SCD board welcomes new members

Roger Fruth (right), the board’s secretary, administers the oath of office to new board members Jess Berlekamp and David Cassidy (center) as Joe Kimmet (left), the board’s chairman, sits nearby during the board of supervisors meeting on Jan. 13.

Seneca Conservation District’s Board of Supervisors welcomed two new members during a meeting on Jan. 13.

Jess Berlekamp of Old Fort and David Cassidy of New Riegel were elected to serve three-year terms on the board of supervisors.

Jess Berlekamp

Berlekamp grew up on her family’s farm and started her own farming operation in 2020. She and her father farm around 800 acres, and she has been practicing no-till and cover crops.

She said she hopes to make a difference especially on the ditch maintenance side. She grew up installing tile in fields, and maintaining outlets and ditches were always a priority on the farm.

David Cassidy

Cassidy has been farming since 1979. While growing up, he helped his father with farming, and he has 27 years of maintenance experience in grain elevators/flour mills.

The home farm is located north of New Riegel, and the family farms around Fostoria, Bascom and Adrian. Cassidy and his son, Drew, farm about 1,100 acres and have been contract hog growers for Kalmbach Feeds since 2012.

Cassidy uses no till and cover crop conservation practices. The family participates or has participated in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, H2Ohio and Conservation Stewardship Program. Cassidy was selected as the 2017 Outstanding Conservation Farmer in Seneca County.

Berlekamp and Cassidy filled seats vacated by Eric Powell, a farmer in Adams Township who completed six years on the board, and Mark Reinhart, who farms in Big Spring Township and served three years on the board.

During the board of supervisors meeting Jan. 13, Liberty Township farmer Joe Kimmet was re-elected as this year’s board chairman. He started on the board in 2012, had raised Angus cattle for 29 years and served as a township trustee for 28 years.

Berlekamp was selected as the board of supervisors’ vice chairman.

Jonathan Feck of Big Spring Township is starting his eighth year on the board and is serving as the board’s fiscal agent. He raises cattle, corn, beans and wheat.

Roger Fruth, who has been serving on the board for 13 years, lives in Hopewell Township and is the board’s secretary. He is a grain, hay and straw farmer and previously raised hogs.