Conservation Tillage Club Breakfast Series Planned

Hardin County – The 2022 Conservation Tillage Club breakfast program series will begin on Thursday, January 13 at the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Mt. Victory. Each session will start at 7:30 am with a complimentary buffet breakfast followed by the program at 8:00 am.  Other sessions will be held on January 27, February 10 and 24.

On January 13, the program will feature Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Ohio State University Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology and OSU Extension Soybean Disease Specialist. Lopez-Nicora will give a brief overview of soybean diseases that infest local crop fields and steps producers can do to help prevent their occurrence and how to manage them if they are present. He will also discuss Soybean Cyst Nematode testing and management to prevent yield loss. This pest is often unknown in soybean fields as it is not visible, however reduces yield performance if present in large enough numbers. Opportunities for soybean growers to participate in grant funded testing of soils for presence of soybean cyst nematodes and recommendations will be offered to local farmers in attendance.

The January 27 program will feature a presentation on water quality. Brian Brandt, Agriculture Conservation Innovations Director and Mark Wilson, Farming for Cleaner Water Project Manager, American Farmland Trust will discuss a local project for crop producers in the Upper Scioto River Watershed. American Farmland Trust has received a grant for improving water quality in the Upper Scioto River Watershed. Farming for Cleaner Water Project is an American Farmland Trust water quality initiative in central Ohio based on two goals: Drive Awareness and Adoption of the best farming practices to achieve both cleaner water and farmer/landowner profitability; and, Use a market-based approach to facilitate an Agricultural-municipal Partnership designed to achieve cleaner water and farmer/landowner profitability.

February 10 Bailey Elchinger, Risk Management Consultant – Grains, International FC Stone will present a program on the Grain Marketing Outlook. Elchinger will provide information to help crop producers successfully market their corn, soybean, and wheat commodities based on global supply and demand with an emphasis on market trends. Elchinger works with grain elevators, farmers, and livestock producers to help them manage their risks in the grain futures markets. After experiencing an above average yielding growing season this year with high grain prices, farmers are looking for marketing tips to make the new year more profitable. Her presentation will also provide some insight about grain marketing options to consider and tools that producers might use to help reduce risk and gain better insight to help make better marketing decisions.

The February 24 program will feature Ray Archuleta with a discussion of soil health. Archuleta is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist with the Soil Science Society of America and has over 30 years experience as a Soil Conservationist, Water Quality Specialist, and Conservation Agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). After his retirement from the NRCS in 2017, Ray founded Understanding Ag, LLC, and Soil Health Academy, to teach Biomimicry strategies and Agroecology principles for improving soil function on a national scale. Ray also owns and operates a 150-acre farm near Seymour, Missouri that he operates along with his wife and family. He will discuss how crop producers can use strategies and principles for improving soil function, resulting in increased soil health and better productivity. His presentation is sponsored by Logan Land Trust.

The Conservation Tillage Club breakfast program series is jointly sponsored by OSU Extension and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Hardin, Logan, and Union Counties, and in cooperation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Breakfast is courtesy of the generous support from agricultural lenders and agricultural businesses.  All events are open to the public and no advance registration is required.  Continuing education credits for Certified Crop Advisers is pending.