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- Sachs Named New Director
of Ohio Fruit, Vegetable Groups
- By Karen Gentry
Associate Editor
- Jumping in to his new position as executive director of the Ohio Vegetable and Potato Growers Association (OVPGA) and the Ohio Fruit Growers Society (OFGS), Tom Sachs is busy preparing for a big trade show.
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Tom Sachs
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Sachs is working with John Wargowsky, the previous director to put together the Ohio Fruit and Vegetable Growers Congress and Ohio Roadside Marketing Conference planned for February in Toledo.
“It’s been a steep learning curve for me,” said Sachs.
Sachs is relocating from his farm in Northwest Ohio to Columbus, Ohio. In his new position he will represent approximately 700 fruit and vegetable growers. Sachs spent 5 1/2 years working part-time for Ohio State University Extension specializing in farm labor. He and his father grew processing vegetables, including tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and peppers in Northwest Ohio. He is a past president of OVPGA in the mid-1980s and has been involved with that board for about 10 years.
Working with OVPGA Sachs got to know many fruit growers. By working in farm labor he now knows many vegetable growers as well as tobacco growers and greenhouse operators.
“I’m making the transition right now,” said Sachs, about his new position that is funded by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. Sachs has been busy attending board meetings and research meetings, along with getting ready for the Ohio show.
Wargowsky, the previous director of OVPGA and OFGS is now working in the same office as Sachs. Wargowsky is taking the helm of the Mid American Ag and Hort Services, Inc., (MAAHS) a new non-profit organization to help agriculture employers with labor issues.
Wargowsky calls MAAHS a “unique concept” that will initially offer services to agriculture employers in Ohio and Indiana with future plans to expand into other nearby states such as Michigan and Kentucky.
Wargowsky said he will hit the trade show circuit and attend Farm Bureau meetings to get the word out about the new organization.
The vision of MAAHS is to improve the working and earnings environment for employers in Mid America and workers involved in agriculture and other areas. The organization hopes to meet the human resource needs of member employers.
“MAAHS will provide an adequate supply of well-trained and motivated workers to its members, while obeying all laws pertaining to recruiting, training, safety, and employment,” Wargowsky wrote in a MAAHS information sheet.
Funds for MAAHS come from sponsoring members who are paying $1 per member (minimum of $300 and maximum of $5,000). Sponsors include: Indiana Farm Bureau, Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association, Ohio Florists’ Association, OFGS and OVPGA. Wargowsky said in subsequent years sponsors will pay of minimum of $300 and maximum of $1,000. Employer members will pay $10 per employee at peak employment.
In his first year with MAAHS, Wargowsky will spend half time with the organization and half time working on food safety and direct marketing issues for the Farm Bureau. As more members come on board for MAAHS, he said he hopes to be working full-time for the organization. MAAHS members will receive mailings on safety and labor issues. Basic services for members include the Ag and Hort Employers Compliance Handbook, educational seminars on a variety of labor topics, regular newsletters, “Gempler’s Alert” and discount on Gempler’s educational materials and basic phone consultation.
“I think we’ll have a broad range of members,” said Wargowsky.
For more information contact Wargowsky at (614) 677-4530, e-mail labor@ofbf.org.
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