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Last month, the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative released their findings of the 2021 Assessment Survey Report on practices being used by farmers in the Lower Maumee watershed to manage water and nutrients. The survey results establish a baseline of adoption for various farming practices in the Lower Maumee watershed. The information will allow for a more targeted approach to help increase some practices, while also displaying that some practices are already adopted at an adequate level.

What do the results tell us? What are farmers doing right and what could be improved to protect soil and water? On this Our Ohio Weekly, learn about the entire report from Kris Swartz, farmer and chair, Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative; Jordan Hoewischer, eirector of water quality and research, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; and Dr. John Fulton, professor and Extension specialist, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.

00:00 – Swartz, Fulton and Hoewischer talk about the results of the initial survey and why this assessment report was commissioned and how it will be used going forward.

16:50 – The panelists discuss new nutrient management technologies being used by farmers in northwest Ohio and how H2Ohio will help more farmers adopt new practices.

23:50 – On this edition of “To the Beat of Agriculture,” we continue to feature Ohio Farm Bureau state trustees. This week, hear from the 22nd District representative, including Athens, Gallia, Lawrence and Meigs counties. Karin Bright talks about her unique community and what Joe Burrow did for their food pantry.

32:20 – Jason Berkland, senior associate vice president of risk management at Nationwide, shares how his organization is helping to bring attention to the dangers of grain bins and helping to prevent tragic accidents on the farm with the Nominate your Fire Department contest.

42:20 – In March, Farm Credit Mid-America will distribute $210 million to eligible customers through the Patronage Program, the largest amount ever distributed in its history. Brock Burcham, regional vice president agricultural lending, mentions some of the ways patronage returns benefit customers and Farm Credit Mid-America.