Menu

Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation has received a $2,500 Core 4 Conservation Alliance Grant from the Conservation Technology Information Center to be used for the Ohio Agricultural Environmental Assurance Alliance.

The Ohio Agricultural Environmental Assurance Alliance (OAEAA) is a public-private partnership among producer-led organizations, commodity groups, agricultural businesses, government agencies and Ohio State University. OFBF Director of Environmental Research Larry Antosch and OFBF state board members Merlin Wentworth and Steve Zumberge are on the steering committee.

OAEAA was established to develop an environmental self-audit program for Ohio's agricultural and horticultural commodities. The self-audit will help producers address natural resource concerns such as transport of sediment, nutrients and pesticides to surface water and transport of nutrients and pesticides to groundwater. According to Antosch, a self-audit for farmers will provide them the opportunity to independently examine their operations in terms of environmental assurance and identify where they need to go.

Funds from the CORE 4 Conservation Alliance Grant will be used for printing promotional materials, specifically a brochure to advertise the alliance, and two Ohio Agricultural Environmental Assurance Alliance steering committee meetings that will be held to establish organizational guidelines and direct the implementation of the self-audit program.

Established in 1985, the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation strives for measurable community improvement through its support of special projects that focus on agricultural education, environmental and economic issues. The foundation has received a total of $42,500 from grants for specific projects, and $16,000 was raised at the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Invitational in June.