Upcoming Events

Deadline Approaching: Basics of Grain Marketing Workshop February 8 & 9

By: Wm. Bruce Clevenger, Field Specialist, Farm Management

The registration deadline is approaching for the Basics of Grain Marketing Workshop, February 8 & 9, 2024 at the OSU Extension Union County Office in Marysville, Ohio.  Registration deadline is January 20th.  No grain marketing experience is required.  This in-person workshop offers education and farm ready strategies on topics such as: basis, market carry, margins, cash markets, forward and futures contracts, hedge to arrive and basis contracts, differed price, hedging, storage, and overviews on options, spreads, and crop insurance.  It’s “more than a 2-day workshop”, featuring pre-workshop virtual lesson on calculating grain cost of production and measure of risk comfort. Workshop content will include workshop content and activities, plus a panel of industry professionals.  A post-workshop grain marketing peer group will be offered to strengthen learning into action.  The workshop has 35 limited seats.

Expert instructors: Seungki Lee, The Ohio State University, Grant Gardner, University of Kentucky, and Ben Brown, University of Missouri.  For more information and registration, visit https://go.osu.edu/grainmarketing

Registration is $100 and includes two full days of training and materials, lunches, refreshments, and a networking reception/dinner on the evening of February 8th.  Lodging is own your own, however a block of rooms at a discounted rate are being held up until the registration deadline at a local hotel.  More information can be found at the online registration.

This workshop is possible by the support of grower checkoff dollars via the Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio Corn & Wheat.  This workshop is led by Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio State University Farm Financial Management & Policy Institute.

Are Better Farm Records on Your Resolution List? If so, check out OSU Extension’s Regional Quicken Workshops

Does a new year inspire a re-evaluation of how the farm keeps financial records? If so, OSU Extension is pleased to be offering five Farm Accounting Workshops with Quicken  across Ohio this winter.  These workshops will be held at:

Knox County, February 26 & 27, 2024 – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Madison County, March 5, 2024 – 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Clinton County, March 6 & 7, 2024 – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Putnam County, March 13 & 14, 2024 – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Jackson County, March 20 & 21, 2024 – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Quicken® is a simple cash accounting system. This single-entry system allows users to record all income and expenses of both the farm and family. It is popular with farmers due to the ease of data entry and its annual subscription price of $60 to $120.  Maybe Quicken® has been thought about but you think it won’t work for a home and a farm business or you would like to see how it works before making the commitment of purchasing. Maybe Quicken® has been thought about but you think it won’t work for a home and a farm business or you would like to see how it works before making the commitment of purchasing.

Workshop participants will use example farm data to learn how to set up accounts, categorize income and expenses, run tax reports, explore recording farm production data, track income/expenses across tax years, and cash flows by enterprise. Hands-on workshop uses an OSU Computer Lab with Quicken® Classic Deluxe software installed. Participants receive workshop manual/home reference with each registration. Participants must be familiar with keyboarding and using a computer mouse. This medium-paced workshop will use a variety of farming examples to maximize the learning experience.

Registration is $60.00 per farm business (2 people per computer). Space is limited to 10 farm businesses at each location. Registration deadline is one week prior to each workshop.  Register and pay at the hosting OSU Extension Office or register online at: https://go.osu.edu/quicken and pay by credit card or pay at the hosting OSU Extension Office.

Join OSU Extension for the “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” Workshop

By: Peggy Hall, David Marrison and Robert Moore, OSU Extension

If you and your family are grappling with the critical issue of how to transition the farm operation and farm assets to the next generation, OSU Extension is here to help.  Attend one of our “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” workshops this winter to learn about the communication and legal strategies that provide solutions for dealing with farm transition needs and decision making.  A webinar version and several in-person options for the workshop are being offered.

This workshop challenges farm families to actively plan for the future of the farm business.  Learn how to have crucial conversations about the future of your farm and gain a better understanding of the strategies and tools that can help you transfer your farm’s ownership, management, and assets to the next generation. We encourage parents, children, and grandchildren to attend together to develop a plan for the future of the family and farm.

Teaching faculty for the workshop are David Marrison, OSU Extension Farm Management Field Specialist, and Robert Moore, Attorney with the OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program. Topics which will be covered in the workshop include:

  • Developing goals for estate and transition planning
  • Planning for the transition of control
  • Planning for the unexpected
  • Communication and conflict management during farm transfer
  • Federal estate tax challenges
  • Tools for transferring assets
  • Tools for avoiding probate
  • The role of wills and trusts
  • Using LLCs
  • Strategies for on-farm and off-farm heirs
  • Strategies for protecting the farmland
  • Developing your team
  • Getting your affairs in order
  • Selecting an attorney

Webinar version.  You and your family members can attend the workshop individually from the comfort of your homes.  The four-part webinar series will be February 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2024, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Pre-registration is required so that a packet of program materials can be mailed in advance to participating families. Electronic copies of the course materials will also be available to all participants. The registration fee is $75 per farm family.  Register by January 22, 2024 in order to receive course materials in time. Click here to register

In-person workshops.  Our local Extension Educators are hosting in-person workshops at five regional locations across Ohio. Registration costs vary by location due to local sponsorships. Click on the links below to access the individual registration information for each location:

Registration is required.  Find registration information for all workshops at go.osu.edu/farmsuccession

We hope you’ll join us to move forward on planning for the future of your farm!  For questions about the workshop, please contact David Marrison at marrison.2@osu.edu or 740-722-6073.

Farmer and Farmland Owner Income Tax Webinar

Farmer and Farmland Owner Income Tax Webinar
Barry Ward & Jeff Lewis, OSU Income Tax Schools

Are you a farmer or farmland owner wanting to learn more about the recent tax law issues? If so, join us for this webinar on Friday, December 15th, 2023 from 10am to noon. This webinar is a part of our Farm Office Live Series and serves as our Farm Office Live! Webinar for December. To register for this webinar go to: https://go.osu.edu/register4fol

This webinar will focus on issues related to farmer and farmland owner income tax returns as well as the latest news on CAUV and property taxes in Ohio and the big changes to the Ohio Commercial Activity Tax (CAT). This two-hour program will be presented in a live webinar format via Zoom by OSU Extension Educators Barry Ward, David Marrison and Jeff Lewis along with Purdue faculty member Dr. Michael Langemeier. Individuals who operate farms, own property, or are involved with renting farmland should participate.

Topics to be discussed during this webinar include (subject to change based on tax law change):

  • Economic Outlook
  • Depreciation Update
  • Employee vs. Independent Contractor
  • Corporate Transparency Act/Beneficial Owners Information Reporting
  • 1099-K Changes
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts
  • Basis Allocation Land Acquisition – Allocating Basis to Residual Fertility for Future Deductions
  • Defining Farm Income to Avoid Paying Estimated Tax
  • Keeping an Eye Forward on Estate/Gift Tax Limitation
  • Reminder – Keeping an Eye on Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Provisions Sunsetting After 2025 Tax Year
  • Ohio Tax Update (CAUV/Property Tax Update, CAT Changes, Beginning Farmer Tax Credit, Ohio Tax Law Interpretation – Ohio Supreme Court Issues New Ruling)
  • Indiana Tax Update

To register: https://go.osu.edu/register4fol

For more information, contact Barry Ward at ward.8@osu.edu or Jeff Lewis at lewis.1459@osu.edu

Announcing our “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” Winter Workshops

By: Peggy Hall, David Marrison and Robert Moore, OSU Extension

If you and your family are grappling with the critical issue of how to transition the farm operation and farm assets to the next generation, OSU Extension is here to help.  Attend one of our “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” workshops this winter to learn about the communication and legal strategies that provide solutions for dealing with farm transition needs and decision making.  We’ve scheduled both a webinar version and several in-person options for the workshop, with the first in-person workshops coming up soon on December 7 in Celina, Ohio.

This workshop challenges farm families to actively plan for the future of the farm business.  Learn how to have crucial conversations about the future of your farm and gain a better understanding of the strategies and tools that can help you transfer your farm’s ownership, management, and assets to the next generation. We encourage parents, children, and grandchildren to attend together to develop a plan for the future of the family and farm.

Teaching faculty for the workshop are David Marrison, OSU Extension Farm Management Field Specialist, and Robert Moore, Attorney with the OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program. Topics which will be covered in the workshop include:

  • Developing goals for estate and transition planning
  • Planning for the transition of control
  • Planning for the unexpected
  • Communication and conflict management during farm transfer
  • Federal estate tax challenges
  • Tools for transferring assets
  • Tools for avoiding probate
  • The role of wills and trusts
  • Using LLCs
  • Strategies for on-farm and off-farm heirs
  • Strategies for protecting the farmland
  • Developing your team
  • Getting your affairs in order
  • Selecting an attorney

Webinar version.  You and your family members can attend the workshop individually from the comfort of your homes.  The four-part webinar series will be February 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2024, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Pre-registration is required so that a packet of program materials can be mailed in advance to participating families. Electronic copies of the course materials will also be available to all participants. The registration fee is $75 per farm family.  Register by January 22, 2024 in order to receive course materials in time. Click here to register

In-person workshops.  Our local Extension Educators are hosting in-person workshops at five regional locations across Ohio. Registration costs vary by location due to local sponsorships. Click on the links below to access the individual registration information for each location:

Registration is required.  Find registration information for all workshops at go.osu.edu/farmsuccession

We hope you’ll join us to move forward on planning for the future of your farm!  For questions about the workshop, please contact David Marrison at marrison.2@osu.edu or 740-722-6073.

Farm Office Live Webinar to be Held November 17 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

The OSU Extension Farm Office Team is pleased to be offering a “Farm Office Live” Zoom webinar on Friday, November 17 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

This month’s webinar will feature the following topics:

  • Ohio’s role in organic grain production – Eric Richer, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Farm Management  
  • Using Charitable Remainder Trusts – Robert Moore, Attorney and Research Specialist, OSU Agricultural and Resource Law Program
  • Agronomy and Farm Management Podcast – Josh Winters, OSU Extension Educator and Bruce Clevenger, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Farm Management 
  • Farm Business Analysis — Clint Schroeder, Program Manager, OSU Extension Farm Business Analysis Program
  • Farmer Mental Health Concerns and Resources — Bridget Britton, Behavioral Health Field Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Foreign Ownership of Farmland – Panel discussion — Peggy Hall (Attorney and Director, OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program) with Micah Brown (Attorney with National Agricultural Law Center)

To register for this program (or to access replays of previous programs):

go.osu.edu/farmofficelive

More information about this program can be accessed at farmoffice.osu.edu

 

Coffee and Grain Marketing Talk Scheduled for Friday November 17

OSU Extension invites Ohio soybean and corn producers to grab a cup of coffee this Friday morning, November 17,  and tune in for Coffee and Grain Marketing with Dr. Seungki Lee from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. via Zoom.

The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) crop report was released last week. Tune in to see what this month’s report might mean for producers and their marketing strategies as work to complete harvest across Ohio. Attend and learn more about:

1) US Production Estimates (based on the Nov 9 WASDE report)

2) Continuous low water level in the Mississippi River

3) Brazil production forecast

Farmers and ag business personnel are encouraged to bring their questions to this early morning conversation. There is no fee to attend any of these webinar sessions. Pre-register at: go.osu.edu/coffeewithDrLee

Click here to access a program flyer

The sponsors of this event include: OSU Extension, the  Ohio Soybean Council, Farm Financial Management & Policy Institute (FFMPI), and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE)

Register Now for the January 4-5 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference

By: Eric Richer, Field Specialist-Farm Management

Registration is open for the 2nd annual Ohio State Organic Grains Conference, January 4-5, 2024 at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center near Toledo, Ohio. The 2024 conference offers programming for experienced organic growers, growers transitioning to or considering organic, and consultants or educators who support these growers. Featured speakers will include Klaas Martens from Lakeview Organic Grain in New York; Léa Vereecke from Rodale Institute; former Ohio State soil fertility specialist Steve Culman; and Eugene Law, currently of USDA-ARS, but soon to be an Ohio State assistant professor in weed ecology.

Take advantage of Early Bird pricing and register now. The cost of $100 per person includes two days of quality programming, meals throughout the event, and opportunities to network with organic farmers in the region as well as speakers and trade show vendors.

This event is brought to you by Ohio State University Extension and Ohio State’s Organic Food & Farming Education and Research (OFFER) program. Continuing education credits will be available for Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs). For more information, visit go.osu.edu/organicgrains.

For more information, contact:

Eric Richer, The Ohio State University

Assistant Professor / Farm Management Field Specialist

richer.5@osu.edu

419-590-6042

 

Farm Office Live to be held on October 20 at 10:00 a.m.

The OSU Extension Farm Office Team is pleased to be offering a “Farm Office Live” Zoom webinar on Friday, October 20 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

This month’s webinar will feature the following topics:

Federal Farm Program Assistance Update

Legislative Update

A Look at Upcoming Farm Management Programs

Crop Input Outlook for 2024

Handing an Insurance Claim

Farm Bill Update

Featured Farm Office Team members include Bruce Clevenger, Jeff Lewis, David Marrison, Eric Richer, and Barry Ward.

To register for this program (or to access replays of previous programs):

go.osu.edu/farmofficelive

More information about this program can be accessed at farmoffice.osu.edu

Deadline Approaching for Ag Lender Seminars Offered in October

By Wm. Bruce Clevenger, Frank Becker, Shelby Tedrow, Grant Davis, and Ken Ford

Ag lenders are keeping farm businesses moving forward.  Agriculture is a capital intense industry.  Land, buildings, livestock, and equipment are the largest assets on the balance sheet.  Additionally, the cash flow needs of seed, chemicals, fertilizers, feed, and supplies are cumulative to the number of dollars needed to operate the business.

Ohio State University Extension has scheduled four seminars in Ohio for Agricultural Lenders. The dates are Tuesday, October 17th in Ottawa, Ohio; Wednesday, October 18th in Wooster, Ohio; Thursday, October 19th in both Washington Court House, OH, and Urbana, OH.  Registration deadlines are October 10, 11 and 12, for Ottawa, Wooster, and Washington Court House/Urbana, respectively.

These seminars are excellent professional development opportunities for Lenders, Farm Service Agency personnel, county Extension Educators and others to learn about critical agricultural topics facing the industry across the state and nation such as farm policy, risk management, market outlook, and business analysis.

Featured topic and speaker at all locations in 2023:

Farm Bill 2023 Update: Direct from Washington D.C. by: John Newton, Ph.D., Chief Economist to Senator John Boozman, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.  Newton: Ohio State University Graduate: Ph.D 2013, M.S. 2012, B.S. 2010.

2023 Topics and Speakers by Location

Ottawa, OH – October 17, 2023

  • Economics of Farm Drainage: Calculating a Payback Period & Lease Terms When Installing Drainage Improvements. – Wm. Bruce Clevenger, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Farm Management
  • Farm Bill 2023 Update: Direct from Washington D.C. – John Newton, Ph.D., Chief Economist to Senator John Boozman
  • Farm Insurance Policy: “I think I’m covered if that happens” – Robert Moore, J.D., OSU Extension Attorney, OSU Ag & Natural Resources Law Program
  • USDA – Farm Service Agency Loan Program Update – Kurt Leber, Northwest Ohio FSA, District Director – Farm Loan and Farm Program