Agribusiness
Ohio's agribusiness industry represents all of the elements that comprise food production and underlies Ohio's strength in food processing, as a strategic crossroads between the grain belt and Eastern markets. The state is also a leader in the specialized nutraceutical food production industry.
The process of bringing food to the table comprises the many areas of agribusiness – farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing and retail sales all are components of Ohio's rich agribusiness industry.
Ohio is the No. 1 producer of frozen specialty foods and the No. 2 producer of pet food and food dressings including ketchup. Home to more than 1,057 food processing production plants, Ohio's food and beverage manufacturing exports equal $23.5 billion annually. Key Ohio food processor firms include Chiquita Brands International, in Cincinnati, Worthington Foods/Kellogg's in Greater Columbus, General Mill's, with the world's largest pizza plant in Wellston, and Nestle, which produces Stouffer products near Cleveland. Access to Ohio companies that manufacture food processing machinery, such as Hobart Corp., builds synergy in this important industry.
The No. 1 producer of Swiss cheese? Think again - it's not Wisconsin, but Ohio. Ohio is the nation's No. 2 producer of eggs and ranks third in tomato production. Ohio's 76,500 farms cover more than 14 million acres - nearly 55 percent of the total land area. Although responsible for only 2 percent of the nation's crop and livestock production, the state ranks 18th in value of total agricultural products sold.
Ohio's commercial and public food research institutions include commercial nutraceutical industry leaders such as Ross Products/Abbott Labs and nonprofit institutions at The Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at its main Columbus campus and at Toledo's Center for Innovative Food Technology.
Ohio is also host to wood product manufacturers that round out the state's agribusiness output, primarily in Southwest Ohio - industry leaders such as Merillat, Mills Pride and Sauder.
To learn more about Ohio's agribusiness sector, contact the Office of the Director at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, 1-800-282-1955.
