The Ohio Farm Bureau held its 107th Annual Meeting December 11-12 in Columbus.
Over 340 delegates from all 88 Ohio counties established the organization’s policy goals for the coming year, recognized county Farm Bureau and individual achievements, and honored industry leaders.
The following Ohio Farm Bureau members were elected to the state board of trustees during the organization’s 107th annual meeting:
- District 1 Nate Andre: Defiance, Fulton, Henry, and Williams counties
- District 5 Craig Pohlman: Allen, Paulding, Putnam, and Van Wert counties
- District 6 John Bolte: Hancock, Hardin, Seneca, and Wyandot counties
- District 10 Matt Schmerge: Auglaize, Logan, Mercer, and Shelby counties
- District 13 Todd Davis: Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, and Tuscarawas counties
- District 15 Mike Videkovich: Fairfield, Hocking, Pickaway, and Ross counties
- District 19 Nicol Reiterman: Clinton, Fayette, Greene, and Warren counties
- District 20 Evan Davis: Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Highland counties.
- Southwest Region Steve Berk: Adams, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Madison, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Union, and Warren counties
Matt Schmerge, of Botkins, will represent the interests of Farm Bureau members from Shelby, Auglaize, Mercer, and Logan counties. Schmerge farms 150 acres of grain with his family. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from The Ohio State University in 2006 and has been working in agriculture ever since. He currently works for Danone North America, working with dairy farms and regenerative agriculture. Schmerge has been on the Shelby County Farm Bureau Board since 2020 and has served on various committees.
Steve Berk of Brookville was elected to his second term as southwest regional trustee. He will represent the interests of members in 20 southwest Ohio counties. Berk and his wife, Cynthia, manage a herd of registered Angus and SimAngus cattle, focusing on show heifers and club steers. They loan their cattle to 4-H and FFA students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to gain experience in the beef industry and encourage them to engage in agriculture and Farm Bureau. Berk also consults for Dull Homestead Farm in Brookville and other neighboring farms on USDA programs. He is also active in the local township and city regarding future land use development and comprehensive planning. As a member of Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Berk has served as county president and on the 2025 Ohio Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee. Prior to Montgomery County, he was an active member of the Florida Farm Bureau in Palm Beach for 18 years while working for the USDA in southern Florida. Berk is a graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in agriculture. He spent 33 years with the USDA Farm Service Agency and Foreign Agriculture Service, including four tours in Afghanistan serving as a senior agricultural advisor.
The Ohio Farm Bureau’s mission is working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities.
Learn more at ohiofarmbureau.org.
