Darke County's Premier Source for
Business and Community Development
Agriculture Committee
PURPOSE
The primary purpose of the Agriculture Committee is to be involved in the promotion and support of agriculture by informing the community through public events.
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Committee Chairman, Sam Custer, OSU Extension-Darke County
Shelly Acker, Wayne HealthCare
Matt Aultman, Aultman Farm & Livestock
Chad Beanblossom, Edison State Community College
Michelle Brackman, The Andersons
Aleene Cromwell, Act 1 Realty
Nathan Cross, Crop Production Services
Beverly Delk, Fry & Company
Sharon Deschambeau, Darke County Chamber
Andria Haworth, Edward Jones Investments
Jacob Hoelscher, Phelan Insurance Agency
Eric Moore, Koenig Equipment
Tony Roberts, Roberts Agency
2017 Chamber Ag Day
Friday, March 17, 2017, Darke County OSU Extension Service sponsored a three-hour Free Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training Course instructed by Sam Custer, Educator, OSU Extension, Darke County. Ninety-three producers were present for the course. Luncheon guest speaker Dr. Aaron Wilson, Senior Research Associate, Byrd Polar & Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, presented "Climate Extremes and the Effects On Agriculture".
Chamber Ag Day Event Sponsor:
Crop Production Services, Ansonia and Greenville
Farmer Lunch Sponsors:
Cooper Farms, Harvest Land Coop, Pitsburg and Versailles, J. & M. Manufacturing Inc., Mercer Landmark, Monsanto, Asgrow/DEKALB, and Wilbur-Ellis
Gold Sponsors:
Greenville National Bank, Premier Health, Second National Bank, The Andersons Marathon Ethanol, The Daily Advocate, Walls Brothers Asphalt Co., and Wayne HealthCare
Silver Sponsors:
CF Poeppelman Inc.-Pepcon, CenturyLink, Darke County Farmers Union, Edison State Community College, First Choice Realty, Fry & Company, CPAs, Greenville Technology Inc., HealthLink, Leis Realty Company, Mote & Associates, Inc., Remington Seeds LLC, Roberts Agency-Nationwide Insurance, Spirit Medical Transport LLC, Theodore O. Finnarn, Attorney at Law, and Walmart Greenville
Friends of Agriculture Sponsors:
Darke County Agricultural Society and Rebsco, Inc.
Pictured, left to right, Chamber Chairman and Ag Committee Member Tony Roberts, Roberts Agency, Dr. Aaron Wilson, Chamber President Sharon Deschambeau and Ag Committee Member Sam Custer, Educator, OSU Extension, Darke County.
2017 Darke County Agriculture Awards
The Darke County Chamber of Commerce annual “Chamber Ag Day” was held Friday, March 17, 2017 at Romer’s Catering in Greenville. Awards were presented to a local radio station and a businessman in honor of their contributions to agriculture.
Chamber’s Agricultural Advocacy Award Winner:
WTGR “The Tiger” 97.5 FM
Chamber’s Agriculture Achievement Award Winner:
Karl Keller
Sam Custer, Ohio State University-Darke County Extension educator, presented the Agricultural Advocacy Award to WTGR. On hand to accept the award for the station was radio personality Alex Mikos.
“This is something I think we’ll be able to treasure and hold onto,” said Mikos. “This means a lot. We greatly appreciate the honor.”
Karl Keller, Agriculture Achievement Award recipient, is owner and operator of Keller Grain & Feed, with locations in Greenville, Brookville, and Pitsburg. The business was founded in 1933 by Karl’s father, Ray.
Christoph Keller, the son of Karl, who was unable to attend while out of state on business, accepted the Agriculture Achievement Award from Chamber Ag Chairman Beverly Delk.
“It’s been a real honor to be part of the agricultural community,” he said. “Without all you farmers out here, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
WTGR and Keller also received commendations from representatives on hand from the offices of the Ohio Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the Ohio Secretary of State, the Ohio Treasurer, and U.S. Representative Warren Davidson.
After the award presentations, Dr. Aaron Wilson, a senior research associate at the Ohio State University’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, spoke to the audience about “Climate Extremes and the Effects on Agriculture.”
Wilson explained the difference between climate and weather, showed a number of charts and graphics showing long-terms climate trends, and how a warming trend studied by scientists is anticipated to cause stress on livestock and crops in Ohio and the Midwest in the future.
“We’re looking at a change in temperature of about four to five degrees around 2071, and overall that means we’re going to have a much longer frost-free season,” he said. “If we look at the average precipitation, the trends are pretty clear that we’re going to see three to five inches more rain per year by 2070, 2071.”
Approximately 275 people attended this year’s event.
The 2017 Agriculture Achievement Award was presented to Karl Keller, Keller Grain and Feed, and the recipient of the 2017 Agricultural Advocacy Award was WTGR "Tiger" Radio. Accepting the award for Karl Keller was son Christoph Keller with Alex Mikos, radio personality, accepting the award for WTGR "Tiger" Radio. Legislative representatives joined the Darke County Chamber officials in presenting awards. Left to right, Chamber Chairman and Ag Committee Member Tony Roberts, Roberts Agency, Ag Committee Chairman Beverly Delk, Fry & Company, Marcie Longenecker, Office of State Treasurer Josh Mandel, Joshua Tovey, Regional Liaison, Office of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, Lisa Hayes, Southwest Regional Representative, Office of Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor, Sandra Brasington, Western Ohio Regional Liaison, Office of Governor John Kasich, Benjamin Thaeler, Office of Congressman Warren Davidson, Chamber President Sharon Deschambeau, Alex Mikos, WTGR "Tiger" Radio, Christoph Keller, Keller Grain and Feed, and OSU Extension Educator, Darke County, Sam Custer
The Agriculture Achievement Award, producer that is actively involved in the agriculture production chain and has demonstrated extensive participation, leadership and support of agriculture, was presented to Karl Keller, Keller Grain and Feed. Christoph Keller (pictured), Keller Grain and Feed, accepted the Agriculture Achievement Award on behalf of his father, Karl Keller.
