Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation appoints new leadership
Jenny Cox was named president; Amy McCormick was named first vice president; Nathan Brown was named 2nd vice president; and Chris Weaver will serve as the foundation’s treasurer.
Read MoreFarm life can be demanding and stressful, and the mental health challenges that come with it is an ongoing problem. Ohio Farm Bureau has been a part of many initiatives to raise mental health awareness and reduce stigma surrounding the issue in rural communities. Yvonne Lesicko, former Ohio Farm Bureau vice president of public policy who died unexpectedly in June 2020, was one of the leaders who helped to create the state’s “Got Your Back” farm stress coalition.
The Yvonne Lesicko Memorial Fund was created last year to recognize her life and career. The fund, within the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, was established to support the causes and initiatives that she cared so deeply about, including farmer mental health. To date, due to the generosity of more than 300 donors, the fund has raised more than $80,000.
The Yvonne Lesicko Perseverance Prize, the “Y Prize” for short, is a new award created by the fund. This award will be used to recognize groups or individuals working to find innovative solutions to farmer mental health issues, including addressing issues of access to resources, lessening of stigma around mental health issues and collaborating among health care, rural medicine and agriculture groups.
“We hope the Y Prize can provide recognition and a ‘thank you’ to groups and individuals working to advance this cause,” said Kelly Burns, executive director of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.
The Y Prize award winner, and the program or work he or she represents, will be given a platform to share their work and efforts. As part of the award, Ohio Farm Bureau will feature the award winner in membership and outside media, and the Young Ag Professionals Winter Leadership Experience will feature the award as part of the conference program. All of this is part of the award’s goal of lessening the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Check back for 2022 nomination information.
Jenny Cox was named president; Amy McCormick was named first vice president; Nathan Brown was named 2nd vice president; and Chris Weaver will serve as the foundation’s treasurer.
Read MoreOhio Farm Bureau’s signature ag literacy and workforce development program, ExploreAg, will once again be offering free weeklong camps and one-day experiences for high school students in 2023.
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Read MoreIn his online search for information related to a career in food science, Jayden Porter found Ohio Farm Bureau’s ExploreAg program.
Read MoreNov. 29 is Giving Tuesday, a national day of philanthropy. Help support the next generation of Ohio farmers.
Read MoreA $25,000 gift from The Kroger Co. serves as a match for the upcoming national day of philanthropy Nov. 29.
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Read MoreA local farmer donated 90 bushels of soft winter wheat as a gift to the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.
Read MoreJim Bruner, the self-proclaimed alpha predator of Mezzacello Urban Farms, has carefully planned and executed seven separate ecosystems on less than an acre of land in Olde Towne East.
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