WOOSTER, Ohio — A new member has joined the staff of the Ohio State University Extension in Wayne County.
Rory Lewandowski, formerly an extension educator for Athens County, joined Wayne County as extension educator for agriculture and natural resources on Jan. 3.
He is no stranger to agriculture, having grown up on his family’s Minnesota dairy farm and having earned a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and agronomy from the University of Minnesota. He holds a master’s in agronomy from the University of Wisconsin.
His move was partly the result of extension budget cuts in Athens County and new openings in Wayne County. He said he looks forward to bringing his talents to a county “where agriculture is viewed as a significant economic driver.”
He’s also looking forward to working with a larger extension staff and the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center in Wooster.
Lewandowski specializes in forage grazing systems and horticulture, and has spent time the past few years helping promote sheep grazing. He said Wayne County is one of the fastest growing areas for sheep production, and sees opportunity for further growth.
Melinda Hill, Wayne County extension director and family and consumer sciences educator, said Lewandowski “seemed like a natural fit. Many of the things he was doing in Athens County he could just pick up and do here.”
He has held past OSU Extension positions in Guernsey and Noble counties. He is married to Marcia Lewandowski and the couple have two young children.
Wayne County is part of OSU Extension’s multicounty region known as Crossroads Extension Education and Research Area.
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