Connections Newsletter: Connections Newsletter: Summer Edition 2017

By Ryan Mapes, Endeavor Center Manager and Business Development Network Program Leader

Open since 2005, the Ohio State University Endeavor Center, a 27,000 square foot mixed-used business incubator, has come to be recognized as a community leader in economic development as well as a business training and networking hub. The facility has a 2-part mission:

First, to provide four tangible advantages to new and emerging businesses poised for rapid growth; professional office space in flexible configurations, access to advanced technology, networking opportunities with other small businesses, and access to expert business counseling on a free and timely basis. Second, the center seeks to be a positive and visible example of how small businesses successfully navigate the difficult issues faced by all growing small businesses.

Meeting rooms at the Endeavor Center support the dual-purpose mission by providing partners and the business community access to technology and learning space. The OSU Endeavor Center has a number of rentable meeting spaces in a variety of sizes and technology accommodations. The largest room available is classroom 160, with approximately 1,200 square feet and accommodating up to 72 persons seated at tables.  Classroom 165 is approximately 800 square feet and accommodates up to 20 persons seated at tables. Both rooms have a built-in projector and screen, large whiteboard, audio system, large screen TV and CD/DVD combo. Conference room 112 is great for smaller meetings and will seat up to 12 persons in a boardroom style setting. Portable projection units service this room and it has a large whiteboard for use. There is also a 16-unit computer lab with projector available for lease. All classrooms can be rented for ½ or whole days and catering is available.

If you are interested in renting one of our excellent classrooms or in exploring the opportunity to conduct your business from our facility, please call 740-289-1605. We think you will discover the OSU Endeavor Center and its staff have a lot to offer your growing business!

Small business Development Center

The SBDC at the OSU South Centers recently was awarded additional funding from the Ohio Development Services (ODSA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Innovation Challenge Grant funding opportunities were made available to SBDCs across the state to further enhance the offerings the SBDCs provide to their client base. Local needs were identified and a proposal was developed, submitted and successfully funded to secure resources to assist the staff in meeting the needs of the local business community. This funding will increase levels of staff knowledge through professional certifications, learning software, and trainings. It will also provide access to consultants to assist in exploring opportunities to grow local industries in Southern Ohio. 

Human resource issues affect all industries in Southern Ohio. This funding will enable the SBDC to secure Business & Legal Resource (BLR) software to help businesses in the region to simplify compliance with state and federal legal requirements. BLR is the leading provider of employment, safety, and environmental compliance solutions. Employers know that they can count on BLR’s industry-leading compliance and training resources to keep them out of legal trouble, avoid fines and save money. This will afford the SBDC with the opportunity to help grow established businesses that may not have the capacity to handle common HR problems without assistance.

The forest and wood industry is a major driver in Southern Ohio’s economy. The SBDC and the Ohio Cooperative Development Center are exploring the opportunity of developing a cooperative business model which will construct and operate a wood drying kiln. This facility can be utilized by members of the cooperative to add value to their existing market lumber products. The Challenge Grant helped the SBDC secure funds to hire industry consultants to complete multiple designs for the kiln operation based on the data gathered from a previous survey and follow-up visits with potential users. Additionally, funds will be used to consult with attorneys specializing in the co-op model to assist with the development and vetting of the cooperative’s structure. This additional funding will help support the efforts of this project moving forward. The deliverables from this proposal will be used to complete the feasibility report for the operation, to develop the cooperative’s legal structure, and to provide information to potential co-op members. Industry consultants with expertise in kiln build out and operation and attorneys with expertise in agricultural cooperatives will provide consultations to the project team and potential members of the co-op.

By Ivory Harlow, Ohio Cooperative Development Center Program Specialist

Pumpkins are the third largest fresh market vegetable produced in Ohio. More than 7,000 acres across the state are dedicated to pumpkin production. According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, consumer demand for specialty pumpkins has grown steadily in recent years, and future growth is forecasted. The thriving market for pumpkins provides Ohio growers an opportunity to sell locally grown pumpkins at a premium price. 

Brad Bergefurd, horticulture specialist at the Ohio State University (OSU) South Centers, has conducted pumpkin research since 1998. His research identifies top-performing pumpkin cultivars with highly marketable traits and tolerance to plant diseases and pests. His reputation for helping farmers grow superior vegetables means Bergefurd often fields questions – from growers and buyers alike – about pumpkins, produce and fresh vegetable marketing.

In 2015, Brad received calls from regional buyers seeking pumpkins. “I was being contacted by larger buyers. I talked to local growers who I have consulted with for years and who had shared their interest in expanding to wholesale markets; but they did not have large enough acreage to do it on their own. I pitched the idea of a marketing co-op, and invited them to OSU South Centers to meet with Ohio Cooperative Development Center (OCDC) Program Manager Hannah Scott.”

A group of eight growers attended the meeting to explore how cooperatives benefit members. OCDC provided co-op education, assisted with business and financial planning, and guided the group through federal and state business filing procedures to legally form the Southern Ohio Growers Cooperative.

OSU South Centers provides comprehensive resources

The development and success of the Southern Ohio Growers Cooperative was a team effort. Several departments: horticulture, cooperatives, business and marketing, contributed to the project during start-up and continue to provide ongoing assistance.

Brad Bergefurd, whose horticulture research and connections initially brought the group together, continues to serve members with relevant pumpkin research. This year his research focuses on powdery mildew, a persistent problem for pumpkin growers in Ohio. Brad lends a helping hand to co-op members with cultivar selection, pest and disease problems control, and production questions.

The Ohio Cooperative Development Center provides ongoing technical assistance to the co-op. OCDC delivered board of director training, and helped members put a marketing agreement in place for the 2017 season. Hannah Scott assisted Southern Ohio Growers Cooperative members to develop end-of-year financial statements. “One of my proudest moments was seeing the co-op share first-year profits back with members,” Hannah Scott says. “That revenue would not have happened without the co-op.”

Chris Smalley, Small Business Development Specialist, helped the group forecast finances and production costs. Program Manager of Direct Marketing Christie Welch assisted members with their initial marketing plan, and to identify additional markets for expansion.

In 2016, Southern Ohio Growers Cooperative delivered over 500 bins of pumpkins to regional retailers. The co-op’s goals for the future include building a reputation for quality, increasing the volume of pumpkins and adding additional fresh produce offerings. OSU South Centers is here to help the Southern Ohio Growers Cooperative achieve their goals by providing comprehensive resources through collaborative partnerships.

By Christie Welch, Direct Agricultural Marketing Specialist 

Agritourism is growing around the country. In an effort to assist Ohio’s agritourism operators connection with their communities and potential customers, the OSUE Direct Food and Ag Marketing team partnered with the Ohio Tourism Association to offer a workshop to current and potential agritourism operators. Agritourism provides farmers with the ability to diversify the income for the operations, can attract additional tourists to visit the communities in which they are located, and provide an opportunity for the general public to visit a farm to learn more about agriculture in Ohio.

The workshop was held in three locations around Ohio and we had the opportunity to learn more about the assistance that local Convention and Visitors Bureaus can provide to agritourism operators. In addition, Melinda Huntley Executive Director of Ohio Travel Association shared information about the benefits agritourism can provide to local communities and the businesses that serve the travelers.

In addition to these workshops, the OSUE Direct Food and Ag Marketing Team collaborated with Wright & Moore Law Company, LPA and the OSU Agriculture and Resource Law Program to host the first annual AgritourismReady workshop in the spring of 2017. This event was very well attended and participants heard from a variety of experts in the areas of ag law, risk management, zoning, marketing, and more. Due to the success of the workshops and the interest in agritourism in Ohio, the team is planning a second annual AgritourismReady workshop in March 2018. More information will be forthcoming.

If you would like to learn more about agritourism in Ohio, you can contact Christie Welch, Direct Marketing Specialist via email welch.183@osu.edu or via telephone 740-289-2071 ext. 234.

The OSUE Direct Food and Agriculture Marketing Program is supported by the OSU College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science and OSU Extension.

Dr. Yilmaz Bayhan, a Tubitak senior postdoctoral fellow from Turkey, joined the Soil, Water and BioEnergy program in July. He is a professor in the Biosystems Engineering Department at Namik Kemal University in Tekirdag, Turkey.  Dr. Yilmaz has performed research on conservation tillage systems and no-till machinery. His one-year fellowship program involves studying long-term continuous no-till and multi-functional cover crop systems to maximize agroecosystem services in Turkey. He will conduct research based on continuous no-till and cover crop field experiments in Ohio.

“Current agricultural production systems in Turkey rely heavily on traditional irrigation, excessive use of tillage and reactive chemicals, and a very limited crop rotation, which are responsible for degrading agroecosystem services,” Yilmaz said. He explained he will be studying the continuous no-till, both with and without multi-functional cover crops in the agronomic crop rotation experiments established OSU South Centers. The science-based knowledge and research experience he is gaining in the U.S. will be directly applicable to his research interests in Turkish agriculture. Dr. Yilmaz will transfer the knowledge and skills learned from this experience to adopt sustainable agricultural management practices in Turkey. He also hopes to develop new undergraduate and graduate courses focused on cover crops.