eFields Available digitally

The 2023 eFields report will provide summaries of on-farm research trials conducted around the state. Printed copies are available to you at no cost via the Paulding County Extension.

You can see past reports online at www.go.osu.edu/eFields. Additionally, we would like your help in shaping the future of our research efforts. The following is a survey go.osu.edu/eFieldsImpact to help with our direction in 2024.

Save the Date – Spring Tee Off 2024

Spring Tee Off, formerly Grounds & Greens, takes on a new look this year. Two separate tracks will be offered at the Spring Tee Off: BEST+ and Leadership. BEST+ takes the BEST Program to a new level, with hands-on laboratories for the identification of turfgrass species, seeds, weeds, diseases, and insects, all led by the OSU Turf Team. This track is geared toward recent entries to the turfgrass industry, Extension professionals, or veterans interested in brushing up their identification skills. Without correct identification of turfgrasses and pests, significant dollars and labor are wasted on improper pesticide applications. In the worst case, these applications can lead to loss of turf.

On the other side of the 4-H Center, leadership specialists from Ohio State University’s Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership will lead interactive seminars on topics not often featured at turfgrass events. However, these topics are critical to be effective in managerial or ownership positions, regardless of whether you are a golf course superintendent, lawn care operator, or sports field manager. These topics include leadership strategies, workplace culture, communication, and conflict management. You will leave these seminars with plans to attack each of these areas in your workplace.

More details about registration, speakers, and a final program will be released by the end of January and will be found at ohioturfgrass.org. Until then, prepare to be in Columbus on March 7 for a new experience.

Fall is the perfect time to review the Phosphorus Loss Risk Assessment document for determining P application rates

Fall is a busy time of year for many of us involved in agriculture; from harvest to cover crop seeding, to wheat planting and fertilizer application, we have a ton of tasks to get done in a short window of time. But with the hectic nature of the season comes an opportunity to refresh ourselves with the recommendations for Phosphorus application rates. Continue reading

Soil Health Specialist Says Dry Conditions Have Complicated Cover Cropping

From Brownfield Ag News:

Click here to listen to the 5-minute interview with Dr. Anna Cates, University of Minnesota Extension Soil Health Specialist and Brownfield Ag News.

Some farmers new to cover crops might be having second thoughts after another dry growing season.

University of Minnesota Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates says cover crops generally take up a lot of water in the spring and fall.

“At a time when we have a lot of water. It rains a lot (and) the soil is holding a lot of water (so) it’s great to have something growing and reducing that a little bit. But the last couple years that reduction has kind of left us short for cash crop water supply, and that’s been a real hardship (and) we’ve seen poor stands because of it.”

She tells Brownfield farmers who have been using cover crops for several years or more don’t seem too concerned.

“For people who have seen the benefits over time, they say it’s 100 percent worth it. But if this is your first year and you barely saw any stand and then you had trouble terminating it in the spring, and then you saw a cash crop yield drag, that was not a great experience.”

Cates says early termination of the cover crop and lower seeding rates can help mitigate the challenges dry weather presents.

Farm Science Review is just around the corner!

LONDON, Ohio – More than 50 companies will join the ranks as exhibitors for the 61st Farm Science Review Sept. 19-21 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. The new exhibitors represent various sectors in the agriculture industry including livestock handling, equipment advancements, agronomic technology, agricultural policy, and more.

Paulding County Extension Office has tickets for sale at a discounted price total of $10 per ticket. Tickets will be for sale until Monday, September 18 at noon. Continue reading

Manure Management & Field Spill Demonstrations – Local Opportunity

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.

New Factsheet: “Understanding How Soil Test Phosphorus Impacts Water Quality”

A factsheet discussing the relationship between the amount of Phosphorus in our soils and water quality, written by Greg LaBarge, Field Specialist, Agronomic Systems and Rachel Cochran, Water Quality Extension Associate at Ohio State University was released today. It discusses the importance of P management, as well as different studies that have examined the relationship between P levels and water quality. Many best practices for managing high P levels are discussed as well. View the factsheet at this link, or visit Ohioline and search for the factsheet ANR-0111.

Summer Ag Events in NW Ohio

 

Hi all,

I wanted to share the upcoming events in NW Ohio Extension related to Agriculture to get those events on your calendar. Here is the link https://go.osu.edu/summernwohio22 or you can download the PDF of the newsletter 2022 Summer NW Ohio Newsletter PDF Version. I hope to see you at these summer events.

USDA Video Showcases Key Partnerships Driving Science-Based Conservation in Western Lake Erie Basin

A new USDA video provides a closer look at the collaborative partnerships driving innovative water quality assessment and conservation in the Western Lake Erie Basin. The video, Science-Based Solutions: Leveraging Partnerships to Protect the Western Lake Erie Basin, shows how USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) watershed studies in the Western Lake Erie Basin bring researchers, farmers, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations together to develop science-based solutions and strategically place them where they can deliver the greatest conservation benefits.

Under CEAP, a network of researchers, from government agencies to universities, work together to monitor the impact of conservation practices on the landscape. These studies directly inform USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, practices, and planning and ensure that the agency provides technical and financial assistance to landowners to develop and implement impactful conservation plans.

Regional partnerships like those driving conservation efforts in the Western Lake Erie Basin have proven to be effective, as demonstrated by the recently released USDA report, Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP II Survey Data and Modeling.

CEAP is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices and programs and develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape for environmental quality. Project findings will be used to guide USDA conservation policy and program development and help conservationists, farmers and ranchers make more informed conservation decisions.

Paulding County To Host Agriculture Breakfast Next Week!

Join OSU Extension’s Water Quality team for a breakfast meeting focused on conservation practices!

We need your input on which types of conservation practices to include in future watershed plans. The practices outlined in these watershed plans will be the first to receive funding once the plans are implemented and grants are secured. The meeting will be held on the Paulding County Fairgrounds in the Youth Leadership Building from 7:30AM – 9:00 AM on Tuesday, April 12th. Breakfast will be provided free of charge, but an RSVP is required. Call 567-344-5016 to register, or email cochran.474@osu.edu.

Click the link below to see an enlarged version of the flyer

Paulding Breakfast Meeting Flyer

 

 

Upcoming Western Lake Erie Basin Conservation Practices Public Input Meeting

Input Meeting Email Flyer – Link to flyer

Join OSU Extension’s Water Quality Associates on Tuesday, February 22nd from 10-11AM for a public input meeting regarding on-farm conservation practices. This webinar is aimed toward farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin who farm or live near our target watersheds, found on the attached flier. This virtual webinar will allow OSU’s Water Quality team to hear directly from farmers and landowners to guide local watershed planning efforts and funding priorities. What conservation practices do you want to learn more about? Are there practices that you think may work for your farm, but you don’t know where to start? Are there practices you are interested in if additional funding or support becomes available? Join us for an informal discussion to talk about these topics.

Register for this webinar at www.go.osu.edu/inputmeeting, or contact a Water Quality Extension Associate to give your input if you can’t attend the meeting. Contact Paulding County’s WQEA Rachel Cochran, cochran.474@osu.edu, (567) 344-5016, with any questions.

Manure Science Review Coming August 10th

By Glen Arnold- OSU Extension

The annual Manure Science Review will be held on Tuesday, August 10 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at MVP Dairy near Celina, Ohio. Attendees will see and hear about this state-of-the-art dairy’s 80-cow rotary milking parlor, manure handling and management for the 4,400-cow herd, and regenerative farming practices. Speakers will provide updates on the effectiveness of saturated buffers in reducing runoff in Grand Lake Saint Marys as well as issues of legacy phosphorus runoff and the KDS/Quick wash system for manure nutrient recovery. Field demonstrations will include solid and liquid applicators, the Cadman Side-dress System, Oxbo Equipment, in-season manure side-dress demos, and more.

Continuing education credits have been approved for Certified Crop Advisors, Certified Livestock Managers, and Indiana State Chemist certifications. Registration costs are $25 per person until August 1st and $30 per person after that date. For program and registration details, click on the link at ocamm.osu.edu or contact Mary Wicks (wicks.14@osu.edu; 330.202.3533).

Farmer Advocates wanted!

Do you know of a farmer who would be an excellent candidate with leadership, enthusiasm, and passion for soil health and water quality management as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation? You can nominate them by completing an online form. Select the button for the application.

The Nature Conservancy is looking for farmers who are currently utilizing cover crops on their farms in the Maumee River Watershed of the Western Lake Erie Basin. We are looking for a diverse group of farmers; large acreage, small acreage, corn and soy, small grains, livestock, new and experienced, willing to reach out and share their knowledge and experiences with other farmers in their area. Selected farmers will be compensated for their time. Select the button for this application.

If you are interested in being part of this exciting farmer-led outreach project and would like to apply as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation please complete the online application form by selecting the button above.

The application period is open for farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin that are interested in sharing their conservation farming practices with other farmers.  Farmer Advocates will be compensated for their time to attend the training and work with other farmers @ $30/hour.  The focus of the project is to promote farmers learning from each other about building soil health and managing water.

To apply as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation or to nominate a farmer you believe would be an excellent candidate please use the online application and nomination forms on the landing page found at https://sites.google.com/view/farmeradvocate or please contact Stephanie Singer, Stephanie.Singer@tnc.org.

The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface recordings available.

Did you miss out on the live presentations for this winter on The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface? Great news! Recordings are available for the entire series of topics.

In this weekly series, farmers, industry, and academic experts weighed in on practical steps to improve soil health and measure impact on crop yield and farm profitability.

Recordings and Slide Sets are available at https://agcrops.osu.edu/events/webinar-recordings/dirt-soil-health-investing-below-surface-0 or on the OSU Agronomic Crops Team YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYlh_BdeqniJPI5Ga7icO7mbFzDdpK7fr or by clicking one of the videos below.

Does It Pay to Improve Soil Health on Your Farm?

Panel discussion with farmers Nathan Brown (Highland County), Matt Falb (Wayne County), and Les Seiler (Fulton County).

Continue reading

The Ag Law Harvest

By: Ellen Essman, Senior Research Associate Tuesday, September 29th, 2020
In case you didn’t notice, we are deep into the election season.  Discussion of Supreme Court vacancies, presidential debates, and local races abound.  Even with all the focus on the election, the rest of the world hasn’t stopped. The same is true for ag law.  This edition of the Harvest includes a discussion of ag-related bills moving through the Ohio General Assembly, federal lawsuits involving herbicides and checkoff programs, and some wiggle room for organic producers who have had a hard time getting certified with all the pandemic-related backups and shutdowns.

Changes to Ohio Drainage Law considered in Senate—The Ohio Senate’s Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee continues to hold hearings on HB 340, a bill that would revise drainage laws.  The bill was passed in the house on June 9, 2020.  The 157-page bill would amend the current drainage law by making changes to the process for proposing, approving, and implementing new drainage improvements, whether the petition is filed with the board of the Soil and Water Conservation District, the board of county commissioners, or with multiple counties to construct a joint county drainage improvement.  The bill would further apply the single county maintenance procedures and procedures for calculating assessments for maintenance to multi-county ditches and soil and water conservation districts.  You can find the current language of the bill, along with a helpful analysis of the bill, here.

Purple paint to warn trespassers? Elsewhere in the state Senate, SB 290 seems to be moving again after a lengthy stall, as it was recently on the agenda for a meeting of the Local Government, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee.  If passed, SB 290 would allow landowners to use purple paint marks to warn intruders that they are trespassing.  The purple paint marks can be placed on trees or posts on the around the property.  Each paint mark would have to measure at least three feet and be located between three and five feet from the base of the tree or post.  Furthermore, each painted mark must be “readily visible,” and the space between two marks cannot be more than 25 yards.  You can see the text, along with other information about the bill here.

Environmental groups look to “Enlist” more judges to reevaluate decisions.  In July, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decided it would not overturn the EPA registration for the herbicide Enlist Duo, which is meant to kill weeds in corn, soybean, and cotton fields, and is made up of 2,4-D choline salt and glyphosate.  Although the court upheld registration of the herbicide, it remanded the case so that EPA could consider how Enlist affects monarch butterflies.  The court found that EPA failed to do this even though it was required under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).  On September 15, 2020, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and other groups involved in the lawsuit filed a petition to rehear the case “en banc,” meaning that the case would be heard by a group of nine judges instead of just three.  If accepted, the rehearing would involve claims that the EPA did not follow the Endangered Species Act when it made the decision to register Enlist Duo. Continue reading

Don’t miss out on the Paulding County Twilight Field Day next Tuesday, August 4

Field to Lake – Twilight Open House – Country Evening, Old Sights, New Eyes

The Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District is working in collaboration with Ohio State University Extension of Paulding County and the Conservation Action Project (CAP) to bring you the Field to Lake – Twilight Open House. This program will feature water control drainage structures and provide opportunities to connect with farmers and professionals to learn more about them. Additionally, explore soil health displays, a drainage water management structure model, and learn about available funding for these structures for those that qualify. The Open House will be held on August 4th, 2020, from 6:00-8:00 pm, in the field, across from 22348 Road 178, Oakwood, OH, 45873. Stop in for 15 minutes or stay the full two hours. There will be an option to drive down the lane and observe the drainage control structures while staying in your vehicle if that is more comfortable for participants.

8.5 x 11 Poster Drainage Field Day

Why consider a drainage water management structure? “This new approach to managing drainage is a significant break from the old way of draining excess water from fields, specifically in the Upper Midwest, where tile drainage systems are most common,” says Leonard Binstock, drainage consultant and executive director of the Agriculture Drainage Management Coalition. According to the Natural Resource Conservation Service, these structures can provide both water quality improvement and production benefits. Water quality benefits are derived by minimizing unnecessary tile drainage, reducing the amount of nitrate that leaves farm fields. Controlled drainage systems can also retain water in field areas that could be used for crop production later in the season.

RSVP is requested, but not required- use the QR code or email address below. With the assistance of The Nature Conservancy, there will be a virtual option available after the event for those who can’t attend in person. Information to access the virtual event will be shared on the supporting organizations’ Facebook pages or by registering for the event and choosing the virtual option. Please note that social distancing will be observed at this outdoor event.

Page Drainage Field Day Invite,

Tri Fold Field to Lake Drainage

For more information, contact: Anna Gurney or Patrick Troyer, Paulding Soil & Water Conservation District, 419-399-4771, Paulding@PauldingSWCD.org