Tuesday, August 29, 2023
1:00 – 4:00 pm | Delphos, OH
Learn how to respond to a liquid manure spill through this live spill demonstration and presentations.
Continuing education credits for CLM (3) and CCA (3) certifications
Click here for details.
Author: Sarah Noggle
ODA Pesticide Collection – Putnam County
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (May 3, 2023) – The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) will be sponsoring three collection events for farmers wishing to dispose of unwanted pesticides. This year, the collections are happening in Morgan, Putnam, and Miami counties on the following days and locations:
• August 9, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.: Morgan County, Morgan County Fairgrounds
2760 South Riverside Drive, McConnelsville, Ohio 43756
• August 10, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.: Putnam County, Putnam County Fairgrounds, Gate 5
1206 East Second Street, Ottawa, Ohio 45856
• August 22, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.: Miami County, Miami County Fairgrounds, North Gate
650 North County Road 25A, Troy, Ohio 45373
The pesticide collection and disposal services are free of charge, but only farm chemicals will be accepted. Paint, antifreeze, solvents and household or non-farm pesticides will not be accepted.
The pesticide collections are sponsored by ODA in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To pre-register, or for more information, contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-6987.
Northwest Agronomic Field Day on August 31
This year’s Northwest Agronomic Field Day at the Northwest Agricultural Research Station (4240 Range Line Road, Custar, OH 43511) will be on Thursday, August 31st. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by a free lunch courtesy of the Ohio Soybean Council at 12:00 p.m. There’s no cost to attend, but RSVP is requested by August 25 at go.osu.edu/nwfieldday23.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
By Sarah Noggle, OSU Extension, Paulding County
It is important to take a moment to reflect on the mental health challenges that farmers face year-round. Farming can be a rewarding profession, but it can also be incredibly demanding and isolating. From dealing with unpredictable weather and fluctuating markets to managing finances and family responsibilities, farmers carry a lot of stress on their shoulders.
The impact of mental health challenges on farmers is significant. According to a recent study by the American Farm Bureau Federation, 91% of farmers reported experiencing stress, anxiety, fatigue, or other mental health challenges. Furthermore, a 2020 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that farmers have a higher suicide rate than the general population.
It is clear that we need to prioritize farmers’ mental health. Here are some steps we can take:
- Raise awareness: Let’s start by talking openly about mental health challenges in the farming community. This can help reduce the stigma around seeking help and encourage farmers to prioritize their mental health.
- Provide resources: There are many resources available to farmers who are struggling with mental health challenges. These include hotlines, support groups, and counseling services. Let’s make sure that farmers know about these resources and how to access them. One such resource is the website http://u.osu.edu/farmstress
- Foster community: Farming can be an isolating profession, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s work to build strong farming communities where farmers can connect with each other and provide support. Our Paulding County farm families have opportunities to connect.
- Advocate for policy change: Policies that support farmers, such as fair prices and access to healthcare, can help reduce the financial and emotional stress that farmers face. If you are struggling to locate these resources, please reach out to me (Sarah Noggle).
As members of the farming community, we all have a role to play in prioritizing farmers’ mental health. Let’s work together to ensure that every farmer has the support and resources they need to thrive. Our community has many partnerships. I believe in prevention via awareness of programs such as Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR). For more information visit our Ohio State Farm Stress website https://go.osu.edu/farmstress
Stay safe while planting this spring season.
Alfalfa Weevil is in the County
For those of you who have Alfalfa in the county, be on the lookout for Alfalfa weevil. These are pictures shared with me last week. 
A few weeks ago in the CORN Newsletter information was shared about scouting for this pest.
Alfalfa fields should be scouted weekly for weevils until at least the first harvest. Follow-up scouting may be needed after the first harvest in heavily infested fields.
Spot problem fields early by checking alfalfa tips for feeding damage – small holes and a tattered appearance. Fields that have a south-facing slope tend to warm up sooner and need to be checked for weevil earlier.
Green alfalfa weevil larvae (the main feeding stage) at various growth stages, and brown adults. Photo by Julie Peterson, University of Nebraska.
Here is a video about scouting weevils in alfalfa: https://forages.osu.edu/video Continue reading Alfalfa Weevil is in the County
Agriculture icon celebrates 60 years
Written by Ed Lentz, ANR Educator, Hancock County
Drivers may see the recognizable triangular orange symbol warning drivers of slow-moving vehicles in the area for the next two to four weeks as farmers gear up for crop planting. The emblem is required on farm vehicles moving less than 25 miles per hour and horse-drawn vehicles. What you may not know is that Ohio was an agricultural leader in the development of this SMV emblem.
In the late 1950s, two researchers in the Department of Agricultural Engineering of Ohio State University, Walter McClure and Ben Lamp, completed a 10-year retrospective study of fatal tractor accidents to understand the nature and causes of highway tractor collisions. They found a significant number of fatalities related to highway travel by slow-moving vehicles. Ohio State Highway Patrol, county sheriffs, and municipal police cooperated in a later study by gathering detailed data on 708 slow-moving vehicle accidents and estimated that 65% of the motor vehicle accidents involving slow-moving vehicles were rear-ended collisions. Continue reading Agriculture icon celebrates 60 years
To mulch or not to mulch?
Are you planning on spreading mulch around your trees and landscape this year? Master Gardener Volunteers see this common practice of mulch placed under trees and right up the tree trunk!
Another mulch volcano! That is a big NO, NO! It’s important to keep mulch off the tree trunk because the covered tree trunk will grow roots under the mulch. As the new roots grow in the soft mulch, the deep roots begin to die off. Eventually, a tree with a weak root system could be blown over by a strong windstorm.
For more information on mulching trees see this excellent article written by Joe Boggs that can be found on the OSU Buckeye Yard & Garden onLine (BYGL), https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1494.
The Importance of Responding to NASS Surveys
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture.
If you receive a survey questionnaire, please respond quickly and online if possible.
The results of the surveys help determine the structure of USDA farm programs, such as soil rental rates for the Conservation Reserve Program and prices and yields used for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs. This county-level data is critical for USDA farm payment determinations. Survey responses also help associations, businesses, and policymakers advocate for their industry and help educate others on the importance of agriculture.
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.
NASS data is available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications and through the searchable Quick Stats database. Watch a video on how NASS data is used at youtube.com/watch?v=m-4zjnh26io&feature=youtu.be.
Farmers Encouraged to Sign-Up for Lake Erie CREP
 For most agricultural producers, activities over the winter months tend to slow down. This is an opportune time to take a look at your farming operation and determine if there are areas that could benefit from the establishment of one or more conservation practices.
For instance, do you have a ditch or stream running through your farm that needs a filter strip? Is a particular field prone to wind erosion and stands to benefit from a windbreak? How about that one area that’s hard to farm because it’s always wet? Have you considered how FSA’s Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (Lake Erie CREP) might benefit your farming operation and help to protect the environment at the same time? Lake Erie CREP began with the main objective to improve water quality in all of our rivers, streams, and tributaries within the Lake Erie watershed with a special emphasis on the Blanchard and Tiffin Rivers as important tributaries of the Maumee River. These conservation practices will target environmentally sensitive areas to reduce sediments and nutrients, prevent water pollution and minimize the risk of flooding and improve the habitat for multiple wildlife species. Continue reading Farmers Encouraged to Sign-Up for Lake Erie CREP |
CRP Cost Share Reminders from the Paulding Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office
The Paulding County Farm Service would like to remind our conservation participants, that once you have successfully completed your CRP practice and gathered all bills, receipts, and seed tags to submit these to FSA for cost share reimbursement. Make sure there is an itemized bill for all components listed on your CRP Conservation Plan. If any of the work was done by yourself, include a bill for work completed, time to complete, and cost.
Participants are advised that starting or installing a practice before approval of the CRP contract is at their own risk. Cost share may be ineligible if the offer is not accepted or if the practice does not meet specifications in the approved Conservation Plan.
Please be advised that this is a cost-share payment program. As a participant, you are willing to share in the expense of improving and conserving natural resources on your land. As such, you may have out-of-pocket expenses. Continue reading CRP Cost Share Reminders from the Paulding Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office
From the Paulding County FSA Office – Maps have been mailed
Maps are now available at the Paulding County FSA Office for 2023 acreage reporting purposes. FSA staff have mailed maps to the operator on each farm. If you do not receive your 2023 maps in the mail, please contact our office or email us at ohpaulding-fsa@usda.gov.
Please see the following acreage reporting deadlines for Paulding County:
- May 31, 2023: Report nursery crop acreage
- June 20, 2023: Final date to report prevented plant corn (filing CCC-576 and documentation)
- July 5, 2023: Final date to report prevented plant soybeans (filing CCC-576 and documentation)
- July 15, 2023: Final certification date to report burley tobacco; cabbage planted through May 31; corn, grain sorghum, hybrid corn seed, spring oats, potatoes, popcorn, sugar beets, tomatoes, and other crops; perennial forage crops; Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres
- August 15, 2023: Report cabbage planted June 1 through July 20, 2023
Continue reading From the Paulding County FSA Office – Maps have been mailed
Coffee & Grain Webinar Recap- Tight Supply Drives High Commodity Prices
On Monday morning’s Coffee and Grain Zoom, Dr. Seungki Lee (Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics) discussed the grain market outlook and the new crop prospects based on the USDA February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. In all three major crops – corn, soybean, and wheat, strong prices are projected in the 2022/2023 market mainly due to the tight supply. Additionally, Brazil was singled out as its production can swing both the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 commodity markets.
See the attachment for Dr. Lee’s 3-page summary of this webinar
If you would like to watch to recording, it can be accessed at:
Women in Ag Wednesday Webinars
Join us on March 8 at 10:30 am for the next program of “Women in Ag Wednesday Webinars” hosted by the Ohio State University Extension – Ohio Women in Agriculture Learning Network.
Join us on March 8, 2023, for the next session.
March represents Women in History and National Ag Day! Let’s mesh themes to chat about “Women in Agricultural History” with Ruth Hambleton, Annie’s Project founder and retired Illinois Extension Farm Management Specialist.
“From prehistoric times to modern times women have put their footprint in/on all things agriculture. For a fun perspective on the subject join Ruth Hambleton as she explores women in agricultural history.”
Register at this link one time for all the series. https://go.osu.edu/wiawednesdaywebinars2023
Paulding County host location for Regional Weeds University on March 3
Registration link: http://go.osu.edu/23PauldingWeeds
OSU Extension invites crop producers, CCAs, and agribusinesses to attend a regional 2023 Ohio Weed University on Wednesday, March 1, or Friday, March 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at locations across the state.
Locations will include:
- March 1 – Highland County, Knox County, and Mercer County
- March 3 – Clinton County, Paulding County, and Tuscarawas County
This program is designed to keep agronomic producers on the cutting edge in weed control for their cropping operations. Topics addressed will include hot topics in weed control, local weed issues, biology, identification of weeds, control strategies, cover crop management in forages, and evaluating herbicides. Hands-on exercises will be included. Continue reading Paulding County host location for Regional Weeds University on March 3
Farm Survey
Farmers, ranchers, and their partners raising children wanted!
Researchers are looking for primary caregivers of children under 18 to participate in an online survey about how they are juggling children and work. Full- and part-time farmers and ranchers are welcome to participate and may choose to enter a raffle to win one of fifty $50 checks.
For questions or to request a paper survey, contact Florence Becotat at 715-389-9379 or becot.florence@marshfieldresearch.org
To fill out the online survey, visit this link:https://redcap.link/Survey1_FarmersRaisingChildren
2023 Small Farm Conference Registration Open!
Ohio State Extension announced plans to host a Small Farm Conference in Mansfield Ohio on March 11, 2023. The theme for this year’s Mid-Ohio Small Farm Conference is “Sowing Seeds for Success.”
Conference session topics are geared toward beginning and small farm owners as well as farms looking to diversify their operations. There will be five different conference tracks including Farm Office, Horticulture and Produce Production, Livestock, Agritourism/ Marketing, and Natural Resources.
Some conference topic highlights include: How to purchase our family farm, food animal processing, beekeeping, sweet corn, blueberry and pumpkin production, small ruminant nutrition, agritourism laws, fruit tree pruning, and cut flower diseases.
Anyone interested in developing, growing, or diversifying their small farm is invited to attend including market gardeners, farmers market vendors, and anyone interested in small farm living.
Attendees will have the opportunity to browse a trade show featuring the newest and most innovative ideas and services for their farming operations. The conference provides an opportunity to talk with the vendors and network with others.
The Conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Mansfield OSU Campus in Ovalwood Hall, just minutes from I-71 and US Rt 30.
For conference and registration call OSU Extension Morrow County at 419-947-1070 or OSU Extension Knox County at 740-397-0401. Please follow this link to register for the conference: https://go.osu.edu/2023osusmallfarmconf
Online Fruit Pruning School is March 9 and 14
Greetings,
The Ohio State University South Centers is hosting a two-part Online Fruit Pruning School on Thursday, March 9, and Tuesday, March 14, 2023. This is a FREE online event that will be conducted virtually via the Zoom communications platform.
Part 1 on March 9 will focus on pruning fruit trees including apples, peaches, and pears. Part 2 will be held on March 14, and will cover small fruits like blueberries, grapes, and raspberries. Both sessions will begin at 9:30 a.m.
Please register no later than Monday, March 6, 2023. 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 fits some people’s schedules better.
Register here: http://go.osu.edu/pruningschool
For even more information, consult the attached flyer.
Looking forward to seeing you (virtually) again this year!
Enterprise Budgets from OSU Extension
I have had some calls about the location of the OSU Extension enterprise budgets for Corn, Soybeans, and Wheat. I thought I would share the information with the entire email list. Budgets are located at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/enterprise-budgets#2022. You will need to scroll down on the page and choose the budget you are looking for under 2023.
Have a great week!
Ag Outlook – Great Lineup for Speakers on Tuesday, February 14
Join Defiance and Paulding County OSU Extension in Jewel, Ohio for the next Ag Outlook meeting on Tuesday, February 14 from 5:30 – 9:00 PM at the Jewell Community Center, 7900 Independence Rd., Defiance, OH 43512.
Agenda:
- Welcome & Dinner—5:30 p.m. – Country-style dinner.
- Commodity Grain Market Outlook, Seugnki Lee, PhD., Ohio State University, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics
- Long-Term Care: Is the Farm at Risk? — Robert Moore, JD., OSU Extension, Attorney, OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program
- 2023 Weather Outlook – Aaron Wilson, PhD., OSU Extension, Assistant Professor and Field Specialist, Ag Weather, and Climate
Registration is preferred online @ https://go.osu.edu/23DefianceOutlook or call the Defiance County Extension office at 419-782-4771
RSVP by February 13. NO LATE REGISTRATIONS.
CCA Credits Applied For and the Cost: $10.00/person
Agricultural Guest workers in Ohio: What We Know and Where We’re Going
Please see the Agricultural Guestworkers in Ohio_invite for an exciting hybrid event presenting some novel research and a panel discussion about H-2A farmworkers in Ohio. All who are interested in the status of on-farm workers and agricultural labor issues in the state are very welcome! For those attending in person, light refreshments will be served. Please direct any questions to Dr. Margaret Jodlowski (jodlowski.1@osu.edu), Dept. of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics.
The program is In-Person or Virtual on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, and the program is 1-2:30 pm or Reception: 2:30-3:30 pm
In-Person Location: Room 250A Agricultural Administration Building; or Virtually via Zoom
Continue reading Agricultural Guest workers in Ohio: What We Know and Where We’re Going