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Hoorman Soil Health Services

  With the selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr as Secretary of Health and Human Services, many farmers are wondering how long Roundup (active ingredient glyphosate) will be around. On 298 million acres of USA cropland, 280 million pounds of glyphosate are used annually. Globally, Roundup (glyphosate) has increased 15X since its introduction in 1996 due the use of genetically modified crops which allow its use without killing the main crop.  The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has ruled glyphosate a carcinogen. The IARC says that glyphosate could cause Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, autism, and cancer. The USA has not outlawed glyphosate or even definitely said what health risks may or may not be caused by glyphosate use. Many legal and health questions remain about the use of glyphosate. In agriculture, weed resistance is becoming another problem, especially with glyphosate. Weeds over time genetically change to become re...

  The 2025 winter weather has been colder than most years. Temperatures in the teens and single digits have caused the soil to freeze deep. While this may reduce some insects and pests, it can also harm wheat and hay crops. How deep the soil freezes depends on the amount of snowfall received. Snow acts as a natural insulator, blanketing the soil and preventing deeper freezing. This year, the northern part of Ohio received less snow than some areas to the south. Reports from Toledo indicate significantly less snowfall than counties further south. Snow prevents wind from desiccating crops like wheat, barley, hay (alfalfa, red clover, etc.), and cover crops. Several northern farmers are already reporting wheat and barley damage. Cover crops may also suffer, and as thawing begins, expect damage to the crowns of hay crops, especially alfalfa roots, which tend to heave—just like fence posts. Slugs and voles tend to decrease in cold winters, with cycles occurring every 2-5 years. During d...

Plants need both Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) to grow well. A lack of these two elements limits growth. Farmers apply N & P fertilizer, especially to corn, to increase yields, but there is a limit. Since the 1900s, N fertilizer applications have increased 5X or 500%, while P fertilizer inputs have increased 76%. Too much N fertilizer ties up soil P levels and other nutrients. A recent study looked at how farmers may be able to reduce N fertilizer inputs while increasing crop yields and enhancing P fertilizer use efficiency. P fertilizer stocks are running low in the USA (expected to be depleted by 2050), so farmers need to start thinking about how they can use existing stocks of P fertilizer better, both mined and in the soil, to enhance yields. A large meta-study (combined results from 222 independent studies) looked at how N responds to P fertilizer. Overall, adding P fertilizer had a positive effect on plant N uptake, resulting in higher plant growth above and below ground. I...

  The price of eggs has soared, and consumers can blame the Bird Flu virus (Avian Influenza or H5N1 virus). Egg prices may increase another 20% in 2025 before decreasing. Darke and Mercer County had two new outbreaks, affecting 1.4 million birds in Mercer County. Bird Flu affects dairy and beef cattle, swine (hogs), even cats, and dogs. Currently, there are at least 100 million poultry affected by Bird Flu and at least 11,000 cases in wild birds identified. The Bird Flu is especially high in wild bird populations and has been around since the 1900s. The problem is it has now moved into domestic livestock farms. So far, 67 human cases in the USA have been identified with Bird Flu, but all the people had direct exposure to poultry on farms or in backyards. This month, one person died of Bird Flu in Louisiana, and another person was identified in San Francisco. Most contact is likely from the virus getting into their eyes, nose, or mouth. Bird Flu is a disease and should be taken seri...