Immediately following Gov. Mike DeWine signing Senate Bill 57 into law, the Ohio Department of Agriculture began working on rules for growing industrial hemp in the Buckeye State.

One of the first steps in setting policies for the new crop was a request from ODA to the state’s controlling board for $12 million to build hemp testing labs and fill those labs with specialists and technicians to test hemp plants before
processing them for market.

The governor said he is unsure just how many farmers would decide to plant the crop in 2020 and beyond, saying that it will all hinge on a free market system.

“This is a decision that farmers will have to make, like any crop they grow, based on what they think is in their best interests, if they think they can grow it and if they think they can sell it,” DeWine said.

Over the coming months, guidelines laid out by ODA will go through the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) process to ensure the recommended rules do not exceed the rule-making authority granted to them by the General Assembly, which may take up to six months.

Look for an in-depth look at the hemp industry in neighboring Kentucky and read about the agronomics of the crop in the next Our Ohio magazine.

(Editor’s Note: The Ohio Department of Agriculture Hemp Program will begin accepting license applications from potential cultivators and processors for the 2020 growing season on March 3 at noon. All cultivators and processors are required to obtain a license and can apply online at www.agri.ohio.gov
at that time.)

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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