COLUMBUS — Four Ohioans who have committed their lives to working in, promoting and advocating for Ohio’s farm and agribusiness community will be honored Aug. 2 by the Ohio Agricultural Council (OAC), when they are inducted into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame.
The Ohio Agricultural Council (OAC) will induct Shirley Dunlap Bowser of Williamsport, Louis M. “Mick” Colvin of West Salem, Bernard J. Scott of Tontogeny, and Doug White of Manchester, into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame during a special breakfast ceremony held in the Rhodes Youth Center at the Ohio Expo Center.
The 48th annual event will attract approximately 500 guests to honor these four professionals for their lifetime of service and dedication to Ohio agriculture.
“OAC is privileged to honor these four individuals who have made significant contributions to Ohio’s number-one industry,” said David Barrett, OAC president. “We are proud to recognize this deserving class of hard-working professionals for their unwavering commitment to protecting and advancing Ohio’s food and agriculture community, promoting agricultural education, and serving others in their local communities and beyond.”
The following four inductees will join the more than 200 prior recipients named since 1966 when the program was incepted.
Bowser
Bowser, a seventh-generation farmer, has spent her entire life advocating for and promoting the advancement of Ohio food and agriculture.
Bowser served nine years on the board of trustees of The Ohio State University, including a term as chairperson and has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the university.
For 22 years, Bowser served on the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Board of Trustees, one of the world’s largest private philanthropic organizations dedicated to improving health, agriculture and education.
She also was appointed to the non-partisan National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board by the Secretary of Agriculture, serving two terms in this capacity.
Bowser’s leadership experiences and passion for philanthropy were a driving force in the creation of the Pickaway County Community Foundation, which currently holds assets near $5 million dollars, holds over 60 endowed funds, of which three have a specific agricultural focus.
Colvin
Colvin has made significant contributions to the agricultural industry as a herdsman, farm manager, fieldman, brand creator and beef marketer.
During his four decades of service to Ohio agriculture, he has shown great vision and integrity in the creation of the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB) brand. Serving as CAB’s first executive director, Colvin led Ohio to become home of the nation’s No. 1 branded beef marketing program.
During his tenure, sales grew to nearly 500 million pounds per year. Today, more than 811 million pounds are marketed through the world. Colvin has been a leader in the beef industry serving as past president and chairman of the Board for the Ohio Angus Association, on several boards for the Ohio and National Cattlemen’s Associations, and as a consultant to organizations including Veal USA. Colvin’s leadership and dedication to agriculture has been widely recognized over the years.
In 2009, Colvin was inducted into the Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Gallery, and he was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award from Penn State, College of Agricultural Sciences in 2010.
Scott
Scott has dedicated more than 37 years to the advancement of agriculture by teaching hundreds of students through agricultural education at Otsego High School.
He was instrumental in the building of the Penta Career Center, the largest high school building ever built in Ohio with 522,000 square feet.
He also helped convert the agriscience curriculum into semester courses that were taught by subject matter. Always looking to the future, Scott and his FFA chapter constructed the FFA Time Capsule that was opened at the 75th FFA Convention.
He also advised his students in the design and construction of the first “grain rescue tube” that was available for the public to use.
After retiring from teaching, he helped establish the Agricultural Incubator Foundation to facilitate research and educational activities for the advancement of the industry. Since the creation of this foundation, numerous opportunities have been made available to residents with entrepreneurial ideas for food and agriculture.
White
A third-generation farmer, White continues to manage a livestock and crop operation with his family. His career as a public servant has included 15 years as county commissioner, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for five years, and a member of the Ohio Senate for eight years.
During his time in the Ohio Senate, White served as the Chair of the Agriculture Committee and Finance Committee, as well as senate president. He also served as the director of the Ohio Department of Commerce for Gov. Bob Taft.
As an elected official, White used his agricultural background to guide him through the decision making process. In his many years of public service, White consistently worked to make a positive impact on policy changes and supported the adequate funding necessary to ensure Ohio agriculture remained strong.
He also supported conservation programs and practices carried out by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the state’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
White currently serves on the Ohio Expositions Commission Board and works to promote the Ohio 4-H program, strengthen the presence of commodity groups, and continually advocate for agricultural education at the Ohio State Fair.
For further information about sponsorship in honor of the inductees, or to obtain tickets to the Agricultural Hall of Fame induction ceremony, contact the Ohio Agricultural Council at 614-794-8970. For more information about the Ohio Agricultural Council, visit www.ohioagcouncil.org.
