildlife along with partners and volunteers will count the numbers of sandhill cranes seen or heard in specific counties in Ohio. This year’s crane count takes place in 33 counties. These locations have habitats where sandhill cranes typically nest such as wet meadows, shallow marshes, bogs, and other wetlands. 

A sandhill crane is a tall wading bird characterized by a long neck and bill. It is mostly gray in plumage with a red patch on its forehead. It is often recognized by its rolling bugle call. 
 
The sandhill crane was once extirpated (disappeared) from Ohio but returned to Wayne County in 1987 and has been slowly expanding since.… Continue reading

By Dan Armitage, OCJ outdoors writer

Last year was a record-breaking year for overnight stays at Ohio State parks, when the agency recorded an impressive 1,112,179 overnight stays. The previous record-holding year was 2023 with 1,098,932 overnight reservations. Of the overnight stays, more than 919,600 stays were at state-operated campsites, cabins, camper cabins, and yurts, while approximately 192,500 nights were booked in one of Ohio’s 10 state park lodges and the accompanying lodge cabins. Entry to Ohio state parks is free of charge and they are open every day of the year. Learn more on the Ohio state parks and watercraft site.

Speaking of state park camping opps…

Campground upgrades underway

The North and South Campgrounds at Harrison Lake State Park are set to undergo a transformation, with improvements designed to upgrade visitor amenities and ensure long-term safety, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will temporarily close those areas of the park.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese and Dale Minyo

Teachers have a huge job to do with limited time, budgets and resources. So, when it comes to incorporating the amazing lessons that can be learned through agricultural production in the classroom, a little bit of help can go a long way. 

Donna Meller is a teacher at Pettisville High School. She teaches eighth grade science, environmental science, physics, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and a high school research class. She had an interest in incorporating more real world, agricultural-based lessons in her teaching, but was not sure how to go about it.

“Even though it’s a very rural area, the students don’t have a farming background. I was realizing they did not understand where their food was coming from. I had to make it real world for them and also connect it to what was in their world around them,” Meller said. “John Poulson was the ag teacher at the time and he was a huge mentor of mine.… Continue reading

By Christopher R. Gibbs

There’s a food fight on the horizon, and U.S. farmers stand to lose.

After being floated for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was ultimately confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to the HHS website, their mission is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human services and fostering sound and sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services.

A tall order for Kennedy, as his stance on America’s food system has been a blend of alarmism, conspiracy theories, and musings about increased regulation on U.S. agriculture.

Agriculture in the crosshairs

In supporting Kennedy for a cabinet post, the president wanted him to ‘go wild’ on health, food, and medicine. That must have been music to Kennedy’s ears as he’s spent his career promising to unravel 80 years of farm policy, claiming seed oils and sweeteners from soybeans and corn were responsible for a health crisis in America, and stating under oath in 2009 that hog farmers are more of a threat to the American people than Osama bin Laden.… Continue reading

In this thought-provoking episode of the Ohio Ag Net Podcast, host Matt Reese is joined by Ty Higgins of Ohio Farm Bureau and Melanie Wilt of Shift•ology Communication and Clark County Commissioner.

Together, they dive into the concept of echo chambers—what they are, how they affect us, and the implications for agriculture, media, and beyond. From a tragic community crisis in Springfield to Chihuahua anecdotes and family holiday debates, the trio explores how differing perspectives shape our understanding of the world.

They also offer insights on how agriculture can better communicate across divides in an era dominated by curated information and social media algorithms. It’s a challenging yet constructive conversation about the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones.… Continue reading

The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025-2026 scholarship program. Designed to support students pursuing careers that will shape the future of the soybean industry, the OSA Scholarship Program reflects the organization’s commitment to fostering the next generation of agricultural leaders.

As the membership and policy voice for Ohio soybean farmers, OSA established this scholarship to encourage students passionate about advocating for the future of soybeans.

This year’s recipients are Ruth Beery and Morgan Anderson, each awarded a $1,000 scholarship for their dedication to agriculture and related fields

• Ruth Beery, of Frankfort is a junior at Wilmington College majoring in animal science and biology.

• Morgan Anderson, of Amanda is a junior at Ohio University studying Journalism: News & Information.

“We are excited to support these talented students who are not only committed to their academic success but also passionate about contributing to the future of the soybean industry,” said Rusty Goebel, Williams County farmer and President of the Ohio Soybean Association.… Continue reading