Month: February 2020

Program Announcement: ARC/PLC Q&A Session

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Since the deadline is quickly approaching to make ARC/PLC elections on March 15th, OSU Extension Brown County and the Brown County Farm Service Agency just put together a couple of Q&A sessions. See more information below! This program was just added to the schedule today (Tuesday, February 25, 2020).

Contact James Morris at the Brown County Extension Office if you have any questions. 937-378-6716 or morris.1677@osu.edu

 

 

 

REMINDER: Register for our upcoming Soil Health and Water Quality Program. Cost is free and lunch is provided!

 

 

ARC/PLC Elections: March 15th Deadline

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The deadline to make your ARC or PLC election with the Farm Service Agency is quickly approaching. You must make your election before March 15th. If you would like to learn more about your options and the changes for the 2018 Farm Bill, feel free to call James at the Brown County Extension Office, 937-378-6716 to discuss the options or schedule a time to look over the changes.

You can also reach the Brown County Farm Service Agency at 937-378-6173.

You can find additional resources at the following website https://aede.osu.edu/research/osu-farm-management/2018-farm-bill

  • Click on the “Commodity Resources” tab on the left side of the page to access presentations and videos. See example below.

 

Growing Hemp In Ohio: Making an Informed Decision

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  • If you are interested in growing hemp in 2020, be sure you are well informed. We hear about the many benefits and rewards about growing this crop. Don’t forget about the numerous risks involved with hemp production.  Don’t rush into production. Be sure you have secured a market, I recommend growing this crop with a contract in order to secure an outlet for your crop. Market prices have significantly dropped recently and this is a young market that will continue to be volatile. I have attached several resources below that will help you stay updated on recent hemp news.
  • The Ohio Department of Agriculture announced that the proposed rules will go into effect on January 29th and applications will be opening up soon. Regulations and fee schedules can be found at
  • https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/oda/divisions/administration/resources/hemp-facts3
  • ODA released the following information on January 16th:

“We wanted to update you on the status of Ohio’s hemp rules. On Thursday, January 16, 2020 the rules were passed through the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). The rules will go into effect on Wednesday, January 29.  ODA will begin accepting applications for cultivating and processing shortly thereafter.  There are steps you can take now to prepare for the application process:

 

  1. Cultivators are required to register as an operator with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to ensure the land/tract is properly identified within the farm record system.  Cultivators will also be required to file a hemp planting report with the FSA.  To locate an FSA office, please visit the FSA website: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?service=page/CountyMap&state=OH&stateName=Ohio&stateCode=39

 

  1. Processors need to obtain a surety bond. This can be done through an insurance agent.  All licensed processors who purchase raw, unprocessed hemp must demonstrate their financial responsibility in the form of a surety bond.  The bond must be in the amount of either $10,000 or $20,000 and meet the requirements found in OAC 901:14-2-07.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Ohio Department of Agriculture Hemp office at 614-728-2101 or email us at hemp@ohio.agri.gov.”

 

 

You can also find additional information on growing hemp at:

  1. https://cfaes.osu.edu/news/articles/ohio-hemp-growers-tread-slowly
  2. https://cfaes.osu.edu/node/13091
  3. Hemp News and Market info: https://www.hempbenchmarks.com/
  4. FDA updates: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-regulation-cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-products-including-cannabidiol-cbd

 

Brown and Adams County Extension had a hemp research plot in 2019. We also worked with the OSU South Centers and Acela CBD on this project. See some of our pictures below. We tested the THC & CBD levels after various weather conditions using a Europhins NIR system. Our plot was a last minute plan and data was strictly observational. We learned a lot about this plant but to due having various varieties and non-replicated trails, our data will be used to support future research plans. One key point we found during our research was how variable the THC levels can be within one field.

 

 

Ohio State Extension Newsletters

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Want to stay up to date on the most recent field crop, livestock, fruit and vegetable headlines and issues? Consider subscribing to some of the following newsletters.

  1. C.O.R.N Newsletter: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter
    • In season pest observations and predictions
    • Weed control options
    • Insect and disease control information
    • Production technology
    • Crop development issues
    • Timely Integrated Pest Management guidelines
  2. Ohio BEEF Cattle Newsletter: https://u.osu.edu/beefteam/
    • This site serves as a portal to the most relevant beef cattle information available to Ohio cattlemen. We are committed to providing information and educational materials that will aid in making the management decisions that will maintain an efficient and profitable beef enterprise.
  3. VegNet Newsletter: https://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/
    • Crop Quality
    • Disease
    • Weeds
    • Insects
    • Statewide updates.
  4. More newsletters can be found at https://agnr.osu.edu/

Soil Health and Water Quality Update Meeting

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Mark your calendars! Brown County Extension and Brown County Soil and Water Conservation District will be hosting a Soil Health and Water Quality Update. Brown County Rural Water Association will offer tours of their facility after the program.

Program is free but space will be limited, please call the Brown County Extension Office to register or email morris.1677@osu.edu

 

Annual Tobacco Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Training

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The annual tobacco GAPs training will be held on February 19th from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the Frisch’s Restaurant in West Union (11157 State Rte 41, West Union, OH 45693). There is no cost to attend but please call the Brown County Extension Office at 937-378-6716 or the Adams County Extension Office at 937-544-2339. This will be the only training held for Adams/Brown/Highland/Clermont this year. There will also be a training in Gallia County on February 19th from 7pm – 9pm at the Gallia County Extension Office, 111 Jackson Pike, Gallipolis, OH 45631.

To see the full list of meetings held in other states visit https://shop.gapconnections.com/training

 

 

 

2020 Agronomy Outlook Meeting

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Registration deadline is quickly approaching! Register before February 10th. This is a great opportunity to speak with several. OSU Extension Specialists. See more details below. Call the Brown County Extension Office if you have any questions 937-378-6716.