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| 3/26/2010 6:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Governor Strickland tours area farms
By Virginia Bandy
Ada Herald Editor
A week ago, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland made a trip across western Ohio to visit local farmers and ag-related businesses in an effort to strengthen the state's agricultural industry. Traveling with the governor was Robert Boggs, the Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. While in Hardin County, the governor made a stop at the three-year old Van Deurzen Dairy south of Alger and McGuffey, and then moved into Allen County, and visited Jones Show Cattle outside of Harrod.
At the Van Deurzen Dairy, which houses 4,500 head of milk cows, Governor Strickland was given a tour of the largest rotating milking parlor in the world, which he called "incredibly interesting." The cows step into milking stalls on a rotating platform that takes seven to eight minutes to turn completely. In that time, the cows are milked and then walk off the platform to go back to their pen. The milking takes place three times per day for each cow.
Owner Walter Van Deurzen and partner John Rohrs explained that 550-600 cows are milked on the platform per hour, and that at least six tanker trucks (30,000 gallons) of milk are shipped out daily.
"Agriculture is so important to our state," the governor stressed. Even though most of the milk that is produced at Van Deurzen Dairy stays in Ohio, the state is considered milk-deficit, which means milk has to be imported into Ohio. He noted that there are several food industries in Ohio, like Dannon, who use large quantities of milk.
"We are very fortunate that an operation like this is located in our state, producing high-quality milk and providing jobs for people, not just here but in other areas of the operation," Governor Strickland said.
Director Boggs noted that in Ohio, over five billion pounds of milk are produced per year with half as many cows as in the 1950s. The Governor credited science and technology for that achievement, noting that he grew up milking the family's two cows by hand. "High tech applications to an old industry," he said.
On his second stop, the Governor met Randy and Dana Jones, who have owned the Jones Show Cattle farm for 30 years, and have about 350 head of cattle, including Simmental and Maine-Anjou breeds. The cattle are sold for showing and for breeding purposes, and the Jones' main sale is held on the first Saturday night in November every year. Right now they are in the middle of calving season, and 180 calves are due to be born this spring.
The Jones' middle son, Troy, is also involved in the cattle business, while the other two Jones brothers, Trevor and Travis, lead the family's excavating business.
Randy showed the governor around his operation, and answered his questions on the qualities of each breed. Randy also explained that his cattle travel all over the US, being shown in Kansas City, Louisville and Denver. Governor Strickland laughed when Randy told him he "has an eye for cattle."
Governor Strickland thanked the Jones for hosting him, and discussed the variety in agriculture that Ohio has, from grain farming, to animal production. "It's important that our state support agriculture...and this way of life." The governor mentioned the work that has been done by the Farm Bureau and other agriculture-related groups on passing the ballot initiative to form a Livestock Care Standards Board. He also said that the responding measure that has been proposed "should be defeated, and I as Governor, will be speaking out about that and encouraging those in the farm community to spread the word that this is an unnecessary initiative and it is being pushed by interests outside of our state."
The governor went on to state that most Ohioans "do not understand what agriculture contributes to the quality of life," in the state. His goal is to work with the farming community in a partnership, and praised Director Boggs on his efforts to connect with the local farmers. Boggs noted that the agricultural industry in Ohio is "so important that we just have to do everything we can to defend it, improve it, and sustain it."
"And we want it to grow," added Governor Strickland. "Farming is a wonderful way of life, it's something we ought to make sure to preserve," he concluded. "It results in us having access to healthy food. That's due to the abundance of our farm community. It must not disappear."
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