Ohio Department of Agriculture

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: DUNF Forms now available!

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The Drug Use Notification Forms (DUNF) are now available at the Senior Fair Office and the OSU Extension Office. Advisors should please send a representative from your club to pick-up the forms. Forms will be due at weigh-in for each species. As a reminder, our county code is 94. Continuing from 2017: Per page 7 of the Junior Fair Book, Rule 26 states: Market animals and any species that requires a DUNF must be free from any/all drugs in their system at fair weigh-in day.

All exhibitors at the Fairfield County Junior Fair must abide by the rules listed in the 2018 Junior Fair Book. Please note that animals must be drug free or within tolerance by weigh-in day of fair. Each member is to bring a completed Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF) to weigh-in at fair. Livestock exhibitors must have completed a Quality Assurance Training by June 30, 2018 and should indicated so on the DUNF in order to exhibit at the 2018 Fairfield County Junior Fair. If the forms are not correctly completed, exhibitors will not be permitted to show.

ODA Internship Program for Summer 2018

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ODA is pleased to announce the Ohio Department of Agriculture internship program for Summer 2018. They are now accepting applications from students from all disciplines for the internship program that will run from May 23rd – August 5th, 2018.

Upon successful completion of the internship, $500 scholarships will be awarded to interns and dispensed directly to their college or university of enrollment.

Timeline:

  • Application deadline: January 31, 2018, 5 pm.
  • Interviews: February and March, 2018 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
  • Accepted candidates will be notified by April 6, 2018.
  • Internship period: May 23 – August 5, 2018

Criteria:

  • Applicants must have satisfactorily completed at least one term of freshman coursework at an accredited college or university.
  • Applicants must provide their own transportation to the ODA campus.
  • Applicants must be familiar with using personal computers and Windows operating systems.

Return ODA University Application with:
Cover Letter, resume, and letter of reference to
Traci Hayes, Chief, Human Resources
Ohio Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068

DUE: January 31, 2018

Source: http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pages/odauniversity.aspx

2018 Ohio Fairs Schedule Now Available

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Source: ODA Communications, (614) 752-9817, communications@agri.ohio.gov

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Dec. 13, 2017) – Ohioans can start planning visits to all of their favorite fairs across the state. The Ohio Department of Agriculture today released the official dates for the 2018 fair season, which includes Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair.

The Paulding County Fair will kick off the 2018 fair season on June 11, and the season will wrap up on Oct. 13 with the Fairfield County Fair. For a complete schedule, click here.

In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, the department is responsible for helping to assure the safety of fair amusement rides, monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition and coordinating animal health efforts with local veterinarians.

Ag is COOL!

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The Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio State Fair and the buckeye state’s agricultural commodity groups are again sponsoring the “Agriculture is Cool” program at the Ohio State Fair complete with exciting interactive stations like the opportunity to milk a cow!

Here are ways you can participate:

  • K-12 Students can participate in the Creative Expression Contest
  • 4th Graders can present their report card at the Ohio State Fair Entry Gate and get in free!
  • 4th Graders can write an essay and win a $500 scholarship!

For more information, view this flyer:

ODA Rule Updates effective 3/23/3017 for Quality Assurance

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The Ohio Department of Agriculture recently made an update to the Ohio Administrative Code 901-19-07 Quality Assurance as of 3/23/2017. In addition to reviewing this information, please note that the Fairfield County Junior Fair Quality Assurance Requirements for livestock exhibitors are printed in the 4-H Member’s Handbook and will be printed in the Fairfield County Junior Fair Book which will be posted online soon. Fairfield County youth exhibiting livestock at the 2017 Ohio State Fair and/or Fairfield County Junior Fair are required to complete Quality Assurance by June 30th, 2017 (no exceptions) and this must be an approved Quality Assurance event taught by a Certified Instructor or Assistant Instructor. For questions, please contact our office at 740-652-7260.

The complete listing under Quality Assurance as outlined in the Ohio Administrative Code 901-19-07 Quality Assurance reads as follows:(please notice that the information included in section (C) is the updated part of this Rule):

901-19-07 Quality assurance.

This is a mandatory rule.

(A) Except as stated in paragraph (B) of this rule, sponsors shall require exhibitors at fairs sponsored by county or independent agricultural societies or the Ohio exposition commission to annually attend or complete a quality assurance program sponsored and conducted cooperatively by the exhibition sponsor, Ohio state university extension, Ohio agricultural education, or agricultural commodity organizations.

(B) At the discretion of Ohio state university extension, or Ohio agricultural education, an exhibitor may pass a test based on the appropriate skill level for their age (twelve to fourteen or fifteen to eighteen) under the supervision of Ohio state university extension or Ohio agricultural education before exhibiting terminal or partial terminal market livestock, including market poultry, lactating dairy cattle and lactating goats in a junior livestock show. Youth who pass the test will be exempt from annual quality assurance re-certification until they move to the next age bracket or they are no longer a junior exhibitor (nineteen years of age or older on January first of their last year). Minimum standards for youth food animal quality assurance are as set forth in appendix A to this rule.

(C) Exhibitors who fail to attend or complete a quality assurance program or fail to pass the exam as outlined in paragraph (B) of this rule may be subject to the disciplinary actions listed in rule 901-19-21 of the Administrative Code.

Effective: 3/23/2017
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 03/21/2021
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 901.72
Rule Amplifies: 901.72
Prior Effective Dates: 05/01/97, 03/19/99, 03/25/00, 02/15/03, 02/13/04, 02/19/07, 02/19/2008, 03/21/2016

ODA Launches 2017 “Ag is Cool!” Creative Expression Contest

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REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (April 05, 2017) –The Ohio Department of Agriculture today announced it will begin accepting entries for the 2017 “Agriculture is Cool!” Creative Expression Contest. Children enrolled in school or home schooled in Ohio during the 2016-2017 academic year have until June 5, 2017 to capture their personal interpretation of why Ohio agriculture is cool for their chance to win prizes, including tickets to the Ohio State Fair.

“Ag is Cool!” entries, which can include an original video, photograph, drawing or painting, will be judged in the following age categories. One winner from each age group and category will be chosen:

  • Grades K-2: Photography, Drawing or Painting
  • Grades 3-5: Video, Photography, Drawing or Painting
  • Grades 6-8: Video, Photography, Drawing or Painting
  • Grades 9-12: Video, Photography, Drawing or Painting

Entries will be judged by a panel that may include representatives from the Office of Governor John Kasich, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Ohio State Fair and professionals in the areas of video production, photography, drawing, painting and other visual arts. Judging will be based on the student’s visual representation of the “Ag is Cool!” theme, if it accurately reflects 21st Century agriculture, use of Ohio images, creativity and quality of work.

Winners of the art contest will be recognized by the Office of Governor Kasich and other state officials at the Ohio State Fair on July 26, 2017.

For additional information about the contest, a complete copy of the rules and entry form visit http://www.agri.ohio.gov/AgIsCool/ or call 614-752-9817.

Ashley McDonald, (614) 752-9817, Ashley.McDonald@agri.ohio.gov