Legal with Leah: The Benefits of Ag Districts
Current Agricultural Use Value is often discussed as a farmland preservation tool, but there are some other tools in the law that landowners can consider.
Read MoreOhio Farm Bureau Foundation recently added four new board members and elected officers of its 14-member board, which oversees the charitable, nonprofit organization.
New to the board is Mike McCoy, CEO of Bob Evans Farms; Hinda Mitchell, president/founder of Inspire PR Group; and Ohio Farm Bureau District 8 Trustee Matt Vodraska. Derek Snider from AgCredit will serve as the Young Agricultural Professionals member of the foundation board of directors.
Mike McCoy is president and chief executive officer of Post Refrigerated Retail, inclusive of Bob Evans Farms and Crystal Farms. He is an experienced executive known for his leadership in financial operations, strategic planning and organizational development. Mike joined Bob Evans Farms in 2018 as EVP and chief administrative officer, and was promoted to chief financial officer of Post Refrigerated Retail in 2019 and president and CEO in October 2024.
Hinda Mitchell is the president of Inspire PR Group. She founded Inspire in 2014, after two decades in other communications firms, with the belief that the best decisions are made with “inspiration” and rooted in values and purpose. Hinda is a trusted public relations advisor to national organizations and corporations, with a robust practice in food and agriculture, and provides direct counsel to CEOs, c-suite executives and association leaders on complex business matters.
Derek Snider is a senior account officer for Ag Credit, ACA at the association’s Kenton office. He is a 2013 graduate from The Ohio State University with a degree in agricultural business and applied economics with minors in agricultural communications as well as entrepreneurship. As a Hardin County native, Derek is actively involved with his family’s grain and livestock operation, DuLynn Farms, LLC. DuLynn Farms, LLC raises corn, soybeans, wheat and hay using no-till practices.
Matt Vodraska of Doylestown was elected to his first, three-year term on the board of trustees of Ohio Farm Bureau Federation in December 2023. He represents the interests of Farm Bureau members from Ashland, Medina, Summit and Wayne counties. Matt farms with his family on their farm, Rittman Orchard, and is the owner and cider-maker at Bent Ladder Cider and Wine. Matt was named Ohio Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer in 2019 and was a member of the inaugural AgriPOWER class in 2009.
Reappointed to the board was Amy McCormick, a communications leader for The Kroger Co.
For 2025, Ohio Farm Bureau District 20 Trustee Nathan Brown was named president; Doug Miller, Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives was named first vice president; Ohio Farm Bureau District 9 Trustee Danielle Burch was named 2nd vice president. Ohio Farm Bureau Treasurer Adele Flynn will serve as the foundation’s treasurer.
“Being a first-generation farmer, I know that I am an anomaly when it comes to having a career in agriculture without having a farming background. Helping more young people realize the same opportunities that I had is one of the primary goals of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation,” said Brown. “One of the daunting challenges for Ohio agriculture is that there aren’t enough people to fill the careers that are available within the industry. I look forward to working with my fellow board members to garner more interest in the countless career paths the farm and food section offer to help ensure the future success of agriculture in Ohio.”
The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of farmers, ensuring the progress and prosperity of Ohio agriculture far into the future. The foundation creates pathways for young people to learn about the variety and viability of careers in agriculture. Through scholarships, programming and grants, the foundation builds a growing workforce of farmers who are passionate and prepared to grow Ohio agricultural communities.
To learn more about the foundation’s mission and commitment to the future of Ohio agriculture, visit ohiofarmbureau.org/foundation.
This is a news release for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ty Higgins, 614-246-8231 or thiggins@ofbf.org.
Current Agricultural Use Value is often discussed as a farmland preservation tool, but there are some other tools in the law that landowners can consider.
Read MoreTrevor Kirkpatrick will help design, coordinate and implement member-focused health benefits programs.
Read MoreSB 100 will allow Ohio to join the existing network of state Farm Bureaus participating in Farm Bureau Health Plans, which is an alternative health plan that has been serving Farm Bureau members since 1993.
Read MoreOver three days, participants heard from experts and, in turn, voiced their thoughts on topics as far reaching as the farm bill to trade to taxes.
Read MoreThe ExploreAg program is free to all high school students. The deadline to apply is April 30 at exploreag.org.
Read MoreThe award recognizes successful young agricultural professionals who are actively contributing and growing through their involvement with Farm Bureau and agriculture.
Read MoreWill Minshall currently farms in a partnership with his family as an 8th generation grain farmer and a 1st generation cattle farmer in Pickaway County.
Read MoreUpdate: As of Feb. 27, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network announced no fines, penalties or enforcement action will be taken against companies based on failure to file or update BOI by March 21.
Read MoreEight local Young Agricultural Professionals groups have been awarded $500 grants for educational programming or events they are planning or that have taken place already in 2025.
Read MoreA large contingency of Ohio Farm Bureau members made their way to the Statehouse Feb. 19 to meet one-on-one with their state senators and representatives.
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