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Eight nonprofit organizations, including two county Farm Bureaus, are the recipients of Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation’s Agricultural Action and Awareness Grants for 2007.

The competitively awarded grants support programs and projects focusing on agricultural education, ecological and/or economic development.

"Agricultural Action and Awareness Grants focus on funding needs for smaller, community based groups that often find the larger-scale, public and private grant solicitation process daunting," said Foundation President Jack Fisher.

Grants were awarded to:

• Rural Action, Athens, $2,500, for Creating Tools to Expand Agricultural Markets in Southeastern Ohio, which will help farmers and agricultural businesses in southeastern Ohio expand their markets by creating marketing materials and offering industry-specific marketing workshops.
• Darby Watershed Project, Union County SWCD, $2,500, for Community-Based Darby Watershed Plan by Educating Landowners and Gaining their Input. The Darby Watershed Project is working to obtain landowner input through surveys in writing its community-based watershed plan.
• Stuart Yanick and the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Farmersville, $2,250, for Ag in the Classroom, to place a set of 11 agricultural books in elementary schools throughout the county.
• Ohio Energy Project, Lewis Center, $2,250, for Energy Sources Tours for Educators. The funds will sponsor three teachers on four-day bus tours of Ohio’s energy sites. The tours demonstrate various energy sources, applications, concepts and issues.
• Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, $1,000, for OWjL Camp Agricultural Awareness Classes. OWjL Camp is a one-week residential summer program for central Ohio’s gifted and talented middle school students. The grant will support two classes that will expose students to farm life, both animal agriculture and agricultural products. Students will care for farm animals, tend a vegetable garden and use farm products to create tasty treats.
• Land Heritage Trust of Union County, $2,000, for the Rural Heritage Education Project, to carry out a public survey on rural land use, conduct a farm tour for community leaders and public officials and publish a guide to rural living for people buying or building homes in Union County.
• Scioto County OSU Extension and Scioto County Farm Bureau, $2,500, for Expanding the Agriculture Adventure Experience to the Classroom and Beyond, which aims to expand the county’s current agriculture education programs. Grant funding will go toward developing a system in which leaders can be further trained and additional teaching curricula and materials can be made available to area schools and teachers.
• Skyvue Elementary School, Graysville, $2,500, for the Skyvue Outdoor Classroom. Funds will go toward the construction of a shelter area to be used to conduct classes and observe various wildlife species.

Founded in 1985, the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501 (c ) (3) not-for-profit, public, charitable organization registered in the state of Ohio. Over the past two decades the Foundation has been involved in a variety of programs focusing on agricultural education, economic research and rural development.

More information about the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation can be obtained at www.OFBFoundation.org.