Ohio Farmer: History, Move to Online-Only, Farm Progress Coverage and Editors
Profile updated November 2026
Ohio Farmer was one of the great state farm papers of the 19th and 20th centuries, founded in Cleveland by Thomas Brown in the early 1850s and devoted, as its header put it, to the betterment of the farmer, his family and the farm. After more than 160 years in print it became one of the first Farm Progress titles to go online-only, in late 2020.
| Founded | 1852, Cleveland, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Founder | Thomas Brown |
| ISSN | 0030-0896 |
| Publisher | Farm Progress, part of Informa |
| Format | Online-only since late 2020 |
| Editor | Jennifer Kiel, Farm Progress Northeast editor |
| Official website | Ohio Farmer on FarmProgress.com |
History of Ohio Farmer
Thomas Brown founded The Ohio Farmer in Cleveland in 1852, in the decades when Ohio was one of the leading farm states of the young nation. It was published weekly for much of its life, with sections on farming, housekeeping and children, and its header declared it devoted to the improvement and betterment of the farmer, his family and farm. Bound volumes from the 1860s survive in libraries and online archives, and the Library of Congress catalogs the title.
In the 20th century The Ohio Farmer became part of the Farm Progress family of state farm papers. When Penton Media bought Farm Progress from Fairfax Media for $79.9 million in 2012, Ohio Farmer was one of the listed titles, alongside sister papers Michigan Farmer, Indiana Prairie Farmer and Prairie Farmer. Informa acquired Penton, and with it Farm Progress, in November 2016.
On November 5, 2020, Farm Progress told readers that Ohio Farmer was transitioning to online-only, ending its long run as a printed magazine. Michigan Farmer made the same move at the same time.
Ohio Farmer Today
Ohio Farmer stories still appear on FarmProgress.com under the Ohio Farmer label, including coverage of farm shows and of what attendees learned there. Ohio is no longer among the 14 state and regional brands Farm Progress lists for advertisers; instead, Ohio is part of the coverage area of American Agriculturist, which reaches about 33,800 audited subscribers across Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and New England.
Farm Progress names Jennifer Kiel as its Northeast editor responsible for Michigan Farmer and Ohio Farmer content.
What Ohio Farmer Is Publishing Now
Crops
Corn, soybean and wheat production, agronomy and precision farming for Ohio's crop farms.
Livestock and dairy
Dairy, hog and poultry coverage reflecting Ohio's diverse animal agriculture.
Farm shows and business
Farm show coverage, markets, policy and farm management stories shared across the Farm Progress network.
Ohio Farmer Editors and Staff
Farm Progress materials and the paper's history name:
- Jennifer Kiel - Farm Progress Northeast editor, Ohio Farmer and Michigan Farmer
- Thomas Brown - Founder (1852)
Kiel also writes for National Hog Farmer, reflecting the livestock side of the region.
Who Reads Ohio Farmer
Ohio Farmer readers are commercial farm families in Ohio, who now follow the brand online. Ohio State University Extension's Buckeye Dairy News summarizes USDA dairy outlooks for the state's dairy farmers, and USDA NASS publishes Ohio crop and livestock data through the Census of Agriculture and Quick Stats.
Ohio Farmer readers made the jump from newsprint to screens in 2020, which shows a willingness to try new things. farm.FM is one more: farm satire from the Buckeye State, farm humor about corn and soybean rotations, a bit of ranch humor for the beef herds of southeast Ohio and farm jokes good enough for the county fair grandstand. It is easy to read on the same phone that now carries Ohio Farmer.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
Ohio Farmer Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Wikipedia: The Ohio Farmer - founding by Thomas Brown in Cleveland.
- Farm Progress: Ohio Farmer transitioning to online-only - the November 2020 announcement.
- Library of Congress: Ohio Farmer catalog record - bibliographic record for the title.
- Ohio State University Extension: Buckeye Dairy News - USDA dairy outlook for Ohio producers.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Ohio crop and livestock statistics.
Ohio Farmer FAQ
When was Ohio Farmer founded?
Thomas Brown founded The Ohio Farmer in Cleveland in 1852.
Is Ohio Farmer still published in print?
No. Farm Progress moved Ohio Farmer to online-only in November 2020.
Who publishes Ohio Farmer?
Farm Progress, part of Informa.
Who edits Ohio Farmer content?
Jennifer Kiel, Farm Progress's Northeast editor for Ohio Farmer and Michigan Farmer.
After more than 160 years in print, Ohio Farmer lives on as an online brand for Buckeye State agriculture.