Dallas Music drives the combine in a bean field on King Pike in Jefferson Township on Oct. 9 with temperatures in the upper 80s. Music works for Gary Shipley, who said he doesn’t remember ever harvesting crops with the temperatures so high.
(Posted Oct. 15, 2018)
By Mary Griffith, Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources
The Ohio State University Extension is hosting an Ag Outlook meeting and a Farmers’ Breakfast Series this winter.
Ag Outlook Meeting
The USDA’s Farm Income Forecast report, released in August, projects that farm income will continue to drop this year. The U.S. Farm Income in 2018 is forecasted at its lowest dollar value since 2002, with Ohio farm income mirroring that trajectory.
Many outside factors influence the farm economy. International trade agreements, tariffs, the 2018 farm bill, land values and weather are just a few. While farmers do not have control over any of these factors, up-to-date information on these topics can help farmers make better management decisions.
Farmers can get the latest information about these topics at Ohio State University Extension’s annual Ag Outlook Meeting on Jan. 17 at Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City.
The program begins with breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by speakers starting at 8:30. The program will conclude by noon. Topics and presenters include:
- 2018 Farm Bill Policy Update–Ben Brown, program manager, Ohio Farm Management Program, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics
- International Trade Agreements and Implications for Domestic Agriculture–Ian Sheldon, Andersons chair in Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics
- Examining the 2018 Ohio Farm Economy: Crop Budgets, Land Values and Cropland Rental Rates–Barry Ward, Extension farm management and production leader.
- Weather and Climate: Implications for Crop Outlook–Aaron Wilson.
Registration information will be available soon. For more information about the event, contact Mary Griffith, Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources at the Madison County Extension Office, (740) 852-0975 or griffith.483@osu.edu.
The Extension Office is located at 217 Elm St., London, adjacent to the Madison County Fairgrounds. The office is open Monday through Friday.
Farmers’ Breakfast Series
This winter, Ohio State University (OSU) Extension will host a series of monthly farmers’ breakfasts at Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City. Each meeting includes hot breakfast served at 8:30 a.m. Guest speakers begin at 9.
- Friday, Jan. 11: Ohio Water Quality Policy: What Farmers Need to Know–Senator Bob Hackett, Ohio Senate Ag Committee chair, and Peggy Hall, OSU Extension ag law specialist
- Friday, Feb. 8: The Future of Data Management in Precision Ag–Scott Shearer, OSU Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Friday, March 8: U.S. Ag Committee Update from Washington–Fred Yoder, Madison County farmer and Trump Agricultural Advisory Committee member.
Provided through a strategic partnership between Madison County Farm Bureau and Ohio State University Extension, this educational breakfast series allows farmers the opportunity to learn more about legislation and policies that will impact their farming operations. Cost to attend is free, but registration is required. To register, contact the Madison County Extension Office at (740) 852-0975.
