During last year’s Farm Science Review, Ohio Northern University’s Mobile Health Clinic was a popular stop. Walk-in patients kept the staff busy, according to Michael Rush, director for ONU’s Healthwise and Pharmacy Residency Programs and coordinator for the clinic. “Most of the individuals we saw were either self-insured or uninsured,” he said. For many, a checkup was long overdue. “They’d had a hard time in the past getting that care, either due to issues with insurance coverage or affordability.” That demand for health screenings illustrates how the lack of health care coverage leaves gaps in care for rural Ohioans. To help fill that gap, Ohio Farm Bureau is working to create new health coverage plans for its uninsured and under-insured members. Read the full article at ofb.ag/4jBqvse. (fb)

To optimize crop and livestock operations in Ohio’s challenging climate, farmers need a whole-systems approach. Marília Chiavegato, an Ohio State - College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences assistant professor in agroecosystems, leads a research lab focused on how plants, animals, the environment, and weather interact within agricultural systems. When examining this relationship, her team works to identify sustainable solutions that enhance productivity while minimizing environmental impacts. (fb)