The Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will be holding its 72nd Annual Meeting, in conjunction with Customer Appreciation Day, on Thursday, Aug. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the shelter house, north of the Community Building, at the Hardin County Fairgrounds, Kenton.

COLUMBUS — Late-planted corn and soybeans could be vulnerable to higher-than-normal levels of crop diseases this year, experts from The Ohio State University warn. When sown one to two months later than usual, corn and soybeans stand a greater chance of succumbing, especially, to fungal diseases.

The unrelenting rains this spring and summer have created many challenges that the farming community is now sorting through. In order to help with decisions, OSU Extension has created an “Addressing 2019 Agricultural Challenges” Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpage.

FINDLAY – Changes coming to USDA Rural Development’s single family housing loan programs will help streamline the loan application process for low- and very-low income Ohioans considering rural homeownership.

There is a segment of agriculture in southeastern Hardin County that specializes in commercial fruit and vegetable production. Hardin County is also home to the Scioto Valley Produce Auction near Mt. Victory where much of this produce is sold.

COLUMBUS -- The State Executive Director for Ohio's Farm Service Agency (FSA), Leonard Hubert, reminds producers that the signup period for Lake Erie CREP runs through Aug. 23. CREP is a federal conservation partnership with the state of Ohio through ODA. CREP is designed to address agriculture-related environmental concerns. Ohio’s Lake Erie CREP began in 2000 with the main objective to improve water quality in all of our rivers, streams, and tributaries within the Lake Erie watershed with a special emphasis on the Blanchard and Tiffin Rivers as important tributaries of the Maumee River. These conservation practices will target environmentally-sensitive areas to reduce sediments and nutrients, minimize the risk of flooding, and improve habitat for a variety of wildlife species.

COLUMBUS — Ohio agricultural producers who lost property due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) physical loss loans. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers these low-interest loans to agricultural producers in 21 Ohio counties, the primary damaged area, who incurred losses due excessive rain, flash flooding, flooding, hail, high winds, lightning and tornadoes that occurred between Nov. 1, 2018 and June 13, 2019. Approval is limited to applicants who suffered severe physical losses only, including the loss of buildings and livestock. Applications are due March 2, 2020.

Mark Badertscher, Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension Educator at the Hardin County OSU Extension office, was guest speaker at the Kenton Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday, July 16.

Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 7.08 inches of rain in Hardin County during June.

COLUMBUS — Farmers prevented from planting a cash crop due to unrelenting rain can now sow a cover crop and still be eligible to receive some federal trade assistance. This aid is in addition to crop insurance payments on those acres.