Ohio Crop Returns Outlook for 2025

Written by Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management

Lower crop prices and a mix of higher and lower input costs have set the stage for another challenging profit outlook for Ohio commodity crops in 2025. Supply and demand fundamentals have both continued to negatively affect commodity crop prices. Some input costs are projected to be higher while some are expected to be steady to lower. The result of this set of economic fundamentals is an outlook for low to negative margins for the 2025 corn, soybean and wheat crops.

Production costs for Ohio field crops are forecast to be steady to slightly higher than last year with higher machinery and equipment costs leading the way. Lower crop protection chemical prices are offset by an expected increase in product need. Fuel and crop insurance costs are also projected to be slightly lower but land rents continue to increase on average.

Variable costs for corn in Ohio for 2025 are projected to range from $502 to $614 per acre depending on land productivity. The trend line corn yield (190.1 bpa) scenario included in the corn enterprise budget shows an increase in variable costs of 2.4% with an increase in fixed costs of 3.4% due to higher rents and machinery/equipment costs.

Variable costs for 2025 Ohio soybeans are projected to range from $264 to $298 per acre. Variable costs for trend-line soybeans (56.8 bpa) are expected to decrease 2% in 2025 compared to 2024 while fixed costs are expected to increase 2.9% in 2025. Continue reading Ohio Crop Returns Outlook for 2025 →

The 3rd Annual Cultivating Connections Conference Returns

Written by Robert Moore

We’re excited to announce the 3rd Annual Cultivating Connections Conference, a joint effort between Ohio State University and Iowa State University. This unique event brings together professionals who are dedicated to the critical work of farm transition planning. Whether you are an attorney, accountant, financial advisor, or educator, this conference is designed to provide you with the tools, insights, and connections you need to support farm families as they plan for the future.

The conference will be held at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, Iowa. In-person registration is $325, and a virtual attendance option is available for $299. The event will take place over two days and will feature a variety of sessions focused on the legal, financial, and family dynamics of transitioning agricultural operations to the next generation.

This year’s agenda features presentations on new legal tools for the farm transition, counseling farm families through succession planning, and understanding how farm program payments impact the transition plan. Additional sessions will include a 2025 tax update for the farm transition, long-term care planning, and a discussion on the concept of fairness versus equality in farm debt. The second day of the conference will provide real-world case studies.

The Cultivating Connections Conference is more than just a learning event. It is a forum for building relationships, exchanging ideas, and strengthening the professional community dedicated to preserving the legacy and sustainability of family farms. Whether you are just entering the field or have years of experience, we invite you to join us for this important event. Come to gain valuable knowledge, share your own insights, and connect with others who are committed to helping farm families succeed across generations.

Registration is now open at: https://www.regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/cultivating/

For questions, contact Robert Moore at moore.301@osu.edu .

Considerations When Using the Prevented Planting Option

By: Eric Richer, Associate Professor and Field Specialist, Farm Management, OSU Extension; Carl Zulauf, Professor Emeritus, OSU Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics; and Aaron Wilson, Assistant Professor and Field Specialist, Ag Weather and Climate, OSU Extension

According to the May 27 Crop Progress Report by USDA National Ag Statistics Service, Ohio had only 54% of corn planted, well behind the 5-year average of 73% planted. In 2024, 74% was planted by this report date. In 2019, a year with significant planting delay, only 22% of the corn had been planted by this report date. In that year, the wettest spring conditions were confined to northwest Ohio. In contrast, much more of the state has received well above average precipitation in 2025, with areas near the Ohio River and northeast Ohio seeing the largest difference compared to normal.

The lag in corn planting progress this year has prompted increasing interest in evaluating the Prevented Planting option available through multi-peril crop insurance. The purpose of this article is to walk through the options, mechanics, and economics of electing prevented planting for your corn crop utilizing 2025 values.

We are not crop insurance agents, so our most important message is that for those thinking about prevented planting talk sooner rather than later with your insurance agent.

In Ohio, June 5 is the date at which prevented planting becomes an electable option.  For soybeans, the date is June 20.

As of June 5, a farmer who has individual farm yield (YP) and revenue (RP and RP-HPE) insurance for corn has 3 basic options: Continue reading Considerations When Using the Prevented Planting Option →

BEEF Cattle Letter: May 28

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1449 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

While we commonly think of summer as tick season, this week Tim McDermott explains we actually see tick activity and positive detections of tick-borne disease all 12 months of the year in Ohio.

Articles this week include:

  • An Update on Ticks and Tick-borne Disease in Ohio, plus the Buckeye Tick Test Lab
  • Concerning parasites, are you controlling what you think you are controlling?
  • Estrus Synchronization Success Hinges on Compliance
  • Enhancing Pre-Veterinary Education: The Value of Animal Sciences at Ohio State ATI
  • Pastures for Profit will be offered in-person this June in Logan County
  • May Cattle on Feed: Dressed Weights, Drought, and Disruptions to Trade

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

C.O.R.N. Newsletter: May 27-June 2

In this edition of the C.O.R.N. Newsletter:

  • Battle for the Belt: Season 3, Episode 9- Diego Miranda, Maria Kessler, Taylor Dill, Laura Lindsey, Osler Ortez
  • Lep Monitoring Network – Black Cutworm and True Armyworm #5- Rosalind Holt-Frank, Evan Hodkinson, Trevor Mullen, Amy Raudenbush, Nic Baumer, Lee Beers, JD Bethel, Trevor Corboy, Mary Jo Hassen, Alan Leininger, Clifton Martin, Garth McDorman, Jared Myers, Jordan Penrose, Amanda Perkins, Beth Scheckelhoff, Mike Sunderman, Kyle Verhoff, Jacob Winters, Curtis Young, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon
  • Statewide Slug Monitoring Project- Update #2- Rosalind Holt-Frank, Evan Hodkinson, Trevor Mullen, Amy Raudenbush, John Barker, Amanda Barnum, Nic Baumer, Amanda Douridas, Ken Ford, Seth Kannberg, Dean Kreager, Alan Leininger, Clifton Martin, Kendra Rose, Jocelyn Ruble, Clint Schroeder, Ryan Slaughter, Jacob Winters, Ted Wiseman, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon
  • Using Manure With Corn- Glen Arnold
  • Help Shape the Furture of Agricultural Information- Stacy Cochran

C.O.R.N. Newsletter is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio crop producers and industry. C.O.R.N. Newsletter is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, state specialists at The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). C.O.R.N. Newsletter questions are directed to Extension and OARDC state specialists and associates at Ohio State.

House Farm Bill Reconciliation Summary Overview

By:Peggy Kirk Hall, Attorney and Director, Agricultural & Resource Law Program Tuesday, May 27th, 2025

Guest author:  Dr. Carl Zulauf, Professor Emeritus, Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, Ohio State University.

Note:  The U.S. House of Representatives passed its budget reconciliation bill on May 22, 2025.  Prior to the bill’s passage, the budget reconciliation process required the House Agriculture Committee to reduce spending by $230 billion over the 10-year budget period. The committee’s final proposed provisions for doing so, which represents the Farm Bill attention we’ve long awaited, were included in the budget reconciliation bill passed by the House. Thank you to our guest author and Farm Bill expert, Dr. Carl Zulauf, for the following summary of the House’s proposed Farm Bill changes that now move over to the Senate for consideration. Continue reading House Farm Bill Reconciliation Summary Overview →

Income Tax Schools at The Ohio State University Summer Tax School 2025

Written by Jeffrey K. Lewis, Esq., Legal Associate, Agricultural and Resource Law Program, Income Tax Schools

Income Tax Schools at The Ohio State University Announces Summer Income Tax School Webinar
Barry Ward & Jeff Lewis, OSU Income Tax Schools

An “Update on Current Tax Issues and Law Changes” along with a section on “Taxpayers in Trouble” are the focus of the upcoming Summer Tax School Webinar featured by Income Tax Schools at The Ohio State University.

This webinar is scheduled for August 11th and registration is now open. The registration page can be accessed at: go.osu.edu/summertaxschool.

This Summer Tax School is designed to update tax preparers about current tax issues, new law changes and tax legislation. This school will also include a section on working with “taxpayers in trouble”. Continue reading Income Tax Schools at The Ohio State University Summer Tax School 2025 →

BEEF Cattle Letter: May 21

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1448 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

While this is the time of year when we traditionally concern ourselves with hay quality, this week John Yost reminds us that water remains the single most important nutrient to sustain life.

Articles this week include:

  • Water, the forgotten nutrient?
  • Controlling Buttercup – A Persistent Challenge
  • Forage Resiliency Webinars are posted on YouTube
  • Address Lameness Cases Sooner Rather Than Later
  • Southeast Pasture Conditions
  • Early Tariff Impacts on Beef Exports

Newsletter release by Stan Smith, OSU Extension ANR Program Assistant, Fairfield County

Buyer Beware – Artificial Intelligence Planting Uncertainty for Gardeners

Article by Frank Becker, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator for Wayne County

Already a few times this spring, I have come across social media posts and advertisements for spring sales of garden and landscape plants. Upon closer review of these listings, I began to notice strange characteristics in the images. Plant sizes and growth habits were severely abnormal, as were the colors and patterns on the foliage. It didn’t take me long to realize that the suspect images were the result of an artificial intelligence (A.I.) creation. You may have also noticed similar posts. In popular online gardening forums on various social media platforms, it is now very common to come across posts and images that feature plants and landscapes that appear to have come forth out of a dream world, rather than out of our yards and gardens.

Lauren Goldsby, a University of Florida Horticulture Extension Agent shares this about A.I. images being shared online; “An AI, or artificial intelligence, generated photo is made using a computer program instead of being captured by a camera. These programs can produce images based on a user’s description or request, generating realistic or abstract photos. Scroll through the comments on these images and you’ll see a mix of reactions. Some love the photos, asking where they can find these plants. Others are quick to point out that they aren’t real. For the most part, these images are harmless fun, sparking creativity and potentially inspiring people to spend more time outdoors with their own plants.” Continue reading Buyer Beware – Artificial Intelligence Planting Uncertainty for Gardeners →

Buckeye Lady Beetle Blitz Community Science Program Training 2025

Join OSU Extension in Lorain County for the 2025 Lady Beetle Blitz Community Science Program training. The training will be held here at the Extension office on June 10 at 11am till about 12:30pm. Please reach out to the office to guarantee your spot as there is limited supplies. Please see the flyer above for more details on this program. Call 440-326-5851 or email becker.643@osu.edu to register.