Division of Soils moves from ODNR to ODA

A change made at the state level will have little effect in the way the district services its customers, according to all parties involved.   The district will continue to work closely with state DSWR staff, and of course district personnel will remain the same.  The district will continue to be directed by the local board of supervisors, who are volunteers elected by county residents.

A provision in the state budget signed by Governor Kasich transfers the Division of Soils to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).
ODA Director Dave Daniels says from the agency’s perspective he’s excited.

“This is going to give us more of an opportunity to be a resource for more farmers, all across the state,” Daniels said. “It’s going to give our department more of an opportunity to work directly with those folks and be a resource to them.”

The Director says both the Department of Agriculture and ODNR are working to make the transfer as seamless as possible. And while the transfer doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2016, ODA is ready for employees to make the move at any time.

“We’re going to be transferring all of the personnel over here,” said Director Daniels. “So the people in the field are still gonna be working with the same people that they worked with at ODNR, those people are gonna come over here and work out of our shop.”