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Four Ohio agriculture leaders were honored by Ohio Farm Bureau Federation during this year’s convention. John Foltz, Michael Wagner and Marjorie Yerman each were presented with OFBF's Distinguished Service Award. Tim White received the Agricultural Communicator Award.

Foltz was a 4-H agent and vocational agriculture teacher and served on the national staff of the FFA. He was assistant to the secretary and deputy undersecretary at USDA. He also held positions with the Foreign Agricultural Service, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Grain and Feed Association, Federal Grain Inspection Service and CFTC.

Wagner is the retiring executive director of the Ohio Corn Growers Association. Under his leadership, the Ohio Corn Marketing Program has developed programs to increase the education, market development and promotion and research for the corn industry.

Yerman, who helped farm 102 acres near Lake Milton in Mahoning County with her late husband, George, has served on the county Farm Bureau board for 45 years and was county president for five years. Yerman is a founding member of the Mahoning County Alumni 4-H Club and served as its treasurer for more than 25 years.

White has written about the agriculture industry for 25 years. He was an assistant editor at Ohio Farmer magazine, wrote for Successful Farming and was agribusiness reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. He became editor of Ohio Farmer in 1991. He was named the nation's top writer by the National Association of Conservation Districts.

OFBF President Bob Peterson and Executive Vice President Jack Fisher commended the recipients for their successful careers and contributions to the agricultural industry. More complete biographies of the honorees can be read in the newsroom section of OFBF’s Web site, www.ofbf.org.

Caption: Left to right: Tim White, Marjorie Yerman, Mike Wagner and John Foltz were honored during OFBF’s annual meeting.