As we begin to look back at 2024 and look forward to 2025, please begin to think about those you would like to nominate for the 2025 Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame. Below is a look at the purpose of this award and a link to the 2025 application. Applications can be turned in or mailed thorought the year to OSU Extension Hardin County, located at 1021 W. Lima St., Suite 103, Kenton. Applications are due by October 15, 2025.
Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame
The Purpose of the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor outstanding contributions to agriculture by Hardin County people. Annual awards will be made to men or women who have been instrumental to the success and excellence of agriculture, either as a farmer or in an agriculturally related field. We desire to honor and give public recognition to those who have brought distinction to themselves, have made outstanding contributions to their professions, and whose community involvement has served as a stimulus to others.
Award Categories – Nominations may be made as individuals, husband and wife, or a partnership. Select the appropriate category, and include all the necessary information on one application form.
Number of Awards – Up to four awards may be given each year, with at least one living person (if one is acceptable) and at least one posthumous award (if one is acceptable). At the discretion of the committee, one “Pioneer in Agriculture” award may be made in addition to the other awards listed above. The number of awards presented each year will be determined by the committee. Nominees without merit will not be named for an award.
Recipients must have made their major contribution to agriculture primarily as a result of being born, growing up, living in or beginning their career in Hardin County, Ohio.
Hall of Fame Nominees may be submitted by any individual or organization in Hardin County by completing the nomination form. One additional page (8½ by 11) paper may be used, if needed. Other additional pages or information will not be considered. For consideration this year, nomination forms must be returned to The OSU Extension Office, 1021 W. Lima St, Suite 103, Kenton, Ohio, 43326 no later than 45 days prior to the Award Banquet, scheduled on the first Tuesday of December.
Selection – Award winners will be selected by the entire committee by ballot.
Recognition of the awards – A review of achievements will be presented at the annual banquet as each nominee is inducted, along with local media coverage related to the banquet. The honoree’s picture, along with a plaque, will be displayed in the Hardin County Courthouse. The awards may also be displayed during special county events, such as the Hardin County Fair.
An Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet will be held each year to induct new members into the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame. The date and time will be established as an annual event, the first Tuesday evening in December at 6:30 p.m.
The Hall of Fame Committee is responsible for gathering nominations for the annual awards and selecting the winners. The initial committee will be appointed. The successive committee will include several people who will serve by virtue of their position. These include the current Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Educator, the president or a designated representative of the Hardin County Farm Bureau, and the Hardin County Grange Deputy or their designee. The remainder of the committee will be composed of six people who will serve staggered three-year terms. The committee will select two new members each year, to serve three-year terms. New committee members will be named at the annual banquet. To ensure broad county representation, the committee will strive to appoint new members to represent each of the county’s six school districts. A chairman will be selected from among the committee members to call and to preside over needed meetings of the committee. A secretary will be selected from the group to record the business of the committee and take care of needed communications. A treasurer will be selected by the group from among the committee members to manage the funds collected, and to pay expenses of recognition activities. The Hall of Fame committee will be organized into sub-committees to accomplish the objectives. There will be subcommittees for nominations, publicity, funding, and the banquet.
The committee may make changes to the Operating Guidelines and Policies of the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame, as it deems necessary, with a majority decision of the committee. Revised - August 2013