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Ohio Farm Bureau had plenty of accomplishments to be proud of during the American Farm Bureau (AFBF) annual meeting in Honolulu. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) received five Awards for Excellence and two President’s Awards. Kent and Joy Bauman, OFBF’s Young Farm Couple representative from Adams County, were named to the top five in the AFBF Young Farmer Achievement Award contest, and Ohio’s David Scheiderer, Milford Center, was the national winner of the Excellence in Crop Advising award.

The awards program for the state Farm Bureaus was changed this year. Awards for Excellence were presented in five program areas – education and agricultural promotion, leadership development, member services, policy implementation and public relations. President’s Awards were presented to one state Farm Bureau in each of the six membership- size classes for each of the five program areas. Ohio was awarded all five Awards for Excellence and won the President’s Award for leadership development and policy implementation.

Young farmers and ranchers from across the United States competed for the awards by demonstrating knowledge of and achievement in agriculture, as well as commitment to promoting the agriculture industry.

The Excellence in Crop Advising awards program was sponsored by AFBF in association with the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). The award recognizes certified crop advisers who have performed superior service for farmers in nutrient management, soil and water management, integrated pest management and crop production.

Representing Ohio in the national young farmer Discussion Meet was Amanda Miller, Tuscarawas County, and Chris and Sarah Helsinger, Montgomery County, participated in the young farmer Excellence in Agriculture contest.

Aaron Harner, Portage County, Ginny Tarka, Mahoning County and Kenneth Lloyd of Carroll County were selected to exhibit their helpful ideas at the AFBF’s Farmer Idea Exchange. The program is geared to surface inventions, equipment modifications, innovative crops, marketing techniques, management systems and farming practices developed by farmers.

AFBF recognized 15 outstanding county Farm Bureau initiatives under the County Idea Exchange Program. The programs were selected based on content, benefits to Farm Bureau members, innovation and results. Mahoning County Farm Bureau’s initiative, Ag Camp Down on the Farm, was named one of the top information and public relations programs.

Caption: Kent and Joy Bauman, Adams County, were one of four runners-up in the national Outstanding Young Farmer Achievement Award contest at the American Farm Bureau annual meeting in Honolulu.