Our Goal
Our goal is to engage farmers and their trusted advisors in new production strategies, technologies, and best management practices to improve fertilizer use efficiency and farm profitability while promoting soil health and reducing nutrient and sediment losses within the western Lake Erie basin.
Through education, outreach, and demonstrations highlighting the benefits of practices we hope to encourage widespread practice adoption and sustained practice implementation.
What We Need Help With
- Learning about the unique challenges that face area farmers.
- Finding partners interested in adopting new technologies and conservation practices and understanding their potential water quality, soil health, and agronomic benefits.
- Identifying potential sites for on-farm applied research trials and case studies.
How We Can Help
- Assistance with soil test interpretation, new tri-state fertilizer recommendations, and use of On-Field Ohio online decision tool for estimating phosphorus losses.
- Consultation on nutrient management practices and technology, including in-field and remote sensing technologies, modern planting and fertilizer application equipment, use of drones for field scouting, mobile applications to support field operations, and data storage and retrieval programs.
- Providing guidance on best management practice selection and implementation including managing cover crops for success.
- Understanding manure nutrient content and utilization as a resource while promoting soil health and reducing water quality impacts.
- Identifying low return on investment (ROI) areas that may be appropriate for conversion to conservation practices.
- Generating cost-return data for conservation and nutrient management practices.
- Referral to shared community resources and funding opportunities.
Water quality extension associates work as a team with faculty, extension specialists, and educators and bring current information, applied research, and resources to the agricultural community: https://waterquality.osu.edu
Partnerships
The water quality extension associates are supported through partnerships with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Cargill.
Water Quality Associates:
- Jordan Beck – Fulton County Office
- Counties: Fulton, Williams, and Lucas
- Topics of Interest; Manure application, Cover crops, Soil health
- Background: B.S. Animal Sciences, Livestock Nutrition, Livestock Management & Marketing
- Contact: office (419) 337-9120, beck.320@osu.edu
- Rachel Cochran – Paulding County Office
- Counties: Paulding, Defiance, and Van Wert
- Topics of Interest: Soil health, Cover crops, Maximizing efficiency of fertilizer
- Background: B.S. Sustainable Agriculture, Applied Research in both field and lab settings
- Contact: office (567) 344-5016, cochran.474@osu.edu
- Matthew Romanko – North Central Agricultural Research Station
- Counties: Sandusky, Seneca, Erie, Wyandot, and Crawford
- Topics of Interest Precision agriculture, Geo-spatial technology, Maximizing efficiency of fertilizer
- Background: M.S. Geology / Remote Sensing
- Contact: office (567) 342-7095, romanko.7@osu.edu
- Nick Eckel – Henry County Office
- Counties: Henry, Wood, and Ottawa
- Topics of Interest: Soil health, Manure application, Maximizing efficiency of fertilizer
- Background: B.S. Crop Science/ Agronomy
- Contact: office (419) 592-0806, eckel.21@osu.edu
- Boden Fisher – Putnam County Office
- Counties: Putnam, Hancock, and Hardin
- Topics of Interest: Farm profitability/Return on Investment, Soil retention & health, Economic fertilizer use, Cropping systems & rotations
- Background: B.S. Agriculture-Agronomy, Research, and Retail Agriculture
- Contact: office (419) 523-6294, fisher.1466@osu.edu
- Brigitte Moneymaker – Auglaize County Office
- Counties: Auglaize, Mercer, and Allen
- Topics of Interest: Soil health, Watershed management, Sustainability, Remote sensing, Wetland management, Invasive species, Geospatial Information Systems, Environmental adaptation, and risk management
- Background: B.S. Environmental Science / Master’s Climate Science
- Contact: office (419) 739-6580, moneymaker.4@osu.edu