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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Welcome to Hancock County Farm Bureau’s member spotlight blog! Every month, Hancock County Farm Bureau will feature a spotlight blog on a board member so you can get to know him or her a little better.
Our monthly spotlight blog features Hancock County Farm Bureau’s board trustee, Tom Hartman, who is originally from Eagle Township in Hancock County. Tom graduated from Cory-Rawson High School and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bowling Green.
Meet Tom Hartman
What and where do you farm (or work for an agribusiness)?
I farm corn, soybeans, and wheat in Eagle Township in Hancock county.
How long have you been a farmer?
I have been a farmer for over 45 years.
Why did you decide to be a farmer?
Because it is the family business.
What do you love about farming?
The challenge.
Why do you think it’s important to know where your food comes from?
To understand what we eat and the effort that provides a safe product.
What is the biggest challenge facing agriculture?
The biggest challenge is communication to our public to understand what production is safe and the efforts to provide that product.
Why are you active in Farm Bureau?
To have input to supported policies.
Life Outside of Farm Bureau
What are your hobbies besides farming?
Building and renovating.
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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