News & Events

Scioto County: Bringing agriculture to area students

Published May. 9, 2013

The event brought hundreds of area elementary students to the fairgrounds to learn about various aspects of agriculture in the community.

Farmers get reprieve on fuel storage regs

Published May. 9, 2013

This amendment states the U.S. EPA may not use any of its funds to enforce the SPCC rule against farms for a period of 180 days, until after Sept. 26, 2013. So while this ruling does not currently exempt farmers from having a SPCC plan, it does give them a few more months to develop a plan.

USDA and EPA: Report shows no definitive reason for honey bee colony collapse

Published May. 9, 2013

The USDA and the United States EPA released a comprehensive scientific report on honey bee health May 2. The report states that there are multiple factors playing a role in honey bee colony declines, including parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure.

New farm machinery cautioni signs planned

Published May. 9, 2013

Farm machinery caution signs are being installed on Hancock County and township roads. The Hancock County Farm Bureau recently purchased 75 diamond-shaped signs with the message, "Caution-Farm Machinery."

Extension agent: Farmers need to help curb flooding

Published May. 9, 2013

Hoorman said three things are important when slowing down the rate of water going to the ditches and rivers: water infiltration, soil absorption of water and peak water discharge to the rivers and streams. He said tillage and land management affect them all.

Draft farm bill aids pork, beef lobbies

Published May. 10, 2013

The Midwest Corn Belt would retain its costly new Agricultural Risk Coverage program—which was the mainstay of the commodity title approved last summer by the Senate in the last Congress. But the ARC payments have been trimmed back modestly and more importantly, the standard index changed from a five-month average market price to the 12-month average.

Farm payments to resume says FSA

Published May. 10, 2013

This includes payments for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).

Still time to enter ODA’s “Agriculture is Cool!”

Published May. 10, 2013

Ohio children enrolled in school or home schooled during the 2012-2013 academic year are encouraged to capture their personal interpretation of why Ohio agriculture is cool for their chance to win prizes including Ohio State Fair concert tickets. Entries must be postmarked by May 15, 2013.

HSUS creates its own Ohio ag council to try and gain farming ‘street cred’

Published May. 10, 2013

I re-read a comment in HSUS’ media release from John Dinon, HSUS’ Ohio director of outreach and engagement: “We are excited to connect Ohio’s conscientious consumers to the kind of traditional family farmers they want to support.”

Congress Poised to Move on Farm Bill

Published May. 13, 2013

The atmosphere on Capitol Hill for the farm bill suddenly seems to be full speed ahead.
The Senate Agriculture Committee will mark up its bill on Tuesday, and the House Agriculture Committee will follow suit on Wednesday.