History

The Ohio AgriBusiness Association is a state trade association that represents the best interests of agribusinesses that serve Ohio agriculture, just like yours. We’ve weathered industry changes, contributed to a solid business environment and are constantly preparing our members to be on the cutting-edge of agricultural advancement. Since 1880, we’ve been working to ensure that agriculture stays Ohio’s No. 1 Industry. 

1880-1910

Things were tough for agriculture in the 1880s, lots of setbacks, railroads growing west, declining land values, low commodity values and a societal shift away from an agrarian society to an industrial one. Grain dealers as a whole avoided each other in fear of being accused of collusion, but bad practices and mistrust were evident in the industry. On July 1, 1880 a group of leaders representing the grain and milling trade met to create the Ohio Grain Dealers, for the purpose of serving the industry. The new association quickly grew, with more than 300 members by 1902. 

1911-1920

In 1911, additional emphasis was placed on dealers helping farmers raise the quality of their crops, with dealers rewarding higher quality by grading it higher than poorer grade grains. In this time, the association focused on passing bills favorable to the grain trade. The first uniform grain grading rules were instituted at the National Grain Dealers Association convention in 1908 and were adopted by the Grain Inspection Department of the United States soon after. Though attendance and engagement was low, the association continued to grow throughout the war, even when facing poor quality crops and a small budget. 

1921-1950

The Ohio Grain Dealers Association celebrated their 50th anniversary at the Breakers Hotel at Cedar Point with members gathering to mark the occasion and reflect on the first 50 years of the association. At this time, the delegation unanimously adopted a new name for the association: the Ohio Grain, Mill and Feed Dealers Association.

Over the next 20 years, new events, like the wheat grading school and Grain Elevator and Feed Management School, were established. The association also focused on improving practices, creating a new committee called the Feeds, Seeds and Fertilizer Committee for the purpose of getting more state investigators appointed with Ohio Department of Agriculture. 

1951-1970

In 1953, the Ohio Grain, Mill and Feed Dealers Association and the Ohio Farmers Grain Dealers Association, officially merged to become the Ohio Grain and Feed Dealers Association, Inc. The new association was expected to have more than 1,000 members within a few months. In 1958, the association held one of the largest conventions in history, with more than 960 registered participants, 110 of those being women - phenomenal nominal growth overall. This growth spread all the way to Russia, as the association took a delegation of 50 members to visit the country. In 1959, George Greenleaf was asked to become the CEO for the association, beginning a tenure that would span three decades.   

The association, under Greenleaf’s leadership, served as the driving force behind the development of the Ohio Agricultural Council, for the betterment of the agriculture industry. This commitment to the agriculture industry continued into 1966, when the association held its first Golf Outing for Scholarships to raise funds for agricultural scholarships. 

As the agriculture industry continued to grow and welcome new segments, the association changed its name in 1967 to the Ohio Grain, Feed and Fertilizer Association, Inc. 

1971-2000

As the annual convention continued to grow, the association was able to attract prominent keynote speakers, including John Glenn in 1979. In the same year, the association recognized more than 100 outstanding agricultural leaders. In 1981, the association name was changed to the Ohio Grain & Feed Association. The fertilizer and agrichemical members formed a new organization; the Ohio Agrobusiness Association.

In 1984, Greenleaf retired from the association – the longest-serving CEO to date. He was succeeded by John Foltz, who served until 1990. During his time as CEO, it was John’s goal to visit every county in the state with member locations, which he accomplished. Following John, Gary King took the reins of the association.

The association served as a key partner in the development of the Ohio Certified Crop Adviser Program, working with the American Society of Agronomy and OSU Extension to launch the program in 1992. Under King’s direction, the Ohio Grain & Feed Association merged with the Ohio Agrobusiness Association to become the Ohio AgriBusiness Association in 1993. King would also supervise the move of the association’s office to its current location on Reed Road in 1999.

2000-Present 

In 2011, King retired from the association and Chris Henney was selected to lead the association. With a new leader, the OABA Board of Directors chose to undergo a strategic planning process, which resulted in updated bylaws, logo, website and a renewed focus for the new millennium.

Henney quickly led the association to victory on the legislative front, in the form of a complete exemption for Ohio grain handlers from Ohio’s Commercial Activity Tax. Following this, the association was a driving force behind the launch of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program in 2014, partnering with The Nature Conservancy, The Fertilizer Institute, and many other key stakeholders. In 2018, OABA expanded its management services beyond the CCA Program and 4R Certification Program to include the Ohio Agricultural Council.

Today's association is a robust organization representing all aspects of the agribusiness industry, including the manufacturers and wholesale/retail suppliers of plant nutrient and protection materials, the grain warehousing and marketing industry, the feed and seed industry, as well as companies providing equipment, financing, insurance, consulting, and other products and services for the agribusiness industry. 

Past Board Chairs