Ohio Beef Expo under way in Columbus
By
John Grimes-
The signs are all around us that spring is – officially – here.
Sports fans know the true signs of spring: baseball spring training and the college basketball tournament. I’m not sure that this is an official sign of spring, but daylight saving time has arrived as well.
Ohio Beef Expo
under way in Columbus
The Ohio Beef Expo kicked off for its 23rd year on March 19.
The three-day event, held March 19-21 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, is the premier event of Ohio’s Beef Industry. This year’s event is shaping up to be the best ever with breed sales, shows, trade show, a competitive junior show and educational seminars.
Educational seminars will take place throughout the day on Friday and Sunday and will offer producers the opportunity to learn how to make their operation more efficient and profitable.
A special feature will be the seminars for grass-fed beef production on Sunday. A complete list of seminars is available at www.ohiobeefexpo.com.
The Expo will once again include a three-day industry trade show. This year’s trade show is the largest ever and will feature over 100 exhibitors from 16 states. The breed shows, sales and displays will once again feature some of the country’s greatest cattle. Breeders from the Angus, Beefalo, Charolais, Chianina, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Maine-Anjou, Murray Grey, Piedmontese, Shorthorn and Simmental breeds will be on hand to sell or display their cattle. Catalogs for these sales can be requested by logging on to www.ohiobeefexpo.com.
While visiting the trade show, producers can stop at the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association booth and learn about all the benefits of being an OCA member. Thanks to a great partnership with J&J Steakbarn, an outstanding membership prize of a $100 gift certificate to J&J Steakbarn will be given away to a lucky OCA member. OCA’s County Cattlemen’s Association affiliates will be on hand Sunday to see which lucky county will be the winner of a new five-foot, stainless steel grill sponsored by the Ohio Corn Growers Association.
Throughout the event, the Ohio Beef Expo will be hosting several fundraisers for OCA’s PAC (Political Action Committee) fund. There will be an item sold at the start of each of the breed sales as well as a few items sold at the start of the Semen Sale to benefit the PAC fund. As Ohio enters into a big election this November, the need for these funds is critical.
The ever-popular Genetic Pathway will once again be a feature of the upper concourse of the Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center throughout the weekend. The country’s best genetics will be featured with live bulls and females on display.
The junior show will kick off Saturday afternoon with Showmanship that is being sponsored by Green Oak Farms. The competition will start again early Sunday morning with the heifer and market animal shows.
Complete rules for the show can be found on www.ohiobeefexpo.com.
Two individuals will also be recognized as Friends of the Ohio Beef Expo during the event for their contribution to the event’s annual success. Sam Roberts of South Charleston and Laura Sutherly of Troy are this year’s award recipients.
Over 25,000 visitors from 20 states and Canada routinely attend the Ohio Beef Expo. It is ranked as the ninth largest event hosted in central Ohio and is the premier location to meet Ohio’s cattle producers.
Pork Council Banquet
set for March 25
The 22nd annual Highland County Pork Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, March 25, 2010 starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Hillsboro Ponderosa Banquet Center located at 545 S. High Street (U.S. 62).
Some of the evening’s highlights include the naming of the 2010 Highland County Pork Industry Queen and entertainment by Ashlee Ryan Cheesbro.
Tickets are $12 per person and are available from any Highland County Pork council officer or director as well as here at the Extension office.
Department of Agriculture
accepts Specialty Crop
Grant Proposals
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for the 2010 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which will provide funding for projects that will enhance the competitiveness of Ohio’s specialty crops.
The department is seeking project proposals that will advance long-term economic viability and sustainability of the state’s specialty crop industry while increasing the marketability of specialty crops. The USDA Agriculture Marketing Service will make approximately $670,000 of grant funding available to Ohio.
“Specialty crops play an important role in helping to diversify Ohio’s agricultural sector,” said Ohio Agriculture Director Robert J. Boggs.
“By enhancing the competitiveness of Ohio’s specialty crops with this grant program, we can strengthen the state’s number one industry – food and agriculture.”
Specialty crops range in variety from fruits and vegetables to dried fruit and tree nuts to nursery crops, including floriculture. Grants will range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $100,000. In addition, all applicants must provide a minimum match of 25 percent of total project costs.
Parties eligible to submit proposals include food and agricultural non-profit organizations, cooperatives, associations or commodity groups, universities and research institutions that represent specific specialty crop sectors. Proposals must be submitted electronically using the online application by 4 p.m. on April 9, 2010.
For more information, available forms or a copy of the request for proposals, visit the new Specialty Crop Promotion Program page on the department’s Web site at www.agri.ohio.gov.
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.
Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status.[[In-content Ad]]
Sports fans know the true signs of spring: baseball spring training and the college basketball tournament. I’m not sure that this is an official sign of spring, but daylight saving time has arrived as well.
Ohio Beef Expo
under way in Columbus
The Ohio Beef Expo kicked off for its 23rd year on March 19.
The three-day event, held March 19-21 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, is the premier event of Ohio’s Beef Industry. This year’s event is shaping up to be the best ever with breed sales, shows, trade show, a competitive junior show and educational seminars.
Educational seminars will take place throughout the day on Friday and Sunday and will offer producers the opportunity to learn how to make their operation more efficient and profitable.
A special feature will be the seminars for grass-fed beef production on Sunday. A complete list of seminars is available at www.ohiobeefexpo.com.
The Expo will once again include a three-day industry trade show. This year’s trade show is the largest ever and will feature over 100 exhibitors from 16 states. The breed shows, sales and displays will once again feature some of the country’s greatest cattle. Breeders from the Angus, Beefalo, Charolais, Chianina, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Maine-Anjou, Murray Grey, Piedmontese, Shorthorn and Simmental breeds will be on hand to sell or display their cattle. Catalogs for these sales can be requested by logging on to www.ohiobeefexpo.com.
While visiting the trade show, producers can stop at the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association booth and learn about all the benefits of being an OCA member. Thanks to a great partnership with J&J Steakbarn, an outstanding membership prize of a $100 gift certificate to J&J Steakbarn will be given away to a lucky OCA member. OCA’s County Cattlemen’s Association affiliates will be on hand Sunday to see which lucky county will be the winner of a new five-foot, stainless steel grill sponsored by the Ohio Corn Growers Association.
Throughout the event, the Ohio Beef Expo will be hosting several fundraisers for OCA’s PAC (Political Action Committee) fund. There will be an item sold at the start of each of the breed sales as well as a few items sold at the start of the Semen Sale to benefit the PAC fund. As Ohio enters into a big election this November, the need for these funds is critical.
The ever-popular Genetic Pathway will once again be a feature of the upper concourse of the Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center throughout the weekend. The country’s best genetics will be featured with live bulls and females on display.
The junior show will kick off Saturday afternoon with Showmanship that is being sponsored by Green Oak Farms. The competition will start again early Sunday morning with the heifer and market animal shows.
Complete rules for the show can be found on www.ohiobeefexpo.com.
Two individuals will also be recognized as Friends of the Ohio Beef Expo during the event for their contribution to the event’s annual success. Sam Roberts of South Charleston and Laura Sutherly of Troy are this year’s award recipients.
Over 25,000 visitors from 20 states and Canada routinely attend the Ohio Beef Expo. It is ranked as the ninth largest event hosted in central Ohio and is the premier location to meet Ohio’s cattle producers.
Pork Council Banquet
set for March 25
The 22nd annual Highland County Pork Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, March 25, 2010 starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Hillsboro Ponderosa Banquet Center located at 545 S. High Street (U.S. 62).
Some of the evening’s highlights include the naming of the 2010 Highland County Pork Industry Queen and entertainment by Ashlee Ryan Cheesbro.
Tickets are $12 per person and are available from any Highland County Pork council officer or director as well as here at the Extension office.
Department of Agriculture
accepts Specialty Crop
Grant Proposals
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for the 2010 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which will provide funding for projects that will enhance the competitiveness of Ohio’s specialty crops.
The department is seeking project proposals that will advance long-term economic viability and sustainability of the state’s specialty crop industry while increasing the marketability of specialty crops. The USDA Agriculture Marketing Service will make approximately $670,000 of grant funding available to Ohio.
“Specialty crops play an important role in helping to diversify Ohio’s agricultural sector,” said Ohio Agriculture Director Robert J. Boggs.
“By enhancing the competitiveness of Ohio’s specialty crops with this grant program, we can strengthen the state’s number one industry – food and agriculture.”
Specialty crops range in variety from fruits and vegetables to dried fruit and tree nuts to nursery crops, including floriculture. Grants will range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $100,000. In addition, all applicants must provide a minimum match of 25 percent of total project costs.
Parties eligible to submit proposals include food and agricultural non-profit organizations, cooperatives, associations or commodity groups, universities and research institutions that represent specific specialty crop sectors. Proposals must be submitted electronically using the online application by 4 p.m. on April 9, 2010.
For more information, available forms or a copy of the request for proposals, visit the new Specialty Crop Promotion Program page on the department’s Web site at www.agri.ohio.gov.
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.
Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status.[[In-content Ad]]