Featured News

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation (Foundation) is pleased to announce that
Dr. David Baker, Professor Emeritus in Environmental Studies at Heidelberg
University in Tiffin, and Dr. Bernie Erven, Professor Emeritus in
Agricultural Communications at Ohio State University in Columbus, are
honorees for the organization’s 2010 Golf Invitational. A special
recognition program will be held in conjunction with the event at the
Medallion Club in Westerville on Monday, June 28.

Baker has been recognized as a national leader helping farmers, rural
residents and public officials learn more about water quality and effective
conservation management techniques. He worked closely with the Ohio Farm
Bureau when the organization spearheaded the first large-scale groundwater
quality testing programs in the country during the 1980s and 1990s. His
work through the Water Quality Lab at Heidelberg University earned national
attention showing the relationship between effective conservation
management practices on the farm, and groundwater quality.

Erven is well known for his work concerning family dialogue, employee
communication and small business development.… Continue reading

With hay-harvesting equipment demonstrations, educational presentations on biofuel grasses and a variety of exhibitors, the 2010 Southeastern Ohio Hay Day, Thursday, June 17, promises to be a great opportunity for producers serious about maximizing farm income and exploring new ventures.

Sponsored by Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), the event — free and open to the public — will be held from 4-8:30 p.m. at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station in Belle Valley, Ohio, just off Interstate 71 in Noble County. Dinner will be provided.

The program includes a series of hay-equipment demonstrations (raking, baling, mowing and tedding). Exhibitors include hay-equipment manufacturers, local equipment dealers, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and OSU Extension.

New this year are presentations on biofuel grasses and warm-season grass production, said Clif Little, OSU Extension educator in agriculture and natural resources. Larry Merry, Belmont County (Ohio) Port Authority, will be on hand to discuss Berger Plant’s (also located in Belmont County) plans to use biomass for energy generation by 2013.… Continue reading

The Ohio Department of Agriculture today announced its third annual photo contest. Participants will have until Dec. 31, 2010, to capture their personal interpretation of this year’s theme “Life of a Farmer.”

“Life of a Farmer” can be interpreted in many ways. Entrants are asked to show the department their unique definition of the life of an everyday farmer, which could include photos of farmers at work, with their animals or enjoying life on the farm.

Following the Dec. 31 deadline, an independent judging panel will rank the photo submissions. The winning photographers will be invited to join Director Boggs and other invited guests for a reception and unveiling of the top photos. The top photos will be placed on display at the Ohio Statehouse. All photos may be used by the department for educational or promotional incentives.

General photography contest rules:

• Entrants must be at least 16-years-old and the original photographer.

President E. Gordon Gee will help kick off The Ohio State University’s new “Soy Toner Alliance,” in which laser printers on campus will begin using a new soy-based toner originally developed in a collaboration between the Ohio Soybean Council and Battelle.

The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22, at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Dr.

The toner, produced by Mitsubishi and available in AgriTone replacement cartridges produced by West Point Products, is 35 percent or more bio-based. The development of the toner was funded by soybean checkoff dollars provided to Battelle from the Ohio Soybean Council.

Other speakers at the event will be Bobby Moser, vice president and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; Keith Kemp, chairman of the Ohio Soybean Council and Preble County soybean farmer; Debby Parks, director of UniPrint; and representatives from Battelle.

Ohio State’s adoption of soy-based toner makes it one of the largest users of soy-based toner in the nation.… Continue reading

Released June 7, 2010, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For
information on “Crop Progress” call Julie Schmidt at (202) 720-7621, office
hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Special Note

NASS is in the process of modifying report layouts in order to improve
readability. This report will be published weekly using both layouts through
June 28, 2010. Beginning July 6, 2010, Crop Progress will only be produced
with the new layout, which is available on the NASS website:
http://www.nass.usda.gov.

Soybeans:  Percent Planted,
Selected States 1/
————————————–
:      Week Ending      :
:———————–: 2005-
State:Jun 6, :May 30,:Jun 6, : 2009
: 2010  : 2010  : 2009  : Avg.
————————————–
:            Percent
:
AR    :  83      72      54      76
IL    :  82      73      55      81
IN    :  81      70      66      81
IA    :  95      91      94      94
KS    :  74      53      71      71
KY    :  77      64      45      67
LA    :  91      84      90      89
MI    :  87      73      77      89
MN    :  98      95      96      94
MS    :  97      96      90      96
MO    :  65      48      57      70
NE    :  94      85      99      93
NC    :  61      55      55      55
ND    :  88      69      79      90
OH    :  79      64      89      92
SD    :  80      63      86      83
TN    :  67      48      41      69
WI    :  91      81      87      90
:
18 Sts:  84      74      76      84
————————————–
1/  These 18 States planted 95% of
last year’s soybean acreage.… Continue reading

Steve Reinhard, Crawford County

“In Crawford County, farmers finished with most of the planting in the last week of May. However, the rain has continued to fall since Memorial Day, when we got 4.5 inches through Sunday morning for a total of 8 to 10 inches for the week. As bad as it was, it could have been worse like it was to our north and south.

“Friends in Wyandot County are still trying to get some crops in and in some cases abandoning corn, while friends in Ashland County are looking decent. A friend of ours south of Bucyrus replanted beans that got frosted in low areas only to see the water laying on them now.

“The bean fields here are really spotty with places still under water, and the damage to the corn is starting to show. Other then that, the crops that are growing are looking good, although some disease is being found in seedlings of corn and beans.… Continue reading