Ohio fall farm tours, experiences
Across Ohio, there are opportunities to get out to the farm and enjoy tourism activities.
Read MoreArticle
Teens learn about precision agriculture careers
Sixty-six students in grades 7-12 took part in informative presentations and hands-on activities at the John Deere Training Center in Plain City Dec. 6 as part of the ExploreAg program, which exposes students to the many careers in agriculture. At this ExploreAg Experience, participants learned about the many career opportunities with John Deere, Ag Pro and JD Tech while performing hands-on activities with precision agriculture.
Students received an overview of John Deere and careers, then toured the John Deere facility. Activities included working with the electric required for machinery to run, a live look at what the farmer experiences in a sprayer, and an observation of the technology required for automation in combines.
ExploreAg is funded through the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation’s Fisher Fund for Lifelong learning, meaning there is no cost for students to participate. Students interested in keeping up to date on upcoming programs should follow ExploreAg on Instagram or on Facebook.
Registration is now open for 2020 ExploreAg Camps
Students will interact with and learn directly from teachers, scientists and researchers. Subject areas include food science, precision agriculture, animal science, natural resources, management skills, technology, and agricultural business. In addition to the classroom experience, scholars will participate in field experiences that highlight cutting-edge research and meet industry partners to provide a glimpse of various careers in related fields. There will also be sessions focused on soft skills such as interviewing, resume building and public speaking to prepare participants for the workforce. Flyer
Session 1: June 14-19 – Ohio State University, Columbus Campus
Session 2: June 21-26 – Ohio State University, Columbus Campus
Session 3: July 5-10 – Central State University
Session 4: July 12-17 – Ohio State University – ATI campus in Wooster
The ExploreAg camps are free to attend. Program costs covered include on-campus accommodations, meals, staffing, course supplies, program materials and transportation. Supervision is provided at all times by faculty, staff, and program counselors who are current college students in related majors.
The deadline to apply is March 6, 2020, and applicants will be notified of admittance by March 20, 2020. Applicants will be asked to submit an application with one reference and a 1-3 minute video with the prompt: “Please tell us about one agricultural career and why that interests you.” The application can be found at exploreag.org. Contact OSU Extension Educator Marissa Mulligan for more information.
Having opportunities to attend leadership institutes, advocate for rural Ohioans on the state and national level, facilitate young ag professionals events, and serve in a variety of leadership positions have helped my skills grow exponentially.
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.
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.
I was gifted the great opportunity through an Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Youth Pathways grant to run a series of summer camps here. That really expanded my vision of what ‘grow, maintain, sustain and explain’ could actually be.
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.
Featured Articles
Ohio’s top conservation farmers honored
The Ohio Department of Agriculture recognized five families as winners of the 2022 Conservation Farm Family Awards at the Farm Science Review in London.
Read More
Foundation accepting proposals for 2022 Youth Pathways grant
Grant proposals are due by Nov. 4; all grant applicants must participate in a pre-submission pitch session Oct. 11.
Read More
BWC brings safety focus to Farm Science Review
BWC will have safety consultants available at two different booths this year, including a presence in the Ohio Farm Bureau building on the corner of Beef Street and Friday Avenue.
Read More
Tentative agreement reached to thwart potential rail strike
Farm Bureau’s message to lawmakers this week was to keep the trains moving and not to put more pressure on an already bogged down supply chain.
Read More
Farm Bureau names 2022 policy development committee
Twenty Ohio Farm Bureau leaders are serving on the 2022 Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Policy Development Committee.
Read More
Farm Bureau leaders advocate for Ohio agriculture in Washington, D.C.
Coverage from the annual county leaders trip to Washington, D.C.
Read More
Across the Table: Ohio’s agriculture community needs a consistent Ohio Supreme Court
I hope you will consider Justices DeWine, Fischer and Kennedy to maintain common sense and an added layer of certainty that is needed to secure a viable and successful precedent for our Farm Bureau members and all of rural Ohio.
Read More
AgriPOWER Class XIII: Building communication, leadership skills
‘I was able to step away from the session with many skills I cannot wait to implement in my professional and personal life.’ ~ Renee Hamilton
Read More
Stay on top of key ag trends with the Ag Insight Center
Find resources, expert tips and timely, relevant content to help you stay in the know on the issues you face and solutions to the challenges of agriculture.
Read More