Local Food Systems and the New Ohio Economy

Casey Hoy, Kellogg endowed chair of the AgroEcosystems Management Program at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, describes how agriculture in Ohio has had a historic orientation toward export-oriented production. While Ohio began as a largely rural and farm-based economy in the 1800's, Hoy notes that urban populations have since moved in. However, there are still many un-explored economic connections that can be created between Ohio's urban centers and the surrounding rural areas. Hoy looks to local food systems as creating a significant growth space in regional economic systems at a time that the global economy has become less stable and reliable. He describes the unique ecologies of Ohio and how they can support a wide variety of diverse foods.