Funding

WHIP Not Only Applies to Baseball- Enrollment at FSA Now Open!

By: Ben Brown & David Marrison, The Ohio State University

Click Here for PDF Version of Article

Historically, Midwest producers have seen the acronym WHIP and associated it with the baseball statistic (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched), a statistic used to cross evaluate pitchers. However, Midwest producers might find it beneficial to participate in a federal aid program through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the same acronym, Wildfires, and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+).

Ohio producers have rarely qualified for WHIP+ because the weather eligibility requirements could not be met. However, when President Trump signed the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act in June 2019 it provided more than $3 billion to the USDA for WHIP+ to help US producers who were affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019. WHIP+ builds on its predecessor program the 2017 Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) that was authorized by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Continue reading →

COVID-19 – Impacts on Ohio’s Swine Industry

by: Steve Moeller, Department of Animal Sciences, State Swine Extension Specialist

Like many livestock sectors, the impact of COVID-19 on Ohio’s and the Nation’s swine industry have been multi-factorial and ever-changing.  In response, the National Pork Board has maintained an on-line COVID-19 information center at https://www.pork.org/ which is updated multiple times per day based on new findings.  The impact is now being felt as the number of ‘short-term’ packing plant closures seem to increase daily. Plant closures will impact the industry as a whole in a number of ways, namely: 1) U.S. production is matching packing plant capacity and both are at record levels, thus a regional lack of shackle space will likely occur, 2) Swine production is now nearly constant, centered around weekly flow and optimization of space utilization, thus pig spaces are full and need to be continually emptied to make room for incoming production, 3) Distribution channels from packing plants to consumers are not as efficient, leading to challenges in managing product movement from the packer to the consumer. Additional plant closures, particularly if they occur from Indiana eastward will place a significant burden directly on the producer; 4) The bright spot:  Export markets have helped offset some of the supply, particularly trade with traditional partners in Japan and Mexico, but with added sales to China.

Continue reading →

April 10 AG Law Harvest

By: Peggy Kirk Hall, Friday, April 10th, 2020

Source: https://farmoffice.osu.edu/blog/fri-04102020-532pm/ag-law-harvest

Although many of us are quarantined at home these days, the gears of the legal world are still turning.  Here’s our gathering of recent notable news and legal developments:

Our Farm Office is open Monday Night! Join us for the Farm Office’s live online office hours this Monday night from 8—9:30 p.m.  Our team of experts will provide updates on the Paycheck Protection Program and the dairy economy and discuss COVID-19 macro-economic and export impacts, BWC dividends, property tax concerns, potential legal issues arising from COVID-19, and other issues you want to discuss.  Register at https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive.

What’s the deal with dicamba? Our partner, the National Agricultural Law Center, is hosting a free webinar on dicamba litigation on Wednesday, April 15 at noon EST.  “The Deal with Dicamba:  An Overview of Dicamba Related Litigation,” will feature attorney Brigit Rollins, who will review each of the dicamba lawsuits, the claims made by the plaintiffs, and what the outcome of each suit could mean for dicamba use in the United States.  Go to https://nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars/dicamba/ to learn more. Continue reading →

H2Ohio Deadline For Accepting Applications Moved Back to March 31

Taken from Ohio Department of Agriculture and Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District

The deadline for farmers to submit applications for the H2Ohio program is moving back to the original date of March 31, 2020.

Governor DeWine strongly believes in the H2Ohio water quality initiative and farmers have shown overwhelming interest to implement the program’s best practices.  Our state and nation are facing an unprecedented economic crisis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  In an effort to preserve resources for H2Ohio, ODA is suspending the acceptance of new applications after March 31 but will continue to process all current applications.

ODA recently extended the deadline to accommodate workflow changes due to COVID-19 and ensure all applications could be processed electronically or via telecommunications.  The work transition has gone smoothly and all remaining applications will be handled similarly within the original timeline.

Further information regarding the H2Ohio program will be forthcoming.  Updates will be posted to this website and distributed through the Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  For a complete list of SWCD offices, go to http://h2.ohio.gov/agriculture/.

Additionally, information from the Paulding SWCD

Phone number to office 419-399-4771.  Link to the website for H2Ohio information http://www.pauldingswcd.org/technical-programs/h2ohio/

Meetings Planned for Farmers to Apply for H2Ohio Funds

$30 Million Available for Farmers Through Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio Plan

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda announced today that $30 million in H2Ohio funding will be available for Ohio farmers in more than a dozen counties beginning next month. The funds will be awarded as part of Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio plan to reduce agricultural phosphorus runoff and prevent algal blooms in Lake Erie.

“Since announcing the details of my H2Ohio plan in November, we’ve had a great deal of interest from farmers in the Maumee River Watershed who want to do their part to improve the health of Lake Erie,” said Governor DeWine. “H2Ohio will provide farm-by-farm support to help farmers minimize phosphorus runoff while increasing profit over the long-run.”

H2OhioFarmers living in the following 14 northwest Ohio counties will be eligible to apply for funds at their local Soil and Water Conservation Districts starting on February 1, 2020: Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams, and Wood.

H2Ohio will fund investments in 10scientifically proven interventions to reduce nutrient runoff from agriculture, which is the primary cause for algal blooms in Lake Erie and elsewhere. Algal blooms can threaten drinking water and impact the health of both people and animals. Continue reading →

Funding Available For Farmers Through Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM ODA

Micaela Wright, (614) 752-9817, micaela.wright@agri.ohio.gov

FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR FARMERS THROUGH LAKE ERIE CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

Farmers have until August 23, 2019 to apply

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (June 4, 2019) – The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) Division of Soil and Water Conservation is making farmers aware of funding available to farmers through the Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).

Continue reading →

Funding Available to Western Lake Erie Basin Farmers to Improve Water Quality

From Daniel Foust and Patrick Troyer, Paulding SWCD

The Ohio Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District is providing funding for new assistance programs for farmers to help protect water quality in the western basin of Lake Erie. The Ohio Working Lands program will encourage producers to establish year-round vegetative cover on eligible crop land. The program will promote conversion, establishment and maintenance of forage/hay land on certain cropland acres. Continue reading →