Holmes Co. OSU Extension program earns OFB grant

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation recently awarded grants to fund efforts in agriculture-related programming created to enhance agricultural literacy efforts while creating pathways for young people to learn about the variety and viability of careers in agriculture. The new Workforce Development & Ag Literacy Grants are designed exclusively for county farm bureaus.

One of the four grants, which are $5,000 each, went to the Holmes County Farm Bureau Life Skills Camp and Career Fair.

This program, in partnership with Holmes County OSU Extension, offers several ways for youth in Holmes County and beyond to learn skills to live independently while also connecting them with employers in the county. This camp will be intended for participants age 16-21 and will feature careers in all facets of agriculture.

Other organizations awarded grants in the 2023 grant cycle were as follows:

—Brown County Farm Bureau’s Ag Literacy in the Classroom and On Wheels.

—Muskingum County Farm Bureau’s Building for the Future of Agriculture.

—Pike County Farm Bureau’s Ag Career Connections.

“We believe that the key to a vital agricultural industry in the next decade and beyond that is helping young people understand all the growth opportunities agriculture has to offer,” said Kelly Burns, executive director of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation. “By helping young people gain a better understanding of agriculture, we introduce them to the educational and employment possibilities related to farming.”

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization. Learn more by visiting www.ohiofarmbureau.org/foundation.