LONDON, Ohio — Natural gas production has potential to make a significant impact on the rural economy across the Buckeye State. Experts from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will discuss opportunities and challenges for rural economies in developing this natural resource at the Farm Science Review.

“This is one of those things a lot of folks are starting to think about, the impact that shale gas could have on a good bit of Ohio,” said Stan Ernst, Ohio State University Extension outreach program leader in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics. “There is a lot of attention paid to Marcellus shale, but when you look at the Utica shale, it covers most of the counties in the state, as well.”

Key questions

Extension economists and policy analysts will provide farmers and landowners with information on the current natural gas landscape in Ohio, as well as key questions to consider when examining potential leases and business opportunities.

Details

The department will host a panel discussion at 10 a.m. Sept. 20, in the Tobin Building at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center.

Experts

Three Extension experts will participate in the panel: ag economists Doug Southgate and Allen Klaiber, and Mike Lloyd, who is Extension educator for community development in Noble County.

Southgate’s research focus is economic development and the environment, including the associated public policy issues. Klaiber, joining the department from Penn State, served in Penn State’s Institutes of Energy and the Environment, and studied natural gas production in that state.

“When we start talking about mineral rights in Ohio, it gets really complicated,” Ernst said. “When these discussions start, we have to look at how to put together the right deal for the landowners and the community at large. There are a lot of broad policy implications.”

Matt Roberts, also an Extension agricultural economist, will moderate the panel.