March declared agriculture month

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel issued a proclamation declaring March as Ohio Agriculture Month. The governor's office and the Ohio Department of Agriculture said the month, which began on March 1, is "meant to recognize the farmers, agribusinesses and food producers who power Ohio's economy and feed communities at home and around the world," according to a news release. "As we begin Ohio Agriculture Month, we're proud to showcase our 74,000 farms and the people who work hard every day to keep our agriculture industry strong," DeWine said. "Ohio farmers feed our families, power our economy, and strengthen our communities, and we thank them for their dedication to serving Ohioans every day." The state agriculture department said agriculture is an approximately $124 billion industry for Ohio, and one out of every eight Ohioans works in agriculture. The state boasts 74,000 farms spanning about 13 million acres, the release states. The state encouraged Ohioans to participate in Ohio Agriculture Month by supporting local farmers and buying food items produced in Ohio. Fast facts The state agriculture department, using 2024 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gave a list of Ohio's top-ranked agriculture products in terms of output compared to other states: • #1 in Swiss cheese (155 million lbs.)• #2 in eggs (11.8 billion)• #5 in soybeans (281.9 million bushels)• #7 in corn (594.6 million bushels)• #8 in maple syrup (96,000 gallons)• #8 in hog inventory (2.7 million head)• #10 in turkey inventory (6.1 million head)• #10 in winter wheat (36.7 million bushels)• #10 in beef farms (15,601 farms)• #11 in sheep/lamb inventory (125,000 head)• #12 in milk production (5.5 billion lbs.)