Youngstown Times

State Representative Monica Robb Blasdel from Columbiana announced the passage of House Bill 65, known as the Agriculture Appreciation Act, by the Ohio House of Representatives. The bill received unanimous support.

The act aims to establish significant agriculture-related observances in the state's legislation. These include "FFA Week, the last full week of February," "4-H Week, the week ending in the second Saturday of March," "National Farmers Market Week, the first full week of August," "Ohio Soil Health Week, the second full week of November," "Stormwater Awareness Week, the first full week of October," "Agriculture Day, March 21st," and "Farmer’s Day, October 12th."

Robb Blasdel expressed, "Agriculture is a cornerstone of Ohio’s identity and the roots of our communities. I am proud of our hard-working farmers throughout the 79th House District and the organizations who are involved in ensuring Ohio’s agricultural industry remains strong and prosperous."

Ohio's agricultural sector is the largest industry in the state, contributing over $100 billion economically and providing employment to one in seven Ohioans. The state hosts more than 75,000 farms, and 90% of these farms are family-owned.