COLUMBUS – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced Friday, Oct. 19 2018, as the deadline to submit applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in Ohio. The deadline applies to the 2019 crop year.

COLUMBUS — A farmer-led group that aims to improve Ohio farm profitability while increasing the number of Ohioans who can afford to buy nutritious meals will meet next week to receive public feedback on its recommendations.

Applications are being accepted for the 2018 Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame through the end of business on Oct. 15. Nominees must have made their major contribution to agriculture primarily as a result of being born, growing up, living in, or working in Hardin County, Ohio.

Did you ever wonder how well the grand and reserve champion fair animals will grade out on the rail? The OSU Extension office is pleased to announce the 2018 Hardin County Fair Carcass Show of Champions to be held Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m.

COLUMBUS — It can be tough to stop using antibiotics on a farm. Farmers need them to prevent and treat diseases in their animals.

Driving around the county it is not difficult to see weeds growing above many soybean canopies and a few corn fields as well. The most common species include marestail, giant ragweed, and waterhemp. Weed seed production is critical to the longevity of weeds in a population, however this causes future weed control problems.

The Hardin County Beef Ambassador Team, consisting of Madison Jolliff, Mekenzie Jolliff and Brian Searson, put on the first-ever beef showmanship clinic at the Hardin County Fairgrounds last week, with support from the Hardin County Cattle Producers and Kenton Ag Credit.

If you don’t already have to deal with waterhemp or Palmer amaranth, you don’t want it. Ask anyone who does. Neither one of these weeds is easy to manage, and both can cause substantial increases in the cost of herbicide programs, which have to be constantly changed to account for the multiple resistance that will develop over time (not “can”, “will”).

COLUMBUS — As you get older, it can be tougher to hop on or off a tractor or withstand the constant bumps that come with driving over uneven turf. Done over and over, twisting, lifting, bending, kneeling, it can all become challenging.

During the month of July, Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 3.76 inches of rain in Hardin County. Last year, the average rainfall for July was 8.23 inches.