Gov. DeWine nominates Brian Baldridge as Ohio ag director

Jan 23, 2023

Baldridge is currently the state rep for the 90th Ohio House District

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

An Ohio farmer could be the next leader of the state’s ag department.

On Jan. 20, Governor Mike DeWine announced he will nominate Brian Baldridge (pictured), who has represented Ohio’s 90^th district since 2019, as the next director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

“I am pleased to nominate Brian Baldridge for director the Ohio Department of Agriculture,” Gov. DeWine said in a statement. “Brian knows the industry and is passionate about promoting Ohio agriculture. He also shares my vision for making needed improvements to the Ohio State Fairgrounds.”

Baldridge is part of a seven-generation farming family, helping raise cash crops and livestock at Baldridge Farms.

Baldridge will need the support of his colleagues before he officially becomes the new ag director.

“Baldridge must still be confirmed by the Ohio Senate, though I don’t see anything so far that would cripple his nomination,” Jeremy Pelzer, politics reporter for Cleveland.com, said on Twitter.

If Baldridge is successful, he will replace Dorothy Pelanda, who retired at the end of 2022.

Members of the Ohio ag community support the nomination.

Baldridge’s farming background helps him enter the position with proper knowledge of the issues farmers face, said Adam Sharp, executive vice president of the Ohio Farm Bureau.

“Being a farmer himself, he truly understands agriculture, the importance of the industry to our state and the challenges that come with it,” he said in a statement. “We look forward to hitting the ground running with Rep. Baldridge as we continue the work to improve Ohio’s water quality, enhance the state’s food system and put programs in place to secure the important role farmers and rural communities have in the Buckeye State for generations to come.”

Video: Canada's Agriculture Day 2025

Let's celebrate Canadian agriculture.

Well, number one, you don't eat without farmers. Farmers put food on the table. And what could be more important than that?

Well, I think it's important that Canadians understand exactly what takes place, what happens to produce this food, no matter what sector you're talking about.

An awful lot of work goes into that. It's important to understand that meat does not come out of a showcase, and milk does not come out of a bottle. It's produced by farmers and hard work.

Canada has the best farmers in the world. And agriculture is vital to Canada.

In 2024, our agriculture and agri-food sector represented $150 billion of Canada's GDP, nearly $100 billion of our exports, and one in nine jobs.

From grains to fruits to dairy and beef, we are truly blessed with an incredible bounty. Having spent my whole life in agriculture, I see so much potential for the sector.

This time last year, I was proud to open our first-ever agriculture and trade office in the Indo-Pacific, the world’s fastest-growing economy, to cement our presence in the region and grow our exports even more. We've also been making historic investments to help our farmers to boost their yields, protect the planet, and earn a fair living.

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Just say thank you to a farmer or a rancher. They work very hard, yes, for a living, but also with a sense of pride in what they produce.

That's what Canada's Agriculture Day is all about.