2020 YAP officers

Charlie and Casey Ellington have been named the 2020 chaircouple of the Ohio Farm Bureau Young Ag Professionals Committee. Serving as committee co-chair is Aaron Harter and serving as secretary is Megan Brannon.

The Ellington’s own and operate Ellington Farms, raising beef, pork, chicken, hay and grain crops, balancing direct to consumer and commercial sales. Charlie is the Director of Feed at Heritage Cooperative. Casey is the Executive Director for the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce. Both are graduates of Ohio Farm Bureau’s intensive leadership institute AgriPOWER. They have three children.

Harter, an environmental manager for Denali Water Solutions, is an active Farm Bureau member from Preble County. He attended the Young Ag Professionals’ Washington, D.C. trip in 2017, has served as residuals committee chair of the Indiana Water Environment Association and as a volunteer of the Preble County Pork Festival.

Brannon resides in Tuscarawas County with her husband, Tyrone, where they have poultry, raise produce and herbs and specialize in microgreens. On their farming operation, the Brannons sell directly to consumers either at their farm or at local farmers markets. She teaches undergraduate educational technology at Kent State University.

Young Ag Professionals are 18 to 35, singles and married, who are interested in improving the business of agriculture, learning new ideas and developing leadership skills. The group includes full- and part-time farmers, OSU Extension agents, teachers, consumer educators, former Ohio Farm Bureau Youth members, FFA and 4-H alumni, farm media communicators, livestock and equine enthusiasts, seed representatives, green industry employees, gardeners, foodies and more.

To learn more about the program, visit experienceyap.com.

 

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

Editors: A high-resolution photo is available to accompany this release.

The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Giving farmers a voice
The plan we are on is great. It’s comparable to my previous job's plan, and we are a sole proprietor.
Kevin Holy's avatar
Kevin Holy

Geauga County Farm Bureau

Ohio Farm Bureau Health Benefits Plan
We really appreciate what Farm Bureau has done to get people interested in this line of work and workforce development and getting people interested in this industry.
Jody Brown Boyd's avatar
Jody Brown Boyd

Brown's Family Farm Market

Finding farm labor
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
We work terrifically with the Ashtabula County Farm Bureau, hosting at least one to two outreach town hall events every year to educate new farmers and existing farmers on traditional CAUV and woodlands.
David Thomas's avatar
David Thomas

Ashtabula County Auditor

CAUV: Past, present and future
Because we are younger farmers just starting out, Farm Bureau has a lot of good opportunities and resources to help us grow in the future.
Hannah Kiser's avatar
Hannah Kiser

Sandusky County Farm Bureau

Farm Bureau involvement
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
Chad Ruhl's avatar
Chad Ruhl

Farm manager, CSI Insurance

Select Partner Program
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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