Meet OSC Board Chairman Steve Reinhard
September 6, 2018
Q: How did you first get involved with the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC)?
A: I’m fortunate enough to have served in the State House as a Representative years ago and it was there that I first learned about the wide variety of OSC research projects. I was impressed by the number of private companies and university researchers they were collaborating with, including the Ohio Bioproduct Innovation Center at The Ohio State University. Developing new products from soybeans is something I’ve always supported.
Q: What have you gained/learned from being on the OSC Board of Trustees?
A: I have gained a tremendous appreciation for the diversity of the soybean as a food, feed, fuel and feedstock for bio-based products. I was also extremely pleased to see firsthand how well all the grain and livestock commodity groups in Ohio work together on common issues such as animal welfare and nutrient management.
Q: What are you doing on your farm to promote sustainability?
A: We simply try to do things because it is the right or correct thing to do. We’re currently using grass waterways and smaller buffers on our streams, as well as experimenting with wider harvestable buffers of orchard grass and alfalfa. My farm is predominately minimum till and no-till and 100 percent grid sampled. In the long-term, we
firmly believe that environmental practices will pay off financially.
Q: What might a farmer be surprised to learn about the checkoff?
A: I think a lot of farmers would be surprised by how diverse our research
program is at OSC. We are focused on yield and production, but also nutrient use and runoff reduction, insect control, weed management, biodiesel, plastics, adhesives, coatings, and much more.
Q: What might someone be surprised to learn about you?
A: I proposed to my wife on the sky ride at the Ohio State Fair during the fireworks. She said yes!
