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May 22, 2023 -- Sunny, warm and dry all week this week. We will see above normal temps and excellent evaporation from today through Memorial Day afternoon...

May 18, 2023 -- Dryness continues for your Thursday with full sunshine and warmer temps. Evaporation rates still look great, producing excellent drying...

May 17, 2023 -- The entire state moves into a dry pattern today. We expect above normal temps and fast drying thanks to excellent evaporation...

May 16, 2023 -- . Over the northern half of the state we can expect another dry day with sunshine and near normal temps. In the southern quarter of the state, we see showers working back into the region with rain totals of .1"-.6" and coverage at 80%...

May 15, 2023 -- Dry today with good sunshine and pleasant temps. A new wrinkle emerged over the weekend, though, that brings rain back into Ohio tomorrow...

Shelby and Auglaize County producers are eligible for additional funding through the Mississippi River Basin Initiative, which accelerates voluntary, on-farm conservation investments to address water quality concerns in the Mississippi River watershed. Interested producers can apply for this opportunity between May 8 and June 9, 2023. 

Funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), producers will receive financial and technical assistance to apply conservation practices, such as nutrient management, cover crops and tillage management. The impact of these practices reduces nutrient loading in local water bodies and the Gulf of Mexico. Click here for the Ohio NRCS FY 23 Mississippi River Basin Initiative Practice List and the FY 23 Mississippi River Basin Project Map.

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Known as “America’s River,” the Mississippi River is North America’s largest river, flowing over 2,300 miles through America’s heartland to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River watershed not only provides drinking water, food, industry and recreation for millions of people, it also hosts the migratory flyway and home for more than 325 bird species.… Continue reading

By Jon Scheve, Superior Feed Ingredients, LLC 

With old crop corn bouncing 30 cents off the lows from earlier this week, the following summarizes some market factors contributing to current price movement. 

Ukraine uncertainty

Some of the rally is likely due to the Ukraine grain corridor discussions and whether Russia will be renewing the deal. Russia’s deadline for a decision is May 18, debates as to if it will continue will occur until then, and likely well after that date too regardless of the outcome. 

Wheat production issues

Another reason for the rally may be severe reductions in hard red winter wheat yields in the southern plains. If Kansas City wheat prices could continue to trade higher the next few weeks, it likely keeping wheat from replacing corn in feed rations.

Recession?

Some financial analysts this past week were suggesting the recent economic data shows a recession may be becoming less likely and a “soft landing” is possible.… Continue reading

He is risen!

1 Peter 1:3: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”… Continue reading

By James Hoorman, Hoorman Soil Health Services

Insects damage over 30% of all crops worldwide amounting to at least $220 billion lost annually. Insect damaged plants allows many plant diseases a way to enter wounds, further complicating crop damage.  Insects can sense when a plant is unhealthy. These plants become a preferred food source, since they feast on plants high in nitrates due to incomplete photosynthesis.  Healthy plants produce full proteins which the insects cannot digest, so they avoid healthy plants. Good plant nutrition decreases insect and disease crop damage.

Another way to reduce crop damage is through predators that consume both insects and disease organisms. Most predators need food, shelter, and habitat to help these beneficial predators thrive.  Small fields surrounded by natural vegetation offer refuge and extra food. Diverse crops and multispecies cover crops with small open flowers promote predators. Soils high in crop residue (mulch) and biological activity offer winter refuge and food for predators.… Continue reading

By Dusty Sonnenberg, CCA, Ohio Field Leader, a project of the Ohio Soybean Council and soybean check-off.

In agriculture, the year is broken down into seasons. There is the planting season, the growing season, the harvest season, and winter meeting season. When it comes to agronomic research, they also have seasons. These include the planning season, the meeting season and the research season. Planning and research occurs all year long. Research goes on during the growing season, (and beyond in the laboratory). Meeting season occurs in the winter, as well as summer field days.

“When planning research, we try to move from the root upward,” said Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Plant Pathologist and Nematologist at The Ohio State University. “Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) will continue to be an important part of our research. We are looking at different seed treatments. We are also looking at different sources of resistance that can be effective at managing the sources of SCN resistance.”… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

Big land auctions require careful attention to many small details.

Kevin Miller, with Oakridge Realty and Auction Co. in Allen County, sells quite a bit of farmland in Ohio, some of it in very large tracts. 

“We do specialize in farmland sales and auctions is obviously one part of that, we also do the traditional private treaty sale. Last year we sold over 1,100 acres at auction at one time. That was in about 17 different tracts. On Sept. 1 we have 762 acres from one seller and we’ll be selling that in 7 tracts,” Miller said. “When you have that much land, you have to figure out how to coordinate to get the best sale for the owners and bring in the most buyers. Large tracts of land offer challenges. They require a lot of data and a lot of studying to figure out how to break those down into different sized tracts to be attractive to buyers.… Continue reading

The 2022 Dean’s Charity Steer Show, held at the Ohio State Fair on Tuesday, August 2, raised an astounding $240,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

Media personalities, celebrity exhibitors, and 4-H youth, along with their steers, donated their time to raise money and compete for bragging rights in front of a large crowd of supporters in the Cooper Arena. 

The show was hosted by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES. The president of Ohio State, Kristina M. Johnson, was also in attendance. Clark Donley, news director at Columbus Radio Group, served as emcee of the event. 

The final dollar amount raised won’t be available until after all donation pages close on August 31, so if you missed the show, there’s still plenty of time to donate to the worthy cause at give.osu.edu/deanscharitysteershow. … Continue reading

July 29, 2022 -- Our weather improves greatly starting today and going though the weekend. Temps will be cooler, humidity levels lower and sunshine dominates...

By Dr. Laura Lindsey, Adapted from C.O.R.N. 2022-23

Currently, most soybean fields in Ohio are at the R3 growth stage, meaning there is a pod at least 3/16 inch long (but less than 3/4 inch long) at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf. Some late planted fields may still be at the flowering growth stage while some early planted fields may be entering the R4 growth stage (pod 3/4 inch long at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf).

What does the soybean crop need to maximize yield during pod set? The number of pods per acre sets the maximum number of seeds per acre, which is the component most strongly related to final yield. Therefore, pod development becomes one of the most critical stages in the life of soybean.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese and Dale Minyo

Chris Weaver is a sixth-generation farmer from central Maryland who has put a focus upon soybean agronomic research. He is credited with growing 158-bushel soybeans and boosting farm yield averages to over 100 bushels. Weaver stopped in Ohio in July to share some tips with farmers, courtesy of Golden Harvest. 

“We went from 60- to 70-bushel beans in 2010 when I took over, to over 100-bushels for an average on the farm. I had to overcome a bunch of hurdles to get my father and grandfather to understand not everything is a snake oil. It is a tough mindset to change everything we have been doing in the past. We had to change our thought process to increase the bean yield on the whole farm. We had to look at things differently. It is not about growing 158-bushel beans, it is increasing your farm average to increase your productivity to increase your ROI,” Weaver said.… Continue reading

He is risen!… Continue reading

April 13, 2022 -- We get wet today, as rain move in from the west and south. We still are likely going to miss the biggest threat of strong to severe thunderstorms...

April 6, 2022 -- Rain falls today as a cold front sweeps through Ohio. We are confident that we see rain totals of .15"-.75" with 85% coverage today...

The 2022 growing season began with slightly cooler and drier conditions than the start of last year’s growing season, according to Cheryl Turner, State Statistician, USDA NASS, Ohio Field Office. Topsoil moisture conditions were rated 1 percent very short, 1 percent short, 61 percent adequate, and 37 percent surplus. Temperatures for the week ending April 3 averaged 7.8 degrees below historical normals and the State received 0.25 inches of precipitation. There were 1.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 3.

To start the season, producers top dressed wheat and spread lime. Cattle were doing well while some goats and sheep were being kept off pastures due to weather conditions and temperatures. Oats were 3 percent planted compared to 8 percent last year. Winter wheat jointing was 2 percent while the winter wheat crop was rated 54 percent good to excellent condition.

This is the first weekly crop and weather report for the 2022 season.… Continue reading