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By Leisa Boley Hellwarth, a dairy farmer and attorney near Celina

It’s always about the money. Always.

         Here’s a current example. In March of 2018, Dean Foods notified over 100 dairy farmers across 8 states that they were terminating their contracts, effective end of May, 2018. Dean Foods blamed an oversupply of raw milk, a decrease in fluid milk consumption and Walmart’s new 250,000-square-foot milk processing facility in Indiana. Sadly, some of these dairy farms went out of business when they were unable to locate a new processor.

         In what seemed like karma, Dean Foods filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 on Nov. 12, 2019. When they sought bankruptcy protection, Dean Foods was the largest milk processor in the US. Dean Foods explained they intended to use the Chapter 11 proceedings to keep running the business and address debt and unfunded debt obligations as it sought to sell the company.… Continue reading

December 10, 2020 -- The forecast stays mostly the same, although we are decreasing precipitation totals from this weekend's event just a bit this morning...

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) believes Congress should approve a COVID relief package before the end of the year, in a shift from previous comments that a measure wasn’t likely until early next year.

For weeks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have been negotiating a possible compromise between the White House’s $1.9 trillion and the Democrats’ $2.2 trillion proposals, but they remain at an impasse.

U.S. hog farmers are facing billions in collective pandemic-related losses and NPPC continues to press for a COVID relief package that includes assistance for U.S. pork producers.

“The impact is being felt by farms, big and small, across the country,” said Gene Nemechek, North Carolina Pork Council Interim CEO. “Many farms are losing money, and others are being forced to close altogether. That’s why it is critical that Congress quickly move forward with a COVID-19 relief package that includes specific relief for our nation’s livestock farmers.”… Continue reading

The Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) FFA Chapter has a primary goal to follow the National FFA Mission.  The miss is to make a positive difference in students’ lives by developing their potential for career success through agricultural education and Career Development Events (CDE). 

Animal Behavior & Animal Welfare CDE ensures an educated public and helps prepare students to enter industry careers. The purpose of the Animal Behavior & Welfare CDE is to stimulate student interest and promote education in understanding animals’ evolutionary biology, their biological needs, indicators of differing levels of welfare, and holistically evaluating different facilities, husbandry and management. Also, this CDE will provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies due to animal behavior & welfare instruction. This contest is aligned with the Agriculture and Environmental Systems Career Field Pathways for Animal Science and Management. … Continue reading

October 21, 2020 -- Scattered showers today will be mostly north of a line from Youngstown to Dayton. In that area, we can see rain totals of a few hundredths to half an inch, with coverage at 60%. south of that line, expect clouds and some sun, but no new moisture today...

Contest entries are closed.… Continue reading

Even though women have been working in agribusiness for decades, there are particular challenges that face women in professional agribusiness roles. Through small group discussions and input from members, OABA is pleased to offer a forum for women who are looking for resources from experts and peers alike to face these challenges. To meet this need, the Ohio AgriBusiness Association is launching the Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness program.

“Through the Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness program, Ohio’s female leaders will have a dedicated environment to discuss with their peers the challenges unique to women in agriculture,” said Chris Henney, OABA president and CEO. 

The new program will offer professional development, networking opportunities and more to OABA’s female leaders. Women new or seasoned in the industry are invited and encouraged to participate and share with one another. To kick off the program, OABA is hosting a three-session webinar series this fall:

• Developing a mindset of career confidence
• Working through uncomfortable/offensive situations
• When “he” doesn’t want to work with a woman

Sessions are $75 each or $150 for the series.… Continue reading

The September 2020 Miami East-MVCTC FFA Member of the Month is Dottie Everett. She is a sophomore and second year member of the Miami East-MVCTC FFA Chapter. Her parents are Tom and Christa Everett of Fletcher.

Dottie had a successful 2020 Miami County Fair where she exhibited the Reserve Champion Horticulture entry with her green beans. Additionally, she competed in the State FFA Meats Evaluation Career Development Event. Dottie’s Supervised Agricultural Experience program is vegetable production. She operates Dot’s Fresh Produce, a roadside produce stand and markets through social media. 

Every month of the school year the Miami East-MVCTC FFA will select a student to be the FFA Member of the Month.  The officer team will nominate one member that has been actively involved in the FFA chapter, school and community activities.  If selected, the member will be recognized at the monthly FFA meeting, have their picture displayed in the Miami East Ag Room, and will receive a special accolade in celebration of their accomplishment.… Continue reading

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is creating a new team that will lead a department-wide effort focused on serving beginning farmers and ranchers.

To institutionalize support for beginning farmers and ranchers and to build upon prior agency work, the 2018 Farm Bill directed USDA to create a national coordinator position in the agency and state-level coordinators for four of its agencies — Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Rural Development (RD).

Doug Deardorff was selected as the NRCS USDA Beginning Farmer Rancher state coordinator in Ohio. Doug has spent over 35 years serving farmers with land stewardship and conservation assistance. He and his brother are co-owners of a farm and working with their tenant farmer to protect soil, water and related resources is important to them. Doug is very aware of the challenges and risks that young farmers face to get started and achieve some stability in their farming careers.… Continue reading

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation recently created the 16th seat on its board, dedicated to a YAP member. This new position will allow an active Young Ag Professional the opportunity to serve on the foundation board for a one-year term.

Eligible members are active in their county, state or national Farm Bureau and should have a passion for philanthropic fundraising. To learn more, please see the online application form.

Applications will be accepted through Sept. 11, 2020.

For questions please contact Kelsey Turner at kturner@ofbf.org.… Continue reading

By: Katerina Sharp

Two Amanda-Clearcreek FFA graduates have received their $500 scholarships from A-C FFA Alumni for the 2019-2020 school year after successfully completing their first semesters of college.

These outstanding recipients are Noah Smith and Jalynn Fausnaugh.

Noah completed his first year of college at The Ohio State University at the Columbus campus where he is pursuing a degree in Agribusiness and Applied Economics with an Agronomy minor. In addition to his classes, he is involved in the OSU Crops and Soils club, the OSU Agribusiness Club, and with the Ohio FFA Association where he recently completed a year as a State FFA Officer. After obtaining his degree, he plans to work in the world of corporate agriculture. His scholarship money was used for tuition, books, school supplies, housing, and other academic fees.

Jalynn is currently attending Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma. She is working on a degree in Biology and Chemistry, and after college hopes to work in veterinary sciences.… Continue reading

More of Ohio’s localized dry conditions showed up in some of today’s reports. There were fields of corn firing, some suffering soybeans and later-planted fields showing up in today’s reports as well. A tough Union County field has a sub-130-bushel yield potential after being planted wet and then enduring some very dry conditions. Gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight started showing up in more of today’s reports too. The high for corn today was from Putnam County with a nice 234-bushel estimate. The average for Day 2 is 192.5 bushels. The two-day corn yield average is 192 bushels.

The lowest soybean yields reported so far are from Hardin County where conditions have been really challenging due to very limited rainfall. There was some pod feeding, frogeye and increasing amount of Japanese beetle feeding reported today. There were a couple of 60+ yield potential fields reported, but also more 40- to 50-bushel range fields reported today.… Continue reading

The 9 a.m. kickoff session for the Southwest Ohio Corn Growers Agronomy Field Day features  Keynote Speaker Aaron Wilson,from Ohio State University with a Climate and Weather Update and Sakthi Subburayalu from Central State University talking about Water Quality and Edge of Field Research. Ryan LeGrand, the CEO of the U.S. Grains Council is another featured speaker for the field day and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a “Business After Hours” event as well.

The event is at the Fayette County Airport and Demonstration Farm at 2770 Route 38 Washington C.H. Admission is free and lunch is included. There will be large equipment and table top displays.

For more information, contact Ken Ford, Ohio State University Extension, Fayette County at 937-335-1150 or ford.70@osu.edu.… Continue reading