Are you a hunter, landowner, or wildlife enthusiast? If so, please join the Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, for an evening workshop about chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Ohio’s wild deer herd.

Chronic Wasting Disease in Ohio’s Wild Deer Herd: What You Need to Know

• August 8 – Hardin County
• August 12 – Union County
• August 29 – Wyandot County
• September 5 – Crawford County
• September 10 – Allen County
• September 12 – Marion County

All workshops are 6:30 – 8:30 pm. See the attached flyer for locations. 

Each workshop will cover:

• What is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)?
• Navigating Disease Surveillance Area Regulations
• Carcass Handling Restrictions & Best Management Practices
• Where and How can I Test my Deer for CWD?
• How does CWD impact Deer Management?

There is no fee to attend these workshops. Due to space limitations, REGISTRATION is REQUIRED.

Visit go.osu.edu/cwdworkshop to register.

On June 11-13, The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) hosts the Urban Food Systems Symposium in Columbus, Ohio. The event includes keynotes, a grower panel, 40 presentations, a reception with approximately 50 posters, a choice of six off-site educational tours, and dinner at The Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, a unique 261-acre university facility for teaching, research, and community engagement.

This symposium will bring together a national and international audience of academic, non-profit, government, and research-oriented professionals to share and learn how to build coalitions to adapt to this changing world and how urban food systems contribute to these solutions.

Join 300-400 like-minded people at the Urban Food Systems Symposium. Act now to take advantage of early registration prices through April 13. Hotel reservations close on May 21, and registration closes on May 24. Tour capacity is limited and is on a first-come basis. Visit UrbanFoodSystemsSymposium.org for more information.

Pruning 2024 The Ohio State University South Centers is hosting its popular, two-part (morning and afternoon) Online Fruit Pruning School on Thursday, March 14, 2024. This FREE online event will be conducted virtually via the Zoom communications platform.

Part 1 on March 14 will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and will focus on pruning fruit trees, including apples and peaches. Part 2 will be held later that same day from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and will cover small fruits like grapes and raspberries.

Please register by Monday, March 11, 2024. Simply visit the link below and fill out the registration form. We also plan on offering recordings afterward so you can access the event on-demand, as we know this better fits some people’s schedules.

Register here: http://go.osu.edu/pruningschool.

For even more information, consult the attached flyer.

Looking forward to seeing you (virtually) again this year!

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.

“According to the most recent census data, Ohio has over 350 organic corn and soybean farmers and currently has the sixth most acres in transition to organic in the country,” says conference director Eric Richer. “One of the goals of the conference is to better prepare farmers for the production and management risks associated with organic grain production in the state and to evaluate the possibility of growing value-added, organic grain in our region.”

Featured speakers for 2024 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. Alongside these speakers, the agenda features several additional Ohio State researchers, specialists, and educators whose work aligns with or includes organic production practices. Most importantly to Richer, the conference also includes several organic grower speakers, including Martens and farmer panelists on weed control and evaluating biological products. A unique lunchtime event features farmer-led roundtables where farmers can share their individual experiences and questions about selected topics.

Attendees who arrive on Wednesday, January 3, can be part of an Organic Farmer Researcher Network dinner and brainstorming session. This pre-conference event will gather farmers, researchers, and educators to network around future research ideas.

Steve Turnow, an organic grain farmer from Ottawa County, Ohio, and previous conference speaker is looking forward to this year’s event.

“The conference is a great way for organic farmers to enhance their operations and to network with others interested in organic production,” he says. “Last year’s speakers were informative and helped me in my operation.”

This event is presented by Ohio State University Extension and Ohio State’s Organic Food & Farming Education and Research (OFFER) program. Pre-registration is $100 per person through December 1 and $130 from December 2 to December 22. Continuing education credits will be available for Certified Crop Advisors. For more information, visit go.osu.edu/organicgrains.