YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Agriculture is an often overlooked aspect of the region’s economic growth, one that many people only acknowledge at annual celebrations such as county fairs.
This edition of The Business Journal sheds a spotlight on it.
Stories in this edition explore facets of this aspect of the region’s economy, ranging from the challenges farmers face, transitioning ownership and an aquaponics operation in Sharon, Pa.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Census of Agriculture – the most recent one completed – the market value of agricultural products that year in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties totaled more than $344 million. Columbiana County accounted for more than half of that, $172.5 million.
Again, that was four years ago. A random visit to the grocery store is a sure sign that the value of those goods has risen since 2022.
Equally apparent is the fact that farmers – who already face tight margins in their markets – are facing rising costs as well. They have been hit by rising fuel prices – a phenomenon only aggravated by the current conflict in Iran – and increased costs for fertilizer. Such increases are nearly certain to be reflected in prices for groceries at the checkout.
Tack on the loss of overseas markets for U.S. agricultural products such as soybeans triggered by U.S. tariffs imposed last year – one report showed bulk soybean exports to China were down 76% in 2025 from the year before – and there’s no question that farmers are facing hard times.
Despite the challenges, farmers interviewed for this edition are largely steadfast. Some are looking toward their family’s eighth generation to guide their farms into the future.
The region has a proud agricultural heritage that it looks to continue, despite the challenges facing its stewards.
