Natural Resources

USDA Announces Sign-Up Period for Updated Conservation Stewardship Program

Source: USDA

The next deadline for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) applications to be considered for funding this year is May 10, 2019. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to invest up to $700 million for new enrollments and contract extensions in fiscal year 2019. The 2018 Farm Bill made several changes to this critical conservation program, which helps agricultural producers take the conservation activities on their farm or ranch to the next level. Continue reading →

From Across the Field – Winter is Here

Just as I wrote last week about the weather being fairly warm, Mother Nature decided to drop some snow across the state this past weekend. On Saturday I attended the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting and banquet held just north of Columbus. The banquet adjourned around 8:00 p.m. and then it was like an episode of Ice Road Truckers coming back to Napoleon. It’s not that the roads we too poor of shape, I was more concerned about the lack of driving skill in the snow demonstrated by other drivers on the road (tends to be a recurring theme the more I have to drive to Columbus).

As part of the OCA annual meeting, faculty from the Department of Animal Sciences presented a nice update on beef research happening across the state at the research stations. Their topics focused on fixed time artificial insemination and embryo transfer, feedlot nutrition, and weaning strategies that minimize calf stress. Some of these topics will be covered here in Napoleon during our 2019 Beef School in late March and into April on Monday evenings. Continue reading →

McDonald’s Sets Science-Based Target to Reduce GHG Emissions

Previously on Drovers Online

Today, McDonald’s announces it will partner with franchisees and suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to McDonald’s restaurants and offices by 36% by 2030 from a 2015 base year in a new strategy to address global climate change. Additionally, McDonald’s commits to a 31% reduction in emissions intensity (per metric ton of food and packaging) across its supply chain by 2030 from 2015 levels. This combined target has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Through these actions, McDonald’s expects to prevent 150 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere by 2030. This is the equivalent of taking 32 million passenger cars off the road for an entire year or planting 3.8 billion trees and growing them for 10 years. The target will enable McDonald’s to grow as a business without growing its emissions. Continue reading →

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 →