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Farming in Northeast Ohio

E x u r ban Change Program Analyzing Rural-Urban Change. Farming in Northeast Ohio. NEO REGIONAL LEADERSHIP TASKFORCE REGIONAL DAY May 3, 2006 Jeff S. Sharp. Outline of Presentation. Background on farming in Northeast Ohio Some Challenges & Opportunities for NE Ohio Agriculture

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Farming in Northeast Ohio

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  1. Exurban Change Program Analyzing Rural-Urban Change Farming in Northeast Ohio NEO REGIONAL LEADERSHIP TASKFORCE REGIONAL DAY May 3, 2006 Jeff S. Sharp

  2. Outline of Presentation • Background on farming in Northeast Ohio • Some Challenges & Opportunities for NE Ohio Agriculture • Farmland Preservation • Local Food System Development

  3. Structural Change in Agriculture • Farm Changes • Persistent decline of medium size farms • Increase # of both large and small farms • Increased Share of Production occurring on Largest Farms • Upstream and downstream consolidation, concentration and globalization • Growing role of transnational supermarket chains

  4. Ag Sales of NE Ohio Counties

  5. County Profile: Wayne • One of Ohio’s top producing Agricultural Counties (3rd in sales of 88) • Substantial Livestock Production (Dairy) • Diversity of other farm enterprises • Home of OARDC & ATI • Modest processing sector • Future concern: Land use—Effect of population growth from north and east

  6. County Profile: Lake • Substantial sales from agriculture (11th highest of Ohio’s 88) • In 1997, ranked #27th nationally in total sales from Nursery and Greenhouse sales (Lorain county ranked 37th) • Substantial sales from Ag., despite relatively small number of farms, relatively small size of farms, and relatively little of total county’s land area in farmland

  7. Other Economic Considerations • Role of processing • Although sales from agriculture may be low in more urban NE counties, noteworthy presence of food processing • Summit & Stark County for example • Specialty and Recreational Functions • Geauga: Substantial presence of horses (no good data); presence of Amish

  8. Challenge: Balancing Growth and Farmland Preservation in NE Ohio

  9. Net Ohio County Population Change, 1970 - 2000

  10. Population of Ohio Townships, Villages and Cities, 1960-2000

  11. 1960 1980 2000

  12. 1960 1980 2000

  13. Future of Farming in NE? • Decline? • Impermanence Syndrome—farmers disinvest in agriculture and eventually exit due to urban pressure and population pressure • Persistence? • Creative adaptations that overcome urban pressure and even capitalize on urban proximity

  14. Opportunity: Local Food System Development

  15. Local Food System Development • Nationally and in Ohio, growing interest in local food system development • CSAs, Farmers Markets, U-pick • Organic Ag., National alternative grocery stores, etc. • Food security, food access, health nutrition

  16. Local Food System Development in Northeast Ohio • New Farmer Program/CVNP • Farmers Market Development • Local Foods Directory for Northeast Ohio http://www.cvcountryside.org/

  17. Farmland Center • Project of Western Reserve RC&D • Focus on Farmland Preservation and Ag. Viability in Western Reserve Region • http://www.thefarmlandcenter.org/index.html

  18. Cleveland City Fresh Community Foods Project • Nutrition Education & Quality Food Access • New Agrarian Center; OSU Extension Images from presentation by Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, 2006 SRI Local Foods Conference

  19. Take-away Points • Food & Farming System continues to evolve • Two types of farming emerging (Dualism) • Production & Lifestyle • Urban pressures in NE Ohio impact both availability of farmland and type of farming that can take place • Several exciting local food system projects across NE Ohio • Implications for consumer quality of life as well as prospects for preserving farmland and farmers.

  20. Exurban Change Program Analyzing Rural-Urban Change http://aede.osu.edu/programs/exurbs/ email: exurban@osu.edu

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