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50th Farm Science Review Recap

Vice President’s Luncheon Highlights, OABA Members Present Growing the Cure Check, Ruff’s Seed Farms Recognized for Long History

The Farm Science Review celebrated its 50^th year this week, and the Ohio AgriBusiness Association (OABA) was onsite to experience the week’s events, some of which are highlighted below.

We enjoyed meeting with several of you as you stopped by the Ohio’s Country Journal/Ohio Ag Net barn to pick up your complimentary lunch on set-up day Monday. We saw lots of familiar faces, and enjoyed meeting new members – thanks to those of you who stopped and introduced yourselves!

On Tuesday, we were honored to be part of the 2012 Vice President’s Luncheon. We were able to hear several great speakers, which are highlighted below.

• Dr. Bobby Moser – Vice President and Dean of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (OSU CFAES) – shared comments about his retirement and the anniversary. Click here for video highlights.
• Three OABA members – Heritage Cooperative, Inc.; Town & Country Co-op Inc. and Trupointe Cooperative, Inc. – joined two other cooperatives – United Landmark and Jackson Jennings Co-op – to support cancer research through a project called Growing the Cure. During the luncheon, the group presented OSU CFAES with a $103,000 check to support cancer research through the Growing the Cure project. Click here for video highlights.
• The Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee shared remarks and welcomed the new OSU CFAES dean – click here for video highlights.
• Incoming OSU CFAES Dean Bruce McPheron spoke to the Ohio agriculture community for the first time – click here for video highlights.
• Governor John Kasich spoke about how Ohio agribusiness is creating jobs and fueling the economy – click here for video highlights.
• U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke about what Land Grant Universities – such as The Ohio State University – have accomplished over the last 150 years and what they will accomplish in the future. Click here for video highlights.
• Three new agriculture leaders were inducted to the 23^rdclass of the Farm Science Review Hall of Fame during the luncheon. Congratulations to this year’s inductees:
• Mike Gahn of Worthington, OABA Member with DuPont Pioneer – Mike has been very active with OABA, and is currently serving on the Seed Technology Seminar Task Force. As a representative of DuPont Pioneer, Mike built a partnership with the Review to provide in-kind donations of seed for the field demonstration plots. DuPont Pioneer’s gifts became a model by which other seed companies could contribute to the continuing education of the region’s farmers.
• Bobby Moser of Dublin, OABA Honorary Member – If you have attended the Review in the last 20 years, you are sure to have seen Bobby Moser, Vice President and Dean of the OSU CFAES. While he’s a faithful attendee and host during those three days in September, his involvement is year-round since the Farm Science Review reports to his office. Moser’s passion for bringing the latest knowledge and technology to the farmers of Ohio and surrounding region are unmatched, and he has contributed greatly to the Review’s recognition as a leader in the farm show industry. “These leaders in the agricultural industry have been steadfast in their support of the Farm Science Review as a venue for sharing the latest technology,” said Chuck Gamble, manager of the Farm Science Review. “It’s because of people like this that the Review and the farmers we serve have sustained 50 years of success.”
• Jim Beuerlein of Mt. Gilead – Jim was a professor, researcher and state Extension leader with The Ohio State University and has become a nationally known expert in small grain production – particularly soybeans. Beuerlein was very influential in the move to narrow row soybean production. He served on the Farm Science Review Program and Policy Committee.

We also wanted to congratulate OABA member Ruff’s Seed Farms for being recognized as a long-time exhibitor at the Farm Science Review!

The agriculture industry has evolved tremendously in the last fifty years. While this evolution has modified exhibits seen at the Farm Science Review, one family seed corn company remains a staple in the exhibitor line-up year after year.

Ruff’s Seed Farms, located in Amanda, Ohio, was established in 1936 and is an early pioneer of hybrid seed corn development in Ohio. Ruff’s has attended the Farm Science Review regularly for the past 49 years. Part of Ruff’s exhibit has even traveled through those nearly-fifty years with the company. The counter that is included in their display area today, where they have key conversations with attendees, is the original one that was used in 1963.

Allan Reid, general manager of Ruff’s Seed Farms, whose father-in-law started the company, has attended every show with the exception of the 2001 show. Since he was traveling around the time of September 11, he was not able to fly home for days due to the terrorist attacks.

Click here to read more about Ruff’s Seed Farms’ history with the Farm Science Review.

Be sure to check out photos from the week through Wilt PR, Ohio’s Country Journal/Ohio Ag Net and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. To learn more about this year’s Farm Science Review, click here to go to their website, or click here to go to their Facebook page.