About the ABE Center

In 1990, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (Ohio 9th Congressional District) introduced federal budget legislation for funding an Agricultural Income Enhancement Demonstration project. The purpose of the project was two-fold. One purpose was to assist farmers, agri-businesses and food processors in improving business and marketing techniques. The other was to assist individuals and businesses with new enterprise development strategies. The federal legislation passed and Ohio State University Extension was selected to implement the project.

The Ohio State University Extension Agricultural Business Enhancement (ABE) Center began on July 1, 1992 in Toledo, Ohio. The mission of the ABE Center was at that time, "Involving people in improving their lives through an educational process using scientific knowledge focused on enhancing their economic viability in northwest Ohio's food and agriculture industry." The targeted area was eight counties in northwestern Ohio. Initial educational programs focused on marketing, alternative crops and business management skills.

The ABE Center moved to Bowling Green, Ohio on July 1, 1994. where it focused on agricultural economic development projects, agricultural products business plan development, educational programming and consumer horticulture. The consumer horticulture department was probably the most well recognized and successful program.  In October, 2004, the ABE Center reorganized and identified horticulture, beef marketing and ag. and hort. labor education as its primary strengths. As a result, the OSU Extension Green Industry Center was born and all consumer horticulture programs were phased out during 2005.   Becky McCann, ABE Center horticulturist, who worked on consumer horticulture at OSUE at Toledo Botanical Garden was moved back to the ABE Center to strengthen the commercial horticulture program.  In addition, northwest Ohio floriculture growers asked OSUE administration to hire a floriculture program manager to work directly with the greenhouse businesses.  Beth Fausey, PhD, joined the ABE Center as the Floriculture Program Manager in September, 2005 and effective August, 2006 she was named Director of the ABE Center.
 
OSU Extension now supports the ABE Center.  Federal funding was retained for the Ohio Family Farms Beef Initiative Network under the leadersip of Dan Frobose and for the Ohio Hydroponic Program.  State funding was also retained for the Agriculture and Horticulture Labor Education Program under the leadership of Francisco Espinoza.