Ohio: A Tradition of Agriculture

Did You Know?

• Ohio's farms produce over $4 billion dollars worth of goods a year.
• One out of every seven Ohioans have jobs directly related to Agriculture.
• 15 million acres of land in Ohio is devoted to agriculture

Ohio's agricultural producers could gain remarkable benefits from the emergence of clean technologies; while dependence on the land and climate for crop production also positions them to suffer greater should global warming alter Ohio's climate.  Fortunately, Ohio's farmers already possess the tools to lessen the continued buildup of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Farmers can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that could altering Ohio's climate through sound farming practices and embracing renewable energy sources.  A few examples include;

• Use of no-till farming practices

  • Farmers are already finding that engaging in no-till practices raise crop yields and improve soil quality.  In addition, if all of Ohio's farmland was no till, Ohio would lower its carbon dioxide outputs by 39 million tons.

• Plant buffer strips, cover crops and shelter belts

  • These not only capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but also prevent soil erosion that could damage your land.

• Capture methane from manure and use or sell it to displace natural gas

  • Investing in a digestor to capture methane gas can be way to save or make you money while prevent release of a global warming causing gas.

• Add a wind turbine to the farm

  • Take advantage of naturally occuring wind currents to lower your electric bill.

Ohio's farms and pastures are vital to our future.  The conversion of crops and animal waste into energy is opening new markets for Ohio's farmers and are of increasing importance in our battle to combat climate change.  Through sound farming practices like the ones mentioned above, farmers can save money on energy costs, while lowering our dependence on foreign oil and capturing gas emissions that cause global warming.  Whether it's ethanol, biodiesel, or methane; farmers have the ability to provide America a reliable, renewable, clean-burning domestic energy source. 

 

Ohio's farmers can profit and develop new income sources from proposed legislation that creates a market based system for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Learn about the specific ways such a system would help regulate emissions while opening new markets to Ohio's agricultural producers.

 

 

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