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Ohio Farm Bureau’s Young Agricultural Professionals program has awarded $500 grants to eight local YAP groups and two Collegiate Farm Bureau groups.

The grants are courtesy of Farm Credit Mid-America and fund YAP-focused educational programming or events. Winning groups will be acknowledged at the upcoming Young Agricultural Professionals Winter Leadership Experience Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

The recipients and their programming:

Ashland and Wayne counties YAP

The Ashland/Wayne Young Ag Professionals are planning the 4th annual Ag Toy Drive which is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 3, 2020. New goals for 2020 include an online outreach video, increased attendance and improving relationships with Ag Toy Drive sponsors and strategic partners.

Clinton, Greene, Fayette, Warren counties YAP

Plans are underway for the Crop to Cup Bus Tour. This multicounty YAP event is intended to increase Farm Bureau membership while also providing educational tours of a brewery, cider house, winery and a distillery. This educational bus trip will provide attendees information about the process of production, safety requirements, regulations and the current issues of this industry.

Coshocton County YAP

To celebrate and bring awareness to its Young Ag Professionals program, Coshocton County YAP is hosting an ATV Tour. The stops will be hosted by Coshocton County Board of Trustee members who are also Young Ag Professionals. The final stop will feature a social gathering and dinner.

Fayette County YAP

Young Ag Professionals have developed a Meet, Greet, Grow series of events that will be hosted by area agribusinesses. At the first event, attendees will visit Ag Pro to learn about the future of ag technology. The second event will be hosted by Valero/Cargill, where tours will be offered. The final event will feature leaders of Farm Credit Mid-America in Washington Court House discussing the cooperative structure and the resources they offer.

Montgomery County YAP

The 2020 Montgomery County Fair will be the host for Young Ag Professionals July 18 for the Ag Safety at the Fair event. To educate fairgoers, YAP members will have multiple ag safety stations, including grain bin safety, livestock safety, basic tractor safety, on the road equipment safety and ATV/UTV safety.

Pike County YAP

FFA Agriculture Career Day will provide valuable information to FFA students in grades 7-12 in Pike County. Partnering with OSU Extension and Pike SWCD, this YAP event will not only focus on agriculture careers but on YAP opportunities available to those older students once they graduate from high school. 

Scioto County YAP

Providing an opportunity to provide older FFA and 4-H students from Scioto and surrounding counties information about agricultural careers will be the goal of the YAP/FFA Retreat, hosted by Scioto County YAP leaders. Students will be provided with details on the YAP program and career opportunities available at the next level, along with leadership development training.

Stark County YAP

Clardale Farms will host Milk & Cookies with Santa on the farm as YAP members offer the opportunity for families and community members to meet and take photos with Santa and enjoy free sugar cookies and milk donated by the processor Superior Dairy. Sophie’s Magic Mailbox provides a Santa letter writing station and Santa will write the child back. Donations will also be collected to support families with members struggling with congenital heart defects. 

Ohio State University Collegiate Farm Bureau

Ohio State University’s Collegiate Farm Bureau Networking Hour will provide an opportunity for students to practice and apply their networking skills with industry professionals at a social hour. There also will be a panel discussion where students can have a robust conversation about their social hour performance, what can be improved upon, and how they can build upon their skill set to become effective, confident networkers.

Wilmington Collegiate Farm Bureau

Mission Dis(CO2)very is a Wilmington College campuswide event held in conjunction with Earth Day each spring. The purpose is to offer educational lessons and experiences in conservation to help the campus and surrounding community learn more about topics like natural resource management, food production, food waste and climate change.

Ohio Farm Bureau’s Young Agricultural Professionals are singles and married couples ages 18 to 35 who are interested in improving the business of agriculture, learning new ideas and developing leadership skills. To learn more visit experienceyap.com.

This is a news release for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ty Higgins, 614-246-8231.