Hello,

Farmers planted some of the first 2020 corn and soybean fields in Ohio last week, according to Cheryl Turner, State Statistician, USDA NASS, Ohio Field Office.  Temperatures averaged 5 degrees cooler than historical normal and the entire state averaged normal amounts of precipitation last week.  There were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 26 according to the most recent Ohio Crop Weather report released April 27 that I have attached to this email.  According to an article written by Hancock County OSU Extension Educator Ed Lentz, farmers are anxious about this year’s corn planting after the disastrous spring they had last year, which left about 60% of the corn fields unplanted.  They have to focus on the possibility of good crop this year and force out thoughts of last year according to his article about Corn Planting that I have included.

Ohio Crop Weather Report

Corn Planting News Release

Spring Farm Safety should be at the top of everyone’s mind as we begin the 2020 planting season.  Because of that, I have included a news release about this topic put together by Union County OSU Extension Educator Wayne Dellinger.  The coronavirus continues to concern area farmers as to how they can keep their equipment and farms safe for their families and employees.  Information has been put together by OSU Extension Ag Safety and Health’s Lisa Pfeifer and Dee Jepsen on “Navigating COVID-19 on the Farm” that is attached.  Since my last e-newsletter, there have been questions asked about COVID-19 and animals.  OSU Extension and OSU Veterinary Science have put together a fact sheet about this topic to help answer these questions that I have made available in both English and Spanish in case you have workers on your farm who only speak Spanish.

Spring Farm Safety News Release

Navigating COVID-19 On The Farm

COVID-19 Livestock Handout – ENGLISH

COVID-19 Livestock Handout – SPANISH

The federal government has started to provide assistance to agriculture through USDA and other means.  I have attached a COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide to help guide you through resources that have now become available.  You can also find out more information at farmoffice.osu.edu by checking out the resources available there including the weekly recorded presentations made available through Farm Office Live.  There have been many new issues arise that most people involved in agriculture have never had to experience.  One unfortunate consequence for many has been the loss of income.  I have included a fact sheet from Michigan State University to provide ideas called “Turning Personal Skills Into Income.”  I hope that things are going well for you and your family during this time of isolation and uncertainty.

USDA COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide

Turning Personal Skills Into Income

If you are able to join us Friday morning, May 1 at 8:00 am, we are having our Ag Council Virtual Coffee Hour.  You can join in by clicking on https://osu.zoom.us/j/93280677269 or calling in at (646) 876-9923 and entering the Meeting ID: 932 8067 7269 when asked.  You can connect to the roundtable discussion either on your computer, phone, smartphone, or tablet.  If you have never used Zoom before, I would encourage you to watch the 30 minute YouTube video put together by Paulding County OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Sarah Noggle.  It will show you how to use Zoom from a phone, smartphone, tablet, and computer.  The YouTube instructional video can be found at  https://youtu.be/ndYBBEAz9x0.  We would enjoy having you join us for an update about your spring planting and preparations.  For those of you who enjoy reading the articles from the CORN newsletter, I have included them below.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Considerations for planting depth this year – Alexander Lindsey, K. Nemergut, Peter Thomison

Timing corn emergence is key to minimize yield reductions, and can be more important for preserving yield than even seed spacing. When setting planting depth for corn this year, be sure to consider not just first emergence seen, but also how uniform the emergence is. In work conducted from 2017-2019, we manipulated seeding depth to be approximately 1, 2, or 3” deep (current recommendations are for planting at 1.5-2 inches deep) in two conventionally tilled fields. One field had 2-3% organic matter, and the other had 4-5% organic matter. We tracked daily emergence in the plots, and measured stalk strength and yield at the end of the season. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-09/considerations-planting-depth-year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wheat Growth Stages and Associated Management – Feekes 6.0 through 9.0 – Laura Lindsey, Ed Lentz, Pierce Paul

It’s important to correctly identify winter wheat growth stages to enhance management decisions, avoiding damage to the crop and unwarranted or ineffective applications. Remember, exact growth stage cannot be determined by just looking at the height of the crop or based on calendar dates. Feekes 6.0- Nodes are all formed but sandwiched together so that they are not readily distinguishable. At Feekes 6.0, the first node is swollen and appears above the soil surface. This stage is commonly referred to as “jointing.” To read more, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-09/wheat-growth-stages-and-associated-management-feekes-60-through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PPE Shortage for Pesticide Applicators – Mary Ann Rose

This spring pesticide applicators are likely to encounter a new challenge getting the personal protective equipment (PPE) required to make their pesticide applications.  The emergency needs that our first responders and medical care providers have for PPE in the COVID-19 war have led to shortages of all types of PPE, even for types not typically worn by medical personnel.  By the time that PPE become more readily available, it will likely be too late for many spring (or even summer) pesticide applications. Every pesticide product label includes a list of the required personal protective equipment. So … what should farmers and pesticide applicators do in this situation? First, If you can’t acquire and properly use the label required PPE, don’t make the application of that pesticide. Finish reading about the PPE shortage at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-09/ppe-shortage-pesticide-applicators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slight Frost Injury on Forages – Mark Sulc

I have observed and received reports of only very slight frost burn on the tips of leaves of alfalfa and winter annual forage crops after the two cold nights last week in Ohio. On Monday, the alfalfa at the Western Agricultural Research Station looked excellent, with just scattered stems showing slight frost burn on the upper leaves. The 2019 late summer seedings also looked excellent. Italian ryegrass and winter wheat on the station showed just a little purpling on the upper leaf tips. The situation could be a little more severe in certain pockets of the state, depending on the duration of the low night temperatures last week. However, reports from around the state indicate only slight damage to forage crops and they should grow right out of it with no significant effect on forage yields.  This complete article can be found at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-10/slight-frost-injury-forages.

 

 

 

 

 

Time to stock up on nozzles is now! But, do you know which ones to buy? – Erdal Ozkan

This is the time of the year you must complete shopping for nozzles because the spraying season is just around the corner. Although nozzles are some of the least expensive components of a sprayer, they hold a high value in their ability to influence sprayer performance. Nozzles help determine the gallon per acre. They also influence the droplet size, which plays a significant role in achieving improved penetration into crop canopy and better coverage on the target pest, both affect the efficacy we expect from pesticides applied. When I get a question like, “what is the best nozzle I can buy?”, my answer is: it depends on the job on hand. One nozzle may be best for a given application situation, but it may be the worst nozzle to use for another situation. Sometimes, the choice of nozzle may be determined by the requirements given on the pesticide label. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-10/time-stock-nozzles-now-do-you-know-which-ones-buy.

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

Good afternoon,

I hope this email finds you healthy and ready to begin spring planting season as soon as the weather and field conditions allow.  This week I submitted an article to the media titled “Get Ready to Plant.”  Although the article is written with forages in mind, it applies to all crops that need to be planted as well as other springtime tasks that need to be done around the farm.  You can find a copy of this article attached to this e-newsletter.  One of the items that will may need to take place will be termination of cover crops if you had them planted in your fields and they weren’t winter killed.  See the attached article written by Auglaize County Extension Educator Jeff Stachler for recommendations for cover crop termination.  The Ohio Department of Agriculture released an official news release regarding the Ohio Pesticide and Fertilizer License Deadline that can also be found attached to this email that was shared wither our local media this past week.

Planting Readiness News Release

Cover Crop Termination News Release

Pesticide-Fertilizer Deadline News Release

 

 

 

 

 

OSU Extension is pleased to be offering a second “Farm Office Live” session on Monday evening, April 13, 2020 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Farmers, educators, and ag industry professionals are invited to log-on for the latest updates on the issues impact our farm economy.

The session will begin with the Farm Office Team answering questions asked over the past week.  Topics to be highlighted include:

• Update on the CARES Paycheck Protection Program
• Update on the Dairy Economy
• Examination of how COVID-19 is impacting agricultural exports
• Bureau of Workers Compensation’s announcement of dividend returns
• A look at the long term macro-economic impact of COVID-19
• Will property taxes be delayed?
• Potential Legal Impacts of COVID-19

Plenty of time has been allotted for questions and answers from attendees.  Each office session is limited to 500 people and if you miss the on-line office hours, the session recording can be accessed at farmoffice.osu.edu the following day.  Please register at  https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive.  If you have never used Zoom before, I have attached a guide to help you understand this virtual meeting platform that can be used with a computer, phone, smartphone, or tablet device.

Steps to Access Host on Zoom

A new website with science-based information and research on COVID-19 from The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences launched April 7th. The KX COVID-19 Hub is a collaboration between The Knowledge Exchange, Ohio State University Extension, and the CFAES statewide network of researchers and faculty.  Visit kx.osu.edu/covid-19 for a collection of resources, tools, and links to help Ohio communities weather the crisis.  Founded in 2019, The Knowledge Exchange (KX) is a support platform in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences bringing research to the public in an unbiased and interactive way.

I have attached the mid-April edition of the Ohio No-Till News.  It has information about the Conservation Tillage Conference that was held at Ohio Northern University in Ada the first week of March.  Go to: ctc.osu.edu and In the upper left, click on “CTC 2020 archive”.  You’ll see Welcome and Awards, but scroll down to see all 7 concurrent sessions.  Note that both days in Room A (Crop Management) are under one heading.  You can view any session held at CTC for free, including the session I presented on “Late Season Nitrogen Application: On-farm Research” that can be found under 2020 CTTC Nutrient Management.  If you are interested in doing on-farm research this year with OSU Extension and eFields, some of the possible areas include: Lindsey Soybean Planting Date + Fungicide and Insecticide, Corn Seeding Rate, Fallow Syndrome, Multi Field Cover Crop, Nitrogen Placement, Nitrogen Rate, Nitrogen Source, Nitrogen Timing, Soybean Seeding Rate, Sulfur, and Soybean Fungicide trials.  If you think you might be interested in doing a plot this year, let me know and I will send you the protocol to review.

Ohio No-Till News-mid April

As I end this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, I would like to draw your attention to the farm management fact sheet from Michigan State University that I have attached on Selecting Insurance as well as the ag crops articles below from the CORN Newsletter.  Until the next time, I hope you are able to get things done and stay safe.

Risk Management-Selecting Insurance

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Establishing New Forage Stands – Mark Sulc

Early spring provides one of the two preferred times to seed perennial cool-season forages, the other being late summer. Two primary difficulties with spring plantings are finding a good window of opportunity when soils are dry enough. The outlook for this spring is for planting opportunities to be few and short. As planting is delayed, the risk increases because of more competition from weeds and summer heat when seedlings are small and vulnerable to drying out. An accompanying article on preparing for planting along with the following 10 steps will help improve your chances for successful forage establishment in the spring can be found at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-08/establishing-new-forage-stands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Ohio Farmers Should Participate in the CTIC Cover Crops Survey – Sarah Noggle

After taking a break from surveying in the last two years, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is now once again sending out a national cover crop survey to farmers.  The survey questions are primarily geared toward grain farmers. Still, there are some questions specific to horticulture producers and a fair number of items that any type of crop producer would find relevant.  Most survey questions are for farmers already using cover crops, but there are a few for farmers not yet using cover crops.  You can find out more about this survey at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-07/why-ohio-farmers-should-participate-ctic-cover-crops-survey.

 

 

 

 

On Farm Biosecurity to Keep Us and Employees Safe – Jason Hartschuh, Gustavo Schuenemann

Agriculture is no stranger to contagious disease. Drawing on sanitation experiences from outbreaks, such as avian and swine influenza or the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001, can help us through the current pandemic. Looking back at many of these experiences, we know that we can pull together maybe from a distance and get through the current human viral outbreak and keep our farms running. Unless they are sick, farmers don’t usually tell their workers to stay home, but through keeping social distance on the farm and increasing many of our tried and true disinfection protocols, we can all stay healthy. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-08/farm-biosecurity-keep-us-and-employees-safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seedcorn Maggot A Possibility In Some Fields This Spring – Curtis Young

Many livestock operations did not have much opportunity to spread manure this winter and into the spring.  Thus many may have pits and lagoons near full capacity and a great need to move that manure to fields as soon as possible.  As spring progresses, manure spreading and planting may occur in a short sequence that can set up prime conditions for seedcorn maggot infestations and injury resulting in poor stand establishment.  Factors that favor seedcorn maggot damage include the incorporation of either green material, such as cover crops or weeds, and/or manure, and cool and damp soil conditions that delay seedling emergence. Find out more about seedcorn maggot at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-08/seedcorn-maggot-possibility-some-fields-spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CFAES Ag Weather System Near-Surface Air and Soil Temperatures/Moisture – Aaron Wilson, Greg LaBarge, Elizabeth Hawkins, Sam Custer

We are once again providing a soil temperature overview in the C.O.R.N. Newsletter through April-May 2020. The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Agricultural Research Stations located throughout the state have two- and four-inch soil temperatures monitored on an hourly basis. Our Western site in Clark County is not available this year. Therefore, we are supplementing data from western Ohio with data from Darke and Greene Counties. Our growing season follows a warmer than average winter. Winter (December 2019 – February 2020) air temperatures averaged 2-8°F above average compared to the climatological normal (1981-2010). This warmth continued throughout March as well, with temperatures 4-8°F (west to east) above average. As a result, soil temperatures are about 10°F warmer than the same date in April 2019. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-08/cfaes-ag-weather-system-near-surface-air-and-soil.

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu