Submitted article
The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission will cause an election of Supervisors of the Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District to be held in accordance with Chapter 1515 of the Ohio Revised Code. Two Supervisors will be elected. The nominees are: Rose Hartschuh, Josh Rhodes, and Kent Stuckey. Residents or landowners, firms, and corporations that own land or occupy land in Crawford County and are 18 years of age and older may vote for Supervisor. A non-resident landowner, firm, or corporation must provide an affidavit of eligibility, which includes designation of a voting representative, prior to casting a ballot.
There are three ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot: (1) at the annual meeting, which will take place September 9, 2014 at 5:30-6:45 pm; (2) at the SWCD office 7:30 am – 4:30 pm on September 9, 2014; or (3) vote absentee now through September 9th by requesting the proper absentee request forms from the SWCD office at the Crawford SWCD, 3111 State Route 98, Bucyrus OH 44820 phone 419-562-8280.
Rose Hartschuh, her husband Greg and twin boys live in Lykens Township. Rose is a Syngenta Seed Advisor and operates Sycamore Run Farms. She is running for supervisor because “there are many challenges facing agriculture in the coming years. Among the greatest is earning a ‘license to farm.’ In order to assure the public that farmers care for the land, as an agricultural industry we must become more vocal and speak up for our practices. Soil and Water can play a large role in this, helping to bridge a gap between landowners and the public who may not understand the care farmers give the environment. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I can help promote the positive conservation activities farmers practice on a daily basis.” They have implemented conservation practices such as grass waterways, cover crops and buffer strips.
Josh Rhodes resides in Whetstone Township. He is a custom applicator and works on Stump’s Heritage Farm family operation. He is running for supervisor because “I am looking to learn from this experience and explore new things. I have a love for agriculture and a strong interest in conservation.” Josh has worked alongside his uncle and grandfather on installing waterways and surface drains to stop or reduce soil erosion. They have also installed filter strips along their creeks to slow nutrient run off from their land. Josh and his fiancée Jessica are planning an October wedding.
Kent Stuckey has been a Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor for the past 18 years. During this time he has served on the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Districts on numerous state level special committees and taskforces. He also serves as a board member for the National Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Kent is a partner in Pfeifer Dairy Farms, a 450 cow family dairy farm. His wife Laura and 3 boys help with the work on the farm. Pfeifer Farms has 1100 acres of corn, soybeans and hay where they use conservation practices such as GPS soil grid sampling, no-till, manure nutrient management plan, and cover crops. Kent enjoys serving the district, from talking cover crops or nutrient issues with neighbors to educating legislators in Columbus or Washington. It has been rewarding to see he can make a difference. He looks forward to serving the district for another term.