Meet Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge
In partnership with: Ohio Department of Agriculture
With a lifetime of experience in farming and public service, becoming director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) was a natural fit for Brian Baldridge. He was appointed as the 40th director in February 2023 by Governor Mike DeWine. Baldridge leads the department, which provides leadership for the agriculture industry and oversees numerous regulatory, food safety, and consumer protection programs.
“Being from the agriculture community myself, I feel we don’t tell our story enough,” Baldridge says. “In my position, I have an opportunity to help our community. I help tell that story and the great things we’re doing in agriculture, from animal health to best farming practices to water quality. It’s exciting and it’s something all Ohioans should be proud of.”
Humble Beginnings for Brian Baldridge
Baldridge is the seventh generation on his family’s row crop and livestock farm in Adams County, which operates today. Still farming soybeans and corn every weekend, his family in Winchester helps look after the crops and the animals during the week while Baldridge oversees the day-to-day at ODA in Reynoldsburg.
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Baldridge and his wife of 31 years, Lori, are renovating the farmhouse his father was born in. It’s the same place where Baldridge learned to love a life in agriculture as a youngster. He participated in 4-H and FFA for many years. At age 17 decided he would continue his family’s farming legacy. At 18, he felt a calling to public service and joined the Wayne Township Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic.
“I looked up to the men and women in our community who left their own families to go serve others,” Baldridge says. “I wanted
to give my time too and learned I sincerely enjoyed giving back.”
Baldridge responded to the call to serve on the Anderson Township Fire Department for 25 years as a career member while continuing to farm. He retired from service in 2020 but still volunteers with the Wayne Township Fire Department today. At the time, he didn’t know the experience would eventually lead him to local government.
Serving the Community
“It’s funny because while I was growing up my father was involved in politics, and I always said I never wanted to get into that,” Baldridge says. “But I learned I enjoyed interacting with the trustees and local government.”
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After discovering his passion for public service, Baldridge ran for Wayne Township trustee and won. He later served as an Adams County commissioner. He went on to spend two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 90th District from 2019 until 2023. Baldridge says these experiences helped prepare him for his role as the director of ODA.
“In all of these roles, you are for the people, by the people,” Baldridge says. “You’re seeing friends, neighbors, and the community daily, and they rely on you to help with the issues they’re facing. My experience in local government was a grassroots way of learning how to do my job, do it well, and communicate messages professionally that built relationships.”
Advocating for Ohio Agriculture
As director of ODA, Baldridge serves Ohio’s No. 1 industry. Food and agriculture contributes more than $124 billion to the economy and provides one out of every eight jobs in the state.
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“Agriculture touches every corner of Ohio,” Baldridge says. One of his top priorities is the H2Ohio program. H2Ohio is Governor Mike DeWine’s comprehensive plan to ensure clean and safe water for the state. Ag is doing its part by incentivizing producers to implement best management practices on their farmland to help reduce nutrient runoff. The program is a group effort between ODA, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, all under the leadership of Governor DeWine.
In its fourth year, H2Ohio is making a difference. With continued effort and investment, the phosphorus entering Lake Erie is continuing to decrease year after year.
“We have an abundance of water in Ohio,” Baldridge says. “But we need to make sure there is quality and quantity for future generations.”
Leading for the Future
Baldridge is thrilled to have the opportunity to spend time with the state’s future generations – including his three grandchildren.
“It’s so exciting to see the next generation come forward. Our future is bright,” he says. “I love to attend FFA conferences and youth events just to hear their vision for our future. And I’m excited to be a grandfather and know that those youngsters will have the opportunity to grow up in a great industry. Ohio agriculture is moving in the right direction.”