This week we are celebrating Ohio Agriculture Week. Enacted by the legislature in 2011, Ohio Ag Week is recognized during the second full week of March to celebrate the vitally important role that agriculture plays both in this state and across the nation.

This special week is being celebrated in various ways across the buckeye state. Members of the Ohio Department of Agriculture team are out on foot making visits to various farms and businesses. You can go along with them by following them on twitter (@OhioDeptofAg). Other organizations and businesses are taking the time to reflect on how the agriculture industry has impacted their operations. We are doing so right along with them.

It’s hard not to take a moment to stop and appreciate the longevity and importance of agriculture. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are 74,500 farms in Ohio- being operated on 14,000,000 acres of land. From cattle and corn, to soybeans and various fruits, Ohio is a massive producer of agricultural products. We encourage you to take a look at the specifics at this link from the USDA. These statistics are impressive and deserve to be celebrated:  goo.gl/LwMhov

We have been working with agriculture professionals since our firm began in 1919. Many of these businesses are run by families and because we specialize in family-owned and closely-held businesses, we are uniquely suited to serve them. We take great pride in helping their operations grow and thrive. When asked what they enjoy most about working with agriculture professionals, our team members had this to say:

Farmers are innovative. Their industry has been around since before our country started and they are always finding ways to thrive through innovation. I love being a part of that. – Justin Linscott, Principal

No pun intended but they are “down to earth folks”;  wonderful privilege to work with families making their living off of the land and working with business owners who also work hand in hand with farmer producers.  We are fortunate and blessed to live in the bread basket of the world here in the Midwestern United States.  –Brad Ridge, Managing Principal

Being someone that grew up on a farm and participated in 4-H, I enjoy being able to continue working with AG professionals, even if it is now in a different capacity.  I feel my upbringing gives me an edge in understanding the operations of our AG clients above and beyond what a CPA without that background could provide. – William Bauder, Manager

Farmers never die, they just go to seed! They seem to be realistic, in that, they plan for the worst and are pleasantly surprised when things turn out better than expected. Farmers also have the best weather related sayings…. And my dad who still farms at 74 years young still points these out today-

Ring around the moon?, rain real soon.

Taller weeds in the summer, the deeper the snow in the winter;

and

My favorites are related to wooly worms:-

If you see furry, all-black wooly worm, the winter will be cold.

The wider the brown band on a wooly worm, the milder the winter

 – Brian Ravencraft, Principal

To learn more about the services we offer in the agribusiness space, please visit this page:

https://www.holbrookmanter.com/agribusiness-accounting.php