Month: February 2018

From Across the Field – Looking Back on HSUS in Ohio

I’m not one to watch a whole lot of news; however, I do read the newspaper and subscribe to a few newsletters regarding the different sectors in agriculture. Perhaps one of the biggest stories in the past week was the resignation of Wayne Pacelle, now the former CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The resignation comes came after pressure from donors following an internal investigation of HSUS which identified three complaints of sexual harassment by Pacelle.

For those of you that remember back in 2010, Pacelle brokered a deal with Governor Strickland to remove an animal welfare issue from the ballot and maintain the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. Most of us will remember Mr. Pacelle as an activist that staunchly opposed animal agriculture and revenue generator for the organization that was described once to me as, “PETA in suits”. While agriculture says ‘good riddance’ to Mr. Pacelle, I do think this is an opportune time to reflect on the 2010 landmark deal and the regulations since passed by the Livestock Care Standards Board. Continue reading →

Improve Decisions With Extension’s 2017 eFields Research Report

By: Elizabeth Hawkins on behalf of the Digital Ag Team and contributors to eFields, Ohio State University Extension

eFields is an Ohio State University program dedicated to advancing production agriculture through the use of field-scale research. Investigations are designed to answer questions that matter to farmers and insights from these studies are used to help farmers and their advisors understand how new practices and techniques can improve farm efficiency and profitability. Projects focus on precision nutrient management strategies and technologies to improve efficiency of fertilizer placement, enhance placement of pesticides and seed, automate machinery, and to develop analytical tools for digital agriculture. Continue reading →

Manure and the Law

(Previously Featured on Ohio Ag Net)

Farmers who apply fertilizer to their fields, particularly manure, need to be aware that if the fertilizer winds up in a waterway, they could be facing fines as farmers in northwestern Ohio did last summer.

Applying manure can be particularly tricky because it’s often in liquid form and typically applied to the surface of fields, unlike most commercial fertilizers. So, if manure is spread and not fully incorporated into the soil before a heavy rainfall, the manure could run off a farm field and into a nearby body of water. Continue reading →

Milk Date Labels Contribute To Food Waste

(Previously featured on Ohio Ag Net)

Scientists in the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) say that arbitrary date labels on food contribute to significant food waste because the date labels serve only as an indicator of shelf life, which relates more to food quality than safety.

Brian Roe, a CFAES professor of agricultural economics, co-authored a new study examining consumer behavior regarding date labeling on milk containers. The goal of the research is to help consumers reduce food waste through improved food labeling systems and consumer education. Continue reading →

From Across the Field – Changes Coming to the Beef Industry

 

Things are picking up the pace in the office as we move into February, with not only agriculture programming but 4-H as well. As I look at the calendar for the next six weeks it is jammed packed with meetings and programs, and I couldn’t be more excited as I work towards the end of my first year here in Henry County. One of the programs that combines both the agriculture and youth is Quality Assurance, a program required for youth in order to exhibit livestock projects at the various fair and expositions across the state. The youth program began twenty some years ago in Ohio as the result of some food safety concerns regarding exhibition livestock.

Introduced in 1989, Pork Quality Assurance was designed to help pig farmers and their employees use best practices to promote food safety. The pork packing sector, bought into the program now requires producers to be certified in Quality Assurance in order to send their pigs to market. It is a pretty simple model, having the certification card for quality assurance is a producer’s “ticket” to market access. Continue reading →

Safety With Hand and Power Tools

By: Kent McGuire, OSU Ag Safety and Health Coordinator

It’s time to start those projects or repairs that need to be completed in preparation for the spring busy season. Most of these projects will involve the use of hand or power tools. Common injuries associated with hand and power tools include cuts, burns, blunt trauma, or flying debris, as well as health hazards associated from dust, or fumes. Below are safety considerations when working with hand and power tools. Continue reading →

Concerns With Continuous Soybeans in 2018

By: Matt Reese, Ohio Ag Net

With the likelihood of 2018 farm economics again favoring soybean production, soybeans being planted after soybeans could be on the rise this spring.

With consecutive years of soybean production, yield potential declines and the potential need for additional inputs and precautions increases. Continue reading →

Wayne Pacelle Resigns as HSUS CEO

By: Sara Brown (Previously Printed in Drovers On-Line)

Humane Society CEO Wayne Pacelle resigned Friday, hours after the nonprofits board voted to retain his leadership, following a recent investigation into claims of sexual misconduct of three employees. Pacelle denied the claims.

Seven board members resigned in protest immediately after the board’s decision. The move to keep Pacelle also defied demands by several major donors to cut ties with the longtime executive, or risk losing their financial and cooperative support, according to coverage from the Washington Post. Continue reading →