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[email protected] www.crcworks.org Tools for Community Self-determination Ohio’s Food Systems – Farms At The Heart Of It All By Ken Meter Crossroads Resource Center March 30, 2011 Commissioned by the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center with funds from the Ohio Department of Agriculture Ohio’s Food Systems — Farms at the Heart of It All — Ken Meter, March, 2011 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................4 A NOTE ON METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH.......................................................................... 10 DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................. 11 ELEMENTS OF THE FOOD AND FARM ECONOMY OF OHIO ................................................. 15 A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOOD IN OHIO........................................................................................... 18 RECENT TRENDS IN OHIO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ..........................................................35 EMERGING FOOD BUSINESS CLUSTERS ......................................................................................58 ATHENS SETS THE TONE .............................................................................................................................................. 58 FRESH MILK BUILDS CLUSTERS OF BUSINESSES........................................................................................................