Month: September 2024

Emergency Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Acreage Available for 70 Ohio Counties

David Marrison, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Farm Management

Drought conditions continued to degrade across Ohio. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor report on September 17, 59.56% of Ohio is experiencing severe or greater drought conditions with 9.5% classified as D4 or exceptional drought conditions (Figure 1). It is important to remember that D4 conditions only occur once every 50 to 100 years. Approximately 98% of the state is experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions. One silver lining is the current seven-day forecast shows the potential for rain in many areas of Ohio next week which should help slow the progress of drought should it occur.

The drought conditions have impacted both pastures and hayfields across Ohio. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) administered under the USDA Farm Service Agency permits emergency haying and grazing on certain CRP practices in a county designated as D2 or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor, or in a county where there is at least a 40% loss in forage production.

Continue reading Emergency Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Acreage Available for 70 Ohio Counties →

New Ohio Hay Directory and Additional Drought Resources

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation

Listed are links to the latest news and ways members can access assistance.

Ohio Farm Bureau has been keeping close tabs on conditions across the state through the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor. The monitor works with a scale where D1 is a “moderate drought”, D2 is a “severe drought”, D3 is an “extreme drought” and D4 is an “exceptional drought”. As the summer has progressed, 2024 became the first year that D4 conditions we recognized in Ohio and the coverage area for D3 is the largest since the inception of the drought monitor in 2000.

In the latest update, over 77% of the Buckeye State is experiencing drought conditions. Ohioans are seeing “extreme drought” in about a 25% of the state and 18 counties in Ohio are now seeing D4, or “exceptional drought” conditions.

If you have been impacted by the drought, please contact your local Farm Service Agency.

Farm Bureau is working closely with state and federal agencies, as well as The Ohio State University to collect all of the available resources for those stricken by the drought conditions and is sharing those resources with members through various channels. Listed are links to the latest news and ways members can access assistance should they need it, including a new Ohio Hay Directory created by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

USDA/FSA/ODA Links Continue reading New Ohio Hay Directory and Additional Drought Resources →

Come See Us at Farm Science Review!

Dr. Brady Campbell, Assistant Professor, OSU State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist

No posts for today as our team is in London, OH at the 2024 Farm Science Review! This years event runs from September 17-19. There is plenty to see and do relating to small ruminant production. For example, new this year, live sheep are housed on the site in the small farms area. Each day at 11 AM I will be discussing important bits to consider when setting up your small ruminant operation. Following at noon, I will be providing a hands-on demo highlighting how to properly handle sheep as well as shearing. Last, but not least, at 2:30 on Wednesday (today!), I will be in the Ask the Experts area discussing the use of small ruminants in vegetation management.

However, this short listing merely scratches the surface on what the review has to offer. For a full list of events, programs, educational talks, and agricultural vendors present on-site, be sure to check out the 2024 program. We hope to see you there!

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has Assistance Programs for Ohio Farm Operations Impacted by Drought

David Marrison, OSU Extension Field Specialist – Farm Management
Dr. Aaron Wilson, OSU Extension Ag Weather and Climate Field Specialist

Drought conditions started in Ohio back in mid-June and have intensified all summer. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor report on August 27, 2024, D4-exceptional drought was introduced to Ohio (Meigs and Athens Counties) for the first time since the U.S. Drought Monitor’s inception in 2000. On September 5, D4 increased to 7.35% of the state, while other categories of drought (D1-D3) significantly expanded. It is important to remember that D4 conditions only occur once every 50 to 100 years.

A map of the state of ohio Description automatically generatedDespite much needed rainfall occurring last week from Meigs and Athens Counties to Belmont County, it was not enough to overcome the drought conditions made worse by scorching heat with many days with high temperatures in the mid to upper 90s. Farther north, very little rain fell in August or during the summer. At the Zanesville Municipal Airport for example, only 0.17” of rain fell in August and 4.95” fell in June-August. This marks the driest August on record and second driest summer for this location for the period 1946-2024. Similar conditions are present for many counties across south central and east central Ohio.

Continue Reading…

Drought and Dust: Preparing for Winter Feed Shortages

Dr. Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension ANR Educator, Perry County

(Image Source: South Dakota State University and Canva)

Planning now will help mitigate some of the challenges ahead.

Depending on where you are in the state, you might be dealing with dry conditions or even severe drought. Here in southeastern Ohio, pastures are parched, and hay production has been disappointing, with very little to show for second or third cuttings.

This year, forage quantity is becoming a significant concern for many producers. Reports indicate that first cuttings yielded only 40-50% of what they should have, particularly in grass forage fields. Second and third cuttings have fared even worse, with some fields producing only 25% of a typical harvest, if anything at all. Many producers have already started feeding hay, raising concerns about whether there will be enough to last through the winter. Given the variable pasture conditions across the state due to ongoing dry spells, it’s crucial to start planning now to be better prepared for the fall and winter. Continue reading Drought and Dust: Preparing for Winter Feed Shortages →

Using Drought Stressed Soybeans for Hay or Silage

Jason Hartschuh, Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, Field Specialist

(Image Source: FARM SHOW Magazine)

Soybeans harvested as forage are high in protein and lower in fiber than grasses.

Long before soybeans were cultivated as oil seed crops, they were first domesticated and used in the United States primarily as a forage. Soybeans harvested as forage are high in protein and lower in fiber than grasses making them an excellent forage if harvested and stored properly. Soybeans harvested as a forage can have dry matter yields as high as 5 tons per acre but are often much lower when the soybeans are planted late as a rescue forage or transitioned to forage due to drought.

Soybean feed value from Hintz et.al. from the late 1980’s showed that when soybeans were harvested at R7, crude protein values across 3 different varieties ranged from 18.1-20.5%. The NDF values for the soybeans ranged from 39.5-42.2. Dry matter yield ranged from 3-3.6 tons per acre. Row spacing and seeding rate had little effect on yield or forage quality. However, harvest timing affected all factors. When harvested at Continue reading Using Drought Stressed Soybeans for Hay or Silage →