COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s been said that image is everything. With this, the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) and the soybean checkoff launched the Sustaining Life, Respecting Nature campaign to inform consumers about soybeans, Ohio agriculture and how farmers are working to provide safe, healthy food for everyone.

As part of the first stage of the campaign, OSC has created a new website at www.ohiosoybeanfarmers.org that features Ohio farmers talking about their family farms, farming practices and the food they produce. “This campaign is about creating open dialogue,” said John Motter, OSC chair and a soybean farmer from Hancock County. “There is a lot of information out there about farming and the American food system. We hope that the campaign will give consumers the opportunity to hear directly from farmers.

“We want them to feel more informed as they make food decisions for their families and ultimately, help them better understand what farmers are doing and why. My family shops at the local grocery story just like millions of other families. Growing safe, healthy food and continually looking for ways to improve how we do things is the right thing.”

In this campaign the goal is to directly address many food and soybean-related topics on the minds of consumers, including food safety, tillage decisions, environment and conservation, biotechnology and more. The website houses informational articles and educational resources for visitors and educators who would like to learn more and share it with others.

According to Steve Reinhard, OSC communications committee chair and a soybean farmer from Crawford County, creating this dialogue is the first step in bridging a gap that many in the OSC says continues to widen. Seven farmers from across the state volunteered to take part in the website promotion.

Trent Profit of Agracola Farms in northwestern Ohio works as a contract producer of seed, beans and popcorn. He is a third-generation farmer whose grandfather started the farm in the 1940s with vegetable crops such as tomatoes and sugar beets. He now works the land with his father, after receiving his degree in agribusiness and marketing management.

“Like any business, I think we have to grow and adapt, learn to do more with less, make our equipment more productive and efficient and keep up with technology. It’s rewarding to see all your hard work come to fruition and the positive effects it has on people. It’s very gratifying,” Profit said.

According to Reinhard, Ohio farmers like Profit play a big part in making sure quality farming stays headed in a positive direction. Another testimonial on this website comes from Terry McClure, a fifth-generation farmer from Grover Hill. His acreage includes 4,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat. Since 2005 he has also served as a contract grower, raising 8,000 hogs for another farming operation.

“We look at things on a generational basis,” McClure said. “It’s about how good the land will be for my grandson or his grandson. Farming is an important part for everyone’s future and seed technology is the logical next stop.

“The seed companies and the technology pipeline assure us that they will be able to grow 50 percent more off our fields in 20, 30, 40 years. Farmers have always risen to the occasion and we will again. From fuel to chemicals to seed, we are improving every aspect of our farms.”

The OSC is based in Worthington. Its primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development projects through the investment of farmer-contributed funds. And with the Sustaining Live, Respecting Nature website, the hope is to make a connection with consumers in the state. “More people are
getting farther and farther away from agriculture,” Reinhard said.
“We need to find ways to close the gap.”