LONDON, Ohio – Whether it’s learning how to navigate new tax laws or understanding the complexities of the U.S. trade policy and its impact on agriculture, Ohio farmers likely have a lot of questions as they work through the 2019 farm crisis.

Soil health and cover crops were topics at an agricultural program on Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Logan County farm of Tom and Nancy Smith. This event was sponsored by the Logan County Land Trust in partnership with Logan and Champaign County SWCD and OSU Extension.

Not By Choice CEO Brandi Rowe stands with some of the purses to be given away during the organization's event on Sept. 21. Tickets are $40 each and are available at the NBC office at 3 N. Detroit St., Kenton.

Applications are being accepted for the 2019 Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame through the end of business on Oct. 15.

Above, Chris Kurt, Hardin County farmer and participant in the Blanchard River Demonstration Farm Network, is pictured with a delegation from Brazil of agricultural specialists with The Nature Conservancy (below).

The continuous rain this spring may have caused us to forget that insects are still active. Often these insects may be controlled if insecticides are applied at the correct time. One of these insects that is past that critical time for chemical control are bagworms as standard insecticides are no longer effective by late summer. Late instar bagworms can detect insecticide toxicants causing them to hasten pupation, but they do not die. However, they do stop feeding which leads to the perception they were killed.

LONDON, Ohio —In talking to farmers across the Midwest, Jolene Brown, a professional speaker and family business consultant, offers some unexpected advice to those overwhelmed by the stress of cultivating the land. Call your family doctor, she’ll say. “When you make the appointment, tell them you have a sore throat.” A sore throat?

One of the corn production scenarios agronomists least like is a wet spring followed by a hotter and drier than normal July and August. The spring of 2019 was one of the wettest on records throughout much of the state and now, as the dry weather that started in July persists, such a scenario seems to be a possibility. A combination of warm temperatures and inadequate rainfall is beginning to stress corn fields across Ohio. What’s exacerbating this problem are the marginal roots evident in some fields. Several factors, including poor planting conditions and/or excessively wet soil conditions in June have inhibited good root development in many fields.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dairy farmers grapple with slumps in milk prices while the cost of feeding their cows keeps rising. For crop farmers, prices for corn and soybeans remain low, and many growers couldn’t plant either crop this year.

During the month of July, Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 3.96 inches of rain in Hardin County. Last year, the average rainfall for July was 3.76 inches. Although adequate rain has been received this year during July, some townships have had much more while others have received considerably less. This has caused crops in some areas to need more rain at a crucial time during the growing season.