2023 Congressional Assistants Tour

The Congressional Assistants Tour is an annual event, hosted by CFAES Office of Government Affairs, that informs and updates our federal legislative offices on the cutting-edge teaching, research, and outreach occurring at The Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), and the key impact this work has on the state and local economies, food security and human health, and rural livelihoods. During this day and a half-long event, legislative assistants overseeing food and agriculture issues or other staff designees, will have the opportunity to meet with college leadership, faculty, and staff; tour university research labs and field sites; and visit local county Extension offices. Participants will leave the tour with a better understanding of the land-grant university mission and how it is federally supported, how CFAES' work strengthens Ohio's workforce and economy, and with professional connections with issue-area research and extension specialists. 

2023 Congressional Assistants Tour

This year's tour will include:

• Visit to OSU South Centers in Piketon, OH - experience CFAES's research and Extension center in Southern Ohio that informs decision-making through responsive agricultural research and education, entrepreneurial application, and collaborative partnerships. Active programs include specialty crops (berries, hops, etc.), soil health, aquaculture, and small business development. 
• Visit to the Columbus Campus - visit the newly opened Controlled Environment Agricultural Research Complex (CEARC), a 104,000 sq. ft. interdisciplinary research hub at the nexus of horticulture, engineering, entomology, pathology, food science, computer science, and human nutrition and health.
• Visit to the Molly Caren Agricultural Center - with over 1,200 acres of cropland and home to Ohio State's annual Farm Science Review, this research center outside of Columbus specializes in advancing agronomic and precision agriculture technologies related to remote sensing, nutrient utilization, equipment/soil interactions, crop population intensities and drainage management. The property also includes the Gwynne Conservation Area, a 67-acre demonstration and education area for agricultural, wildlife, and natural resources management practices.