Complete Story
02/21/2006
Hancock County Soybean Farmer to Participate in Farmer to Farmer Mission to Israel
HancockCounty Soybean Farmer to Participate in Farmer to Farmer Mission to Israel
COLUMBUS, Ohio (February 21, 2006) The Ohio Soybean Council announced today that Hancock County soybean farmer and Ohio Soybean Council volunteer farmer-leader, John Motter, will explore new ideas and opportunities abroad on the "Farmer to Farmer" mission to Israel, February 26 March 7, hosted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Negev Foundation.
Motter along with Ohio Agriculture Director Fred L. Dailey and 28 other Ohio farmers and agriculture leaders will travel to Israel to open doors to new technology and potential relationships between the two regions. This mission is part of the Ohio-Israel Agriculture Initiative, a project designed to identify opportunities between Ohio and Israel primarily in agriculture and to strengthen economic ties.
"Israel, an arid country about one quarter the size of Ohio with a population of almost seven million, provides unique information and opportunities to us in Ohio, especially in the field of high-tech agriculture," said Dailey. They have limited space and resources, yet in addition to feeding their own populace, they export food and are globally known for horticulture, aquaculture, and drip-irrigation systems."
Motter and Dan Corcoran, Pike County soybean farmer will represent the Ohio Soybean Council on this mission. Other participants include representatives from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Negev Foundation, Mercer County Farm Service Agency, Ohio Aquaculture Association, Center for Innovative Food Technology, Ohio FFA Foundation, Ohio FFA Association, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Wayne Economic Development Council and Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center. In addition, a number of Ohio farmers will participate.
"During the trip, we will meet with Israeli farmers, and visit agriculture communities and government officials to discuss trade opportunities," said Motter. "We will also have the opportunity to visit a soybean processing facility and view the advanced technologies being used in Israeli agriculture."
Headquartered in Columbus, the Ohio Soybean Council is governed by a 17-member volunteer farmer board, which directs the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. The program's primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development projects through the investment of farmer-contributed funds.
-30-
