Month: July 2020

CLEAR30 the first USDA program to offer 30-year Signup

FSA will open signup this summer for CLEAR30, a new pilot program that offers farmers and landowners an opportunity to enroll in a 30-year Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contract. This pilot is available to farmers and landowners with expiring water-quality practice CRP contracts in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay regions. The program signup period is July 6 to Aug. 21, 2020.

The pilot is available in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Eligible producers must have expiring Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) initiative contracts, including continuous CRP Cropland contracts with water-quality practices or marginal pasturelands CRP contracts devoted to riparian buffers, wildlife habitat buffers or wetland buffers. Continue reading CLEAR30 the first USDA program to offer 30-year Signup →

ODA Asks Public to Not Plant any Unsolicited Packages of Seeds

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has been notified that several Ohio residents have received unsolicited packages in the mail containing seeds that appear to have originated from China. The types of seeds in the packages are currently unknown and may contain invasive plant species. Similar seed packets have been received recently in several other locations across the United States.

Photo Provided By The Ohio Department of Agriculture

If you receive a package of this type, please DO NOT plant these seeds. If they are in sealed packaging, do not open the sealed package. You can report the seeds to ODA online here or you may contact the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Anti-smuggling Hotline by calling 800-877-3835 or by emailing SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov. Also, if possible, please retain the original packaging, as that information may be useful to trade compliance officers as they work through this issue. Continue reading ODA Asks Public to Not Plant any Unsolicited Packages of Seeds →

Chow Line: Meat thermometer is the best option to ensure food safety when grilling meat

By Tracy Turner – Ohio State

Although many people use color as an indicator of doneness when grilling meats, to lessen your chance of developing a foodborne illness, it’s best to use a meat thermometer to ensure that your meat is cooked to the correct internal temperature.

Your question is very timely, considering that July is National Grilling Month, with July 4th generally accepted as the most popular U.S. holiday for grilling, surveys have shown. And because your question is very similar to one that was asked in a previous “Chow Line” column, it’s best answered by reissuing that column here.

According to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, only 34% of the public uses a food thermometer when cooking hamburgers.

But, in order to avoid foodborne illness, the USDA advises consumers to use a food thermometer to accurately measure if meat is cooked to a high enough internal temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli that might be present. Continue reading Chow Line: Meat thermometer is the best option to ensure food safety when grilling meat →

Farm Science Review will be a Virtual show in 2020

By Sherrie R. Whaley Ohio State

For the first time in its nearly 60-year history, The Ohio State University’s Farm Science Review, scheduled for Sept. 22 to Sept. 24, will not be held in-person. Instead, a virtual show will be implemented for 2020.

The farm show, sponsored by Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), annually attracts over 100,000 visitors from all over the United States and Canada to the show site in London, Ohio.

A “robust and innovative” virtual Farm Science Review is being planned for 2020. (Photo courtesy of FSR)

“We are committed to delivering a robust and innovative virtual show in support of agriculture during this pandemic,” said Cathann A. Kress, vice president and dean of CFAES.

“Throughout its history, the Farm Science Review has been at the forefront of showcasing the future of agriculture,” she said. “While it may look different in 2020, we will continue to meet the needs of our growers and partners through access to exhibitors, virtual demonstrations, and education about the most recent advancements in agricultural production.” Continue reading Farm Science Review will be a Virtual show in 2020 →

Utilizing Cover Crops as Livestock Forage

Utilizing cover crops as forage not only provides feedstuffs for meeting the nutritional needs of livestock, but also offers soil health benefits. In this presentation originally offered during the COVID-19 quarantine period in April, 2020, OSU Extension Educator Christine Gelley discusses cover crop forage selection, seeding, management and harvest opportunities.

Lookout for Spider Mites.

With continued dry weather, spider mites are one of the main pests to remain vigilant about in field crops.  They will often show up in field borders first as they move in from other habitats, for example if nearby ditches have been mowed.  Spider mites are difficult to see.  Look for injury signs — yellow spotting or stippling on the upper side of leaves.  In soybean this damage usually begins in the lower canopy and progresses upward as the mite population increases.  Heavily infested leaves may also have light webbing similar to spider webs.

Soybean leaves showing speckling.

There are no number-based thresholds available for mites, in part because counting them is not practical in a scouting context.  During drought populations can increase rapidly so scouting every 4 to 5 days in recommended during drought conditions.  Walk a broad pattern in the field and examine at least two plants in each of 20 locations.  Use the following scale developed by the University of Minnesota to evaluate spider mite damage in soybean, with treatment recommended at level 3.  There are relatively few products available for the treatment of two-spotted spider mites and some pyrethroid insecticides may actually “flare” spider mite populations, making them worse. Continue reading Lookout for Spider Mites. →

ODA’s Clean Sweep Program Set for August 19 in Findlay

ODA has selected three sites across Ohio for their annual Clean Sweep collection of agricultural pesticides in August. These locations are:

August 18: Fayette County 9 am – 3 pm

Fayette County Airport
2770 Old Rt 38 NE.
Washington Courthouse, Ohio 43160

August 19: Hancock County 9 am – 3 pm

Hancock County Fairgrounds
1017 E. Sandusky Street
Findlay, Ohio 45840

August 25: Lake County 9 am – 3 pm

Perry Coal and Feed
4204 Main Street
Perry, Ohio 44081

Unused, unwanted, and unlabeled pesticides pose many health and safety risks to you and those on your farm. Luckily, farmers in Putnam County don’t have to travel too far to dispose of these pesticides and pesticide containers this year. Between now and August 19, I encourage everyone to collect pesticides and pesticide containers that may be in your sheds, shops, chemical cabinets, etc. that you no longer use or plan to use. The disposal is free and there is no cost to you. Continue reading ODA’s Clean Sweep Program Set for August 19 in Findlay →

Tri-State Precision Ag Webinar Recording Now Available

If you could not attend the Tri-State Precision Ag Webinar on June 23, 2020 you can now view the entire webinar online at go.osu.edu/TriStatePrecisionAg.

Topics and speakers included:

Hype from Reality
Dr. John Fulton, Associate Professor, The Ohio State University

Get the Most out of Ag Tech with On-Farm Research
Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins, Field Specialist, The Ohio State University

Yield Monitor Calibration
Ricardo Costa, Extension Educator, Michigan State University

Aerial Imagery Options
Crystal Van Pelt, Extension Educator, Purdue University

Water Quality Extension Associate Services in NW Ohio

By: Rachel Cochran, Brigitte Moneymaker, Jordan Beck, Nick Eckel, Matthew Romanko, Boden Fisher, OSU Extension

Our Goal

Our goal is to engage farmers and their trusted advisors in new production strategies, technologies, and best management practices to improve fertilizer use efficiency and farm profitability while promoting soil health and reducing nutrient and sediment losses within the western Lake Erie basin.

Through education, outreach, and demonstrations highlighting the benefits of practices we hope to encourage widespread practice adoption and sustained practice implementation.

What We Need Help With

  • Learning about the unique challenges that face area farmers.
  • Finding partners interested in adopting new technologies and conservation practices and understanding their potential water quality, soil health and agronomic benefits.
  • Identifying potential sites for on-farm applied research trials and case studies.

Continue reading Water Quality Extension Associate Services in NW Ohio →

Two Honorees to be Inducted into Allen County Agriculture Hall of Fame

Two honorees, Lloyd Smith and Sam Blythe, will be inducted by Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce into the Allen County Agricultural Hall of Fame presented by Nutrien Lima, during an evening banquet July 16th at the City Club in Lima. Smith was a vocational agriculture instructor and farm lender in the Delphos community and Blythe was a full-time farmer in the Spencerville community. Both honorees are deceased and are being honored posthumously. This event is open to any interested person with reservations being accepted through July 10th.

The Allen County Agriculture Hall of Fame is celebrating its eighth induction class. According to the Chamber’s agri-business committee chair Beth Seibert, “our goal with the Hall of Fame is to annually recognize local agriculturalists that have been instrumental to the success and excellence of agriculture in Allen County, either as a farmer or in an agriculturally related field. Both of our 2020 inductees truly reflect the award’s purpose of honoring and giving public recognition to those who have brought distinction to themselves, have made outstanding contributions to their professions, and whose community involvement has served as a stimulus to others.” Continue reading Two Honorees to be Inducted into Allen County Agriculture Hall of Fame →