March Issue

March 2009
Ohio’s Source for Ag Information
News CRops LivesToCk
Stimulus bill’s ag impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Non-GMO corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Ohio pork Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28-29
Owens honored for his years of managing South Charleston
swine herd
By Kyle Sharp Eventually, he raised hogs and crops
David Owens has spent most of his full time. During that time, Owens
61-year lifetime in the hog business. He served a term as president of the Ohio
grew up on a Fayette County farm near Breeders and Feeders Association, the
Jeffersonville where his dad, Robert predecessor to the Ohio Pork Producers
Owens, and his grandfather, Justin Council. But the bad agricultural econo-
Owens, had been raising Duroc hogs my of the early 1980s made the family
since the 1920s. leave the hog business.
The family had a research mindset to Owens then managed a Landmark
their hog business, and they participated grain and feed elevator in Washington
actively in the Ohio Swine Evaluation Court House for a few years, before get-
Station and On Farm Testing programs. ting back involved with swine in 1986 at
They worked a lot with local veterinarian the Ohio State University Ohio
Robert Little, who also was a very sci- Agricultural Research and Development
ence and research-oriented person. Center Western Branch near South
“He was a veterinarian with a lot of Charleston. OARDC’s Western Branch is
experience, and he put it to use. He was a 428-acre farm devoted to swine and
David Owens stands in front of the gestation slab at the Western Agricultural Research Station of Ohio State
very observant. Just a wonderful man,” agronomic research.
University’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center near South Charleston in Clark County. His efforts
Owens said. “A lot of my outlook on “There was a job opening for a swine
as manager of the swine herd at the station since 1986 and his lifetime involvement in the pork industry earned
him the Manager of the Year Award from the Ohio Pork Producers Council last month.
raising pigs came from those three men.” manager, and a couple friends suggested
David Owens stands in front of the gestation slab at the Western Agricultural Research Station of Ohio State
Owens earned an agricultural educa- doing it,” Owens said. “I’ve been here
University’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center near South Charleston in Clark County. His efforts
tion degree from Ohio State University in for 22-plus years, and I’ve worked with as manager of the swine herd at the station since 1986 and his lifetime involvement in the pork industry earned
1969, then had a short stint as a 4-H agent some terrific people over the years.”
him the Manager of the Year Award from the Ohio Pork Producers Council last month.
in Pickaway County. But after 14 months, Keith Irvin, Jerry Shurson, Bill Weldon
now called the OARDC Western with researchers, but I don’t have to pay
the urge to farm drew him back to Fayette and current researchers Steve Moeller and
Agricultural Research Station (ARS). the bills,” Owens said, jokingly.
County, where he taught junior high sci- Henry Zerby are some of the many people
“One of the advantages of working
ence and math for several years while he has helped with projects since taking
here is I get to work with hogs and work
continued on page 25
helping with his family’s operation. over as swine herd manager at what is
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