One of the best ways to preserve Ohio’s farmlands is for family farmers to understand and exploit their market opportunities and keep the family farm in agricultural production.
A breakout session at the 12th Annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit put on by the Ohio State University Extension provided Ohio farmers, planners and activists with a few tools and ideas to help farmers in Ohio market what they produce.
The Ohio Farmers Union was a sponsor of and exhibitor at the Preservation Summit.
Mike Hogan, an Extension Educator and Associate Professor at OSU, presented the breakout session, Local Food Business & Community Resources. Hogan also serves as the statewide Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator and the Local Foods Network Leader for OSU Extension. Additionally, he serves as the Ohio Coordinator for the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Hogan specializes in sustainable agriculture and small farm issues including direct marketing, local food systems and alternative crop and production systems.
Hogan’s first message is that farmers shouldn’t get hung up on the definition of “local.”
