Ohio Celebrates the Agriculture Industry

Monday morning, assistant director Derickson kicked off Ohio Agriculture Week during a visit to 80 Acres Farms, a state-of-the-art, tech-centric indoor farm that’s housed entirely inside a Cincinnati-area warehouse. 80 Acres Farms is a 100 percent pesticide free, eco-friendly farm that delivers fresh produce to grocery stores across Ohio. “As a dairy farmer in Butler County for many years, I have a sincere appreciation for Ohio agriculture,” said Derickson. “This week recognizes and celebrate the many contributions that Ohio’s agriculture communities make to enhance the quality of life not only in our state, but throughout the country.”

Assistant Director Derickson will continue to celebrate Ohio Agriculture Week with more than a dozen events across Ohio in the coming days, including a stop at Jones Fish Hatchery, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jones Fish is a family owned, industry leader in aquatic resource management, pond aeration, and Midwestern gamefish stocking. Jones has six locations across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and northern Tennessee.

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Sourced from: Morning Ag Clips.

Urban Garden Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A group of 40 volunteers spent the weekend in Hamilton winterizing a community garden, cleaning its raised boxes, tending to its berry beds, and trimming its trees and shrubs. The garden is part of the Hamilton Urban Garden System (HUGS). It donates all the food it grows to the Hamilton community, in Butler County, Ohio. The area around the HUGS garden is reportedly considered a food desert. The nearest grocery store is almost a mile away, leaving many in the area without readily available, nutritious food options. The HUGS garden aims to solve that problem – and it’s making a dent. Last summer, the garden reportedly produced 1,500 lbs. of fresh fruits and vegetables for the community. Follow this link to learn more.

Sourced from: Fox 19

The Perfect Home: Why 80 Acres Chose Hamilton, Ohio

Vertical farming company 80 Acres Farms is moving its headquarters to Butler County and has been granted a tax credit for committing to create 125 new jobs. 80 Acres Farms was founded in 2015 by Mike Zelkind and Tisha Livingston, two veteran food industry executives. It is supported by a board of directors representing executive and leadership experience at leading food, health care, and other companies. Hamilton is “the perfect home” for 80 Acres, given the company’s commitment to social responsibility, year-round sustainable farming, and innovative automation, according to Kimm Lauterbach, president and CEO of REDI Cincinnati.
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Sourced from: Journal News