With an estimated several hundred thousand head of cattle on roadways each day in the U.S., BERP offers practical curriculum and training opportunities for local responders to more appropriately prepare for and respond to accidents involving livestock transportation. Read more
Resources
2025 eBarns On-Farm Research Report Available
The eBarns report was created in 2022 as an extension of the eFields program. This annual report contains on-farm studies focused on applied livestock, forage, and manure management research across Ohio. Find forages, dairy, beef, small ruminants, manure nutrients, and swine research projects highlighted and summarized in a user-friendly format. The current report is available here.
Forage Analysis has likely never been so important
With what became known as perhaps the worst drought in Ohio history in 2024 followed by an extremely wet spring of 2025, perhaps never more than now has the adage “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” been more valid or meaningful to those trying to feed a beef cow. While cattlemen are concerned about the quality of Ohio’s late made forages this spring and early summer, it’s important for those who are balancing the needs of cows in various stages of production to know the nutritional value of the various feedstuffs they may be utilizing.
In this excerpt from one of the OSU Extension Beef Team’s 2021 Beef School sessions, Perry County Educator Ted Wiseman goes over the interpretation of a forage analysis and how the wide range in forage quality we’re seeing may need to be supplemented.
Ohio Farm Land Leasing Update
0:00 Introduction
03:47 Farm Drainage Economics
16:21 Legal Issues with Farm Lease Termination
01:00:34 Leasing the “Pore Space” Beneath Your Farmland
1:11:30 Cash Rent Outlook – Survey Data and Key Issues Impacting Change (Ohio Farmland Leasing Update)
01:43:06 Current Agriculture Use Value (CAUV)
01:45:38 Rental Strategies and Discovery Methods
Is a Will or Trust Better for Your Farm Transition Plan?
A common question regarding farm transition planning is: “should I have a will or trust for my plan?” Like most legal questions, the answer is “it depends”. Sometimes a will is adequate for a plan while other plans should include a trust. Knowing which you need requires an understanding of wills and trusts and the factors that should be considered when deciding which to implement.
A new publication, Is a Will or Trust Better for Your Farm Transition Plan?, discusses the differences between wills and trusts and provides nine factors to consider when deciding which to use for your plan. The factors to consider are:
- Legal fees
- Complexity of the plan
- Probate
- Concerns about heirs
- Second marriages
- Transition of farming operation
- Taxes
- Privacy
- Control
The publication analyzes each factor and how it relates to a will and trust. After reviewing the factors, an informed decision can be made regarding implementing a will or trust into a farm transition plan. This publication is part of an extensive library of farm transition bulletins and publications available at farmoffice.osu.edu.
This article originally appeared at the Farm Office blog at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/blog/tue-11072023-508pm/new-publication-discusses-wills-and-trusts
Tar Spot, Southern Rust of Corn, Red Crown Rot of Soybean, Forage Analysis, Stockpiling Fescue
Scouting for and Diagnosis and Quantification of Tar Spot | Agronomic Crops Network
Identification and Management Tips for Southern Rust of Corn | Agronomic Crops Network
Red Crown Rot Confirmed in Ohio Soybean Field for the First Time | Agronomic Crops Network
Forage Analysis has likely never been so important | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter
Stockpiling Fescue and Orchardgrass | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter
New Publication: Using Long-Term Leases in Farm Transition Planning
Planning how to pass on the farm to the next generation can be one of the most challenging tasks for a farm family. Parents often want to recognize the hard work and commitment of a farming heir while still treating non-farming heirs fairly. The difficulty is that most of a family’s wealth is usually tied up in farmland and operating assets. If all the farmland is left to the farming heir, non-farming heirs may feel shortchanged. But if farmland is split among heirs, the farming operation can lose access to land needed to sustain the business. Non-farming heirs may wish to inherit land for sentimental or financial reasons, yet their ownership could lead to conflicts over leases, sales, or use of the property that disrupt the farm’s future.
These decisions can become emotional as well as financial. A farming heir often contributes years of labor with the understanding they will one day operate the farm. Non-farming heirs may feel entitled to an equitable share of the family wealth, even if it means dividing farm assets. Options like requiring a buyout by the farming heir can create additional financial stress and may not be realistic given high land prices. Many families struggle to balance fairness to all heirs with the need to preserve the land base for a viable farming operation.
A new bulletin, Using Long-Term Leases in Farm Transition Planning, explores one way to resolve this challenge. A long-term lease allows parents to leave farmland ownership to a non-farming heir while granting the farming heir a secure, extended right to farm that land. This strategy protects the farmland base for the farming heir, provides rental income to the non-farming heir, and helps the farming heir avoid the high cost of purchasing additional farmland. The publication explains how long term leases work, the advantages and disadvantages of this approach, and considerations for setting lease terms that work for both parties. It includes practical examples of how families can use this strategy in their transition plans, as well as the importance of adjusting rent over time and consulting legal counsel before finalizing an agreement.
The bulletin is part of the Planning for the Future of Your Farm series and is now available on the Farm Office website.
Buckeye Tick Test Laboratory is now open for business
The Buckeye Tick Testing Laboratory at Ohio State University is up and running and now ready to accept samples!
The tick population, the number of tick species, and the associated tick-borne diseases in people and animals are rapidly increasing across the Buckeye State. Ohio now has six medically important tick species. These include blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks, lone star ticks, gulf coast ticks, Asian longhorned ticks, and brown dog ticks and each carry one or more pathogens that could be harmful to humans and/or animals (note: pathogens are germs that can cause illness).
The Ohio State University Buckeye Tick Test Laboratory is addressing this critical situation by offering cost-effective tick-borne pathogen testing for the general public with test results within 72 hours. After receiving the test results, individuals can share the information with their medical providers and/or veterinarians. Buckeye Tick Test has the potential to reduce tick pathogen disease for hundreds of people and animals and the data from the tick testing will provide much needed publicly available tick pathogen surveillance information.
The Ohio State University Buckeye Tick Test staff is committed to providing quality tick testing for you and your family (including pets and livestock). Find details on collecting and submitting ticks, and pricing for services, at the Buckeye Tick Test Laboratory at https://buckeyebugbite.osu.edu/
New Publication: “The Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership”
Nearly 39% of the 880 million acres of farmland in the United States is leased, and in Ohio, this figure approaches 50%. Many individuals who inherit or purchase farmland have limited experience in agricultural management, creating uncertainty regarding effective land stewardship. To assist these novice farmland owners, Ohio State University’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program is pleased to announce the release of our latest publication, “The Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership”, authored by Robert Moore, Attorney and Research Specialist at OSU. This practical, user-friendly resource is now available for download at farmoffice.osu.edu.
Owning farmland is not only a rewarding opportunity but also a significant responsibility, particularly for new landowners with limited farming experience. Whether you’ve inherited farmland or recently purchased it, navigating complex decisions such as leasing, selling, or managing alternative land uses can be challenging. This 48-page, comprehensive guide was developed to help new landowners understand and manage their farmland effectively.
“The Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership” addresses key areas that every new landowner needs to understand. Topics include understanding farmland valuation, exploring leasing arrangements (cash rent, share rent, and flex leases), considerations when selling farmland, managing tax implications, and assessing alternative land uses such as renewable energy or conservation easements. Additionally, the guide explores strategies for protecting farmland through legal instruments and minimizing risk through insurance and business entities.
Visit farmoffice.osu.edu to access this publication.
This was authored by Robert Moore, Attorney and Research Specialist at OSU, and first appeared at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/blog/fri-03142025-1223pm/new-publication-beginner%E2%80%99s-guide-farmland-ownership
How much was agricultural land worth in Muskingum County in 1900?
A recent sorting of files in my office yielded this document with records from the past…
