Hello,
Have you enrolled your FSA farms into ARC/PLC programs for crop year 2021 yet? The deadline is coming up March 15. This was the subject of our Virtual Ag Coffee Hour this morning. Join Hardin County OSU Extension for an ARC/PLC Farm Bill Decision Virtual Workshop to assist with 2021 Farm Bill Decisions. Phil Lautenschlager, CED of Hardin Farm Service Agency plans be a part of this program to help answer questions. Find out the latest ARC/PLC Farm Bill information to help your farm operation decision-making process for 2021. Different examples will be provided using the decision-making tools. There will be two sessions available Thursday, February 11 at 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm. For more information and how to register, check out the attached news release and flyer.
ARC-PLC Farm Bill Decision News Release
Speaking of FSA programs, I have also attached information about the USDA Quality Loss Adjustment program. USDA is providing critical support to our nation’s farmers and ranchers through the Quality Loss Adjustment Program (QLA). QLA aids producers who suffered eligible crop quality losses due to natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2018 and/or 2019. Both 2018 and 2019 were marked with a variety of natural disasters. This includes excess moisture, which impacted much of the Midwest. Read more on the attached fact sheet as FSA is accepting applications for QLA from January 6, 2021 to March 5, 2021.
Farmers_QLA_Program_Factsheet_2021
I have been receiving several calls about Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification meetings for this year. As mentioned in the previous Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, all virtual and in-person meetings are listed in the Northwest Ohio ANR Newsletter if you have not received a copy in the mail by now. It was supposed to arrive in people’s mailboxes in January, but so far I haven’t heard of anyone receiving it from people that I have talked to who are on our mailing list. Hopefully the U.S. Postal Service will deliver it soon as most of these trainings are the first week of March. Give me a call at 419-767-6037 if your license expires this year and we will discuss options and get you registered to attend or participate online.
There have been several virtual OSU Extension webinars and other events happening so hopefully you have taken advantage of some as most of them are free to attend. If you missed an event live, most of them have been recorded and you can view them on OSU AgCrops YouTube Channel or OSU Precision Ag YouTube Channel. To find out more about OSU Extension virtual programs, read my attached articles “OSU Extension Ag Programs Go Virtual” and “OSU Extension Livestock Webinars.” I have also included flyers for Agronomy Team Programs, Ag Tech Tuesdays, and Corn College & Soybean School. A year ago we planned a Farm Succession Workshop but did not get enough people registered to have it. This year that same workshop is available as a virtual workshop. You can find out details about how to register by February 10 and participate with the “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” flyer. I have also attached a flyer promoting the Water Quality Wednesdays series that our own Water Quality Extension Associate Boden Fisher has helped coordinate.
Virtual OSUE Ag Winter Programs News Release
Livestock Webinars News Release
February Agronomy Team Programs Flyer
Corn College-Soybean School Flyer
Planning For Future Farm Flyer
Water Quality Wednesdays Flyer
Finally, I have been getting some questions about vomitoxin in corn. Please see the attached news release that was sent to the media this past week for more information and recommendations about this issue. Also, Julie Platz of American Farmland Trust has asked me to share a flyer for farmers who produce feed for dairy farms in Hardin County. If you fit this description and are interested in programs to improve soil health, contact her for more information either by her email or phone number that are listed on the flyer. Below I have included some ag crops articles for you to read during this cold weekend.
Vomitoxin in Corn News Release
Mark
Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference Will Be Virtual – Mark Badertscher
You won’t want to miss this year’s Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference (CTC). The annual conference, which is normally held on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada will be virtual this year. Four days of topic related programming will be provided March 9-12, 2021 (Tuesday-Friday). You’ll need to furnish your own snacks during the scheduled breaks. Read more about this year’s CTC at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-03/conservation-tillage-and-technology-conference-will-be-virtual.
Herbicide Resistance in Ohio Waterhemp Populations – Mark Loux
Waterhemp populations across the Midwest continue to develop more complex variations of herbicide resistance. Multiple resistance to an increasing number of herbicide sites of action is the norm in many populations in states west of Ohio. Waterhemp has on the whole developed resistance to seven sites of action, which are listed at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-03/herbicide-resistance-ohio-waterhemp-populations along with more information about this topic.
Upcoming Cold Temperatures and Winter Wheat – Laura Lindsey, Ed Lentz, Pierce Paul
The upcoming forecast of cold temperatures has sparked some concern about damage to the winter wheat crop. Fortunately, winter wheat is very resistant to cold temperatures during the months of December, January, and February when the plant is dormant. During these months, winter wheat can withstand below freezing temperatures, especially when there is snow cover. In early 2019, Ohio experienced polar vortex temperatures without snow cover. However, no (or minimal) damage was observed in winter wheat. Read more about how cold temperatures affect winter wheat at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-03/upcoming-cold-temperatures-and-winter-wheat.
Fertility Calculator for Ohio Recommendations – Version Update – Greg LaBarge
An update to the Fertilizer Calculator for Ohio has been posted at https://go.osu.edu/ohiofertilitytool. The Fertilizer Calculator for Ohio (Version 2021) corrects an error in calculating whole field fertilizer cost and standardizes the width of field/subfield description fields across tool forms based on user feedback. The tool is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet developed to support users who want to generate their own recommendations based on the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, and Alfalfa, 2020. The spreadsheet is designed to be compatible with Excel version 1997-2003 or later. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-03/fertility-calculator-ohio-recommendations-version-update.
Corn College and Soybean School – Amanda Douridas, Mary Griffith, Laura Lindsey
The Agronomic Crops Team will host a virtual Corn College and Soybean School on February 11, 2021. Corn College is in the morning, from 9:00 – 12:00pm, with Soybean School in the afternoon from 1:00-4:00pm. Each program will feature updates from OSU Specialists. CCA CEUs are available. The schedule for the day and information about how you can participate in this free virtual program can be found at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-03/corn-college-and-soybean-school.
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
