Farmer’s Guide to Trucking Regulations available to Ohio Farm Bureau members
The guide includes a farm driver checklist, overview of state and federal regulations and exemptions, CDL qualifications and more.
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By Stacey Sark, AgriPOWER Class IX participant
When I think of Florida, I picture sunshine, alligators and orange juice. Blueberries, strawberries, cattle, caviar and ferns were not what popped into my mind but my recent trip with Ohio Farm Bureau to experience farming in Florida has definitely changed that.
No matter where you go in this country, agriculture will have adversity and struggles, and Florida is no stranger to some difficult times. A disease to the citrus plants that began in 2005 creates what they call “greening” and eventually kills the trees. Add that with devastation from Hurricane Irma and you get a reduction of about 33% of your already diminishing citrus product. So what do Floridians do when their strongest industry is hurting? DIVERSIFY! Did you know that Florida is the winter strawberry capital of the world, that it is home to the largest beef ranch in the country or that it is ranked as one of the top fern and landscaping plant producers?
Agriculture in Florida isn’t easy when it seems like there are predators everywhere, and I am not talking about the gators. 
These producers have created innovative ways to increase profit margins through creative packing, marketing and co-op programs, circumvented eminent domain through their local planning efforts and improved the likelihood of future generations to be a part of their operations through the diversification of their farm. They have increased their value-added products and experiences with the general public. Connecting people with their food and increasing agritourism in the state has provided a better profit than the commercial industry has recently.
Learning about these different industries was a great experience but what I loved the most was that the people we met, even through their struggles, love what they do and love their communities. We are no different in Ohio when it comes to that feeling of being committed to agriculture, to the land, to our families and to our communities. We may have different products and we may have different struggles, but we share a common value in agriculture. I am grateful for the opportunity to see Florida agriculture and its diverse products, but I am more grateful to have experienced it with some of the greatest people in Ohio agriculture with this Ohio Farm Bureau Federation AgriPOWER Class.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
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.
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Cashing in the direct-to-consumer food sales boom
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DeWine announces statewide open enrollment for H2Ohio Agricultural Incentive Program
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Share named ExploreAg and Youth Development Specialist
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Klopfenstein named Young Ag Professional and Ag Literacy Program Specialist
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Ohio Farm Bureau Health Benefits Plan now offered to all sole proprietors
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Ohioans can compete for ag business startup funds
The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online by June 15 for the 2025 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge.
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