Join us at the Agriculture Incubator Foundation in Bowling Green, Ohio for an in-person Hops Field Night and hop yard tour on Wednesday, August 11th! Hear from OSU hop researcher Brad Bergefurd and Agriculture Incubator Foundation hop yard managers Dick Bostdorf (President) and David Little (Chairman) to learn about hop production and integrated pest management in Northwest Ohio. This session is free and there is no registration required. Food and drink will not be provided so please plan accordingly. More information can be found in the attached flyer.

Then join us the following week on August 17^th for another field night at OSU South Centers in Piketon, Ohio! Brad Bergefurd and the research team will present on hop production and pest management in Southern Ohio. This session is free and there is no registration required. Food and drink will not be provided so please plan accordingly. More information can be found in the attached flyer.

If you have any questions about either field night, please contact Brad Bergefurd at bergefurd.1@osu.edu or call 740-289-2071 x136.  

   Bowling Green Field Night             OSU South Centers Field Night

OSU Extension Adams County and Cherry Fork Farm Supply will be presenting a workshop on September 14, 2021, on “Proper Handling, Loading, and Hauling Cattle”. Beef Quality Assurance will also be covered during the presentation for recertification.

Dr. Steven Boyles, OSU Beef Extension Specialist, and Keith Trimble of WW Manufacturing will be the guest speakers for the event.

The workshop will be held at the Adams County Fairgrounds in the show arena from 5:30 pm-8:00 pm. This session is free and a meal is included, but registration is required and limited to the first 100 registrants. Register by contacting Richard Purdin at 937-544-2339.

ODA, USDA to host a press conference at East Fork State Park

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (July 29, 2021) – Checking state trees for the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is helping to lift quarantine restrictions of the campground area in East Fork State Park and is a necessary step in the overall ALB eradication process. The ALB quarantine could be lifted soon in the park’s campground and beyond, ending restrictions, such as moving firewood out of the campground. This milestone highlights the importance of checking trees and being on the lookout for the insect. Join the Ohio Department of Agriculture and USDA to highlight “Tree Check Month” and discuss how lifting the quarantine will affect campers and visitors to East Fork State Park.

ODA and USDA staff will be available to show where and how to check for signs of an ALB infestation in your trees. Video opportunities will be available as USDA Tree Climbers will show the inspection process in trees for signs of ALB along with ODA ground survey technicians.

WHAT:
Asian Longhorned Beetle Press Conference

WHEN:
Tuesday, August 3, 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:
East Fork State Park Campground
2837 Old State Route 32, Batavia, OH 45103
Please meet at the Loop C pavilion next to the Nature Center.

WHO:
Courtney Fulks, ODA ALB Program Agriculture Inspection Manager
Phil Baldauf, USDA ALB Eradication Program Director
ODA Ground Survey Technicians
USDA Tree Climbers

ALB was first discovered in Clermont County in June 2011. It is an invasive wood-boring beetle that attacks 12 types of hardwood trees in Ohio, such as maple, elm, birch, willow, and Ohio’s official state tree, the buckeye. The beetle creates tunnels as it feeds then chews its way out as an adult in the warmer months, typically with emergence peaking in August. Infested trees do not recover, eventually die, and can become safety hazards since their weakened branches can drop and trees can fall over, especially during storms. Learn more about ALB here.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture will be sponsoring three collection events for farmers wishing to dispose of unwanted pesticides. This year, the collections are happening in Morrow, Portage and Butler counties on the following days and locations:

• August 12, 8AM – 3PM: Morrow County, Morrow County Fairgrounds, 195 South Main Street, Mt. Gilead, Ohio 43338
• August 17, 9AM – 3PM: Portage County, Deerfield Ag Services, 9041 US-224, Deerfield, Ohio 44411
• August 24, 9AM – 3PM: Butler County, Butler County Fairgrounds, 1715 Fairgrove Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio 45011

The pesticide collection and disposal services are free of charge, but only farm chemicals will be accepted.  Paint, antifreeze, solvents, and household or non-farm pesticides will not be accepted.

The pesticide collections are sponsored by ODA in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  To pre-register, or for more information, contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-6987.

Farm Office Live returns this summer to provide the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, ag economics, farm business analysis and other related issues. Targeted to farmers and agri-business stakeholders, our specialists digest the latest news and issues and present it in an easy-to-understand format.

The live broadcast is presented monthly. In months where two shows are scheduled, one will be held in the morning and one in the evening. Each session is recorded and posted on the OSU Extension Farm Office YouTube channel for later viewing.

Current Schedule:

Topics we will discuss in upcoming webinars include:

• Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
• Legislative Proposals and Accompanying Tax Provisions
• Outlook on Crop Input Costs and Profit Margins
• Outlook on Cropland Values and Cash Rents
• Tax Issues That May Impact Farm Businesses
• Legal Trends for 2021
• Legislative Updates
• Farm Business Management and Analysis
• Farm Succession & Estate Planning

Who’s on the Farm Office Team?  Our team features OSU experts ready to simplify farm management issues and make farm ownership less stressful.

• Peggy Kirk Hall — agricultural law
• Dianne Shoemaker — farm business analysis and dairy production
• David Marrison — farm management
• Barry Ward – farm management and tax

Register once at  https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive and you will receive a reminder with your personal link to join each month.

The Farm Office is a one-stop shop for navigating the legal and economic challenges of agricultural production. For more information, visit https://farmoffice.osu.edu or contact Julie Strawser at strawser.35@osu.edu or call the Farm Office at 614.292.2433.

Beef News

Four new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1252 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

If you’re in a part of the state experiencing dry weather, you might be approaching that time of year when we experience a summer forage ‘slump.’ If that’s commonly your situation this time of year, this week Christine Gelley discusses how a native warm-season grass might be a forage specie you might consider adding to your mix.

Articles this week include:
* Patience Required for Prairie-Modeled Pasture
* Keeping Quality in Mind
* Manure Science Review Coming August 10^th
* International Beef Trade Update

Sheep News

How to Detect Poisonous Weeds in Your Pasture

Tony Nye, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Clinton County On many livestock operations, pastures are a very important part of the production process. Every year, I Read more

Sheep 101 Field Day

Carri Jagger, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Morrow County OSUSheep 101 Field Day Flyer Morrow County Extension and Morrow County Farm Bureau welcomes local shepherds to Read more

Patience in Prairie Modeled Pasture

Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County If I were to make a playlist for establishing native warm-season pastures, these songs would be on Read more

July 13 – 19

Editor: Stephanie Karhoff

Soybean Defoliation: It Takes a lot to Really Matter!

Authors: Curtis Young, CCA, Kelley Tilmon

The mid-season defoliators are beginning to show up in soybean fields across Ohio. Read more

Tar Spot Showing Early this Year: a Note on Diagnosis

Author: Pierce Paul

I have so far only received one confirmed report of Tar Spot in the state, but the fact that the disease has been reported in a few neighboring states has some stakeholders asking questions about diagnosis and management. Tar Spot is a relatively easy disease to diagnose. Read more 

Pre-harvest Sprouting and Falling Number

Authors: Pierce Paul, Laura Lindsey, Wanderson B. Moraes

Persistent rainfall over the last several days has prevented some wheat fields from being harvested. This could lead to pre-harvest sprouting and other grain quality issues. Read more 

Nutrient Value of Wheat Straw

Authors: Laura Lindsey, Ed Lentz, CCA

Before removing straw from the field, it is important farmers understand the nutrient value. Read more 

Steps to Speed up Field Curing of Hay Crops

Authors: Mark Sulc, Jason Hartschuh, CCA, Allen Gahler

The rainy weather in many regions of Ohio and surrounding states is making it difficult to harvest hay crops.  We usually wait for a clear forecast before cutting hay, and with good reason because hay does not dry in the rain! Read more 

Late Wheat Harvest and Grain Quality Concerns

Authors: Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul

Most of the winter wheat in Ohio has been harvested. However, persistent wet weather has delayed harvest in some areas of the state. Read more 

Western Bean Cutworm Numbers Begin to Increase Across Ohio

Authors: Amy Raudenbush, Suranga Basnagala , Aaron Wilson, Olivia Lang, Kyle Akred, Angela Arnold, Mark Badertscher, Jordan Beck, Frank Becker, Lee Beers, CCA, Bruce Clevenger, CCA, Tom Dehaas, Taylor Dill, Nick Eckel, Allen Gahler, Jamie Hampton, Andrew Holden, James Jasinski, Stephanie Karhoff, Alan Leininger, Ed Lentz, CCA, Cecilia Lokai-Minnich, David Marrison, Jess McWatters, Sarah Noggle, Les Ober, CCA, Maggie Pollard, Eric Richer, CCA, Beth Scheckelhoff, Clint Schroeder, Mike Sunderman, Curtis Young, CCA, Chris Zoller, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

Western bean cutworm (WBC) numbers for the week ending July 11 have increased to the point where scouting for egg masses is recommended in Fulton, Henry, Lorain and Lucas counties. Read more