Members, downtown workers experience Our Ohio
by Lynn Snyder and Seth Teter Thousands of farmers and consumers gathered in downtown Columbus to celebrate the official launch of the Our Ohio brand. The event was held on Battelle Plaza, adjacent to Nationwide Arena, and was aimed at building awareness of Our Ohio on television, on the Web and in mailboxes. Ohio Farm Bureau created the Our Ohio brand to provide consumers with information and opportunities to experience Ohio agriculture through topics such as travel, animals, history, cooking, families and gardening. It includes a magazine, Web site and – coming this fall – television. Participants were treated to a box lunch of Ohio products including turkey sandwiches, sweet corn, apples, popcorn, potato chips and soy cookies. Excerpts from the television show were shown on a jumbo screen overlooking the plaza. Speakers included OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher, Nationwide President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Rasmussen and Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson. Rasmussen called the event a "great showcase for Ohio agriculture and a great showcase for Nationwide." Nationwide is the lead sponsor for Our Ohio. "The event was designed to build brand awareness with members and core constituents. Participants were treated to the sights, sounds, tastes and personality of the Our Ohio brand. More than 2,500 people had an opportunity to experience some of the best that Ohio has to offer," according to Kurt Ely, Ohio Farm Bureau vice president of information, education and community service and coordinator of the event. In addition to the launch event, county program chairmen had the option to attend a "Behind the scenes of the Our Ohio television series" seminar during Leadership Conference. Members were invited to ask questions regarding the making of the series, where it will air and what topics they might be seeing. The OurOhio.org Web site has complete show information. Visit www.OurOhio.org, then click on television, then where to watch or coming next. Thanks to our partners Our Ohio would like to thank the following vendors and partners who helped sponsor the Our Ohio launch party: Nationwide Cooper Farms and The Ohio Poultry Association The Ohio Corn Marketing Program The Ohio Soybean Council Shearer's Snacks Ohio Apple Growers Ohio Beef Council Ohio Pork Producers Council Hooper’s Kettle Corn Plastic Suppliers and A-ROO (supplied corn-based popcorn bags) OSU Master Gardeners Franc Aledia OFBF Member Benefits Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Caption: Approximately 2,500 Farm Bureau leaders and downtown Nationwide employees took part in the Our Ohio launch event, which included a free box lunch, giveaways and presentations from OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher, Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson and Steve Rasmussen, Nationwide’s president and chief operating officer. Caption: Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson told the audience the state would like to expand on the Our Ohio brand’s focus on hard work, ethics and the "stick-to-it" manner of Ohio’s people as the state encourages economic development with its own campaign, "Ohio means business."
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