Featured News

An animal welfare symposium is scheduled for November 30, 2010 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center located at 2201 Fred Taylor Drive on the OSU Campus. The symposium has a great line up of speakers, including Temple Grandin as the keynote speaker and is co-hosted by The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine. To see the complete program agenda, including online registration, go to: http://vet.osu.edu/preventive-medicine/AnimalWelfareSymposium.… Continue reading

Editor’s note: With the 2010 election on our doorstep, Ohio’s Country Journal recently asked Ohio’s two leading candidates for governor and two leading candidates for U.S. Senate to answer the following question in 400 words or less: “Why should Ohio’s agricultural community vote for you?” Here are their responses.

Governor Ted Strickland

Growing up in rural Scioto County, I understand the vital role agriculture plays in Ohio. I am proud of my record as governor and the many accomplishments my administration has been able to achieve with the support of Ohio farmers and the agricultural community. These are tough times but together we’ve overseen the largest tax cut in Ohio history, continued to tighten the belt of state government by reducing its size and cost, and cut burdensome regulations so businesses and farms can grow and expand.
It is essential that the next generation of Ohioans have the skills they need to succeed, so we have made record investments in K-12 education and expanded access to affordable higher education.… Continue reading

Editor’s note: With the 2010 election on our doorstep, Ohio’s Country Journal recently asked Ohio’s two leading candidates for governor and two leading candidates for U.S. Senate to answer the following question in 400 words or less: “Why should Ohio’s agricultural community vote for you?” Here are their responses.

Governor Ted Strickland

Growing up in rural Scioto County, I understand the vital role agriculture plays in Ohio. I am proud of my record as governor and the many accomplishments my administration has been able to achieve with the support of Ohio farmers and the agricultural community. These are tough times but together we’ve overseen the largest tax cut in Ohio history, continued to tighten the belt of state government by reducing its size and cost, and cut burdensome regulations so businesses and farms can grow and expand.
It is essential that the next generation of Ohioans have the skills they need to succeed, so we have made record investments in K-12 education and expanded access to affordable higher education.… Continue reading

The Pacific Northwest should brace for a colder and wetter than average winter, while most of the South and Southeast will be warmer and drier than average through February 2011, according to the annual Winter Outlook released today by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. A moderate to strong La Niña will be the dominant climate factor influencing weather across most of the U.S. this winter.

La Niña is associated with cooler than normal water temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, unlike El Niño which is associated with warmer than normal water temperatures. Both of these climate phenomena, which typically occur every 2-5 years, influence weather patterns throughout the world and often lead to extreme weather events. Last winter’s El Niño contributed to record-breaking rain and snowfall leading to severe flooding in some parts of the country, with record heat and drought in other parts of the country. Although La Niña is the opposite of El Niño, it also has the potential to bring weather extremes to parts of the nation.… Continue reading

Economic opportunity, beautification, new jobs and access to fresh, local produce are being wrapped into one pretty package for the Greater Cleveland community.

Ohio State University Extension in Cuyahoga County has received more than $840,000 in grants to help new farmers get started on small tracts of land in the city, with a special focus on training for women, minorities, refugees, immigrants and limited resource adults with developmental disabilities.

Projects supported by the grants will address several key city issues at once, said Marie Barni, director of the Cuyahoga County office for OSU Extension, including urban blight, food deserts, and unemployment.

The Beginning Entrepreneurs in Agricultural Networks (BEAN) and the Urban Agriculture Innovation District (UAID) projects will turn vacant tracts into lush, productive gardens and farms, Barni said.

“Many people in our county live without ready access to fresh produce. Infusing agriculture throughout our county provides healthy foods in our neighborhoods.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

Rumors are flying that have bakers in a panic. Anxious homemakers are nervously flitting among grocery aisles only to have their hopes dashed. Dark tales are being told in the backrooms of bakeries. Could it be true? Is there a great pie pumpkin shortage of 2010?
Whether real or perceived, there has been a fair amount of discussion in some pumpkin-loving circles about a short crop of pie pumpkins in 2009 resulting in a limited supply of canned pumpkin for 2010. Does this mean no pumpkin doughnuts, no pumpkin rolls no (heaven forbid) pumpkin pies this fall?
Though she had heard the rumors, Linda Ballou, who is on the Baked Goods Committee for the famous Circleville Pumpkin Show this week, said there was plenty of pumpkin for her purposes this year. Entries of pumpkin baked items were off a bit at the 2010 Pumpkin Show, but not likely due to a lack of pumpkins.… Continue reading

From now through November 21, 2010, Tractor Supply Company stores will support local 4-H youth and their families, volunteers, staff, and alumni with the exclusive TSC Clover Card, a loyalty card that gives periodic discounts to folks affiliated with 4-H and offers clubs the opportunity to win a monthly $500 TSC gift card. In addition, from November 5-14th, all TSC stores will be running a Paper Clover fundraiser in their stores to raise funds for their local 4-H programs. Can you help support 6 million 4-H youth by spreading the word about this exciting campaign?

In addition to the benefits for 4-H families to sign up for the excusive TSC Clover Card, all funds raised through this local TSC Paper Clover Promotion will be donated to 4-H, and will support local camps, after-school programs and other 4-H youth development program activities.

What is the TSC Clover Card?
As part of National 4-H Council’s partnership withTractor Supply Company (TSC), TSC has created a pilot loyalty card program for 4-Hers, their families, and staff involved in 4-H—it is called the TSC Clover Card!… Continue reading

A report prepared for the California Air Resources Board by a team of scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory found corn ethanol contributed “minimal to zero” impact from the Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) scheme.

The report was compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge lab at the request of CARB, which has appointed several teams of expert working groups to assess the methodology and data that went into California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. That standard used a controversial ILUC formula which heavily penalized American grain farmers for carbon emissions theoretically produced by farmers overseas.

“This should put the stake into the heart of the bizarre ILUC scheme. Here are some of the best scientists in the country – scientists who have no stake in the game – who found that ethanol had little to no impact from ILUC,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “We must ask why California insists on going forward with a regulation that is based not just on controversial theory, but a theory that has been disproven.”… Continue reading

A bug named for its stench and marbled, streaky appearance has made its way to Ohio, potentially becoming a serious pest — the brown marmorated stink bug. This odiferous pest is moving eastward from the Atlantic Coast into the eastern Corn Belt becoming a pest in Ohio on soybeans and other crops, but can be a more serious problem in fruit crops, ornamental plants and irritated homeowners.
“To add insult to injury, these stink bugs then tend to move into people’s homes in late fall looking for overwintering sites in numbers reaching the hundreds and even thousands. And as the name implies, the insect can release a characteristic pungent acid odor that many people find offensive; in other words, these insects can ‘stink!’” wrote Ron Hammond, Andy Michel and Bruce Eisley, Ohio State University Extension entomologists in a recent CORN Newsletter. “We received a number of reports of homes in Ohio being invaded by this insect.… Continue reading

Ohio farmers are encouraged to diligently monitor their stored corn grain to prevent mold development.

Ohio State University Extension plant pathologists said that keeping an eye on stored grain in the bins early in the season can help producers avoid problems that too often go unnoticed or are discovered too late in the game to really do anything about.

“Even in years when there is little or no ear rot problems in the fields (a leading cause of mold development), mold may still develop in the grain bins if storage temperature and moisture conditions are favorable,” said Pierce Paul, an OSU Extension plant pathologist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

Paul said that there have been some reports of field-dried corn producing molds in storage. Moldy kernels may contain toxins harmful to livestock if ingested in large enough amounts.

“Corn is dryer than average and much dryer than last year coming out of the field.… Continue reading

Director Boggs recaps the October 19th meeting where they passed the civil penalty rule and discussed veal and non-ambulatory animals

Ohio (Oct. 19, 2010) – The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board today passed a vote on proposed civil penalty rules that will be used to enforce newly created livestock care standards. Proposed civil penalty rules will be filed with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) to begin the rule-making process.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture, under its regulatory authority, has the responsibility to enforce the livestock care standards the board puts in place. The civil penalty rules provide guidance for major and minor livestock care standard violations, and the civil penalties apply to each set of livestock care standards the board creates.

“The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board is making strides in its endeavor to do what Ohioans have asked of it: to create livestock care standards and civil penalties that will protect not only Ohio’s livestock but also consumers, producers and the livelihood of the state’s number one industry—food and agriculture,” said Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs.… Continue reading

The cattle industry is ready to set records for high prices this year and next, said Purdue University Extension economist Chris Hurt.

“Although this is positive news for finished cattle prices, calves and feeder cattle still face the price-depressing burden of high feed costs. In the longer run, current high feed prices will keep the industry in a liquidation phase, and smaller beef supplies in coming years will be positive for returns for years to come,” he said.

The cattle industry continues to adjust to high feed prices not only from the last three years, but also from the most recent increases in corn, distillers, and soybean meal costs. The longer-term adjustments continue to play out in the reduction of cow numbers, he said.

“The most recent surge in feed prices will likely keep producers from expanding until feed prices moderate. That will not be until the 2011 U.S. crops are assured, which is still at least 10 months away.… Continue reading

The Pork Checkoff has teamed with the National FFA organization to create the Middle School Food and Agricultural Literacy Curriculum. It is a free resource — available at ffa.learn.com — that can be used by teachers as a year-long course or customized to fit a shorter timeframe to teach students to become savvy consumers.  The curriculum has more than 150 free pre-packaged, stand-alone lessons and eight units to choose from.

“This is a curriculum that will educate future generations of consumers,” said Karen Richter, a pork producer from Montgomery, Minn., and member of the Pork Checkoff Producer Services Committee. “The purpose is to let them know where their food comes from.”

The eight units include: 

• Introduction to Agricultural Science
• Food Science
• Natural Resources
• Plant Science
• Animal Science
• Agricultural Science and Technology
• Agricultural Issues
• Careers in Agriculture

A team of industry professionals, university educators and secondary agriculture educators developed the framework in which the key concepts, units and lessons objectives were determined and aligned to the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources standards.… Continue reading

By Steve Butzen, Clyde Tiffany and Darren Goebel, Pioneer agronomists

Stover production by corn plants is roughly equal to the weight of grain produced. This means when corn yields exceed 200 bushels per acre, stover yields may reach 12,000 to 16,000 pounds per acre. That’s over twice the residue produced by most other crops and over twice the residue necessary to provide 100% soil cover. If residue is not managed properly, it can lead to stand and yield reductions caused by excess residue. Research suggests that corn yields may be reduced when fields have 90 percent residue cover within 2 inches of the seed furrow.

Fall tillage
Corn residue is more resistant to decomposition than that of many crops, which can compound the problem of excess residue. Residue that is not incorporated in the fall will remain largely intact in the spring because the decomposition process is slowed even more without soil contact.… Continue reading

The EPA’s decision on a partial waiver for E15 use (blend of 15% corn ethanol and 85% unleaded gasoline) in light-duty motor vehicles was announced last week. Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association were pleased that action had finally been taken following the March 2009 petition increase the blend level, but the ethanol supporters also feel that EPA missed an opportunity to spur growth for alternative fuels by failing to recognize E12 in 2010.

The current limit of corn ethanol blended with gasoline is 10 percent (E10), as set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is an arbitrary cap. All cars manufactured after 1980 can use E10 gasoline. Because of corn ethanol’s several advantages compared to petroleum, a proposal to increase corn ethanol limits at fuel stations nationwide is being considered. However, if approved, E15 will be approved for vehicles manufactured after 2007 only. This new arbitrary cap is not a mandate, but an allowable level of ethanol blended with gasoline.… Continue reading

By Steve Butzen, Clyde Tiffany and Darren Goebel, Pioneer agronomists

Management of corn residue should begin at harvest with uniform distribution of chaff and stalks behind the combine.

Uniform distribution has advantages for growers in no-till, minimum-till or conventional-till systems, including better erosion protection, less plugging of tillage or seeding equipment, and improved stand establishment. Success in uniformly distributing crop residue this fall also can help eliminate tillage passes next spring.

Today’s combines, with wider grain platforms and corn heads, concentrate a larger volume of plant material into the same narrow band exiting the combine. This material then must be spread back onto the wide harvest swath, making uniform distribution more challenging.

Combines with header widths of 20 to 30 feet or more may not be adequately equipped to uniformly distribute large volumes of residue. In such cases, adding manufacturer options or after-market equipment to more aggressively manage residue may be needed.… Continue reading

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), U.S. soy exports set a record for the fourth year in a row with exports of 1.9 billion bushels for the last marketing year. Soybean-checkoff funded international sales efforts helped to achieve these record-setting export numbers. The United Soybean Board (USB) continues to devote the largest percentage of its budget toward increasing U.S. soy sales abroad.

U.S. soybean farmers shipped out over 1.45 billion bushels of whole soybeans, up from the 1.24 billion bushels exported last year. Also, increasing in the 2009/2010 marketing year were exports of soybean meal totaling 428 million bushels. Soybean oil weighed in at 1.4 million metric tons. The USDA credited strong early season sales and a projected increase in global import demand — especially for China, which imported 825 million bushels — for the continued success of U.S. soy exports. 


Meanwhile, the U.S. soy sector started the new export marketing year with a considerable amount of soybean export commitments on the books.… Continue reading

United Producers Inc. (UPI), which operates livestock marketing facilities throughout the Midwest, has submitted written comments opposing a proposed rule by the USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

“We are extremely concerned about the proposed rule as it relates to regulations regarding livestock contracts, arbitration use in contracts, and establishing criteria for the Secretary to consider in determining whether an undue or unreasonable preference or advantage has occurred in violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act,” said Dennis Bolling, president and CEO, United Producers Inc.

UPI’s concerns about the proposed rule focus on regulations that would negatively impact its members and its operations. These concerns include:

If the definition of competitive injury is changed, the ensuing frivolous lawsuits would be devastating and result in a one‐price‐fits‐all bid from packers. This type of pricing does not recognize variation between animals.

If alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs) are restricted or eliminated, it will severely limit UPI’s members’ ability to manage risk, finance production and compete with one another to negotiate premiums.… Continue reading

United Producers Inc. (UPI), which operates livestock marketing facilities throughout the Midwest, has submitted written comments opposing a proposed rule by the USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

“We are extremely concerned about the proposed rule as it relates to regulations regarding livestock contracts, arbitration use in contracts, and establishing criteria for the Secretary to consider in determining whether an undue or unreasonable preference or advantage has occurred in violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act,” said Dennis Bolling, president and CEO, United Producers Inc.

UPI’s concerns about the proposed rule focus on regulations that would negatively impact its members and its operations. These concerns include:

If the definition of competitive injury is changed, the ensuing frivolous lawsuits would be devastating and result in a one‐price‐fits‐all bid from packers. This type of pricing does not recognize variation between animals.

If alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs) are restricted or eliminated, it will severely limit UPI’s members’ ability to manage risk, finance production and compete with one another to negotiate premiums.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

Local legend tells of a visit from Johnny Appleseed to the home of Sarah Seine and her children among the rolling wooded hills of what is now eastern Fairfield County. If the legend is true, the Hugus family has maintained Johnny Appleseed’s apple tradition on that farm since the early 1900s when Ray and Bernice Hugus planted peach and apple trees.

The fruit was a part of a general livestock and grain farm back in the early days, but became the main focus of the Hugus farm after World War II when the dairy was sold. The retail apple and peach business has been a family venture ever since.

“Direct marketing our apples has always been our main focus,” said Ralph Hugus, the current owner of the farm and the third generation of his family on the land. “We’re not a big enough operation to do well with wholesale and the logistics of doing u-pick in our orchard really do not work for us.… Continue reading