News Releases

  1. Students working in the ATI Feed Mill.

    Ohio State ATI adds new certificate program

    Starting autumn semester 2024, Ohio State ATI in Wooster will offer a new 9-month certificate program in feed mill operations to meet a growing demand in animal agriculture. It is the only program of its kind in Ohio. According to The American Feed Industry Association, there are more than 5,800 animal food manufacturing facilities in the United States which provide more than 944,000 jobs. Students enrolled in the certificate program will take classes in the feeding and nutrition of horses, swine, small ruminants, and dairy and beef cattle. They will also study feed mill operations, quality assurance, and feed technology, formulation, and safety. The state-of-the-art feed mill located on the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)...
  2. Family at a Christmas tree farm

    The real tale of a real Christmas tree

    Let’s assume that you and your significant other have already hashed out the real vs. fake Christmas tree debate. If the real tree won, raise a glass of eggnog to that! Nothing says happy holidays quite like the amazing scent of a live tree in your house. And, if you cut down your tree on an Ohio Christmas tree farm, you’re helping to support local farmers, many of whom have been growing trees on family farms for generations. It’s probably no shock, but choosing and cutting your own Christmas tree guarantees the freshest tree possible and can be a great family holiday tradition when you hike out in the fields to pick your perfect tree. Christmas trees are even a sustainable resource since they clean the air, and the tree farms are usually on land that's...
  3. 2023 OSU Livestock Judging Team

    Livestock Judging Team finishes strong in successful season

    The Livestock Judging Team at the Ohio State University wrapped up its 2023 season at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville. Seniors Ryan Michael, Morgan Price, Sarah Belmonte, Ellie Shaw, Dawson Osborn and Stephen Parthemore – all animal sciences majors – left NAILE as the 13th High Team in the senior college competition. Other notable fall finishes for the team include second High Team overall (first in placings, second in reasons) at the Purdue Boilermaker Classic, third High Team (High Team in swine) at the Keystone International Livestock Exposition in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and 12th High Team overall at the American Royal in Kansas City. Ryan Michael also placed in the top 20, earning the position of 19th High Individual...
  4. Photo: Getty Images

    Budgeting tips for winter holiday spending

    COLUMBUS, Ohio—While increased expenses that can occur during the winter holiday season can make it hard for some consumers to avoid overspending, higher costs this year have more consumers looking for ways to stretch their budgets while still enjoying the festive season. In fact, 61% of shoppers said sales and promotions are more important when buying gifts and other holiday items this year compared with last, according to the 2023 Holiday Shopping Outlook released by the National Retail Federation. And many consumers said they plan to begin holiday spending earlier than previous years, with 39% reporting they began holiday shopping before November, the NRF found. “A large part of why shopping starts so early is because consumers are spreading out their shopping to...
  5. More than 50 people gathered at a meeting in Cleveland last week to network and discuss urban agriculture. Attendees represented CFAES, FSA, and the Cuyahoga County urban agriculture community. Photo: CFAES

    USDA selects Ohio State to support new urban agriculture effort

    COLUMBUS, Ohio—The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA) recently selected The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) to support the creation of a new USDA Urban Service Center designed to further urban agriculture and innovative production in Ohio.  The USDA is opening 17 new Urban Service Centers in 15 states nationwide, including in Ohio. The Cleveland USDA Urban Service Center is a first for Ohio and is supported by Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of CFAES. The five-year collaborative partnership will later expand to metropolitan sites across northeast, central, northwest, southwest, and urban Appalachian areas in Ohio. FSA awarded cooperative agreements to organizations...
  6. Similar to the 2023 Organic Grains Conference pictured above, the 2024 event will also feature speakers from universities, organic farms, and organizations that support organic agriculture. Photo: OSU Extension.

    CFAES conference offers resources on production and management for growing organic grains

    OREGON, Ohio—Farmers, producers, and those interested in learning about organic grain production can attend a two-day conference from Jan. 4–5, 2024, offered by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) that is designed to support the growth and expansion of producing organic grains statewide and to provide the economic outlook for the organic grain market next year. The annual Ohio State Organic Grains Conference will be held at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center, 1750 State Park Road #2, Oregon, Ohio, 11 miles east of Toledo, Ohio. Now in its second year, the conference offers programming for experienced organic growers, growers transitioning to or considering organic, and consultants or educators who support these...
  7. Man eating yogurt

    Yogurt may be the next go-to garlic breath remedy

    It turns out yogurt may have a previously unknown benefit: eliminating garlic odors. A new study conducted in a lab – with follow-up human breath tests being planned – showed that whole milk plain yogurt prevented almost all of the volatile compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent scent from escaping into the air. Researchers tested the garlic deodorizing capacity of yogurt and its individual components of water, fat and protein to see how each stood up to the stink. Both fat and protein were effective at trapping garlic odors, leading the scientists to suggest high-protein foods may one day be formulated specifically to fight garlic breath.    “High protein is a very hot thing right now – generally, people want to eat more protein,...
  8. Jackie Wilkins

    Wilkins named a top Ohio leader

    The Ohio State University's Jackie Wilkins has been named one of Ohio's top 50 women leaders in 2023 by Women We Admire, an organization of the most accomplished women executives and leaders across the U.S. and Canada. Wilkins served as the first-ever female associate dean and director in the over 100-year history of the Ohio State University Extension. In this role, she provided leadership for carrying out the vision, mission, and values of OSU Extension; established priorities for investment in OSU Extension by local, state, and federal government; and provided oversight of an approximately $77 million annual budget. She has nearly 30 years of progressive and diversified experience in higher education, as well as profit and nonprofit management and...
  9. Corn field with autumn woodland in back.

    Farms branching out: Expanding opportunities for agroforestry markets, connections, and conservation

    Originally published on the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Department of Forestry at Michigan State University's website. A team of Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin researchers and Extension professionals has recently been awarded funding from USDA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help support use of agroforestry practices and markets by small and medium sized farms in the region. “This project involves a team of passionate and dedicated researchers and Extension professionals who have worked with farmers and woodland owners in the Upper Midwest for decades. This is a unique opportunity to support synergy between forestry and agriculture professionals and landowners to expand use of agroforestry practices through the region...
  10. Trimble Lab on the CFAES Wooster campus

    Trimble opens Technology Labs to advance agriculture and construction talent

    Two state-of-the-art Trimble Technology Labs are now open to students at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). One lab is on Ohio State’s Columbus campus, while a second is located on the CFAES Wooster campus. Trimble, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, built the multidisciplinary labs to enhance the university’s hands-on learning, teaching, research, and outreach activities in food and agricultural engineering, as well as in construction management. “The new Trimble Technology Labs help Ohio State lead the way when it comes to innovative agriculture programs,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES. “Not only does Trimble help the...

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