Featured News

Leasing activity of land for gas from Utica and Marcellus shale formations has been on the increase in Licking County and surrounding counties in recent months.  As a result landowners have many questions on terms in a lease and what are reasonable expectations.  With that in mind OSU Extension in Licking County has arranged for a program on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at the Newark Campus of Ohio State University and Central Ohio Technical College.  The program will be held in Hopewell Hall South, Room 68.

J. Richards Emens, an attorney with Emens & Wolper Law Firm, LPA, Columbus, Ohio will resource the program.  He is a specialist in dealing with leasing contracts for mineral rights.  There will be some time for questions.  No advance reservations are needed.  Handouts will be available that will provide additional information on shale gas formations and exploration. A fee of $5 per family is asked to cover the cost of the handout materials.… Continue reading

Brian D. Frieden, Director of the Springfield Regional Office, Risk Management Agency, reminds producers that the sales closing date for 2011 crop insurance is March 15, 2011, for spring-planted crops. The sales closing date is significant because it is the deadline for taking out insurance, making a change to the crop insured or level of protection, changing insurance providers, or cancelling a policy. Crops impacted by the March 15^th deadline include corn, soybeans, hybrid seed corn, grain sorghum, green peas, barley (MI only), dry beans, forage seeding, oats, popcorn, cabbage, mint, sweet corn, sugar beets, tomatoes, potatoes, processing beans, and processing pumpkins.

One of the most notable changes for the 2011 crop year is the introduction of the new 2011 Common Crop Policy Basic Provisions. The old insurance plans, Actual Production History, Crop Revenue Coverage, Revenue Assurance, and Income Protection are now available as either Yield or Revenue Protection. The new policy simplifies the insurance process by offering choices instead of separate policies and is easier to understand.… Continue reading

The USDA’s weekly Export Sales report and weekly reports of export inspections provide timely information about export demand for U.S. agricultural commodities. The U.S. Census Bureau, however, is the official source of export estimates. The monthly Census Bureau reports are not as timely as USDA reports, but provide an opportunity to reassess export progress during the marketing year, said University of Illinois economist Darrel Good.

“For the marketing year that began on September 1, 2010, the USDA forecasts U.S. corn exports at 1.95 billion bushels, 37 million bushels less than were exported last year. Through the first 23 weeks of the marketing year (Sept. 1, 2010 through Feb. 10, 2011) the USDA’s weekly export inspections report showed cumulative export inspections of 737 million bushels, 7 million more than the total of the previous year,” he said.

Inspection estimates for the week ended Feb. 10 will likely be revised higher, as has been the pattern all year, so that the actual difference is likely closer to 10 million bushels, he said.… Continue reading

Several people from Ohio will be competing in the Championship Tractor Pull during the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville this week.

8,200 Super Stock Tractors

Mike Beck                          Napoleon                              High Tech Redneck
David Siefert                     New Washington                Renegade Deere

7,500 Modified Tractors

John Evans                       Wilmington                         Double Stuff
Keith HuKeith                  Ansonia                                The Fury

10,200 lb Modified Tractors

Larry Shope                      Bellville                                 Iron Dragon

9,300 lb Super Farm Tractors

Julia Conny                      Beloit                                      Mac Daddy

6,200 lb 2-WD Super Modified Trucks

Jessie Petro                     Camden                                  2 Timin’
Jeff Whitsel                      Orient                                    At It Again

8,000 lb Super Stock Alcohol Tractors

Jeff Hirt                             Port Clinton                        Runnin’ Bare
Tim Howell                       Wilmington                        Ryans Toy II
Frank Keener                    Ashland                               XXX
Larry Roberts II               Wilmington                         The Big Toy

9,300 lb Super Farm Tractors

Larry Sheets Jr.                 Williamsport                    Red River
Dean Wildermuth              Lewistown                       The Replacement Deere II

6,200 lb 2-WD Super Modified Trucks

Randy Petro                        Camden                             Kathy’s Komplain

10,200 lb Pro Stock Tractors

Carlton Cope                        Salem                               Warpath
Mike Linder                          Edison                              Linder Brothers

7,500 lb 4×4 Super Stock Diesel Trucks

Carl Atley                               Xenia                              Lethal Weapon
Cory Atley                              Cedarville                      Agstremely Hooked
Wayne Greier                       Salem                              Resurrected Ram
Shane Kellogg                      Forest                              Gotta Have It
Erik Stacey                            Winchester                    Smoknya HD

10,200 lb Pro Stock Tractors

Monte McCoy                     Warsaw                            Dusk Till Dawn
Kevin Schmucker               Louisville                         Rampage

The Pickaway County Farm Bureau invites you to a special risk management event with Bower Trading on Monday Feb. 28. Learn how to set yourself up for success in 2011 with the latest information in today’s volatile market.

James Bower is Owner and President of Bower Trading, Inc., a full service commodities futures and options brokerage firm specializing in trading the global agricultural markets. James has more than 30 years of experience in the commodities and futures business, and has been featured on Fox News, CNN, Wall Street Journal, US Farm Report, Bloomberg and many more.

In addition, we will hear from guests Phil Altstaetter, Crop Nutrient Manager for Trupointe, to learn about input and fertilizer purchasing, Todd Ruff from Ruff & Associates to learn about crop insurance, and Hank Bartholomew from Nationwide Agribusiness to talk safety on the farm.

Members who need to earn a safety meeting credit for being enrolled in the OFBF BWC group rating program through CompManagement can earn their credit by attending Hank Bartholomew’s program that begins after lunch.… Continue reading

A workshop next month in western Ohio aims to clean up Grand Lake St. Marys — and in doing it, give farmers a new source of income.

“Turning Manure into Ca$h” features new technologies for turning livestock waste into sellable fuel, fertilizers and bioresins. It’s on March 8 in Maria Stein, about 10 miles south of the lake. Five state organizations that work in agriculture and natural resources are behind it.

“We have new manure rules in place for Grand Lake, but we still have the same amount of manure, so we need to look at ways of reducing our nutrient loads,” said Jim Hoorman, one of the speakers and an Ohio State University Extension educator in Mercer County.

“Farmers can adopt these technologies, sell their manure for a profit, and reduce their nutrients,” Hoorman said.

Grand Lake St. Marys has been hit hard the past two summers by toxic algae blooms, which caused boating, fishing and swimming closures and threaten the lake’s tourism industry.… Continue reading

What do you do with a dead cow the size of a Smart Car? A dead pig as big as a washing machine? More and more, the answer is composting — it saves farmers money, protects the environment and returns animals slowly to the earth — and two programs next month will feature it.

Livestock Mortality Composting Workshops are being offered March 7 in Carey, about 60 miles south of Toledo, and March 8 in Newark, about 40 miles east of Columbus. Registration costs $10 and can be done at the door. A composting manual is included.

Proper composting — done without odors, vermin or objectionable gases — is the focus. The program will be the same at both places.

“The livestock industry is faced with discovering innovative and economical ways to dispose of mortality losses,” says the flier for both events. “This need has been brought on by the disappearance of rendering plants, concerns over groundwater pollution from burial, and the economic and environmental issues of incineration.… Continue reading

By Chris Bruynis, OSU Extension Educator

Farmers are now into the third year of the 2008 Farm Bill programs. The ability to elect into the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) or to remain in the Direct and Counter Cyclical Program (DCP) will close on June 1, 2011 for this program year. Farmers not currently enrolled in ACRE have until June 1, 2011 to decide if ACRE or DCP might be the better decision for this crop year. However, once a farm has elected ACRE it cannot be switched back to DCP.

The guarantee price for 2011 will be the two year average U.S. cash price from the marketing years for the 2009 and 2010 crops. Using the 2009 actual prices plus the USDA estimated price (from January 12, 2011) for the 2010 crops, the 2011 ACRE price guarantee can be calculated as shown in Table 1. As prices continue to change during the marketing year the 2011 ACRE price guarantee will also change.… Continue reading

By Jim Skeeles & Chris Bruynis, OSU Extension Educators

Congress passed new legislation in December affecting estate taxes, but only for 2011 and 2012, reducing federal taxation of large estates. This legislation affects families with an individual who dies in 2011 or 2012 and has assets more than one million ($1M) or an individual that gifts more than $1M dollars during this period.

With this law change, an individual can pass on a total of $5M worth of assets with no federal estate or gift tax due. Further, if the net worth of an individual’s estate combined with the total counted amount given exceeds $5M, the federal estate and/or gift tax rate has been reduced to 35%.

Also upon the death of the first spouse, the surviving spouse now receives the unused $5M exclusion of the deceased spouse. Since the surviving spouse also has her exclusion of $5M she now can transfer assets totaling $10M, either by giving them away, the assets going through her estate, or a combination of the two.… Continue reading

Though it is still not warm, it is at least warmer.

Following relentless shots of record cold in December, January and now early February, a much-anticipated warm-up is coming to much of the eastern two-thirds of the country over the next week or so.

Temperatures in a few areas are set to jump as much as 90 or 100 degrees from this week’s frigid levels. In the process, much of the nation’s snowcover will be wiped out toward the end of next week.

As of Feb. 10, 2011, roughly 65% of the contiguous U.S. was covered with snow, according to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. Also, 49 of 50 states had snow on the ground Thursday and Friday morning. This includes even Hawaii, with some snow atop Mauna Kea. The only state without any snow on the ground was Florida.

AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity expects the warm-up to reduce the nation’s snowcover to about 25% toward the end of next week.… Continue reading

The National Corn Growers Association is pleased with the decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to fully deregulate corn amylase (Event 3272) for all markets. APHIS had not found a plant pest risk associated with this event and reported a positive Environmental Assessment.

“Corn amylase is the first processing output trait to be scrutinized by our regulatory system,” said Bart Schott, NCGA president and a grower from Kulm, N.D. “The potential importance of output traits to growers and industry will only increase as other output traits are developed.”

Biotechnology has emerged as a key tool that allows growers and now processors to provide more food, feed, fuel and fiber to the world with fewer resources.

“All output traits will be valued-added crops that have the potential to allow growers to raise a product that could be beneficial to their farms in ways that are not possible right now,” said Chad Blindauer, chairman of NCGA’s Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team and a farmer in Mitchell, S.D.… Continue reading

Farmers who want new ways to grow, sell and stay in business can find them at two events coming next month. The “Opening Doors to Success” Small Farm Conference and Trade Show runs March 11-12 at Wilmington College in southern Ohio. The “Living Your Small Farm Dream” Northeast Ohio Small Farm Conference and Trade Show takes place March 26 at the R.G. Drage Career Center in Massillon.

“‘Small’ is relative, almost a mindset,” said Mike Hogan, one of the organizers and an Ohio State University Extension educator in eastern Ohio. “It’s hard to draw a line to say what’s small and what isn’t.

“The main focus either way is to help farm families identify ways to become more profitable and sustainable — economically, environmentally and socially.”

Alternative enterprises, such as blueberries and freshwater shrimp, will be among the topics. So will alternative production systems — reduced tillage, grass-based livestock and others — and alternative marketing systems, including CSAs (community supported agriculture), farmers’ markets and direct online selling.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

Volatility is expected in the prices for corn, soybeans and their inputs. The weather is always an unknown. The risks, at the current high price levels, are tremendous.

With these things in mind, farmers need to make some important decisions in the weeks leading up to the March 15 crop insurance deadline.

“Prices are higher this year, the volatility in the markets is greater than ever, and input prices are high, so it is really important to keep crop insurance at high levels,” said

Keith Summers, agent and broker at Leist Mercantile. “With that, the cost of crop insurance is going to be higher as well. We’re seeing rates anywhere from 25% to 30% over last year.

“It is important for everyone to meet with their agent. There are a lot of dollars on the table this year and it is important to make sure you have the right coverage for your individual farm.… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to help rebuild the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) on the Ohio State University’s Wooster campus, which was partially destroyed by a tornado in mid-September.

“The OARDC has been a crucial link between agricultural producers and world-class researchers and scientists, [and] is a cornerstone of economic development for the region,” Brown wrote in the letter. “A recent study showed that OARDC annually contributes more than $142 million to the Ohio economy and generates more than 1,576 jobs in the state.

“Following the tornado, nearly every building on the campus sustained damage.  While most buildings have considerable roof damage, three buildings and seven greenhouses were completely destroyed,” Brown continued. “This past October, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan visited OARDC and surveyed the extensive damage. After inspecting the grounds, Deputy Secretary Merrigan reiterated the need to restore the facilities so that research activities could resume…Bringing these critical resources back to full capacity is critical for Ohio and for the advancement of agricultural research.”… Continue reading

Eastern Ohio landowners interested in leasing their land for natural-gas drilling into the rich resources of the Marcellus Shale need to be aware that such leases can carry some financial risk if they’re not cautious. And, potential risks to the environment could be serious.

The Marcellus Shale formation encompasses about 95,000 square miles from New York to West Virginia, swinging through the southeastern corner of Ohio. The ancient formation, lying 8,000 to 15,000 feet below the surface, is estimated to be capable of producing more than 363 trillion cubic feet of clean-burning natural gas — more than 15 times the natural gas used in the United States each year. The Utica formation, which lies beneath the Marcellus and reaches into parts of central Ohio, appears to have similar reserves.

These rich resources are fueling a “gas rush” in areas where drilling is taking place, but the rise of the new industry has also raised concerns about the possibility of contamination or depletion of groundwater reserves.… Continue reading

The Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), which is strongly supported by an ad hoc coalition of U.S. companies and agricultural and food organizations, received a bipartisan endorsement from eight former secretaries of Agriculture.

In a letter to members of Congress, Bob Bergland, John Block, Mike Espy, Dan Glickman, Mike Johanns, John Knebel, Ed Schafer and Clayton Yeutter urged lawmakers to vote to approve the trade pact’s enabling legislation, saying, “it is imperative that the KORUS FTA be implemented as soon as possible.

“The KORUS FTA will offer enormous new opportunities for our products in a market that is large and growing,” added the secretaries, who pointed out that the deal will boost U.S. agricultural goods entering South Korea duty-free to $3 billion from about $14 million now.

“The KORUS FTA is a tremendous deal for the U.S. pork industry and many other industries, and we’re very grateful that eight former Agriculture secretaries support the agreement,” said Sam Carney, a pork producer from Adair, Iowa, and president of the National Pork Producers Council, which is one of the 61 coalition members.… Continue reading

Chef Todd McDunn of Lakeview Café at the Scotts Co. in Marysville recently took first place honors in the Ohio Pork Producers Council’s Taste of Elegance competition. The contest was held February 8^th at The Capital Club, in Columbus. The contest honors chefs with the best original pork.

The event also provides an opportunity for pork producers to mingle with Ohio’s lawmakers that drop by from the nearby Ohio Statehouse. This year’s event was packed with legislators and provided a great showcase for the bounty of Ohio agriculture. Ohio wines were also featured at the event.

Chef McDunn was presented the title of “Chef Par Excellence,” $1,000 and a trophy. He prepared Pork and Apples. “Superior Chef” honors went to Chef Dave MacLennan of Latitude 41 in Columbus. Scott prepared Miso Glazed Pork Belly. “Premier Chef” went to Chef Michael Delligatta of Michael Anthony’s at the Inn in Versailles. He prepared Double Cut Brined Pork Chop and an apricot and onion chutney with Braised Red Cabbage and Bleu Cheese Polenta.… Continue reading

Bryan Black was recognized with the Ohio Pork Industry Excellence Award at the 2011 Ohio Pork Congress held in Columbus on Feb. 9. Black was selected for his tremendous contributions representing Ohio’s pork industry on the local, state and national level.

“We are pleased to recognize Bryan with this year’s Pork Industry Excellence Award for his involvement and leadership in not only Ohio’s pork industry, but also on a national level as well,” said Dick Isler, Ohio Pork Producers Council (OPPC) executive vice president. “He’s been instrumental to OPPC and his leadership remains of great value to our organization.”

Black has served as president of both the National Pork Producers Council and the Ohio Pork Producers Council. He has also been actively involved in numerous state and national committees, and currently serving as Chairman of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board Swine Subcommittee.

He resides on the family swine operation outside Canal Winchester with his wife.… Continue reading

Bryan Black was recognized with the Ohio Pork Industry Excellence Award at the 2011 Ohio Pork Congress held in Columbus on Feb. 9. Black was selected for his tremendous contributions representing Ohio’s pork industry on the local, state and national level.

“We are pleased to recognize Bryan with this year’s Pork Industry Excellence Award for his involvement and leadership in not only Ohio’s pork industry, but also on a national level as well,” said Dick Isler, Ohio Pork Producers Council (OPPC) executive vice president. “He’s been instrumental to OPPC and his leadership remains of great value to our organization.”

Black has served as president of both the National Pork Producers Council and the Ohio Pork Producers Council. He has also been actively involved in numerous state and national committees, and currently serving as Chairman of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board Swine Subcommittee.

He resides on the family swine operation outside Canal Winchester with his wife.… Continue reading

By Mark Loux, Ohio State University Extension herbicide specialist

We conducted several studies this year that expanded our knowledge on management of marestail (horseweed).  Some of the findings reinforced what we already knew and validated our current recommendations, but we did learn some new things.  It seems as though we are still trying to figure out what the most consistently effective approach is, given that some years even good marestail management programs can fail to provide adequate control.  Among the more general studies of marestail that we always conduct, we conducted the following that had more specific objectives:

1.  Where the marestail population is both ALS- and glyphosate-resistant, is there any point in using residual herbicides in the fall?

The answer in short is – no.  Our research continues to support the fact that chlorimuron (Canopy/Cloak) is the only herbicide that persists long enough into spring to have value when applied in the fall. … Continue reading