NEW GARDEN, Ohio – A surprised Paul Zehentbauer accepted the Columbiana County Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service Award during the organization’s annual meeting Sept. 15.
The meeting and banquet attracted more than 100 members and was held at the United Local High School.
Winner. Zehentbauer’s son-in-law, John Garwood, presented the award with a heartfelt speech.
Garwood outlined some of Zehentbauer’s contributions to the local and regional agricultural community through the Farm Bureau, United Young Farmers, county Soil and Water Conservation District, Dairy Farmers of America, Holstein association and more.
Zehentbauer was also a volunteer fireman, served on United Local’s school board, and was a driving force behind the creation of the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center.
He and his first wife, the late Betty Jo Hawkins, were Ohio Young Farm Couple in the early 1970s and were SWCD Conservationists of the Year.
Zehentbauer has traveled the world to learn and teach more about new agricultural techniques. He’s been to Canada, Europe, New Zealand, China and Brazil, and spent a month in Zimbabwe, Africa, teaching farming and dairying to the people there.
Today Zehentbauer and his wife, Susan, milk 162 head of Holsteins. The family also includes five children: Linda Garwood, Lee Zehentbauer, Diane Brown, Neil Zehentbauer and Richard Zehentbauer; and 18 grandchildren.
Stars. All 10 of the county’s committees received Star Awards from the state organization. The stars are the highest award for committee chairs and reward excellent programming at the county level.
State trustee Gale Betterly presented the awards to Phil Greenisen, government affairs; Joyce Bailey, safety; Connie Heffinger and Julee Kelly, advisory councils and young farmers; Christine Miller, youth; Lucille Huston, information;
Marilyn Althouse and Herb Eglie, membership; Johanna McDowell and Ruth Marhefka, promotion and education; David Chronister, ag ecology and FIRM; Jim Hoppel, policy development; and Marilyn Winn, Nationwide sponsorship.
Other business. Sydney Campanero spoke about the Lifeline program, which the Farm Bureau has secured to perform health and disease screenings.
Sarah Blasiman and Caitlin Wiley weren’t in attendance but were recognized as recipients of the Farm Bureau’s educational scholarships.
Policy. Members approved policies to forward to the state, including recommendations to encourage tipping fees for out-of-state waste, to use strobe lights on school buses to reduce accidents, and to make roadways wider and more accessible for farm machinery.
Members also suggest installation of a blinking caution light at the intersection of state Route 172 and Knox School Road in West Township.
At the state and national level, members support policies on Medicaid reform, CAUV continuation, alternative fuels, school funding, elimination of the death tax and CAFTA.
Elections. Eight seats on the county’s board of trustees were up for grabs, and all active members in attendance voted for new representatives.
Chosen were Rhonda Farmer and Connie Heffinger, District 1; Herb Eglie and Susan Zehentbauer, District 2; Kevin Baker and Jim Grubbs, District 3; and Jim Hoppel and Jean Roush, District 4.
Delegates for the 2006 state annual meeting are Andy Burch, Susan Zehentbauer, Herb Eglie and Margaret Eglie. President Phil Greenisen is also a delegate.
A three-way tie for two alternate spaces included Anthony and Gloria Mathews and Lynelle Thompson.
Next year. Homer Althouse and Lucille Huston will head up the government affairs committee for the 2005-2006 program year.
Johanna McDowell will handle the promotion and education duties and will also help with the youth program. No membership chair has been named. All other committee chairs will remain the same.
Outgoing president Homer Althouse installed Phil Greenisen as his successor.
(Reporter Andrea Myers welcomes reader feedback by phone at 1-800-837-3419, ext. 22, or by e-mail at amyers@farmanddairy.com.)
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