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Applications for Ohio Farm Bureau’s Young Ag Professionals’ Outstanding Young Farmer and Excellence in Agriculture contests are available and due July 27, 2018.

Outstanding Young Farmer

The Outstanding Young Farmer contest is designed to recognize successful young farmers, age 35 or younger, for achievements in the business of farming and leadership in the agricultural community. Applicants should have a majority of their income subject to normal production risks as well as ownership (or part ownership) of the operation/business. Applicants should be involved in Farm Bureau and other ag organizations as well as in their community. The top three applicants will have an interview with a panel of three judges Aug. 31. The winner is recognized at the Ohio Farm Bureau annual meeting in December and will compete in the national contest. Last year’s winner was Christian Hoffman from Fairfield County.

Excellence in Agriculture

If you work off the farm and are a leader in Farm Bureau and the community, then the Excellence in Agriculture contest is for you. This award is designed to recognize successful young agricultural professionals (singles or couples) who are actively contributing and growing through their involvement with Farm Bureau and who are employed or heavily involved in the ag industry. Applicants may own and operate a farm but the majority of their income comes from off the farm.  The top three applicants will have a 25-minute presentation before a panel of judges Aug. 31. The statewide winner will be recognized at the Ohio Farm Bureau annual meeting in December and also will go on to compete in the national contest. Last year’s winners also were national winners, Rose and Greg Hartschuh from Crawford County.

Applicants for both contests must be Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18 and 35 in good standing with their county Farm Bureau. The individual or spouse should have reached their 18th birthday at the time they qualify for the national competition and should not have reached their 36th birthday by Jan. 31, 2019.

Prize packages for the winners

Ohio’s Outstanding Young Farmer Contest Prize Package

• 250 hours use of an M-Series Kubota tractor, courtesy of Kubota

• $1,000 Grainger Gift Certificate

• An expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in New Orleans

Excellence in Ag Contest Prize Package

• A John Deere Gator courtesy of Farm Credit Mid-America

• $1,000 courtesy of Ohio Farm Bureau

• An expense-paid trip the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in New Orleans

The winners of each contest will compete in their respective national contest during the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in January 2019.