Cultivating Agriculture Success Series Highlights Agriculture at the 2026 Darke County Fair, Sponsored by The Ohio State University Extension
During the 2026 Darke County Fair, The Ohio State University Extension, Darke County office hosted the first annual Cultivating Agriculture Success Series, featuring seven informational programs throughout fair week. More than 300 fair guests attended the programs, which were designed to highlight agriculture as the foundation of Darke County while showcasing the many career opportunities available throughout the local agricultural community.
The Cultivating Agriculture Success Series brought together agricultural professionals from a variety of sectors to share their knowledge, experiences, and expertise with fairgoers. Programs provided attendees with opportunities to learn more about agricultural careers, research, legislative issues, food production, communications, horticulture, the poultry industry, and other important areas of agriculture.
The series featured a diverse group of presenters. Brent Stammen of AGCO presented “A Day in the Life of an Ag Communicator,” giving attendees an inside look at his role as Lead Creative Designer with AGCO Industries. Dr. Taylor Dill of the Ohio Soybean Council presented “Soy Checkoff Research Investment and a Review of the 2026 Crop Tour,” providing information about soybean research investments and the results and observations from this year’s crop tour. Tina McGillvary and Caden Buschur of OSU Extension, Darke County, presented “Growing and Cooking with Herbs and Microgreens,” sharing practical information about growing these plants and incorporating them into food preparation. Fairgoers also had the opportunity to learn about the intersection of agriculture and government during a Legislative Update featuring Congressman Warren Davidson, Darke County Commissioner Matt Aultman, State Representative Jonathan Newman, and former State Representative Jim Buchy. Horticulture was also represented during the series when a Versailles FFA member and owner of Blessed Blooms presented “Growing Flowers” and demonstrated how to create a floral arrangement for guests. The program provided a hands-on look at another important area of agriculture and highlighted opportunities for young people to turn agricultural interests into businesses and careers. Justin Feltz and Kelly Menchhofer of Weavers provided a Poultry Industry Update, discussing the poultry industry, career opportunities, and the importance of biosecurity practices. Their presentation helped attendees better understand the role of poultry production in agriculture and the many career paths available within the industry.
In addition to the seven educational programs, The Ohio State University Extension sponsored an Agriculture Career Panel on Wednesday. The panel was designed to expose young people to the wide variety of career opportunities available within the agriculture industry and to demonstrate that careers in agriculture extend far beyond production agriculture.
The panel brought together professionals from education, government, agribusiness, veterinary medicine, insurance, farming, horticulture, and other areas of the industry. Participants included Darke County Commissioner Matt Aultman; Janelle Bell of BASF; former Ohio House of Representatives member Jim Buchy; Caden Buschur of OSU Extension, Darke County; Steve Buschur of Buschur Dairy Farm; David Coons of Phelan Insurance; Dr. Preston Deeter of Western Ohio Veterinary Service; Carmen Hartzell, agriculture educator, instructor, and FFA advisor with Mississinawa Valley High School/MVCTC; Caitlin Miller of Miller Flowers Greenhouse and Garden Center; Aaron Overholser of Overholser Farms and Beck’s Seeds; and Josh Overholser of Sisco.
The career panel gave students and other fairgoers an opportunity to hear directly from professionals about their careers, educational experiences, responsibilities, and the different paths that can lead to a career in agriculture. The discussion reinforced the importance of introducing young people to agriculture-related opportunities and helping them recognize the wide range of professions that support the industry.
As part of the Cultivating Agriculture Success Series, guests also received coupons to visit several food and agricultural organizations throughout the fair. Coupons could be used at the Darke County Cattlemen’s and Darke County Pork Producers tents, the Kountry Kids 4-H Milkshake Tent, and the Gospel Baptist Church ice cream trailer. The Darke County Farm Bureau helped sponsor the coupons, providing another opportunity for fairgoers to connect with local organizations while enjoying products and activities during the fair.
The first annual Cultivating Agriculture Success Series provided an opportunity to celebrate agriculture, educate the community, and introduce fairgoers to the many people, businesses, organizations, and career opportunities that make agriculture such an important part of Darke County. By bringing agricultural professionals and community members together, the series highlighted the many ways agriculture impacts the local economy and community while encouraging the next generation to consider the opportunities available within the industry.
The Ohio State University Extension, Darke County, extends a sincere thank you to all the speakers, panelists, sponsors, volunteers, and guests who participated in the first annual Cultivating Agriculture Success Series. A special thank you also goes to the Darke County Fair Board for financially supporting the event and to the Darke County Farm Bureau for helping sponsor the fair coupons. The success of the series was made possible through the support and participation of everyone involved and demonstrated the continued importance of agriculture to the Darke County community.