John Grafton, District 2 representative and current president of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau board of trustees, grew up on a family farm in Pleasant Hill. John and his five siblings (Jim, Harry, Barb, Sam and Dave) graduated from Jefferson Union High School, and John went on to graduate from the Ohio State University in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics. John also did post-graduate work in vocational education at Kent State.

John has been a beekeeper for 53 years and sells his own honey (Grafton’s Apiary) locally at M&M Hardware, Rural King, Jefferson Landmark and at many local festivals and events. John worked for the Ohio Department of Agriculture as an Apiary Inspection Supervisor and after retirement taught agriculture education in the Edison Local School District for five years. He was awarded “Beekeeper of the Year” by the Ohio State Beekeepers in 1993, and was also awarded an “Exceptional Service Award for Outstanding Work in Apiculture Education” by Apiary Inspectors of America in 2010. John is also currently a member of the Jefferson County Fair Board, an elder on the board of the Christian Church of Unionport and a member of the Ohio State Beekeeper’s Association and travels around the state teaching and lecturing on beekeeping.

He and his wife, Katie, live in Salem Township (you can find their house near the big giraffe on 646) and have two kids, Amanda (Grafton) Wood and Clinton Grafton. John can often be seen around the county with his ‘boss’ (granddaughter Isabel).

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Labor has always been an issue, mainly because we are a seasonal operation. So that's a challenge finding somebody who only wants to work three months out of a year, sometimes up to six months.
Mandy Way's avatar
Mandy Way

Way Farms

Farm Labor Resources
I appreciate the benefit of having a strong voice in my corner. The extras that are included in membership are wonderful, but I'm a member because of the positive impact to my local and state agricultural communities.
Ernie Welch's avatar
Ernie Welch

Van Wert County Farm Bureau

Strong communities
I see the value and need to be engaged in the community I live in, to be a part of the decision-making process and to volunteer with organizations that help make our community better.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Leadership development
Farm Bureau involvement has taught me how to grow my professional and leadership experience outside of the workforce and how to do that in a community-centric way.
Jaclyn De Candio's avatar
Jaclyn De Candio

Clark County Farm Bureau

Young Ag Professionals program
With not growing up on a farm, I’d say I was a late bloomer to agriculture. I feel so fortunate that I found the agriculture industry. There are so many opportunities for growth.
Jenna Gregorich's avatar
Jenna Gregorich

Coshocton County Farm Bureau

Growing our Generation
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
Jared Hughes's avatar
Jared Hughes

Groovy Plants Ranch

Groovy Plants Ranch
If it wasn't for Farm Bureau, I personally, along with many others, would not have had the opportunity to meet with our representatives face to face in Washington.
Austin Heil's avatar
Austin Heil

Hardin County Farm Bureau

Washington, D.C. Leadership Experience
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Mary Smallsreed's avatar
Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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