Panel 2: Marketing and Value Chains

Bob Jones is co-owner and CEO of The Chef's Garden in Huron Ohio. The Chef's Garden and Farmer Jones Farms is a family owned and operated vegetable farm that grows, packs and ships to restaurants and home consumers throughout the U.S. The farm is managed regeneratively and lives out its mission “To grow exceptional vegetables, care for each other and the land and to inspire a vegetable forward future". The two greatest assets of the farm are our amazing team of people and our healthy soil. Bob and his brother Lee, aka Farmer Lee, have invested their entire lives learning from the land and their father, Bob Sr., whose vision was to grow for flavor and nutrition. Healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy people and planet continue to be our goal here at the farm. Bob serves on the board of Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health (MTIH). As well, he presented at the MTIH 2024 event. Bob continues to be requested to speak at industry related and health conferences. Most recently he presented for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine at the 2023 Lifestyle Medicine Conference. 

Erika Lyon is a county Agriculture & Natural Resources Educator with The Ohio State University Extension in eastern Ohio. Her recent work focuses on specialty crops, particularly mushroom production, as well as woodland fungi education. Her programming spans outdoor cultivation, indoor production systems, wild mushroom identification, and food safety. Erika develops extension curricula and statewide programs that help producers and communities navigate both the opportunities and challenges of mushroom production, with a particular emphasis on supporting beginning growers and connecting them to reliable resources.

Dr. Guil Signorini is an Agronomist (B.S. 2008) and Agricultural Economist (Ph.D. 2015) conducting research and extension outreach in production management and marketing of specialty crops. His research interests lie in inter-linkage relationships across emerging ag-food value chains, stakeholders’ decision-making models, consumers’ preferences and valuation, and data-driven strategic planning.

Dr. Beth Scheckelhoff is an Assistant Professor of Extension and has been with OSU Extension since 2005. She has served both ornamental and hydroponic growers in Ohio through a variety of outreach efforts, programs, and grant-funded projects. Beth currently focuses her time in training producers on produce safety practices as well as agriculture and pesticide safety issues.

Dr. Yiyun Lin is an Assistant Professor and Urban Agriculture Specialist in the Department of Extension at The Ohio State University (OSU). She obtained a B.S. in Biology from China Agricultural University and a Ph.D. in Horticulture and Crop Science from OSU. In her current role with OSU, Dr. Lin’s research and education efforts focus on supporting urban agriculture, addressing the unique challenges faced by urban farmers and gardeners in the metropolitan areas in Ohio and beyond.