Growing OhioÕs Green Industry and Agriculture
The Challenge: Collectively, Ohio's diverse commercial agricultural, horticultural, and forestry industries contribute more than $82 billion annually to Ohio's economy. Global economic forces, competition for land use, and urban/suburban sprawl will continue to challenge the aforementioned industries to strategically position their businesses to remain sustainable into the future. Traditional agriculture commodity production will continue its bi-modal distribution in farm size and scale with a very small percentage of farm production units contributing an increasing share of total gross production. Small/mid-size farms will continually need to become entrepreneurial by differentiating their commodities and evaluating direct and other value-added marketing alternatives. Continued growth and evolution of Ohio's "green industry" (nursery/landscape, turfgrass, and floriculture) will present unique opportunities for new university investments in research and Extension personnel at the state, center, and county levels to provide timely research-based information.
OSU Extension's Response
OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources program area's multi-disciplinary teams will continue to conduct applied research and identify the most efficient means to disseminate research-based information through just-in-time electronic newsletters, programs, field days, and satellite series. Newly identified teams and working groups will be developed as needs and issues are identified by clientele groups.
Benefits/Outcomes for Ohioans
For example, OSU Extension's Agronomic Crops and Nursery, Landscape, and Turf Teams have measured multi-million-dollar impacts from end users (consultants/producers) of their Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (CORN) (Greg LaBarge/Harold Watters) and Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL) (Jim Chatfield), two weekly electronic newsletters. Other commodity/issue teams will be asked to continually assess and identify contemporary needs of their respective clientele groups and then develop and deliver appropriate high-impact products and programs. The Agriculture and Natural Resources program area has 24 commodity/issue teams producing electronic newsletters and high-impact programs.
Partner Audiences/Targeted Programs
Target audiences include all Ohio farm families, commercial green-industry companies, consumer horticulture advocates, commodity/farm advocacy groups, federal/state agricultural/ environmental agencies, and state-wide consumer groups. Environmental compliance partner programs, such as our Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) (Joanne Kick-Raack) and Livestock/Equine Environmental Assurance Programs (LEAP) (Steve Foster), are examples of programs that will continue to assist participating Ohio businesses in meeting environmental and social standards while reaching financial goals.
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