Month: January 2019

Extensive Spread of Corn Toxin Could Affect 2019 Crop

By: Ohio Ag Net Staff. Previously published by Ohio Ag Net

A wetter than normal summer and fall in Ohio led to the worst spread of a toxin on corn in at least a decade, according to a grain disease expert with The Ohio State University.

And next year’s crop may be at risk as well. The fungus that produces the toxin can survive the winter, particularly if stalks or other plant material from the 2018 corn crop are left on the surface of the soil, said Pierce Paul, an Ohio State University Extension specialist in corn and small grain diseases.

Ear Rots of Corn

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From Across the Field – New Year, New Changes

As with every changing of the calendar, come changes as to how farmers are asked (or required) to implement certain production practices. This year, 2019 is no different. One of those major changes will affect producers who are planning to use dicamba based herbicides this growing season. The revised label for those products no longer allows for the applicator to be a trained person under direct supervision of a pesticide license holder, rather the person making the application must now be a licensed applicator themselves. For those needing to obt Continue reading →

NW OH “Seeds for Success” Small Farms Conference & Trade Show

The 2019 NW Ohio Seeds For Success Small Farm Conference will be held on Saturday, March 16 at Northwest State Community College, located at 22600 State Route 34, Archbold Ohio.  The conference provides education and topics of interest for small farm and rural landowners.  Participants will walk away from the conference with knowledge and ideas of how to improve existing enterprises or marketing opportunities.  For those who have some acreage but don’t yet know what to do with it, the conference is an opportunity to consider possibilities, gather information and make contacts.

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Rep. Dorothy Pelanda Tapped to Lead ODA

Rep. Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville) was nominated Thursday to serve as the next director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture by Gov.-elect Mike Dewine. In addition, Laurie Stevenson has been nominated to head the Ohio EPA.

Pelanda will be stepping into the ODA director role occupied by Tim Derickson since October and previously held by David Daniels. Derickson will stay at ODA and return to his position as assistant director. Pelanda served on the Ohio House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee during the 2013-2014 Legislative Session. Pelanda has been active on the state legislature, representing the 83rd House District, which includes Union and Logan counties, as well as most of Marion County. Continue reading →

2018 eFields Research Report Available

By: Elizabeth Hawkins, John Fulton, Jenna Lee, OSU Extension
Previously published in OSU Extension C.O.R.N. newsletter

High quality, relevant information is key to making the right management decisions for your farm. The eFields program at The Ohio State University was created to provide local information about critical issues for Ohio agriculture. The 2018 eFields Research Report highlighting 95 on-farm, field scale trials conducted in 25 Ohio counties was released on Jan. 9. Research topics include nutrient management, precision seeding, crop management, soil compaction management, remote sensing, and data analysis and management. To help identify trial locations that are similar to your operation, each study includes information about weather, soil types, and management practices. Additionally, economic analysis was added to select trials this year. QR codes that link to videos featuring the researchers and partner farmers are available in the report. Continue reading →

Winter Weather Impacts Cattle Markets

By: Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension
Previously published by Drovers online

A major winter storm this past week extended in a belt across the middle of the country from Denver east to the mid-Atlantic coast. Heavy snow hit parts of feedlot country across eastern Colorado, Kansas, southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa and the eastern Corn Belt. Much of Nebraska and the northern Plains along with the Texas panhandle were spared the worst of the snow but rain has created wet, sloppy conditions in many places that will impact cattle performance in feedlots and in the country. Continue reading →

From Across the Field – New Year’s Checklist

Happy New Year. I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with friends and family in Morgan County before gearing up for our busy Extension meeting season. While I was in southern Ohio it was tough to do much farm work with all of the mud. On New Year’s Eve, 2018 became the wettest year on record according to the Columbus news stations. One thing we were able to accomplish, was cutting and splitting a couple of cords of firewood for my brother. It was splitting wood that reminded me this is a good time to check a couple of things around the house, now that the calendar has turned.

This is the time of the year when fuel-burning devices are at peak utilization, along with that come the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of State Fire Marshal, warns of following devices that may produce dangerous levels of CO gas: fuel fired furnaces (non-electric); gas water heaters; generators; fireplaces and wood stoves; gas stoves; non-electric space heaters; gas dryers; charcoal grills; and motorized automobiles and equipment. Continue reading →

“Watersheds In Distress” Revisions This Month

By: Peggy Kirk Hall, Associate Professor and Director, OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program

The legislative Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) has voted to send the “watersheds in distress” rule revisions back to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). JCARR reviews administrative rules to make sure they follow legal requirements. The “watersheds in distress” rules seek to address agricultural nutrient impacts on water quality. At its December meeting, JCARR members voted 8 to 1 to recommend that ODA revise and refile the rules for consideration at JCARR’s next meeting on Jan. 22, 2019. Continue reading →

7 Tips For 2019 Farm Management

By: Brent Gloy & David Widmar, previously published by Successful Farming

The calendars say 2019, but many of the same headaches and management challenges from 2018 still linger. While always a component of production agriculture, uncertainty has moved to front and center over the last few years. Compounding the issue are difficult farm financial conditions that have continued to erode.

While it comes as no surprise, 2019 is shaping up as another difficult year in agriculture. As producers begin planning for the upcoming season, they are likely to find a difficult budget outlook. To help with planning over the upcoming year, we sat down and mapped out the 7 biggest uncertainties facing farm managers and offer a few tips and insights into how to approach them.    Continue reading →