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William Ray of Zanesville is one of 14 farmers and agribusiness professionals selected to participate in Ohio Farm Bureau’s 2024-2025 AgriPOWER Institute.

AgriPOWER is designed for farmers and agribusiness professionals. The program focuses on issues that are relevant to the farm and food industry such as consumer relations, regulations, energy, and trade policies. In AgriPOWER, individuals develop the skills necessary to become effective leaders and advocates for agriculture by learning from experts in these fields. 

Ray is the Ohio Forestry Association’s Master Logger Program manager, where he tracks, assesses, assists and awards educational credits for the Ohio Master Logger Program. He also assists loggers in safety training that covers topics such as chainsaw safety, equipment safety, water quality, erosion control and more. Ray grew up on a livestock farm in Noble County, where his family was heavily involved in the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, FFA, 4-H and the county’s Soil & Water Conservation District.

“These individuals have already made their mark on Ohio agriculture, and I am excited that they want to take their leadership skills to the next level,” said Marlene Eick, director of AgriPOWER. “This program will not only give participants a deeper understanding of the farm and food sector here in Ohio and across the country, it will also give them the tools they need to become even stronger advocates for an industry they are already passionate about.”

One of the sessions will take place in Washington, D.C. to give participants a better understanding of national and global issues, and an out-of-state session in California will help them learn about the differences and similarities in agriculture outside of Ohio.

Partnering with Ohio Farm Bureau on AgriPOWER Class XV are Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, Ohio Soybean Council, Certified Angus Beef, The Chef’s Garden, Farm Credit Mid-America, Healthy Harvest Organics, Hummel Group Insurance, Lake County Farm Bureau, Lorain County Farm Bureau, Ohio Forestry Association, Anthony Savage, StoneX Group Inc., Truckor Family Farm, Wood County Farm Bureau, and Wright & Moore.

For additional information about AgriPOWER, visit ofb.ag/AgriPOWER.

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

Editors: A high-resolution photo of William Ray is available for download.