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Dairy Sheep in the United States

| strawser.35

By Braden Campbell

Dairy sheep. Although not common in the United States, there is an opportunity for growth – both for the genetics of these sheep and the products that they make. Dairy influenced sheep breeds work well in commercial production systems in addition to the gourmet products that can be derived from their milk. For more details on how these sheep can be used in your operation, be sure to watch this webinar supported by the Let’s Grow Program with the American Sheep Industry.

For more information on sheep production, visit https://u.osu.edu/sheep.

 

Join us for Ohio Sheep Day October 2

| strawser.35

The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association (OSIA) are excited to announce that the 2021 Ohio Sheep Day will be held live, in person on Saturday, October 2nd at the OARDC Small Ruminant Center located at 5651 Fredericksburg Road, Wooster, OH 44691. This year’s program will offer attendees the opportunity to visit one of Ohio State’s research stations that focuses on efficient ruminant livestock and forage production.

This program aims to provide producers with the tools they need to continue increasing on-farm livestock and forage production. Programming topics include growing and grazing alternative forage crops, forage storage options, manure and mortality composting, fall lambing systems, dystocia troubleshooting, flock data collection and utilization, animal handling, and OARDC small ruminant facilities.

Registration, which is paid at the door, includes both breakfast and a boxed lunch. Prices will differ based upon OSIA status whereas the fee for attendance is $20 per person for OSIA members and $30 per person for non-OSIA members. RSVP by completing the online registration at https://go.osu.edu/ohsheepday21.

In depth article about the event- https://u.osu.edu/sheep/2021/09/07/2021-ohio-sheep-day-programming-october-2-2021/

Link to Events and Programs including Ohio Sheep Day (Oct. 2) and Livestock Mortality Composting (Oct. 1)- https://u.osu.edu/sheep/eventsprograms/

We hope to see you in Wooster!

Join Farm Office Live from OSU’s Farm Science Review on September 23

| Nanette Neal

Farm Science Review is back!  OSU’s Farm Office Team will be there, and we’ll broadcast the next Farm Office Live from our farm office at the Review.  We can’t promise we’ll be able to ignore biscuits and gravy, pork tenderloins, Bahama mamas, or milkshakes during Farm Office Live, but we can promise you updates on recent developments in the world of farm management and agricultural law. 

The broadcast will be on Thursday, September 23 beginning at 10 a.m.  Here’s what’s on the agenda:

  • Carbon market programs and carbon agreements
  •  Legislative update
  • 2022 crop budgets
  • 2020 Farm Business Analysis program results from crop farms
  • Ohio cash rental rates
  • Dairy Market Volatility Assistance Program
  • Highlights of FSR and upcoming programs

Who’s on the Farm Office Live Team? OSU experts are ready to help farmers, landowners and agribusiness professionals navigate the issues we all deal with in the farm office.  Our team includes:

  • Peggy Kirk Hall – Agricultural Law
  • David Marrison – Farm Management
  • Dianne Shoemaker – Farm Business Analysis and Dairy Production
  • Barry Ward – Farm Management and Tax
To learn more and register for Farm Office Live, visit https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farmofficelive.  Recordings of our previous Farm Office Live webinars are also available at that site.

Kitchen Table Conversations 2021

| Nanette Neal

Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, lunch, or snack and join us from your “kitchen table” to engage in conversations “virtually” on September 21, 22, and 23, 2021 for “Kitchen Table Conversations” hosted by the Ohio Women in Agriculture of Ohio State University Extension. Conversations and discussions on “hot topics” in the agricultural world related to health, marketing, finance, legal, and production for women in agriculture.

These sessions are offered during the Farm Science Review daily from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM via ZOOM. Registration is required to participate.

Register @ https://go.osu.edu/kitchentableconversations2021

Flyer

CONVERSATION TOPICS…

9|21 Raising Livestock on Five Acres or Less

So you have some land and you want some extra income or a supply of food for your family.  This session will investigate all of your options and possibilities.

Sandy Smith, Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Carrol County

9|22 Farm Stress and Mental Health

It can be hard to have a conversation about our mental health, but it is just as important as acknowledging our physical health. When we live where we work stress can sometimes get the better of us. Sitting together as a family around the kitchen table fosters an environment to have tough conversations. During this session, we will have a conversation about the importance of addressing mental health concerns, how to bridge the difficult topics, and the resources that are available to you and your family.

Bridget Britton MSW, LSW….Behavioral Health Field Specialist ANR

 

9\23 On-Farm Research Opportunities

On-farm research can provide valuable local data to inform decision-making and help you understand the ROI of practices and technologies on your farm. The OSU eFields program fosters partnerships between Ohio farmers, industry, and OSU researchers. Learn about recent research trials conducted across the state and how to become involved in the program.

Elizabeth Hawkins, Ph.D…Field Specialist, Agronomic Systems, Assistant Professor

Fall Armyworm Information

| Nanette Neal

Fall armyworms have arrived and are marching strong.

Multiple generations of fall armyworms occur each year. The damaging life stage, larvae, live for about two weeks but this can change based on temperature. Small larvae do not each much for the first ten days of their life; the larger life stage causes almost all of the damage during the last couple of days before pupation. Smaller larvae are easier to control than larger ones.

Fall armyworms are notorious for having a broad host range, and you may find populations in home lawns, turf, field crops, and pastures. Infestations are especially common in well-managed bermudagrass. Two distinct features identify fall armyworms. The head has light markings that form an upside-down “Y” (Figure 1) while the opposite end has four black dots that form a square (Figure 2).

Scouting is the best way to determine if and how many fall armyworms you have. Grasses can be inspected by getting on your knees and looking at the top of the grass blades during cooler parts of the day and down near the soil surface during the hotter parts of the day. A soap flush in turf may also be used to detect infestations. For row crops and forages, a sweep net is an easy method to sample for armyworms.

—Managing Fall Armyworms in 2021, Katelyn Kesheimer and Scott Graham, Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Information below has been gathered from Ohio State University State, Field, and Extension Specialists.

Crop production

Turfgrass

 

A Day in the Woods

| Nanette Neal

Registration is now open for our next, A DAY in the WOODS program “Identifying and Controlling Invasive Plants” maybe just for you.  It will take place at the Hocking College Nature Center in Nelsonville, OH on September 10 from 9 am to 3:30 pm. For more information visit:

https://u.osu.edu/apsley.1/2021/08/24/identifying-and-controlling-invasive-plants-program-offered-at-hocking-college-nature-center-on-sept-1010/

Also, don’t forget to check out our latest tree ID videos at http://go.osu.edu/treeid.  We now have 60 videos available for view and more to come..

Livestock News

| Nanette Neal

Beef News

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1258 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

By now, you’ve likely seen first-hand or through photos the damage that can be done by the fall armyworm to any one of well over 100 different types of plants upon which they feed including most grasses and turf, alfalfa, soybeans, beets, cabbage, peanuts, onion, cotton, pasture grasses, millet, tomato, and potato, to name a few. You’ll want to keep monitoring forages (and turf), especially new seedings, for feeding damage well into fall because, depending on weather, fall armyworm could be here for a while! This week we focus on the damage they can do, and what might be done about it.

Articles this week include:

  • Unusual Armyworm Outbreaks are Taking Many by Surprise
  • Autumn Forage Harvest Management
  • Watch for Fall Armyworm, Carefully Consider the Alternatives
  • Preconditioning – Why it pays
  • August Hay Production Estimates and Planning for Winter Feeding
  • Direct Reports

Sheep News

Brady Campbell Named Small Ruminant Specialist at Ohio State

CFAES Communications, The Ohio State University The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences has hired Brady Campbell as an assistant professor to focus on Read more…

Autumn Forage Harvest and Armyworm Management

Dr. Mark Sulc, OSU Extension Forage Specialist, The Ohio State University Authors Note: Since preparing this article last week, a severe fall armyworm outbreak has Read more…

Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan – What Producers Need to Know

Center for Food Security and Public Health, Iowa State University Swine producers are nervously watching the outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) that are happening Read more…

IR-4 Survey for Specialty Crop Growers

| Nanette Neal

Attention Specialty Crop Growers!

IR-4 (https://www.ir4project.org/) is conducting their biannual Specialty Crop Growers & Extension survey to assess what disease, pest, and weed problems growers have a difficult time managing because they do not have sufficient management tools.

If you aren’t familiar with IR-4, we have included a link to their website above to learn more.

The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to September 1, 2021.

If you are a specialty crop grower or an Extension Educator working with growers, please take the time to complete the survey to provide your insight and experiences. You can find the link at: https://www.ir4project.org/ehc/ehc-registration-support-research/env-hort-grower-needs-2/

Building a Self-Help Network of Cooperatives: The Electric Co-op Story

| Nanette Neal

As communities and regions look to innovative models for economic and community development, the cooperative model, and particularly networks of cooperation have emerged as a strategy to build local ownership and wealth. The story of rural electric cooperatives across the United States is a story about the power of self-help networks. Doug Miller of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives will share how the rural electric co-op community has built connections among local cooperatives, state and national organizations, and co-ops of cooperatives to support over 900 rural electric co-ops serving over 50% of the nation’s landmass.

September 2, 2021, 3:00 p.m. EST, Online

No cost, but registration is required.

Learn more and register for the webinar at https://go.osu.edu/appalachiacooperates

Meet Our Speaker

Doug Miller is the vice president of statewide services for Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc., the statewide trade association of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, a position he has held since December 2014. On behalf of the 24 Ohio electric distribution cooperatives, Doug oversees safety training & incident prevention, lineman development training, legislative & government affairs, communications & member services, and director & employee training. Doug is a graduate of the University of Toledo and has been in the utility industry for more than 30 years. Prior to his current role, Doug worked at Logan County Electric Cooperative as manager of member services, before assuming the role of CEO, in which he served for 18 years. Doug has been a Touchstone Energy board member for six years and currently holds the office of president.

The Appalachia Cooperates Initiative is a learning network connecting cooperative, community, business, and economic developers and advocates in Central Appalachia. To learn more about the Initiative, connect with us directly by emailing osucooperatives@osu.edu!

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact gardner.1148@osu.edu.

Farm Office Live…August 27

| Nanette Neal

“Farm Office Live” returns August 27, 2021, at 10:00 AM with special appearances by Ben Brown and attorney Robert Moore! Tune in to get 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.

Special Guests

Ben Brown – A former member of the OSU Farm Office Team, Ben’s areas of expertise include farm management, commodity markets, and agricultural policy.

Robert Moore, Esq. – A former OSU Extension employee, Robert now practices agricultural law at Wright & Moore, with a focus on farm succession planning, estate planning, and business planning.

August Topics: 

  • Tax Proposals
  • Tax Planning in the Midst of Uncertainty – Robert Moore, Esq.
  • Ohio Cropland Values & Cash Rents
  • FSA Program Update
  • Grain Marketing Update – Ben Brown
  • Your Questions

To register or to view a previous “Farm Office Live,” please visit https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive. 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 614.292.2433

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