{
  "id": 8617285,
  "title": "Ohio farmer changed how he worked 700 acres; family operation grew to 8,000 acres",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/ohio-farmer-changed-how-he-worked-700-acres-family-operation-grew-to",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-20T04:54:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/an-ohio-farmer-watched-gullies-repeatedly-cut-through-his-familys-700-acre-farm-and-decided-to-change-how-he-worked-the-land-decades-later-the-family-operation-has-grown-to-8000-acres-while-becoming-a-conservation-showcase/articleshow/134343768.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bill Kellogg's agricultural journey began with a desire to combat erosion on his 700-acre farm in Hardin County, Ohio. Watching water carve through his family's rolling land, he recognized the need for change in how the ground was worked. Over time, his conservation efforts expanded from grass waterways and control basins into a more comprehensive system. Today, the farm has grown to approximately 8,000 acres, with 1,800 acres owned and the rest rented.\n\nThe transition to precision agriculture was catalyzed when Kellogg's son, Shane, became involved in the operation. Grid soil sampling began in 1999, allowing the family to better understand nutrient movement and soil response to management decisions. Strip-till practices followed, enabling the banding of nutrients directly where crops could access them more efficiently. This approach has reduced fertilizer use while maintaining or improving yields.\n\nKellogg's conservation methods are not a one-size-fits-all system. Cover crops are employed strategically, particularly on more challenging terrain, while tillage generally remains shallow, rarely exceeding two inches, except for drainage or leveling work. The farm also considers alternative nutrient sources, such as chicken litter, due to rising phosphate prices. This adaptability extends to fertilizer decisions, reflecting the family's flexible approach.\n\nThe Kellogg story is one of resilience. Bill Kellogg began farming at 14 after his father left agriculture to care for an ill wife. By high school, he was managing 700 acres, often with the help of older farmers in the community. The farm endured the severe agricultural crisis of the early 1980s, when it faced foreclosure and Bill had to sell possessions to stay afloat. Through family support and a strategic investment, the farm survived this challenging period. This experience instilled in Kellogg a fundamental financial philosophy: profitability and stewardship must go hand in hand.\n\nKellogg's conservation work gained wider recognition following their involvement in a Farm Bureau and Natural Resources Conservation Service demonstration project in 2014, spurred by the Toledo water crisis. They later joined H2Ohio and opened their farm to numerous visitors, including students, officials, and journalists. Their efforts were recently honored with the Ohio Conservation Farm Family Award. Today, multiple generations, including Bill, Shane, Jacinta Burd, and their families, contribute to the farm's continued success and legacy.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}