The PLFA Soil Health Test

By: Alan Sundermeier, CCA, Ohio State University Extension and Vinayak Shedekar, postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State University

A diverse and active pool of micro and macro organisms is essential for a healthy soil. While the soil biology plays a key role in building healthy soils, it can also provide nutrients to crops and naturally control some soil-borne pests and diseases. However, it is difficult to assess the soil biological properties in a lab compared to traditional chemical soil testing. Continue reading

From Across the Field – April Showers

Everyone knows the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” As I wrote last week I think we can amend that old adage to say “April showers bring May planted corn.” Jim Noel from the National Weather Service suggested that change as he predicts a wetter than average April followed by a drier May in this week’s C.O.R.N. newsletter. As a reminder the Crop Observation Reporting Network newsletter comes our weekly during the growing season and can be found at corn.osu.edu. Continue reading

Calving: How and When To Intervene

By: Stan Smith, Fairfield County PA, OSU Extension

With calving season progressing across Ohio, one question that is often asked is when, if and how should one intervene to help with the birthing process?

During a portion of his presentation during the 2019 Ohio Beef School, Dr. Justin Kieffer discussed intervention in the birthing process, and how to properly pull a calf. Find that portion of Dr. Kieffer’s presentation above.

Ohio’s 2018 County Yields Now Available

By: Bruce Clevenger, CCA, Ohio State University Extension

The 2018 Ohio county estimates for crop yields were recently published by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service. This annual report provides a look back to the previous production year and give an average of planted and harvested acres as well as the county yield in bushels per acre and a total estimated production for the county. The report additionally groups counties into nine reporting districts and provides an overall state yield estimate for corn and soybean. Ohio county estimates for the 2018 wheat crop were released back in December of 2018. Continue reading

Insights From The 2017 Census Of Agriculture

Source: Ohio Ag Net

In April the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture, spanning some 6.4 million new points of information about America’s farms and ranches and those who operate them, including new data about on-farm decision making, down to the county level.

Information collected by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) directly from farmers and ranchers reveals both farm numbers and land in farms have ongoing small percentage declines since the last Census in 2012. At the same time, there continue to be more of the largest and smallest operations and fewer middle-sized farms. The average age of all farmers and ranchers continues to rise. Continue reading

Ohio Attorney General Yost Asks To Join In The Lake Erie Bill Of Rights Lawsuit

By: Evin Bachelor, Law Fellow, Ohio State University Extension Agricultural & Resource Law Program

The Ohio Attorney General filed a motion in the Drewes Farm Partnership v. City of Toledo case seeking to intervene as a plaintiff alongside the Drewes Farm Partnership. The motion argues that the state of Ohio has a significant interest in the protection of Lake Erie, along with a significant interest in supporting Ohio’s agricultural, environmental, and natural resources laws. Continue reading

What Does ‘Natural’ Mean When It Comes To Meat?

By: Deena Shanker and Lydia Mulvany, Bloomberg

USDA says the term means that the product has no artificial ingredients and minimal processing.

Consumers want “natural” meat—and the biggest meat companies want to sell it to them.

American shoppers are reaching for healthier, more environmentally and animal-friendly meat products, with 39% saying “all-natural” is the most important claim when purchasing red meat, according to a recent survey by Mintel. But there’s one problem: The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that when it comes to meat and poultry, the term “natural” means only that the product has no artificial ingredients and has been minimally processed.

It doesn’t mean anything when it comes to antibiotics, hormones or preservatives. Continue reading

From Across the Field – New “Normal”

March came in like a lion, and went out just the same. Who would have thought we’d be talking snow going into April, especially after a fairly nice week? That brings to question, what does a “normal” spring looks like? Going into what will be my third planting season here in Henry County, the normal I know has been by in large wet and cool. Continue reading

Estimated 2018 ARC-CO Payments

By: Gary Schnitkey, Jonathan Coppess, Krista Swanson, Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics,University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University

The National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) released county yields for 2018 (released March 21 on NASS’s Quick Stats website).  With these NASS yields, fairly accurate estimates of 2018 Agricultural Risk Coverage at the county level (ARC-CO) payments can be made.  We present U.S. maps showing estimated payments per base acre for corn, soybeans, and wheat.  Estimates for Illinois also are presented in the final section. Continue reading

Evaluate Udder Soundness Soon After Calving to Use as Culling Criteria

By: Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension

Every year at “preg” checking time, ranchers evaluate cows and make decisions as which to remove from the herd. One criteria that should be examined to cull cows is udder quality. Beef cattle producers are not as likely to think about udder health and shape as are dairy producers, but this attribute affects cow productivity and should be considered. Continue reading