Licking County Beef Quality Assurance Meeting for youth and adults

By Dean Kreager

The Licking County Cattlemen’s Association is sponsoring a lunch meeting on February 19th at Claylick Run Farm.  I will be conducting a Beef Quality Assurance session that will fulfill the requirements for National BQA Certification as well as Quality Assurance requirements for youth showing at the Hartford Fair.  The Cattlemen will also hold their open annual meeting at the conclusion.  Membership is not required to attend.  Please click on the flyer below for details and call the Extension Office at 740-670-5315 for reservations.

2023 BQA Cattleman flyer (002)

3rd Annual Virtual Corn College and Soybean School

Due to popular demand, the AgCrops Team will host the 3rd annual virtual Corn College and Soybean School on February 10, 2023 from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM featuring your OSU Extension state specialists and soil fertility guest speaker, Dr. Kurt Steinke, from Michigan State University. CCA CEUs will be available during the live presentations.

To register, please go to: go.osu.edu/cornsoy.  Please register by February 9 at noon. There is a $10 registration fee for this event, which goes directly to support OSU AgCrops Team activities.

Presentations will be recorded and uploaded to the AgCrops Team YouTube channel after the event (https://www.youtube.com/c/OSUAgronomicCrops). However, CCA CEUs will not be available for the recorded presentations.

2023 Small Farm Conference and Trade Show

Ohio State University Extension is hosting a Small Farm Conference in Mansfield Ohio on March 11, 2023.  The theme for this year’s Mid-Ohio Small Farm Conference is “Sowing Seeds for Success.”

Conference session topics are geared to beginning and small farm owners as well as to farms looking to diversify their operation.  There will be five different conference tracks including: Farm Office, Horticulture and Produce Production, Livestock, Agritourism/ Marketing, Natural Resources.

Some conference topic highlights include: How to purchase our family farm, food animal processing, bee keeping, sweet corn, blueberry and pumpkin production, small ruminant nutrition, agritourism laws, fruit tree pruning and cut flower diseases.

Anyone interested in developing, growing or diversifying their small farm is invited to attend including market gardeners, farmers market vendors, and anyone interested in small farm living.

Attendees will have the opportunity to browse a trade show featuring the newest and most innovative ideas and services for their farming operation. The conference provides an opportunity to talk with the vendors and network with others.

The Conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Mansfield OSU Campus in Ovalwood Hall, just minutes from I-71 and US Rt 30.

For conference and registration call OSU Extension Morrow County 419-947-1070, or OSU Extension Knox County 740-397-0401.

Please follow this link for conference details and to register: https://go.osu.edu/2023osusmallfarmconf

OSU Extension Offering Quarterly Grain Market Update

OSU Extension invites Ohio grain producers to grab a cup of coffee and join a quarterly grain market conversation with Dr. Seungki Lee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE) from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. on February 13, April 14, September 15, and November 17, 2023.

During these webinars held via Zoom, Dr. Lee will provide his insights on the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) crop report. “These early morning webinars will be a great way for Ohio farmers to learn more about the factors impacting the corn, soybean, and wheat markets” said David Marrison, Interim Director for OSU Extension’s Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute.

There is no fee to attend these quarterly webinar sessions. Pre-registration can be made at go.osu.edu/coffeewithDrLee. These webinars are sponsored by: OSU Extension, Farm Financial Management & Policy Institute (FFMPI), and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE) all located in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

2023 Conservation Tillage Conference

CTC will be March 14-15, 2023, at Ohio Northern University. Connect with other great farmers and CCAs, experience new ideas, and increase your net income.

David Hula, the Corn Yield Champion (4 years!) will be our keynote speaker. PLUS, he will be on the program for 2 hours of Q&A in our biggest room. He is co-sponsored by Calmer Corn Heads, Meristem, Brandt Products, and Pioneer.

Hula will present at our General Session, which starts at 8:30, March 14. Master Farmer Awards and the Ohio CCA of the Year will be announced.

All four concurrent sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m. The Tuesday sessions include: Soil Health, Cover Crops and No-till; Nutrient Management; Agronomic Crop Management; and Precision Ag & Technology.

The four sessions on Wednesday will begin at 8:30, and end about 4:30. Sessions include: Soil Health, Cover Crops and No-till; Crop Management; Water Quality; and Carbon Management. (Session topics and details may change.)

Take advantage of the opportunity to discuss one-on-one with speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and other participants. Bring a friend and/or family members.

Click here for the Flyer

Agency and legislative leadership in 2023: what might it mean for ag?

By:Peggy Kirk Hall, Associate Professor, Agricultural & Resource Law Wednesday, February 01st, 2023
Brain Baldridge speaking in the Ohio legislature

A new year always brings new leadership appointments.  Sometimes those appointments result in a change, but sometimes they bring back previous leaders.  As we settle into 2023, we’re following what has changed and what remains the same and considering how leadership will impact agriculture in the coming year.  Here’s a summary of what we’re seeing in the leadership landscape.

Ohio ODA and EPA.  Here in Ohio, two of the agencies we commonly deal with will have new leaders.  Governor DeWine has nominated Brian Baldridge to head the Ohio Department of Agriculture and Anne Vogel as director of the Ohio EPA.  Baldridge is from a livestock and crop operation in Adams County, and previously served as a Representative, county commissioner, and township trustee.  Vogel was previously DeWine’s Policy Director and Energy Advisor.  She has a background in the energy industry and helped the governor establish the H2Ohio program.

Ohio General Assembly.  A few leadership changes are also in place at the Ohio legislature.  The House Speaker position has shifted to Rep. Jason Stephens (R-Kitt Hill) following a divisive race against Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township) determined by Democrat support for Rep. Stephens. Rep.  Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) is the new minority leader, replacing Emilia Sykes, recently elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.  Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) returns as the Senate President, joined by Sen. Nickie J. Antonia (D-Lakewood) in her new role as minority leader.

Ohio legislative committees.  Most important to agriculture is the leadership of the House and Senate agriculture committees.  On the House side, Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) will now chair the House Agriculture Committee after serving as the Vice Chair last session.  The new Vice Chair is newly elected Rep. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland).  Both representatives have agricultural backgrounds; Rep. Creech resides on his family farm in Preble County and Rep. Klopfenstein farms with his family in Paulding County.  Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) returns for her second term on the committee and will be the minority leader.  We await other committee member appointments.

The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee continues this session under the leadership of Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster).  The committee will have a new Vice Chair, Sen. Al Landis (R-Dover), serving in his first term as a senator after four terms in the House.  Both have served on the Senate and House agriculture committees previously, but neither are from farm backgrounds.  Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) returns as the minority ranking member on the committee. Only two additional Senators have been appointed to the committee, Sen. Sandra O-Brien (R-Ashtabula), who was on the committee last session, and  Sen. Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro), serving in his first term as a Senator after two terms in the House.

Congress.  As with Ohio, the U.S. House of Representatives endured a divisive race for leadership.  Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) eventually won the role of Speaker.  Less controversial was the election of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to the Democrat leadership position that Rep. Nancy Pelosi stepped away from after 20 years in that role.  No changes occurred in the Senate, with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) remaining as the Majority Leader and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as the Minority Leader.

Congressional committees.  Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) is the returning Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), is the new Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture.  Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) remains Ranking Member on the Senate side, and Rep. David Scott (D-GA) moves from Chair to Ranking Member on the House side.  Ohioans that will serve on those committees include Sen. Sherrod Brown on the Senate committee and Representatives Max Miller and Shontel Brown on the House committee.

What to watch for?

A new Farm Bill will be the heavy lift for the agriculture committees in Congress.  Major conflicts the committee leaders will have to navigate are expected to be debt reduction, climate programs, and the SNAP nutrition program.  Despite the upcoming challenges, both committee leaders have promised to wrap up a Farm Bill by September.

Here in Ohio, the budget bill will take priority right away and will involve the new agency directors and legislature.  One new ag-related budget item we might see is a proposal by Governor DeWine to increase the H2Ohio program with a “Rivers Initiative” that would address water quality in Ohio rivers.

In the legislature, we expect to see an eminent domain bill much like House Bill 698 that was introduced late last session.  One of that bill’s sponsors was the newly appointed Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Creech.  The bill proposed streamlining the process for landowners who challenge compensation for land taken by eminent domain, increasing the burden of proof on an agency proposing a taking, expansion of attorney fee and expense rewards for landowners, and a prohibition on takings of land for recreational trails.  There was also talk of the return of a “community solar” bill (H.B. 450) in the House, but both sponsors of that bill no longer serve in the House of Representatives.

What other changes might the new leadership bring?  That’s always a tough question, but we’ll keep an eye out and let you know what we see as we continue into 2023.

2023 East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference

OSU Extension to Host 2023 East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference

Ohio State University (OSU) Extension will host the 8th Annual East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference. The conference is planned for Friday, March 24 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Shisler Conference Center, 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster, OH 44691. All women and young women (high school age) who are interested, involved in, or want to become involved with food, agricultural, or natural resources production or small business are encouraged to attend.

The conference program features a networking fair and sixteen breakout sessions presented by OSU Extension educators, producers, and partner agencies. Sessions this year are focused around four themes Business & Finance, Plants & Animals, Home & Family, and Special Interest (includes break-out with Ohio FFA State Officers). The conference keynote will be led by Rebecca Miller, Farm and Dairy Editor-in-Chief. Her keynote presentation “Clinging to context in a noisy world: don’t lose sight of the “why” in what you do” will.  Agriculture is often so much more to us than a job, which makes it hard when we face push back — from people around us and from influences outside of our control.  Rebecca will share her path through farming and journalism and how she’s grappled with the questions.  New this year is a Youth Symposium opportunity for high school and college students to present their research, SEA, capstone, thesis, or other study projects.

Registered participants, community organizations, or businesses interested in sponsorship can contact 740-722-6074.

Interested individuals can register for the conference online at go.osu.edu/eowia2023 .Cost of the conference is $60 for adult participants and $30 for students. Conference fee includes conference participation, breakfast, lunch, and conference handouts. Deadline for registration is Friday, March 10. For additional information locally, please contact Emily Marrison, OSU Extension Coshocton County at 740-722-6074.

Stay connected with the Ohio Women in Agriculture Learning Network on Facebook @OHwomeninag or subscribe to the Ohio Women in Agriculture blogsite at u.osu.edu/ohwomeninag.

2023 EO Women in Ag Conference Flyer

2023 EOWIA Youth Symposium Flyer

Agricultural Guestworkers in Ohio: What We Know and Where We’re Going

Please see the attached flyer for an exciting hybrid event presenting some novel research and a panel discussion about H-2A farmworkers in Ohio. All who are interested in the status of on-farm workers and agricultural labor issues in the state are very welcome! For those attending in person, light refreshments will be served. Please direct any questions to Dr. Margaret Jodlowski (jodlowski.1@osu.edu), Dept. of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics. 

Click here for flyer: Agricultural Guestworkers in Ohio_invite