Month: February 2024

Like gardening, working with Master Gardeners, and the opportunity to work for OSU Extension in Licking County? Join our team!

Due to the coming retirement of our current Coordinator we have a great employment opportunity.  Candidates would be responsible for assisting with the Licking County Master Gardener program. We are looking for the ability to organize and coordinate activities of a large volunteer organization. Previous teaching experience and knowledge of horticulture are desired. Must be able to work with diverse clientele. Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision as well as be a member of a team setting.

Requirements: High School diploma or GED. Certification or vocational training may be required. Associate degree in relevant field may be preferred. 2 years of relevant experience required. 4-6 years of relevant experience preferred.

Application deadline is February 22, 2024.

Click here for the application

Feel free to contact Dean with questions.  740-670-5315

Licking County Corn, Soybean, Soil Health, and Grain Storage Economics meeting

Battle for the Belt Winter Meeting. 

What crop has the smallest yield penalty for delayed planting? Can you adjust your management practices to mitigate losses due to late planting? How are diseases affected by planting date?

Have you been following the “Battle for the Belt” through this last crop season. We are bringing this discussion to Licking County on March 6th.  The morning sessions are a statewide program offered in 3 locations and we have added lunch and afternoon sessions that address a concerns in our part of the state.

This will take place at OSU Newark / COTC.

Cost is $10 and includes a meal.

Call the office 740-670-5315 to register or register here go.osu.edu/24battleforthebeltlicking

4 hours CCA credits available

Speakers include:

Laura Lindsey  – OSU Professor Soybean and Small Grain Production

Osler Ortez – OSU Assistant Professor – Corn & Emerging Crops

Horacio Lopez-Nicora – OSU Assistant Professor Soybean Pathology and Nematology

Eric Richer – Assistant Professor Field Specialist, Farm Management, OSU Extension “Good Questions to Ask when Investing in On-Farm Storage”

Jim Ippolito – The Rattan Lal Endowed Professor of Soil Health and Soil Fertility, Ohio State  speaking on “Soil Health Perspectives from the New Guy”

Thank you to the Ohio Soybean Council, Ohio Corn and Wheat, and North Central Extension Risk Management for their support of this program.

Ohio Beef Cow/Calf Workshop – Optimizing Herd Reproduction and Genetics – In Licking County

This event will be hosted at Claylick Run Farm.  Lunch will be provided by the Licking County Cattlemen.  Join us for some great education and fellowship with other cattle producers.

Reproduction and genetics are important factors for a cow-calf operation. The long-term investment of genetics plays a critical role in the development and management to ensure longevity within a herd. Join OSU Extension in Licking County to discuss and demonstrate the practices that you might apply on your farm to improve your operation with regards to optimizing reproduction and genetics.

Friday, March 8, 2024, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm,

Claylick Run Farm 11970 Cross Rd., Newark, OH, 43056

Cost: $10 per person. RSVP to OSU Extension Licking County at 740-670-5315 by March 4, 2024. Limited to first 50 attendees

Lunch and Materials included. Dress for hands-on demonstrations.

BQA certification provided

Presentation Topics:
Breeding Season Management
Cow Longevity and Culling Decisions
EPD’s in Action
Synchronization Strategies
Bull Evaluation and Facilities Tour

 

Click here for flyer and registration form: Licking Cow Calf Workshop Flyer 3 8 2024

What is up with Dicamba use for 2024?

A week ago a federal district court in Arizona has vacated the registrations for dicamba products XtendiMax, Engenia, and Tavium, finding that the U.S. EPA violated pesticide registration procedures when it approved the product registrations in 2020.  Now the EPA issued “existing stocks” order for over-the-top dicamba use.  Read here to get a better understanding of this situation.  I am sure more information will be coming soon.

Click here for the ag law blog post detailing the case history.

For the response click here EPA issued “existing stocks” order for over-the-top dicamba use.

The Economics of Solar Development in Ohio

The Economics of Solar Development in Ohio

By Grayson Penland and Brent Sohngen

This report examines a number of economic aspects of solar development in Ohio. Here is a summary of the findings. A PDF of the report can be downloaded here.

  • Solar energy constitutes about 1.4% of electricity production in Ohio, but this number is set to grow to 10% in the next decade as many new facilities are either being built or in the planning stages.
  • The growth of solar is driven by increasing demand for renewable energy by consumers, businesses, and communities, falling costs, and federal subsidies.
  • Solar renewable energy credits, or SRECS, are bought and sold in separate markets from electricity and provide solar energy a higher price than traditional fossil electricity simply because some people want to consume their electricity knowing it is produced with lower environmental impact.
  • Federal subsidies have a large impact on the returns to solar, lowering costs of production, and increasing the overall private investment.
  • The value of land in solar electricity production is at least ten times greater than the value of the same land used for typical crop production in Ohio.
  • Solar energy will not increase jobs in rural Ohio, but by providing renewable energy, could spur new job creation by businesses that locate here because of access to low-cost renewable energy.
  • Local tax revenues in rural areas with solar development should increase substantially in the coming years.

To view the complete report click  here

If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact Grayson or Brent.

Ohio Farmland Leasing Update webinar is March 1
As we enter the 2024 crop season, it’s time for an update on economic and legal information that affects Ohio farmland leasing. Join our Farm Office team members on March 1, 2024 from 10 a.m. until noon for a special edition of our Farm Office Live webinars.  In the Ohio Farmland Leasing Update, we’ll share the latest information on these leasing topics:

  • Cash Rent Outlook – Key Issues and Survey Data
  • Negotiating Capital Improvements on Leased Farmland
  • Dealing with Conservation Practices in a Farmland Lease
  • Executing and Recording Farm Leases
  • Legal updates and new Farmland Leasing Resources

Our speakers for the webinar include:

  • Barry Ward, Leader, OSU Production Business Management
  • Peggy Hall, Attorney, OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program
  • Robert Moore, Attorney, OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program

There is no cost to attend the Ohio Farmland Leasing Update, but registration is necessary unless you’re already registered for our Farm Office Live webinars.  To register, visit go.osu.edu/register4fol.

 

 

Ohio Small Farm Conference – April 6, 2024

OSU Extension to host Eastern – Ohio Small Farm Conference – April 6, 2024 at the Mid – East Career Technical Center Buffalo Campus, Senecaville, Ohio

By: Julie Wayman

Community Development Educator

OSU Extension Ashtabula County

____

Ohio State Extension announced plans to host a Small Farm Conference in Senecaville, Ohio on April 6, 2024. 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: Horticulture and Produce Production, Business Management, Livestock, Natural Resources and new this year The Farm Kitchen.

Some conference topic highlights include: Raising Meat Rabbits, Making Goat Milk Soap, Timber Harvesting and Marketing, Basics of Growing PawPaw’s, Food Preservation Basics, Herb Vinegars, Organic Pest Management, Growing Produce with Hydroponics, Starting and Setting up a business, Solar and Wind Leasing.

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. – 3:30 p.m. at the Mid – East Career Technical Center Buffalo Campus 57090 Vocational Road Senecaville, Ohio 43780

For conference and registration information call OSU Extension Morrow County 419-947-1070, or OSU Extension Knox County 740-397-0401. Please follow this link to register for the conference: https://go.osu.edu/2024osusmallfarmconference

For the flyer with conference session topics click here.  2024 SF Conference Brochure

Ohio Maple Madness Tour

Join the Ohio State Maple project at The Ohio State University Mansfield Campus as we participate in the Ohio Maple Madness Tour on Saturday March 2nd .  Tours of the sugarbush and vernal pools are part of the day along with fresh syrup and pancakes.  Details below.

The Ohio Maple Madness Tour is presented by the Ohio Maple Producers Association and offers a wide variety of maple operations being open to the public for the first couple of weekends in March.  The list of those participating in the tour is listed here https://ohiomaple.org/tour-map.html .

Spend a sweet Saturday with us.  We hope to see you there.

Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) Increases in 2023 Impact Property Taxes on Farmland in 2024

By:Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management Wednesday, February 07th, 2024

Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management

Large increases in the Current Ag Use Value (CAUV) of farmland throughout Ohio in 2023 has resulted in higher property taxes (some have seen significant increases) for farmland owners in 2024. Forty-one of Ohio’s eighty-eight counties will see property tax increases in 2024 due to higher CAUV. Several factors have led to this increase in ag use valuation.

The Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) Program is a differential real estate tax assessment program for owners of farmland. The program allows for the farmland parcels to be taxed according to their use value in agriculture (or their value related to income from agriculture) rather than the market value (defined as the value if the land were sold by a willing seller to a non-related willing buyer). To arrive at this “use value”, a formula is used that includes several variables to capitalize the net income from agricultural products.

Landowners with farmland and woodlands in Ohio are eligible to sign-up for the CAUV program through their county auditor’s office if they meet the requirements.

There are two paths for a parcel to qualify for the Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV) Program. To qualify for CAUV, land must meet one of the following requirements during the three years preceding an application.

•             Ten or more acres must be devoted exclusively to commercial agricultural use; or

•             If under ten acres are devoted exclusively to commercial agricultural use, the farm must produce an average yearly gross income of at least $2,500.

Each of the approximately 3500 different soil types in Ohio is assigned a CAUV value each tax year. The value represents the expected net present value of an acre of land devoted solely to agricultural production for the dominant field crops in Ohio. To determine this value, an average of yields and prices for corn, soybeans, and wheat is used to determine gross income. Non-land costs are then subtracted from gross income for a measure of net income. Finally, this net income is divided by a capitalization rate based upon recent values of farm interest and equity rates.

Large increases in the Current Ag Use Value (CAUV) of farmland in Ohio in 2023 has resulted in higher property taxes (some have seen significant increases) for farmland owners in 2024. Counties are subject to an update in CAUV every 3 years so only a portion (41 of the 88 Ohio counties) have been updated in 2023 that have impacted 2024 property taxes. As counties see updated values only every three years, there is the opportunity for large changes as many farmland owners will see this year.

Several factors have led to much of this increase in ag use valuation. Higher crop market prices and increased crop yields included in the formula have been significant drivers in the higher current ag use values. Price increases have been substantial as compared to the prices used in the 2020 calculations.

Corn price increased 16%, soybean price increased 12% and wheat price increased 7.4%. Yields used to determine values for each soil type increased 7.3% for corn, 5.4% for soybeans and 7.2% for wheat as compared to the yields used for the 2020 calculations. These are substantial increases in both prices and yields in an historical context.

Low interest rates (capitalization rate) have also contributed to the increasing current ag use values as recent higher interest rates aren’t yet fully represented in the formula. The capitalization rate used in the formula in 2023 CAUV calculations was 8.0% as compared to the rate of 7.9% used in 2020, the last time these counties saw an update in CAUV. Recent higher interest rates will increase the capitalization rate (denominator in the CAUV calculation) in future years which will likely help to moderate current ag use values.

For a detailed look at the variables and calculations that are used to determine CAUV for farmland, access the Ohio Department of Taxation online publication “2023 Current Agricultural Use Value of Land Tables Explanation of the Calculation of Values for Tax Year 2023”.

The Ohio Department of Taxation annually publishes this explanation of the CAUV valuation method complete with the measures used to calculate CAUV and examples of the calculations for certain soil units for the present year. This year’s document is titled “2023 Current Agricultural Use Value of Land Tables Explanation of the Calculation of Values for Tax Year 2023” and is available online at:

https://tax.ohio.gov/government/real-state/cauv

Manure Monday webinars are back

Manure Monday webinars are back.  Join us starting Monday March 4th, 2024 at 2pm to continue conversations about a variety of aspects dealing with manure management.

Registration is free and includes access to all sessions.

Please register at this link.

You are receiving this message because of your previous participation in the Manure Mondays series.

Subjects to be discussed include:

  • Emerging Technologies for Sand-Laden Manure
  • Manure Application Logistics and Field Strategies
  • Manure Additives
  • Composting Bedded Pack Barns

For more information, please see the attached poster.

Zoom connection details for the new 2024 series will be shared prior to each event.

If you have any questions please contact us at by phone at 1-877-424-1300 or by email at ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.