COLUMBUS– Officials from the Ohio Senate joined officials from the Ohio House of Representatives today to host a joint agriculture committee meeting at the Ohio State Fair. Senator
Troy Balderson (R-Zanesville) was joined by Senators
Cliff Hite (R-Findlay),
Bob Peterson (R-Sabina),
Frank LaRose (R-Copley), and Lou Gentile (D-Steubenville).
“Having committee at the Ohio State Fair is a great opportunity for Ohio to showcase its number one industry, agriculture. We get to hear from various stakeholders on the continued growth of an industry that employs 1 out of every 7 Ohioans," said Balderson. "It’s also a wonderful way to bring the work we do within the Statehouse to the people who are directly impacted by the decisions we make.”
The meeting featured expert testimony by many, including the General Manager of the Ohio State Fair, Virgil Strickler, Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dave Daniels, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Jim Zehringer, President Jack Fisher of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and Dr. Bruce McPheron, Dean of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
The committee also heard from Ohio State Fair Junior Fair Board members, Future Farmers of America (FFA) students and others. The testimony given related to the importance of agriculture in Ohio and efforts that have been taken to ensure its continued prosperity.
