Month: November 2017

From Across the Field 11-23-2017

From Across the Field

First and for most I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Hopefully you have a chance to gather with friends, celebrate what you are thankful for, and share in the bounties of agriculture this holiday weekend. As I look back at the calendar it has been six months since I began working here in Henry County, where has the time gone? Other than the obvious change in temperature it seems like I just started yesterday. In half a year I have learned a lot, met many people, and have worked with a great set of colleagues both here in the county office and across the OSU Extension organization. Continue reading From Across the Field 11-23-2017 →

Farm Income Expected to Rise

Even amid lagging profits from corn and soybeans, Ohio farmers have a reason to be optimistic, according to an agricultural economist from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

Farm incomes are forecasted to increase this year nationally for the first time in four years, said Ani Katchova, an associate professor and Farm Income Enhancement chair in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics at The Ohio State University. Continue reading Farm Income Expected to Rise →

2017 Ohio Corn Performance Test Preliminary Results Now Available On-Line

Results from the 2017 Ohio Corn Performance Test are now available on line at: http://oardc.osu.edu/corntrials

Single and multi-year agronomic data is currently available for all sites and regions for 2017. The results can be accessed by following the links on the left side of the page. Information regarding the growing season, evaluation procedures and traits will be available soon. Additional hybrids will be added as soon as marketing information becomes available, as will the combined regional tables (which are especially helpful in assessing hybrid performance across locations).

Machinery Pete: Combine Values Continue to Find Footing

By: Tyne Morgan, US Farm Report Host

It’s a “better than expected” yield story playing out across the country. Less than ideal summer weather put a damper on hopes of a bountiful crop, but once the combines started to roll, many farmers were pleased with the results.

“Yields were surprisingly better than I was expecting,” said Daryl Cates, a farmer in Waterloo, Ill. “I don’t know where the beans came from, because we went almost two months without any rain.”

It was a dry summer that Cates thought robbed his crop of yield. With better yields come better outlooks on farms, and that’s motivating some farmers looking to buy larger equipment. Continue reading Machinery Pete: Combine Values Continue to Find Footing →

Livestock Haulers Get Waiver from ELDs Regulation

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted drivers who haul livestock a 90-day waiver from a regulation that could have negative effects on animal well-being, a move hailed by the National Pork Producers Council and other livestock organizations.

NPPC requested on behalf of the U.S. pork industry and other livestock sectors a waiver from a requirement that certain drivers install Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) on their trucks. The organization also asked for an exemption from the regulation, citing the incompatibility between transporting livestock and DOT’s Hours of Service rules. Those regulations limit truckers to 11 hours of driving daily, after 10 consecutive hours off duty, and restrict their on-duty time to 14 consecutive hours, which includes nondriving time. Continue reading Livestock Haulers Get Waiver from ELDs Regulation →

From Across the Field 11-16-2017

From Across the Field

This is the time of the year where I’d like to take a minute to reflect. The growing season is over, harvest is progressing, trees are almost bare, it is getting cold outside, and winter is on the way. That was especially true this past weekend. It was refreshing to watch the sun rise over the horizon with a few trees still holding on to leaves. Coming off a Veteran’s Day weekend and heading towards the holiday season is when I reflect on the many blessings we have with faith, family, living in this area, and in this country. Continue reading From Across the Field 11-16-2017 →

Changes Made to Rules on Applying Fertilizer

From Ohio Ag Net

Take a whole class or just take the test, which is better? Farmers will get to decide.

Those who apply fertilizer on 50 or more acres now have the option to take an exam or attend a three-hour course to get the required certification aimed at protecting water quality.

The exam is a new option the Ohio Department of Agriculture will offer to make it easier for farmers to get certified and yet ensure that those who are applying fertilizer know the safest measures. The exam option was one of the rule changes on fertilizer certification that went into effect Oct. 1. Continue reading Changes Made to Rules on Applying Fertilizer →

Mandatory CERCLA Air Emissions Reporting Begins

From Ohio Ag Net

As a result of an earlier federal court decision, EPA issued a notice directing all livestock farms emitting more than 100 pounds of ammonia or hydrogen sulfide in a 24-hour period to report continuous air emissions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).

The reporting deadline is currently Nov. 15, 2017.

If you estimate your operation has greater than or equal to 100 pounds of ammonia emitted per day, then you must notify the National Response Center (NRC) by email at: NRC-CERCLA-EPCRA-REPORT@uscg.mil. Continue reading Mandatory CERCLA Air Emissions Reporting Begins →

New Map of Worldwide Croplands Supports Food and Water Security

From Ohio’s Country Journal

A new map was released U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) detailing croplands worldwide in the highest resolution yet, helping to ensure global food and water security in a sustainable way.

The map establishes that there are 1.87 billion hectares of croplands in the world, which is 15 to 20% — or 250 to 350 million hectares (Mha) — higher than former assessments. The change is due to more detailed understanding of large areas that were never mapped before or were inaccurately mapped as non-croplands.

Earlier studies showed either China or the United States as having the highest net cropland area, but this study shows that India ranks first, with 179.8 Mha (9.6% of the global net cropland area). Second is the United States with 167.8 Mha (8.9%), China with 165.2 Mha (8.8%) and Russia with 155.8 Mha (8.3%). Statistics of every country in the world can be viewed in an interactive map. Continue reading New Map of Worldwide Croplands Supports Food and Water Security →

Now is the Time to Evaluate Body Condition

By: Jason Smith, University Of Tennessee, November 16, 2017 02:00 PM

Evaluating body condition has played a role in beef cow/calf systems for as long as they have existed – even long before the 1 to 9 scale was created.  Nonetheless, it continues to be an important and impactful part of a cattlemen’s or cattlewoman’s tool belt.  However it is a tool that is not used nearly as often as it should be.  The universal method of evaluating body condition involves visually evaluating the animal, and assigning a body condition score (BCS) that reflects the animal’s current state of condition. Continue reading Now is the Time to Evaluate Body Condition →