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Ralph Dull, right, accepts the Ambassador of Ohio Agriculture Award from ODA Director Boggs. BROOKVILLE, Ohio – Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs Thursday joined local farmers and community officials to celebrate Ohio Agriculture Day and to recognize a forward-thinking local farmer and industry leader. Boggs honored Ohio Farm Bureau member Ralph Dull with the department’s Ambassador of Ohio Agriculture award, showcasing the Dull Homestead and its innovative and sustainable agricultural initiatives.

“It is great to see farmers like Mr. Dull embracing new technology and innovation while at the same time working to preserve the agriculture base vital to our state,” Boggs said. “Ohio farmers, much like Mr. Dull, are doing more than feeding and clothing the citizens of our state; they are leading the way in providing renewable energy and a sustainable way of life.”

Boggs honored Dull on his Montgomery County farm for his dedication to agriculture production, innovative practices, environmental protection and work to sustain Ohio’s agriculture industry. The Dull Homestead, which features hogs, wind turbines, and seed corn production, supports the local community through 17 full-time employees and 250 seasonal workers.

The Dull Homestead employs progressive energy practices, including six wind turbines that power a portion of the property and provide energy to surrounding Dayton citizens. The farm also achieves efficiency in its seed corn production by burning unused grain instead of using propane to dry its seed corn.

In effort to preserve the farm’s agricultural base and heritage, the Dull family has preserved 302 acres through the department’s farmland preservation program and 700 additional acres through the Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District. The operation also has implemented management practices to protect the environment and to better ensure a sustainable future. For instance, the state-permitted, large-scale hog farm produces approximately 2.2 million gallons of manure annually, and while it sits at a high point within a watershed, it is still well known for its environmental stewardship.

“From the no-till farming we’ve used since 1968 to our future goals of producing energy from manure, we are always looking for ways to put environmental stewardship into action,” Dull said. “Finding ways to produce and use clean energy is just the right thing to do.”

Ohio Agriculture Day is celebrated each March to help educate Ohioans about the industry and its importance. In Ohio, the food and agriculture sectors comprise the state’s No. 1 industry, adding more than $93 billion to the economy each year. The industry provides Ohioans with food, shelter, clothing, fuel, energy and jobs – a noteworthy contribution to recognize during National Agriculture Week.