Q&A with Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation President Jenny Cox
Cox explains how the foundation carrying out its mission subsequently impacts the future of agriculture.
Read MoreThe Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is committed to inspire and educate the next generation of farmers, ensuring the progress and prosperity of Ohio's agriculture far into the future. We create 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 up-and-coming farmers who are passionate and prepared to grow Ohio's agricultural communities.
At the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, we believe that the key to a vital agricultural industry in the next decade—and countless decades beyond that—is helping young people understand all the growth opportunities agriculture offers.
Our work starts with what we call “ag literacy:” teaching students about agriculture and all the aspects of their lives that it impacts—whether it’s the milk they pour on their morning cereal or the wool sweater they grab when it’s chilly.
By helping young people gain ag literacy, we introduce them to the educational and employment possibilities related to farming. As they visit a tractor manufacturer, walk the rows at a biodynamic vineyard, or study heritage-breed chickens, they learn not only about the industry, but also about their own interests and purpose. They see that agriculture includes entomologists and engineers, pig ranchers and policy makers—and that it can include their aspirations and skills, too.
Through our work, the foundation inspires both the young people who will inherit the family farm, and those who will start their own entrepreneurial ventures. Those who love getting dirt on their hands, and those who love studying soil under a microscope. Those who want to climb into a combine, and those who want to climb the corporate ladder.
The foundation believes that every young person in Ohio has the potential to grow their
career in agriculture.
That’s why we need your help to grow the foundation’s potential.
To cultivate future generations of Ohio farmers, the foundation takes a
three-pronged approach to inspiring their interest in and commitment to agriculture.
week- and day-long immersion programs for high-school students. In ExploreAg, teens
learn about agriculture and related STEM fields from industry experts, scientists, and
educators.
Grants: We issue grants to nonprofit organizations and county Farm Bureaus that help young people embrace food, agriculture, and environmental careers, and to programs advancing agricultural education.
Please join the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation in supporting the farmers and ranchers of
tomorrow.
The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation funds programs that create a positive, measurable impact in four core areas of giving.
Learn MoreWe envision a future where tomorrow’s greatest leaders are passionate about and drawn to careers in agriculture.
Learn MoreCox explains how the foundation carrying out its mission subsequently impacts the future of agriculture.
Read MoreJenny 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.
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.
Read MoreGrant proposals are due by Nov. 4; all grant applicants must participate in a pre-submission pitch session Oct. 11.
Read MoreCultivating a Cure supports cancer treatment and prevention research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
Read MoreA local farmer donated 90 bushels of soft winter wheat as a gift to the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.
Read MoreThe Yvonne Lesicko Perseverance Prize, the “Y Prize” for short, recognizes groups or individuals working to find innovative solutions to farmer mental health difficulties. Nominations are due July 31, 2022.
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