Harold Neuenschwander enters conservation hall of fame

Harold Neuenschwander didn’t get into agriculture for the accolades; he did so because of his love and passion for all things agricultural.

However, that passion did lead to a major recognition recently when Neuenschwander was honored as the newly inducted member of the Ohio Federation of Soil & Water Conservation Districts Supervisors Hall of Fame.

“I was honored, blessed and humbled to receive such an honor,” Neuenschwander said. “When it comes to leadership, you simply go do the best you can, not for yourself, but you do it for the betterment of the community and for the state.”

He said what made him successful was as much the people around him who have done amazing work and said whatever he has done in his career, he has tried to do it with passion and with 100% effort.

Neuenschwander founded Harold’s Equipment in 1985 in Dundee, which specializes in agricultural equipment sales and service. He grew up on a dairy farm in Wayne County but decided his love of farming followed the equipment rather than the cows.

According to Trevor Berger, HCSWCD program administrator, owning and operating an agricultural equipment business gave Neuenschwander a unique perspective into conservation.

Neuenschwander has served at the Holmes County Fair, not only as a fair board member, but also donating his time, equipment and knowledge to support 4-H and FFA kids. He has worked with the local Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative on Operation Round Up, a program where customers elect to round their bill up to the nearest whole dollar, with that money going into a fund to be used for local families or organizations in need.

“Some of the most important things I’ve done over the past two decades have been things that had to do with our young people, like the 5th Grade Farm Tour and the Soil & Water Forestry Tour,” Neuenschwander said. “I appreciate anything we’ve done to try to educate and influence our young people toward agriculture.”

Neuenschwander was elected to the Holmes County Board of Supervisors 18 years ago and has served from 2008-25.

“Despite being the head of a renowned business serving the dairy and manure handling needs of the Midwest, his participation was always counted on, rarely missing the monthly district meetings or area supervisor meetings,” Berger said.

Neuenschwander began his service to the OFSWCD Board in 2013 and served his term as president from 2017-18. He served on the board during the Division of Soil and Water Conservation’s transition from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to its new home under the Department of Agriculture.

He was at the helm during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Ohio’s districts reaching the 75-year mark and as the cogs of H2Ohio brainstorming started to turn. Neuenschwander championed the districts to maintain local leadership in the years-long effort to develop a strategic plan to address the harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie.

Those efforts grew into the Ohio Agricultural Conservation Initiative and H2Ohio.

“Harold is a visionary and forward thinker,” Berger said. “He took pride in his signature phrase of 'leading from the front,' and that guided him in decision-making as chair of the Holmes SWCD board. He was interested in hearing about new ideas and technologies and how they could improve the farming and conservation world. Anytime a staff member or supervisor presented a new idea, Harold patiently listened to the proposal and typically asked thoughtful follow-up questions.”

A classic example is the genesis of the cover crop fly-on program. After hearing about this novel idea, Neuenschwander lent his support for the district to be a leader in this new practice.

“Harold Neuenschwander is one of the most recognizable names in Ohio’s conservation, agricultural and leadership communities,” Berger said. “He has not only spent the last 18 years promoting the work of the district to county commissioners, local, state and national representatives, he was a passionate defender of the staff and the mission of all SWCDs to lead the way in voluntary, locally led conservation efforts.”

From advocating for districts in the three-way memorandum discussions or in testimony to state representatives regarding the role of agricultural enterprises and SWCDs in conservation, Neuenschwander’s mission to support agriculture and the natural environment is clear.

“I’m not big on awards and honors,” Neuenschwander said. “I do this for my passion for the people of this county, state and the agricultural community. Trust me I’d much rather be out in the field doing work rather than being honored for the work.”

As conservation districts statewide now enjoy the fruits of his efforts and farms throughout the state have benefited from increased technical and financial support, his expectation is this work is not finished — that the successes of the past should motivate people to push for the best balance of sustainable agriculture and protection of precious soil and water resources.

Despite selling his business last year, Neuenschwander said he has no immediate plans to retire from a career that has blessed him in so many ways.