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The Crawford County Farm Bureau Agriculture Forecast Luncheon was held Feb. 20 at the Trillium Event Center in Bucyrus. The event was sponsored by AgCredit. Attendees enjoyed lunch and learned about business solutions that may help farmers stay a step ahead.

The AgTech Innovation Hub, a collaboration between The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio Farm Bureau, and Nationwide, supports research and solutions that will help the agricultural ecosystem while better understanding, managing, and mitigating climate risk. Bethany Rowles, innovation director, introduced research that is advancing water management practices, effectiveness of biologicals and evaluating the effects of weather on crop yields. The 2025 projects funded include evaluating automated water control in tiling to help mitigate dry conditions and nutrient loss, looking at Precision Ag data to see which data really matters and which have the greatest impact on yield, and upgrading the weather monitoring system to provide more accurate data for farmers to support making decisions.

Ryan Martin provided an update on the construction of Louis Dreyfus soybean processing plant in Upper Sandusky. Louis Dreyfus decided it was time to expand because of an increasing demand for food-grade oil, the expanded biofuel mandates and the aging of existing facilities which make an opportunity for new industry participants. The Upper Sandusky site was selected because of local infrastructure including US Route 30 and access to two railroad companies, there are experienced workers in the area as well as an ample supply of soybeans grown in the area and strong demand from local food and feed manufacturers for product.

Martin also spoke about commodity markets. Corn markets could improve if the ethanol demand stays in the upward cycle, but soybean markets are probably not going to be strong this year, barring a global change. The weather outlook looked good for this area. Martin stated that if people are ready to get into the field during dry weather, they should be able to work around any spring rain. He did not foresee any weather concerns, predicting normal rainfall with plenty of heat units for growth.

Ohio Farm Bureau knows members are seeking new ideas to gain an edge and ensure their farm or business thrives. We are evolving and growing to meet those needs with insights and business solutions to help grow your bottom line. Ohio Farm Bureau offers programs and services to help make your job easier. From risk management tools to insurance and banking services to farm lease management, we have solutions to help save you money and give you a competitive advantage. Visit ohiofarmbureau.org for more details.