COLUMBUS, Ohio – Farmers, landowners, planners, local officials, land trust leadership, economic development professionals and anyone interested in preserving farmland in Ohio can get tips from the experts on the subject during a farmland summit on Jan. 17.
The 13th annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit is designed to help interested parties learn various techniques, tools and methods to preserve farmland, said Mike Hogan, an Ohio State University Extension educator and Small Farm Program coordinator. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
During past farmland summits, experts have presented tools on legal ways for people to preserve farm land, he said.
“This year, we’re looking to provide different ideas on enterprises and marketing strategies that can be used to help people generate income as a way to preserve farmland,” Hogan said. “In order to preserve Ohio farmland, we have to devise profitable alternatives for all varieties of farms to survive.
“The goal of the summit is to offer participants different ways to generate income on the farm.”
The summit is from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will take place at Ohio State University's Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, just across from the Schottenstein Center on the Columbus campus.
The summit will feature opening remarks from Hogan and David Daniels, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The event will also feature breakout sessions on a variety of topics, Hogan said, including Preservation Options for Farmland Owners, Building Local Capacity and Maximizing Resources, and Long-Term Farmland Leases on Federal Property.
Hogan will also present sessions on Using Agriculture as an Economic Development Tool and on Farm Income Opportunities from Natural Resources. Other presentations from OSU Extension experts include:
- Peggy Hall, assistant professor and OSU Extension field specialist in agricultural and resource law, who will present a session on Oil and Gas Language in an Easement.
- Dave Marrison, OSU Extension educator, who will present a session on Farm Business Succession Planning.
The summit will also feature an exhibition space and a lunch featuring Ohio foods.
Registration is $50 and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Deadline to register is Jan. 10. More details and online registration are available at http://go.osu.edu/farmlandsummit2013.
The summit is sponsored by OSU Extension, Countryside Conservancy, Fairfield Land Preservation Association, Pickaway Progress, Black Swamp Conservancy, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.