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On your mark. Get set. Grocery! The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and The Kroger Co of Columbus Division celebrated National Agriculture Month in the grocery store March 28 with a supermarket showdown event to promote locally grown and made products.
Local celebrity shoppers raced through the aisles of the Kroger Marketplace in Plain City, filling their shopping carts with as many Ohio Proud grocery products as possible for a limited amount of time. All the items collected during the race are being donated by The Kroger Co of Columbus to the Plain City Food Pantry to help community members in need.
“It’s a great day for agriculture when we can combine promoting Ohio’s home-grown foods and products with uplifting our local communities,” said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. “This food plays a vital role in our economy and contributes to the nutritional diversity and health of Ohio’s communities. We appreciate our partnership with Kroger to help provide those fresh, quality products to our neighbors who need it most.”
Celebrity shoppers included ODA Director Brian Baldridge, Rep. Rodney Creech (Chair, House Agriculture Committee), Bagster (Kroger Mascot), Mr. Pig (Ohio Pork Council Mascot), Sen. Beth Liston (Member, Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee), Brutus Buckeye (The Ohio State University Mascot), and Amberly Szczerbiak (2025 Ohio Fairs’ Queen).
In all, $5,608.52 of food was collected for the Plain City Food Pantry. Brutus Buckeye had the highest individual total, rounding up $967.71 worth of groceries.
Ohio Proud products can be found in nearly all grocery stores across Ohio, locally owned shops, and farmers markets. The membership program through ODA showcases food and agricultural products that are at least 50% grown, raised, or processed in the Buckeye State. Ohio Proud helps small businesses stick out in a marketplace like Kroger, which serves 11 million customers daily.
“We are thrilled to host this exciting event at our local store, dedicated to supporting the incredible work of the Plain City Food Pantry in feeding our neighbors in need,” said Mark Bruce, corporate affairs manager for the Columbus Division. “This event is a wonderful opportunity to come together, enjoy local flavors, and make a meaningful impact in our community.”
Outside of the grocery store in the Jerome Village Marketplace, ODA’s Division of Weights and Measures had its heavy-capacity scale testing truck on display, which is used to check vehicle and livestock scales across Ohio.
During the month of March, ODA encourages all Ohioans to recognize our farmers, food processors, agricultural businesses, and industry for National Agriculture Month.
Food and agriculture is Ohio’s number one industry, adding $124 billion to the economy each year. From those tending fields to those involved in our restaurant industry, 1 in 8 Ohioans are employed in the agricultural community that serves us with dedication and care. More than 200 different crops and livestock are grown and raised in Ohio, providing families with food, fuel, and fiber.
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