The mission of the Ohio Department of Agriculture is to protect Ohio citizens by ensuring the safety of the state’s food supply and the health of Ohio’s food animals and plant life, and to create economic opportunities for Ohio’s farmers, food processors and agribusinesses.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture provides leadership for Ohio’s No. 1 industry – food and agriculture – to create greater economic opportunity for Ohio’s farmers and processors; to preserve and enhance Ohio’s bountiful resources; and to partner with Ohio’s research institutions to further the development of new agricultural products and services. Food and agriculture employs one in eight Ohioans and accounts for more than $124 billion in annual investment - demonstrating the critical importance of the industry and the agency to the state.

The department administers numerous regulatory, food safety and consumer protection programs for the benefit of all Ohioans and helps build marketing opportunities for Ohio farmers and food processors. The department’s workload is divided among the following divisions and programs: Administration, Amusement Ride Safety, Animal Health, Consumer Protection Laboratory, Dairy, Enforcement, Farmland Preservation, Food Safety, Livestock Environmental Permitting, Markets, Meat Inspection, Ohio Grape Industries, Plant Health, Soil and Water Conservation and Weights and Measures.

Did you Know?

The Ohio Department of Agriculture was founded as the Ohio Board of Agriculture in 1846, and is one of the oldest agriculture departments in the nation, predating the United States Department of Agriculture by 16 years. Learn more about the history of the Ohio Department of Agriculture from the Ohio History Connection.