News Releases

  1. Photo: OSU Extension

    Five Ohioans awarded Friend of Extension honors

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–A lifetime 4-H supporter, an Ohio State Fair general manager, and three Darke County judges are being honored for their work, commitment, and dedication to Ohio State University Extension. Pat Brundige, the biggest individual benefactor in the history of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), along with Virgil Strickler, the longest-running general manager in the history of the Ohio Expo Center & Ohio State Fair, and Darke County judges Jonathan Hein, Julie Monnin, and Jason Aslinger, are each being honored with a Friend of Extension award from the Ohio chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) for their outstanding support and personal involvement in Extension efforts. The award is the highest state-level...
  2. Stan Gehrt with a captured coyote being tagged and fitted with a tracking device. Photo courtesy of Stan Gehrt

    Reliance on moose as prey led to rare coyote attack on human

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–Wildlife researchers have completed a study that may settle the question of why, in October 2009, a group of coyotes launched an unprovoked fatal attack on a young woman who was hiking in a Canadian park. By analyzing coyote diets and their movement in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where the attack occurred on a popular trail, the researchers concluded that the coyotes were forced to rely on moose instead of smaller mammals for the bulk of their diet – and as a result of adapting to that unusually large food source, perceived a lone hiker as potential prey.  The findings essentially ruled out the possibility that overexposure to people or attraction to human food could have been a factor in the attack – instead, heavy snowfall, high...
  3. Photo: Adobe

    Tips to better manage holiday spending

    COLUMBUS, Ohio—Increased expenses that can occur during the winter holiday season can make it hard for some consumers to avoid overspending. While this has become an annual issue for many people, increased inflation this year has more consumers looking for ways to stretch their budgets while still enjoying the festive season. According to the 2022 Holiday Outlook by PwC, formerly Price Waterhouse Coopers, total holiday spending this year will be similar to last year, with the average consumer planning to spend $1,430 this year. The international accounting firm surveyed more than 4,000 consumers. “Despite citing fears of inflation and the rising costs of transportation and utilities as deterrents to holiday spending, most consumers—74%—told us they plan to...
  4. Brittany Towers Lewis. Photo: Ohio State University

    Science in 60 seconds helps Ohio State alum share knowledge on social media

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–From tips on how to pickle vegetables to info on foods that can help you sleep, in 60 seconds, Ohio State alum Brittany Towers Lewis is working to bring food science to the masses through a booming social media message. Towers Lewis, known as the @theblackfoodscientist on her Instagram and TikTok accounts, delivers energetic and informative lessons about food, diet and cooking techniques. A graduate of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in food science, Towers Lewis was back on the Columbus campus Monday to discuss science communication in social media. “I wanted to find something that I really loved and had a passion for. My mom actually told me about food science when I...
  5. Maple Syrup on pancakes

    OSU Extension to teach maple growers how to tap into business planning during Maple Days Dec. 9–10

    General public invited to enjoy three-course, maple syrup-infused buffet and robber bingo during One Sweet Gathering on evening of Dec. 9 COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio State University Extension presents Ohio Maple Days, a series of educational sessions on maple syrup production to help maple syrup producers and hobbyists prepare for the coming season. The event will run Dec. 9–10 at the John C. Myers Convocation Center, Ashland University, 638 Jefferson St., Ashland, Ohio 44805. New this year, the Ohio Maple Producers Association will host One Sweet Gathering, which includes a social hour; a cash bar with maple beers and other maple beverages; a three-course, maple-infused benefit dinner; and game night. Proceeds will support education and research at The Ohio State University...
  6. Photo: Getty Images

    Chow Line: Safe ways to thaw and cook a frozen turkey

    I’m buying a frozen turkey this week to serve for Thanksgiving this year. What’s the best way to thaw it? With the traditional holiday just days away, if you’ve purchased a frozen turkey, the time to think about how to defrost it is now. Depending on how large your frozen bird is, it could take up to six days to safely defrost it in a refrigerator. It’s very important that you thaw and cook your turkey safely to help avoid developing foodborne illnesses. Thawing a frozen turkey correctly helps minimize the growth of bacteria, which can cause foodborne illnesses. While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that might have been present before freezing can begin to grow again, according to the USDA...
  7. From left to right: David Benfield, Mary Rodriguez, Steve Neal, and Mary Kay Pohlschneider.

    Four CFAES professionals honored by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–An expert in community leadership, a food scientist, a retired associate dean and a retired associate vice president of Agricultural Administration were honored this month for their research, teaching and service to The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). Mary Rodriguez, assistant professor of agricultural communication, education and leadership; Mary Kay Pohlschneider, senior lecturer in the CFAES Department of Food Science and Technology; Steve Neal, retired associate dean, and director of CFAES academic programs; and David Benfield, retired associate vice president of Agricultural Administration, director of the CFAES Wooster Campus, and associate...
  8. CFAES creates farm management institute to address changing demands of farmers; names David Marrison as interim director

    COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) launched the Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute (FFMPI) with the goal of sharing resource-based knowledge and best practices to help Ohio farmers manage their businesses as the agricultural industry changes and evolves. David Marrison, farm management field specialist with Ohio State University Extension, CFAES’ statewide outreach arm, will serve as interim director. “Today’s farmers face a multitude of challenges such as adapting to climate change; meeting consumer demands for more, higher quality food; and adjusting to the increasing costs of supplies,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for agricultural administration and...
  9. Red tomatoes

    Tracing tomatoes’ health benefits to gut microbes

    Two weeks of eating a diet heavy in tomatoes increased the diversity of gut microbes and altered gut bacteria toward a more favorable profile in young pigs, researchers found. After observing these results with a short-term intervention, the research team plans to progress to similar studies in people, looking for health-related links between tomatoes in the diet and changes to the human gut microbiome – the community of microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract. “It’s possible that tomatoes impart benefits through their modulation of the gut microbiome,” said senior author Jessica Cooperstone, assistant professor of horticulture and crop science and food science and technology at The Ohio State University.  “...
  10. Susan Colbert and Amber Broadus stand outside Broadus' new home. Photo: Amber Broadus.

    OSU Extension increases keys to homeownership

    COLUMBUS, Ohio—Knowing is half the battle—especially when it comes to homebuying. That’s where Ohio State University Extension comes in. OSU Extension educators specializing in healthy finances offer homeownership education and homebuyer counseling to assist Ohioans throughout the homebuying and homeownership process. Extension is the outreach arm of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Already, some 2,200 people in Franklin County have attended classes offered by OSU Extension and have received a HUD-approved completion certificate, said Courtney Warman, an Extension program specialist that works with the homebuyer education program. And an additional 497 homebuyers were served across Ohio through...

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