Coshocton County celebrates National Ag Day

Hello Coshocton County! National Agriculture Day was celebrated Tuesday, March 24 across the United States. It’s a day to celebrate everything that is provided by agriculture.

Here in Coshocton County, we celebrated March 17 by holding our annual National Ag Day Lunch, hosted by Coshocton Soil & Water Conservation District, Farm Credit and Ohio State Extension. It was great to see everyone that came out and celebrated the industry that brings our community together.

Not only is March 24 National Ag Day, but also on Feb. 27 Gov. Mike DeWine declared March is Ohio Agriculture Month. This is being led by ODA and is meant to recognize the farmers, agribusinesses and food producers who power Ohio’s economy and feed communities at home and around the world.

Agriculture has always been a huge part of my life and a love of mine. Today I would love to share with you stats from the 2022 Census of Agriculture Data.

The USDA Census of Agriculture provides a detailed picture of U.S. farms and ranches every five years. The most recent census gathered information in 2022 and was released in 2024.

First, let’s take a look at the state as a whole. When it comes to Ohio, stats show food and agriculture is a $124 billion industry in the state, employing 1-in-8 people. Our state is home to approximately 74,000 farms, covering 13 million acres.

Out of 50 states, Ohio ranks as follows:

—No. 1 in Swiss cheese (155 million pounds).

—No. 2 in eggs (11.8 billion).

—No. 5 in soybeans (281.9 million bushels).

—No. 7 in corn (594.6 million bushels).

—No. 8 in maple syrup (96,000 gallons).

—No. 8 in hog inventory (2.7 million head).

—No. 10 in turkey inventory (6.1 million head).

—No. 10 in winter wheat (36.7 million bushels).

—No. 10 in beef farms (15,601 farms).

—No. 11 in sheep/lamb inventory (125,000 head).

—No. 12 in milk production (5.5 billion pounds).

Now let’s zoom in on Coshocton County. When it comes to total number of farms, Coshocton has 1,251 farms covering 178,050 acres in the county with the average acre size being 142. Looking at farms by size, 475 of the 1,251 farms range from 50-179 acres.

Looking at agriculture products Coshocton County produces, the total cropland in the county amounts to 972 farms and 86,800 acres. Breaking down those numbers even further, 270 farms use 26,012 acres for corn used for grain, 29 farms chop corn for silage using 1,169 acres, 33 farms grow wheat using 2,061 acres, 137 farms grow soybeans using 89,461 acres and 683 farms grow forages (hay, grass silage) using 25,407 acres.

Here are some stats looking at farms that produce livestock and poultry:

—Beef cows: 377 farms, 8,485 cows.

—Milk cows: 53 farms, 2,319 cows.

—Hogs: 43 farms, 58,807 hogs.

—Sheep: 117 farms, 3,689 sheep.

—Goats: 120 farms, 1,374 goats.

—Layers/broilers: 245 farms, 7,654,821 birds.

While this doesn’t necessarily fit into the livestock category, 356 farms raise 1,998 horses in Coshocton County.

Vegetables and fruit are other crops that are grown in Coshocton County with 23 farms growing various types of vegetables across 364 acres and 42 orchards across 209 acres.

Other agriculture products that are produced in the county include:

—Honey: 55 farms, 365 colonies.

—Christmas trees: Nine farms, 46 acres.

—Maple syrup: 12 farms, 2,366 taps.

Transitioning from what is grown in the county to the demographics, 1,395 farmers are male, farming 174,259 acres, and 822 farmers are female, farming 90,070 acres. Looking at new and beginning producers, Coshocton has 664 producers that farm 33,223 acres.

I hope you learned a little bit more about the No. 1 industry in Coshocton County. I love sharing about agriculture, especially the agriculture in the county I was raised in. If you see a farmer this month, be sure to thank them for everything they do.

To close, here’s a poem titled “The Hands That Feed.”

They rise before the sun can break

For heavy, honest labor’s sake.

With hands that hold the soil and seed,

They cultivate the food we need.

From rolling fields to morning milk,

From cotton clothes as soft as silk,

They watch the sky for coming rain,

And work with passion through the strain.

A calling, not just work or trade,

Through which our sustenance is made.

In every heart and every hand,

They serve the people and the land.