Ohio State agricultural center 'significantly damaged' from February tornado

One of Ohio State University's agricultural centers is recovering after the property was "significantly damaged" by one of last month's tornadoes, according to the university.

Ohio State's Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London in Madison County was hit by an EF2 tornado in the early morning Feb. 28 that caused heavy damage to the center as well as the Madison County Airport along Route 40.

It was among a total of nine tornadoes in Ohio that morning confirmed by the National Weather Service, including seven that touched down in central Ohio. There were three EF0 tornadoes (65-85 moh), one each in the city of Groveport and Darbydale in Pleasant Township, Franklin County, and Harrisburg village in Franklin and Pickaway counties; three EF1 tornadoes (86-110 mph), one each hitting between east of London and West Jefferson, in Hilliard and in Riverside between Dayton and Springfield; and three EF2 tornadoes (111 to 135 mph), including the one that traveled between Clark and Madison counties, one that struck in the Blacklick area of Jefferson Township in eastern Franklin County before weakening to an EF1 in Pataskala and Jersey Township in Licking County, and in Malaga Township in Monroe County, eastern Ohio.

Severe weather: Sixth Ohio tornado now confirmed. See the paths they took during Wednesday's storms

At least 10 university-owned buildings on the agricultural center property in Madison County were damaged or destroyed by severe weather, said Graham Cochran, associate dean for operations at Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

“We immediately started the recovery process, which will include clearing the debris field and assessments of each building damaged," he said.

The site is currently closed to the public due to safety and structural concerns. No individuals or animals were in the impacted buildings at the time of the storm, and there were no reported injuries.

Ohio State is assessing the extent of the damage and will determine contingency plans once the evaluation is complete. Cochran said some privately-owned buildings on Farm Science Review grounds were also damaged.

Annual Farm Science Review will still take place

The Molly Caren Agricultural Center is the site of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' annual Farm Science Review.

The college is still "fully committed" to hosting Farm Science Review as scheduled, which this year will run from Sept. 17-19. Events will take place at either new or temporary facilities in place for the event.

The show will go on, said Matthew Sullivan, superintendent of the Molly Caren Agricultural Center.

“Farm Science Review is an annual destination for many and a premier education showcase for the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences," Sullivan said. "Farmers and industry leaders come here to see the latest and greatest in farming equipment and agricultural research. That’s our job — to ensure that when they show up, it’s the best farm show in the United States.”

On the opposite side of Columbus, another well-known agricultural site, Lynd Fruit Farm, was also damaged by a tornado. According to a posting on Lynd's Instagram account, the farm's packing house "took quite a bit of damage, but the market and trees are fine."

The farm, located north of Pataskala in Licking County, was still holding its monthly warehouse sale at the market Friday and Saturday, March 8 & 9.

Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here.

shendrix@dispatch.com

@sheridan120

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OSU's Farm Science Review site 'significantly damaged' by tornado