The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is hosting a series of in-person informational meetings for farmers to learn about Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative in the newly added 10 counties.

The program, which incentivizes farmers for implementing proven conservation practices to reduce phosphorus runoff, is now open to farmers in Seneca, Huron, Erie, Wyandot, Richland, Shelby, Sandusky, Marion, Ottawa, and Crawford counties. Phosphorus runoff is a primary contributing factor to algal blooms on Lake Erie.

Meetings will be held for farmers in the newly eligible counties to provide more information on H2Ohio's conservation programs:

Huron SWCD with ODA

January 11 - 2 p.m.

Huron County Administration Building 180 Milan Ave., Norwalk

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-668-4113

Erie SWCD with ODA

January 11 - 5:30 p.m.

Erie County Conservation League 815 Mason Rd., East, Milan

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-626-5211

Richland SWCD with ODA

January 13 - 7:30 a.m. Jefferson Township Hall 115 Main St., Bellville

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-747-8686

Shelby SWCD with ODA

January 18 - 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m.* Shelby Co. Extension Meeting Room 810 Fair Rd., Sidney

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 937-492-6520

Seneca SWCD with ODA

January 18 - 6 p.m.

Seneca County Ag Center Conference Room 3140 South State Route 100, Tiffin

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-447-7073

Ottawa SWCD with ODA

January 20 - 10 a.m. Ottawa Co. Fairgrounds

7870 State Route 163, Oak Harbor For additional information and to RSVP call: 419-898-1595

Crawford SWCD with ODA

February 1 - 9 a.m., 6 p.m.*

February 3 - 6 p.m.*

Bucyrus Public Library, Meeting Room 200 East Mansfield, Bucyrus

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-562-8280

Wyandot SWCD with ODA

February 9 - 9 a.m. Gottfried Nature Center

9783 County Highway 330, Upper Sandusky

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-294-2312

Marion SWCD with ODA

February 10 - 9 a.m. All Occasions Catering

6989 Waldo-Delaware Rd., Waldo For additional information and to RSVP call: 740-387-1314

Sandusky SWCD with ODA

February 15 - 6 p.m.

Sandusky County Health Department Conference Room 2000 Countryside Dr., Fremont

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-334-6324

Richland SWCD with ODA

February 17 - 6 p.m.

Longview Center, Conference Room 1495 West Longview Ave., Mansfield For additional information and to RSVP call: 419-747-8686

Wyandot SWCD with ODA

February 23 - 6 p.m. Gottfried Nature Center

9783 County Highway 330, Upper Sandusky

For additional information and to

RSVP call: 419-294-2312

More information about the meetings can be found at h2.ohio.gov.

Watch this short video to learn more about H2Ohio, the recent expansion and the collaboration with the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative (OACI).

In the first year of the H2Ohio Program, 1,800 farmers enrolled more than 1 million acres of cropland in the targeted 14 counties: Williams, Fulton, Lucas, Defiance, Henry, Wood, Paulding, Putnam, Hancock, Van Wert, Allen, Hardin, Mercer, and Auglaize. With the recent expansion, all 24 counties in the Western Lake Erie Basin are now included in the H2Ohio Program.

Governor DeWine launched H2Ohio in November 2019 as a long-term, data-driven water quality plan to reduce harmful algal blooms, improve wastewater infrastructure, and address lead contamination in Ohio. The initiative is a collaboration involving ODA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Lake Erie Commission and other environmental, agricultural and educational partners. It is the first comprehensive state program that addresses all aspects of water quality.