Ohio State University Extension will be hosting an “Agricultural Lender” seminar on October 13 and 14 in western, Ohio. The October 13 will be held at the Champaign County office of OSU Extension in Urbana, and the Thursday, October 14 session will be held at the Putnam County office of OSU Extension in Ottawa. Both sessions will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
These seminars are excellent opportunities for ag lenders, Farm Service Agency financial personnel, farm managers, county Extension educators and others to learn about OSU Extension research, outreach programs and current agricultural topics of interest across the state. The seminars will feature five speakers.
The first speaker will be David Drake, of the Farm Service Agency in Ohio, who will share information on the new Conservation Loan Program. This new program was part of the 2008 Farm Bill and gets away from the typical “safety net” role and allows anyone to apply. The second speaker will be Barry Ward, OSU Extension leader in production business management, who will report on updated information on cash rents, 2011 crop input costs, land values and custom farming rates
The third speaker will be Peggy Kirk-Hall, director of OSU Extension’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program. Mrs Hall will discuss the “Ohio Animal Care Agreement and Legal Issues with Under-Cover Operators” on private farms. Ohio livestock operators continue to face pressure from various state and national groups on animal production practices and care. The fourth speaker will Kevin Elder of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Permitting Section. Mr Elder will speak about potential new rules regarding the use of livestock manure in the Grand Lake St Mary’s watershed and the implications for other watersheds in Ohio. Algae blooms across Ohio have brought increased scrutiny to the use and timing of manure and commercial fertilizers on farming fields. Finally, Dr. Ian Sheldon, The Andersons Endowed Chair Professor of International Trade, who will present the topic “Why Regulate Shadow Banking” as it relates to federal legislative efforts to prevent future banking crises like the one experienced in the past couple of years.
Registration to attend either seminar is $60. The registration deadline is October 6 and includes continental breakfast, lunch and a packet of registration materials. Interested parties can contact the Putnam County Extension office at 419-523-6294. Click here for the registration flyer.