Published on August 5, 2020

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Farm Science Review will come to you on your laptop or smartphone this year, and for free, you can watch livestreamed talks and recorded videos featuring the latest farm equipment and research to pique your curiosity.

From Sept. 22–24, people from across the Midwest and the world can learn tips for increasing farm profits and growing crops from soybeans to hemp.

Beginning in September, virtual visitors can find out about the show’s offerings by going to fsr.osu.edu and clicking on an image of the show’s site. Within that image, people can click on the various icons to find the schedules for talks and demos they’re most interested in, such as field demonstrations or “Ask the Expert” talks.

Among the livestreamed talks will be Ask the Expert presentations that feature the advice of staff from The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)on various topics in agriculture. Viewers will enter the talks through a Zoom meeting link and be able to post their questions in chat boxes. If you miss any, you can check back after the talks to watch the recordings.

“It will be even easier this year to benefit from the show’s valuable advice that can help farmers improve their businesses,” said Nick Zachrich, manager of Farm Science Review, which is hosted by CFAES.

“Whether farm operators have questions on finances, insurance protection, or which new tool fits their needs, resources will be available through Farm Science Review online.”

The virtual format is a first for Farm Science Review, held annually for nearly 60 years.

Topics for talks at FSR this year include the risks of transmitting COVID-19 to your animals, the prospects of U.S. agricultural exports abroad, increasing profits from small grains by planting double crops, climate trends, managing cash flow on the farm, farm stress, and rental rates on agricultural land.

Looking for a job in agriculture? For the second time this year, FSR will include a career fair. Before the Sept. 22 event, which will be from 10 a.m. to noon, anyone can view videos and other content from prospective employers to know what those employers are seeking and schedule live chats with company representatives.

Presentations on raising backyard chickens, starting a flock of sheep, and growing blackberries and other specialty crops could spark some inspiration.

Other major attractions at this year’s show will include online field demonstrations that will show how various types of farm equipment boost the efficiency of fertilizing, harvesting a field, or performing other tasks. Viewers can catch a close-up view of the machinery, which, on site, they’d normally have to see from several yards away.

“With many events canceled and disruptions across the industry because of the pandemic, Farm Science Review aims to provide as many solutions as possible,” Zachrich said.

“A showcase of equipment, other products, services, and education will help address limitations that have surfaced in recent months.”

The annual talk given by agricultural economists in CFAES will focus on supply chains in food and agriculture. Many of those supply chains were tested earlier this year when the nation’s major meat processors closed down temporarily because so many of their employees had COVID-19.

Ty Higgins, director of media relations for the Ohio Farm Bureau, will moderate the talk, which will include Ben Brown, Ian Sheldon, and Zoë Plakias, all agricultural economists with CFAES.

If you require an accommodation, such as live captioning or interpretation, to participate in this event, please email fsrinfo@osu.edu.

Requests made 10 business days prior to the event will typically allow the university enough time to provide seamless access. But after that, the university will make every effort to meet requests.

For more information about the format or offerings in this year’s show, visit fsr.osu.edu.

It wasn’t that long ago that “agritourism” was an unfamiliar term to in the agricultural community.  But agritourism has been on the rise in the U.S. and agritourism income tripled between 2002 and 2017.  Many farmers and ranchers are now familiar with the economic benefits agritourism presents.   Along with the agritourism industry’s continued growth and prospects, however, has been an evolution of laws and legal issues.

Join me with OSU Extension Educators Eric Barrett and Rob Leeds on August 19, 2020 for a free webinar on “The Evolution of Agritourism:  Current Legal Issues and Future Trends,” hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center.  We’ll examine opportunities in agritourism today and the legal challenges agritourism faces from COVID-19 and other anticipated legal issues.   Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What’s new and hot:  agritourism marketing trends and opportunities
• In the courts:  litigation against agritourism operations
• COVID-19:  legal issues for agritourism
• What may come:  anticipated legal challenges for the future
• How to deal with it:  thoughts on  managing agritourism legal risk

Additional information and a registration link for the webinar are available at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars/agritourism2020/.    If you can’t make the live webinar, visit the same page later for a recorded version.

This webinar and the Ohio Ag Law Blog are supported by the USDA’s National Agricultural Library.