Agricultural nutrients targeted in Clean Lake 2020 bill and Kasich Executive Order

by: Peggy Kirk Hall, Associate Professor, Agricultural & Resource Law

Recent actions by the Ohio legislature and Governor Kasich will affect the management of agricultural nutrients in Ohio.   The Ohio General Assembly has passed “Clean Lake 2020” legislation that will provide funding for reducing phosphorous in Lake Erie.  Governor Kasich signed the Clean Lake 2020 bill on July 10, in tandem with issuing Executive Order 2018—09K, “Taking Steps to Protect Lake Erie.”  The two actions aim to address the impact of agricultural nutrients on water quality in Lake Erie.

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What’s New with Sulfur Fertilizer Use?

edited from: Charles Wortmann – Extension Soil and Nutrient Management Specialist, Bijesh Maharjan – Extension Soil and Nutrient Management Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Approximately 100 trials have been conducted since 2000 to evaluate sulfur (S) use in corn, sorghum, and soybean. The trial results have validated

  • the UNL recommendations of applying S to sandy soils in consideration of soil test results; and
  • the probability of profit gain due to increased yield from S application to medium and fine textured soil is very low.

The S recommendations are addressed in the Nebraska Extension publication, Nutrient Management for Agronomic Crops of Nebraska (EC155).

Deposition of atmospheric sulfur and sulfur application in fertilizers such as single super phosphate is much less than it was three to four decades ago. This implies that S availability needs to be monitored.

  • The probability of response to S has been determined in recent years to be high enough for some parts of Iowa to justify routine application.
  • Soil test results for sulfur availability continue to be of little or no value and response is best monitored with on-farm trials comparing yield with and without sulfur applied.
  • Applying S often does result in greener crops while not increasing grain yield. This can be important to farmer satisfaction and impressing neighbors and land managers.

Sulfur is abundantly available and fertilizer sulfur use can be of modest cost without much environmental concern. Sulfur applied as sulfate does not affect soil pH, but applied as elemental S, it can contribute to soil acidification. Gypsum is often abundantly available and can be a good sulfur source. Flue gas desulfurization gypsum, a by-product of coal-fired electrical power generation, is a potential sulfur source with a liming effect.

Those of you who attended Our 2018 Central Ohio Agronomy School heard very similar results from Dr. Robert Mullen.

 

2018 Central Ohio Agronomy School

Dr. Robert Mullen explains the phosphorus situation in Ohio at Monday’s Central Ohio Agronomy School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Central Ohio Agronomy School meets every Monday from  February 5 – March 5 from 6:30 – 9 p.m.

February 5 – Dr. Robert Mullen, Agrium-Potash Corp.
Fertilizer Outlook for 2018
The Phosphorus Situation in Ohio
Sulfur – Fact or Fiction
February 12 – Frank Gibbs, USDA NRCS Soil Scientist (Retired)
Building Soil Health – What are the Benefits?
                           -Aaron Wilson, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
Ohio Changing Weather Patterns.
2018 Weather Outlook.
February 19 – Matt Bennett, Precision Planting
Farming by the Foot, not the Field
                             -Mike Hannewald, Beck’s
Multi Hybrid Planting
February 26 – Dr. Mark Loux, OSU Extension
Weed control update for 2016
Palmer Amaranth – We Have It, How Do We Control It?
Palmer, Waterhemp and Pigweed Identification With Real Plants
March 5 – Peggy Hall, OSU Agricultural Law
Legal Issues Facing Agriculture
                        -Barry Ward, OSU Extension
Farm Economic Outlook for 2018
March 12 – Weather Make Up Date

 

Precision University – Nutrient Technology

Nutrient Technology Experts will share info on the latest equipment and technologies to ensure efficient utilization of your nutrients applications.

 

 

Date: January 11th, Time 8:30-3:30

Location: Beck’s Hybrid’s 720 US 40 London 

Registration:  Click here to Register or Contact: Kaylee Port at  port.17@osu.edu

Cost $50.00 RSVP by January 5.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Robert Mullen, Agrium-Potash Corp

Dr. Tony Vyn, Purdue University

Jim Swartz, Beck’s Hybrids

Jamie Bultemeier, A&L Great Lakes Labs

Dr. Brian Arnall, Oklahoma State University

Glen Arnold, Ohio State University

Dave Scheiderer, Integrated Ag Services

 

EQUIPMENT & TECH PANEL:

Dr. Scott Shearer, Ohio State University

Nate Douridas, Molly Caren Farm

Lee Radcliffe, Radcliffe Farms

Save The Dates!

by: John Barker

The dates for most of our Agronomy & Farm Management winter meetings are set.  I am still finalizing a few details, but you can put these dates on  your calendars.  Be sure to check back for more details.

 

January 11 & 18 –     Estate Planning – “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” Workshop 6 – 9 p.m.

January 30 –              Pesticide & Fertilizer Certification 6 – 10 p.m.

February 5 –              Central Ohio Agronomy School 6:30 – 9 p.m.

February 12 –            Central Ohio Agronomy School 6:30 – 9 p.m.

February 19 –            Central Ohio Agronomy School 6:30 – 9 p.m.

February 26 –            Central Ohio Agronomy School 6:30 – 9 p.m.

March 5 –                   Central Ohio Agronomy School 6:30 – 9 p.m.

March 29 –                 Pesticide & Fertilizer Certification 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.