Buckeye People

The Ohio Auctioneers Association recognized Bart K. Sheridan of Cedarville, Ohio, as one of its 2019 inductees into the Ohio Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame at its annual Conference and Show on January 5. Sheridan’s longtime auctioneer friends and competitors John Muncy of New Lebanon and Kevin Wendt of Plain City shared the microphone as they shared Sheridan’s biography and the accomplishments that paved the way for the recognition.

His father, longtime auctioneer and the 1996 OAA Hall of Fame inductee Keith Sheridan, was in attendance and provided the final introduction comments by video. Muncy and Wendt chronicled Sheridan’s twenty-four years as a professional auctioneer, preceded by growing up an auctioneer’s family. Sheridan received his Bachelor of Accountancy degree in 1989 from Miami University before practicing as a CPA in New Jersey and Ohio. He began his career as an auctioneer and real estate broker in 1995 shortly after returning to Ohio from New Jersey with his wife, Sandy, and his children.… Continue reading

Forty-four individuals and one group were recently recognized at the 94th Ohio Fair Managers Association annual convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for outstanding service to their local fairs. Of this group, eight received the Director’s Award for Innovation and Excellence for their progressive ideas and actions to improve and strengthen their fairs. Ohio Department of Agriculture Interim Director Tim Derickson presented each winner with a certificate. Those chosen for the special honor (denoted by an asterisk below) received plaques.

The award recipients were:

Adams County: Mark Wickerham

Allen County: Max McCluer

Ashland County: Susan VanBuskirk Denbow*

Attica Independent: Bill Ruffing

Belmont County: Roger Perkins

Clark County: Dr. John Agle

Clermont County: Janice Schoellman

Columbiana County: Michael A. Conny

Coshocton County: Joe Wells

Crawford County: Travis Koschnick

Delaware County: Andrew Brenner

Fayette County: Dr. Robert Schwartz

Franklin County: Cornell Robertson

Franklin County: Ken Jewell*

Franklin County: Neil Distelhorst

Gallia County: Mike McCalla*

Geauga County: Artie Pritt

Greene County: Gary Zehring*

Hamilton County: Kristy Cook

Hardin County: Jim Bidwell

Harrison County: Nelson Birney

Henry County: Phil Parsons

Henry County: Marian Parsons

Huron County: Community Minded Fair Supporters Committee*

Lake County: Joe Slansky*

Marion County: Pat Baldinger

Medina County: Jeff Otterbacher

Miami County: John F.… Continue reading

By Joel Penhorwood, Ohio Ag Net

Ty Higgins is moving on from his role at Ohio Ag Net and Ohio’s Country Journal to become the new director of media relations for Ohio Farm Bureau. Though we will miss Ty going forward, we are excited to continue to work with him in his new role.

He will be the Farm Bureau’s primary point of contact for journalists reporting on farm, food, environmental, and public policy issues. Higgins also will contribute content across Farm Bureau’s print, broadcast and social channels and work with Farm Bureau members as they communicate with public officials and consumers. Higgins will work alongside Ohio Farm Bureau Senior Director of Corporate Communications Joe Cornely, who will retire at the end of 2019.

 … Continue reading

Greg and Theresa Corcoran of Chillicothe have been appointed to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee for the 2019-2021 term beginning in March.

“Dedicated Farm Bureau leaders, such as those selected to serve on national committees, remain the foundation of our grassroots organization,” said Zippy Duvall, AFBF president. “We commend them for their willingness to serve and build greater understanding between modern farmers and consumers.”

As Ross County Farm Bureau members, both have been very involved in local activities, with Greg serving on the board of trustees. They also have participated in local and statewide Young Agricultural Professionals activities, which are geared toward Farm Bureau members ages 18-35. They are part owners of Corcoran Farms, a multi-generational farm in Pike, Ross and Scioto counties. The farm produces corn, soybeans, popcorn, wheat, hay and includes a Certified Angus feedlot with its own cow-calf operation. In addition, Theresa works as a physical therapist at a skilled nursing facility.… Continue reading

Seed Consultants, Inc., welcomes Travis Smith as a District Sales Manager in north central Ohio. Smith holds a degree in Agricultural Business and Applied Economics with a specialization in Agronomy from the Ohio State University. Prior to joining SCI, Travis has had experience in sales, agronomy and seed.

“I look forward to Travis being a part of our sales team and making an immediate impact. He brings excellent experience to the SCI team and is the type of individual we want to build our sales force around.” said Brian George, Business Development Lead for SCI.… Continue reading

The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) elected new members to its Board of Trustees at its annual meeting, held in conjunction with the Ohio Grain Farmers Symposium, on Tuesday. Each person was elected to a 3-year term on the board.

Rusty Goebel of Williams County was elected to serve District 1, which includes Fulton, Henry, Lucas and Williams Counties. Goebel operates a 2,000-acre corn, soybean, wheat and livestock operation in Stryker, Ohio. He’s a board member for the Stryker Farmers Co-op Board and a trustee of Springfield Township. Goebel is also a member of Ohio Pork Producers, the Ohio Farm Bureau and the Stryker Chamber of Commerce.

OSA re-elected Derek Reusser of Holmes County to represent District 12, including Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Fairfield, Franklin, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Knox, Licking, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne Counties. He farms 900 acres of soybeans and corn in Lakeville, Ohio. Reusser is a past Ohio Farm Bureau Young Ag Professional participant, FFA alumnus and an active 4-H advisor.… Continue reading

At their respective meetings in November, the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) and Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) Boards of Trustees elected their executive committees to lead their organizations in 2019.

OSC will maintain the same officers as 2018: Steve Reinhard of Crawford County as chairman, Bill Bateson of Hancock County as vice chairman, Jeff Magyar of Ashtabula County as treasurer, and Bill Bayliss of Logan County as secretary. The board also welcomed two new members. David Clark of Warren County will represent District 13 and Mike Ralph of Union County will represent District 9. Jeff Magyar was also recently appointed to the United Soybean Board.

Scott Metzger of Ross County was elected to serve as 2019 OSA president. He has previously served as first vice president, vice president and treasurer. Metzger also sits on the American Soybean Association Board of Directors. He farms more 3,100 acres of soybeans, corn, wheat and malting barley.… Continue reading

Rep. Brian Hill of Zanesville was recently selected to the Ohio Senate to fill the vacancy created by U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson’s election to Congress. Previously serving the 97th District, Rep. Hill will now represent Fairfield, Hocking, Morgan, Muskingum and Guernsey counties, as well as portions of Pickaway and Athens counties.

As a farmer himself, Rep. Hill has been a good leader and advocate for family farmers in the state. He’s had a sound, science-based approach to issues, and stayed focused on building partnerships among all stakeholders during his tenure as the Chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

“We congratulate Rep. Hill on his new position,” said Scott Metzger, Ohio Soybean Association president and Ross County soybean farmer. “We’ve enjoyed working closely with him in the House and look forward to continuing that work with him in the Senate.”

House Republicans will now select a successor to Rep.… Continue reading

Jeff Magyar of Ashtabula County has been appointed by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to serve on the United Soybean Board (USB).

USB manages the national soybean checkoff which was created by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Information Act. The board is composed of 73 members representing 29 states and Eastern and Western regions. The newly-appointed farmer-leaders were sworn in as directors at the USB annual meeting in St. Louis this week.

“I’m glad to see Jeff appointed to USB and have the opportunity to represent all U.S. soybean farmers,” said Steve Reinhard, Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) Chairman, Crawford County soybean farmer and USB board member. “He’s an active leader in Ohio, advocating for important projects that will give farmers a return on their investment. I know he’ll do the same at USB.”

Magyar currently serves on the OSC Board of Trustees, as well as the Ohio Soybean Association.… Continue reading

Andrea Kackley has been named organization director for Ohio Farm Bureau in Morgan, Muskingum, Perry and Washington Counties. She will work with the county Farm Bureaus to address issues important to members and their communities.

Kackley is a native of Guernsey County where she participated in 4-H and FFA. She graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in agribusiness and applied economics. While at Ohio State, she was an undergrad research assistant with the Farm Income Enhancement Program. Prior to joining Farm Bureau, Kackley was a legal analyst for Kohrman, Jackson and Krantz. She is a member of the Columbus Young Professionals Club and Mt. Zion Lutheran Church.

Ohio Farm Bureau’s mission is working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities. Learn more at ofbf.org.… Continue reading

Adam Conrad recently accepted a position with Axis Ohio. Axis Ohio is representing Axis Seed as an Independent Regional Company for all counties in Ohio.

“Adam will be a huge asset to Ohio farmers. His extensive background in seed production will further insure Axis Ohio is providing the right genetics for our unique Ohio environment,” Nathan Louiso, Axis owner.

Conrad is a Certified Crop Advisor and has worked in the seed production industry for 8 years both in Ohio and Illinois. He brings that experience to help farmers make the right decisions for their growing conditions and geography.

“Putting the power of choice in the hands of the Ohio farmer and not a corporate office; that accompanied with the family-first culture at Axis was a perfect fit for me,” Adam said.

As an independent regional company for Axis Seed, Axis Ohio has access to all current traits and technologies. Complete information about the varieties that Axis Ohio carries is available on its web site at www.axisohio.com.… Continue reading

Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at The Ohio State University, yesterday (Oct. 28) received the 2018 World Agriculture Prize from the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA). His work focuses on the ability of soil to address such global challenges as climate change, food security and water quality.

The award honors Lal’s “exceptional and significant lifetime achievements” in the agricultural and life sciences, GCHERA officials said. It was presented in a ceremony at China’s Nanjing Agricultural University.

Lal is a faculty member in Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), part of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). He is the director of CFAES’s Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (CMSC), conducts research with support from the college’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, is an adjunct professor with the University of Iceland, and is the current president of the Vienna-based 60,000-member International Union of Soil Sciences.… Continue reading

Today, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) announced the 2018 National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. This year’s honorees are Randy and Koral Clum of east central Ohio. The Clums have been sustainably managing Hepatica Falls Tree Farm, their 152-acre certified forestland in southwestern Harrison County, since they purchased the property in 1993.

While Randy and Koral Clum had spent much of their careers in forestry, they hadn’t managed their own property until they acquired their tree farm. Since then, they’ve been dedicated to creating a working forest that produces high-quality timber while managing for water, wildlife and recreation, as well as using their woodland to educate others about the benefits of the forest and good management principles.

“It’s an amazing honor and I feel blessed to have worked with all the people that we’ve worked with. We are honored to be recognized in this way,” Koral Clum said.

Randy Clum added, “What’s been important to us about the American Tree Farm System is the education component.… Continue reading

Tim Derickson was sworn in on Oct. 19 as interim director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Derickson, who was serving as assistant director, was named by Ohio Governor John R. Kasich to replace Dave Daniels, just weeks before the November elections.

Derickson served seven years in the Ohio House of Representatives where he chaired numerous committees, including serving as vice chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. He and his family operated several successful small businesses in southwest Ohio and he is a graduate of Miami University. He and his wife, Kelly, have two children and one grandchild.

“As a farmer, businessperson, member of the Ohio House of Representative and as part of our Administration, Tim has always demonstrated the integrity, loyalty and command of the issues that are the hallmark of a natural leader,” Kasich said. “I’m grateful for his willingness to step up, get us across the finish line and hand-off the Department the right way to the next Administration.”… Continue reading

Student teams from Wynford High School and the Centerville Environmental Management program were first place winners in the 66th annual Future Farmers of America (FFA) State Land and Soil Judging Contest held October 13th at Dawes Arboretum in Licking County. The event is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Soil and Water Conservation, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District and Haviland Plastic Products.

Wynford’s victory came in the agricultural land judging portion of the competition, where soils are evaluated for their limitations, soil health, fertility and overall potential for agricultural production. The Centerville win came in the urban soil judging category, which challenges students to evaluate soil limitations for urban applications such as buildings, septic systems, roads and landscaping.

Teams from Centerburg and Monroeville placed second and third, respectively, in the agricultural contest. Northmor and Buckeye Central took second and third place, respectively, in the urban contest.… Continue reading

AgCredit, Agricultural Credit Association, recently announced the recipients of the cooperative’s annual Joe Leiser Memorial Scholarship.

Joe Leiser served as the first president and chief executive officer for AgCredit, which is one of northern Ohio’s largest lenders, serving farmers, agribusiness and rural homeowners. Each scholarship recipient received a $2,000.00 for the 2018-2019 school year. This year, all three of the scholar winners are studying at The Ohio State University.

• Taylor Lutz, from Bucyrus, (Crawford County) is a junior majoring in Agriscience Education with a minor in Production Agriculture.
• Megan Ritter, from Findlay, (Hancock County) is a senior majoring in Agribusiness and Applied Economics with a minor in Agronomy.
• Josh Strine, from Caledonia, (Marion County) is a freshman majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Agribusiness.

“AgCredit is happy to encourage and reward these hardworking students. Congratulations! We wish the Joe Leiser scholarship winners success throughout their college years — continuing on to their future careers,” said Brian Ricker, President and CEO.… Continue reading

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of 16 members to serve on the United Soybean Board, including Jeff Magyar from Orwell, Ohio.

“I truly appreciate the time and expertise these individuals have agreed to give guiding the United Soybean Board,” Perdue said. “Their work is especially important as we work to improve international opportunities for American farmers and ranchers. Together we will help them thrive by increasing domestic and international demand for the nearly 90 million acres of soybeans produced by U.S. farmers.”

The board is authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research and Information Act and is composed of 73 members representing 29 states and Eastern and Western regions. Members must be soybean producers nominated by a qualified state soybean board.

More information about the board and a list of board members is available on AMS’ Soybean Research and Promotion Program webpage and the board’s website, unitedsoybean.org.… Continue reading

Adele Flynn of Wellington has been elected District 3 trustee for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. She will represent members from Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron and Lorain counties and help govern Ohio’s largest general farm and food organization.

She was elected by delegates from District 3 in a special election to fill the term of longtime Farm Bureau leader Al DiVencenzo, who passed away unexpectedly in July. Flynn will serve the remaining two years of his term.

Flynn and her husband, Eric, have a cow-calf operation, raising freezer beef, show calves and breeding stock. She is an account specialist with Farm Credit Mid-America. Eric also farms with Adele’s father and uncles. The Flynns are parents of three children.

She will step down as president of the Lorain County Farm Bureau to serve on the state board. Flynn has been a county board member since 2010 and served as a state annual meeting delegate.… Continue reading

By Sydney Snider, OCJ FFA reporter

As a student who grew up around FFA and agricultural education, Luke Jennings knows the impact the organization has on students and communities.

“I have been around FFA my whole life,” said Jennings, a freshman member of the Felicity-Franklin FFA Chapter. “And I have seen how it has changed so many lives.” Jennings’ mom is the FFA advisor and agricultural education teacher at Felicity-Franklin high school, located in Clermont County. The impact of FFA is what led Jennings to apply for the 2018 Culver’s essay program. The program asks students to explain what the most recent National FFA theme means to them. This past year’s theme was “I Can. We Will.”

In his essay, Jennings wrote, “If we believe in the future of agriculture, then we must become advocates for agriculture. As the world’s population is rapidly growing and is approaching 10 billion people by 2050, we agriculturists must feed and clothe these people.… Continue reading

Adam and Jess Campbell of Waynesville are winners of Ohio Farm Bureau Federation’s 2018 Excellence in Agriculture Award. The award recognizes successful young agricultural professionals who are actively contributing to and growing through their involvement with Farm Bureau and agriculture.

The Campbells run Carroll Creek Farms LLC, a livestock farm that sells directly to consumers. Jess is assistant vice president of agribusiness at Farm Credit Mid-America and has held several leadership positions on the Warren County Farm Bureau board of trustees, including president and vice president and served on its budget, audit and communications committees. Both she and Adam are graduates of OFBF’s AgriPOWER Institute leadership development program, and Adam was a Discussion Meet contest participant. In 2017 the couple was named the local chamber of commerce’s Young Professional Award winner.

The Campbells will be recognized at Ohio Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in December and will receive a John Deere Gator courtesy of Farm Credit Mid-America as well as a $1,000 cash prize from Ohio Farm Bureau.… Continue reading