The Riverdale FFA chapter held a Discovery and Greenhand ceremony recently for their first- and second-year members. Their were 10 8th graders who earned their Discovery degree: Kayla Dement, Michael Greeno, Cameron Herringshaw, Caleb Letherwood, Josh Lentz, Caleb McCoy, Justin Messmer, Hunter Shane, Blake Vanderpool and Jazlynn Woodriff.

Cover crops offer farmers many benefits including protecting soil from wind and water erosion. Live plants provide the energy for soil microbes to recycle and store nutrients to build soil carbon and organic matter.

MOUNT VICTORY — The Hardin County Agricultural Society is seeking another act to perform at the 2016 county fair. At the fair board’s Dec. 5 meeting, it was announced that Chase Bryant would perform.

While Lake Erie did not have a "major" drinking water crisis this year, harmful algae blooms (HAB) and nutrient runoff were an issue due to excess summer rains. Government officials were more prepared and most of the HAB blooms occurred further out in the lake.

The 2016 Conservation Tillage Club breakfast program series will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at the Plaza Inn in Mount Victory. Each session will begin at 7:30 a.m. with complimentary buffet breakfast followed by the program at 8 a.m.

The Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District held its annual conservation tour on Dec. 2. It highlighted a few of the conservation practices that have been installed by landowners in the county.

FOSTORIA — Ag Credit, ACA has created a new loan program based upon the recommendation of team members working directly with many young, beginning and small farmers. The program, known as AgStart, features lower costs, extended terms, reduced down payments and assistance with loan fees.

Doug Dyer, County Extension Director for the Hardin County Consolidated Farm Service Agency, presents a certificate of appreciation to Kenneth Klingler upon his retirement from the agency’s board of trustees. Klingler has been a member of the board for nine years and has served as its chairman for the last two years.

COLUMBUS — Hunters checked 73,399 white-tailed deer during Ohio’s 2015 deer-gun hunting season, Nov. 30-Dec. 6, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). This represents a significant increase over last year’s harvest of 65,484 deer.

COLUMBUS — Ridgemont High School agricultural educator Stephanie Jolliff was honored with the Cooperative/Agriculture Educator Award by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. The presentation took place Thursday during the organization’s 97th annual meeting in Columbus.