2021 Lake County Annual Meeting

The Lake County Farm Bureau held its 2021 Annual Meeting on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, at the Lake County Youth and Community Building at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1301 Mentor Avenue, Painesville, Ohio.

The evening started with a social and happy hour with Nationwide agents that highlighted the Farm Bureau/Nationwide relationship and heritage. Nationwide agencies represented for the evening were Ty Kellogg, of Sherman Insurance Agency. All in attendance enjoyed a delicious meal catered and served by Mama Roberto’s, as well as a selection of wine provided by Silvercrest winery and North High Brewing Cover Crop beer. Cover Crop is a blonde ale brewed in honor of Ohio Farm Bureau’s 100 year Anniversary. The ale is locally sourced and produced in Ohio by Farm Bureau members, and the name Cover Crop honors the revival of a farming practice that sustains the land and its surrounding environment.

County president Steve Ohmes presided over the event. Board trustees were voted on and elected for two-year terms. Those elected are: Samantha Bly, Eric Cotton, Todd Demshar, Hannah Lucic, Anne Poorman, Cindy Woodman and Stephanie Woodman. Layne Lassnick was elected to serve as a delegate to the Ohio Farm Bureau annual meeting in 2022. A code change to the Lake County Farm Bureau Code of Regulations was also voted on and passed, which reduced the number of board trustees from 14 to 12.  

Farm Bureau members voted on the policies that guide the county Farm Bureau and established member positions for proposals to the Ohio Farm Bureau, which will be voted on at the 2021 Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in December.  Policy positions included agriculture’s role in protecting water quality,  wildlife management, agricultural education programs, land conservation, road maintenance, and woodland management. All proposed policies passed.

The guest speaker was a representative of the Ohio Soybean Council who zoomed in and talked about the Soybean Council and the role that soybeans play in livestock feed, human food and biofuel industries.

Dick and July Parker received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture award for their exceptional contribution to Lake County agriculture and lifetime involvement in the Lake County Fair.

Anya Demshar, Paige Lucic and Julia Bystrom were acknowledged as the 2021 Lake County Farm Bureau scholarship recipients, all represented by their parents.

Lake County Organization Director Mandy Orahood recognized the Lake County Farm Bureau board of trustees, action team leaders and membership coordinators for their 2021 accomplishments and thanked them all for their commitment to the Lake County Farm Bureau.  

The annual meeting was also a celebration of the work our members, volunteers and staff put into representing the Farm Bureau in advancing agriculture and strengthening our communities” and setting the course of the Lake County Farm Bureau for 2022.

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.
Mandy Way's avatar
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.
Ernie Welch's avatar
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.
Matt Aultman's avatar
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.
Jaclyn De Candio's avatar
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.
Jenna Gregorich's avatar
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.
Jared Hughes's avatar
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.
Austin Heil's avatar
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.
Mary Smallsreed's avatar
Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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