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  Dr. Jon Witter, Ohio State University water management specialist shared research on how farmers and landowners may capture sediment in runoff, reducing water quality problems. Dr. Witter has been conducting long-term research on two-stage ditches and several other ditch modifications for several years. He found ways to capture sediment that save landowners money on clean out, are faster, more convenient, and are over all cheaper to maintain.  A typical man-made ditch in Ohio is called a trapezoidal ditch with 3:1 side slope which is common throughout Ohio. The bottom is flat, and the sides are fairly steep. Northwest Ohio has at least 10,000 miles of these ditches. When they were constructed to drain the drain the black swamp, the spoils were used to make roads. Often, steep trapezoidal ditches are located next to roads. They tend to erode, and they tend to fill up with sediment and nutrients from runoff. They have to be cleaned out frequently, and often the spoils (sedimen...

Dr. Vinayak Shedekar, Ohio State Drainage Specialist shared additional information on water quality. Dr Shedekar showed improved soil health, cover crops, and no-till had both direct and indirect effects on water quality. A direct effect is increased soil organic matter (SOM) over time. The gain is slow, but on long term research plots, no-till plus cover crops increased SOM from 2.3% (conventional tillage for 75-100 years) transitioned to no-till and cover crops with 4.3% SOM after multiple years. A research question was: Does no-till and cover crops improve water quality? Dr. Kevin King has 41 paired water quality sites with over 200 years of site data. He measures both surface flow and subsurface (tile) flow on these paired plots, comparing conventional tillage to no-till fields. Tile discharge was similar however less nitrogen (N) leaves the no-till fields and on soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), there was no difference. No-till by itself had some gains for N but no difference for...

  Dr. Vinayak Shedekar, Ohio State Drainage Specialist recently shared some information. He compared the last 30 years of subsoil moisture conditions and confirmed that soil moisture levels down to 1 meter (roughly 3 feet) are only about 5-10% of average levels. Streams are very low especially in Southeast Ohio, but also Northwest and Central Ohio. In Northwest Ohio, the advantage of heavy clay soils higher in soil organic matter (SOM) helps retain moisture better than other areas.  Dr. Shedekar also shared that 70% of all crop losses come from water extremes. Usually, excess water is problem and accounts for 50% of all crop losses, while dry weather accounts for 20%. Improved drainage helps remove excess water but also improves soil aeration. Roots need access to oxygen to burn carbohydrates and sugars for energy.  Some farmers are now installing irrigation to help with dry conditions. Farmers first need a good source of water. Rivers and streams can be a source but you ...

  Currently, Ohio has experienced the third worst drought, only surpassed by 1930 and 1933. Fall is the driest time of year (August-November) and about 60% of Ohio is still in a severe to exceptional drought. That means that field capacity, the amount of soil water held in the soil after the excess water has drained away, is still very low for next year. After a rain, it generally takes 2-3 days for excess soil water to drain away. The small amount of precipitation (rain, snow) we currently received may help, but it will take considerable moisture to fill up our available soil water holding capacity reserve for growing crops next year.  In Nebraska, a graduate student (Mandeep Singh) studied how weeds handle drought conditions. He studied 89 journal articles with 1,196 paired observations over 30 years. The data was collected all over the world; mainly North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Here are his findings on how drought and water stress affects weed pr...

 There is a renewed interest in improving human health. About 95% of the food we eat, comes from the soil and human health is directly related to good soil health. Soil and plants also improve the air we breathe and the water we drink. Keeping soils healthy is an important goal. Unfortunately, worldwide; soil are degrading quite rapidly. The loss of topsoil due to erosion, loss of soil organic matter (SOM), and human changes to soil (compaction, tillage, development) makes our soil less healthy. Here are some ways soil health and human health are linked together.  Human health and Mother Nature are closely linked. The microbes in our gut and bodies are similar to the microbes in the soil. When Mother Nature finds a way to advance life and be successful, it often repeats itself in a slightly different way. For example, the thin layer of topsoil on our planet is very similar to skin on our bodies. Our lungs and the alveoli (air sacs) are designed and look very much like mycorrhi...

As our national elections close, a new Republican administration is taking over with different priorities, so expect some major changes in agricultural policies. The current administration’s priority was on climate smart agricultural policies that helped reduce greenhouse gasses. Expectations are that new agricultural priorities will center on expanding agricultural markets by increasing tariffs, increasing sustainability and/or soil health initiatives, and improving healthy food.  Foreign tariffs on USA agricultural goods average 62%, which reduces USA farm commodity market share. China tariffs reduce our sale of USA commodities by 75% while European tariffs reduce sales by 42%. In a free market place, the USA would have much higher export sales for agricultural commodities. While details are short, expect more trading negotiations because rural communities were the backbone to our incoming president’s election.  Europe has a long history of imposing high tariffs to protect t...

Fall harvest is starting to wind down. For most farmers, the dry August-September weather hurt yields. I have heard corn yields from 120-180 bushels and 30-60 bushels soybeans where moisture was limiting most of the summer. A few farmers tell me they got good rains until August and are getting 150-220 bushels corn with 50-75 bushels soybeans. One farmer had excellent yields, with good rain but also irrigation, so his yields were 250-270 on corn and around 70+ bushel on soybeans. Generally, rain makes grain if it comes in moderation.  For most of Ohio, especially Southeast Ohio, this was one of the worst droughts in many years. With improved genetics, crops have adapted to drier weather conditions, so crop yields generally are a little higher. However, with high fertilizer prices and low crop prices, even slightly lower yields are devastating to crop profits. In the agriculture world, ag is going through at least a recession if not a depression.  One thing farmers always talk a...

An important date for farmers has passed. The Farm Bill officially expired on September 30, 2024. What happens next? Various farm bill commodity support programs will be extended until the end of the year, but then they need to be replaced. Congress has a guarantee, built into the law, based on parity, but almost all experts expect that Congress will need to prevent return of these old programs, so expect some type of action soon on a farm bill.  The current farm bill has been in place since 2018 and extended. The last several years, climate-focused conservation programs have been a major focus. Programs on storing carbon long-term and reducing greenhouse gases have been a priority, but the base money for that program has run out. The new Inflation Reduction Act added $18 billion dollars for climate-smart or climate-related conservation programs, and that does not run out until 2031. Examples include the Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQI...

Agriculture, in general, has entered a period of financial crisis. With lower crop prices and below average yields, farm income is much lower. The lack of rain in August and early September resulted in average soybeans yields around 40-50 bushel plus/minus. I am hearing yields ranging from 130 to 220 bushel on corn, but most farmers tell me they are averaging 180 bushel or less, but takes almost 200 bushel to break even. So, farmers are hurting financially. Soybeans were so dry (as low as 4-8% moisture) that many beans shattered and many early harvested soybeans fields had a perfect new crop of soybeans growing after a rain in late September, but most are gone now with frost.  Some small farmers may be looking at alternative farm enterprises to supplement their farm income. Regular commodities row crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat have a lower profit margin and farmers make money when they produce high volume or yield. Alternative farm enterprises may improve farm profitability ...

Many farmers spend a lifetime accumulating land and investing in their farms. Most farmers have a desire to transition their assets and operations to the next generation. It’s complicated and time-consuming, so it takes a team of professionals to help and give advice on farm transition planning. A professional team can help farm families figure out all the issues involved in farm estate planning. Here are some tips taken directly from The Ohio State University Extension on how to get started. For more information, go to: https ://farmoffice.osu.edu /blog -tags /estate -planning . Don’t jump right to the plan—talk first. An important first step to building a plan is getting the family talking and thinking. Ohio State University Extension has a farm management team that can assist with the initial steps. David Marrison, OSU Extension, recommends strategies for working with farm families, including understanding the legacy, encouraging the family to assess its strengths, weaknesses, oppor...

  Farmers and researchers often say it takes 3-5-7 years or longer to convert to no-till before the yields and profits are the same or return back to normal. When crop prices are low, that makes it harder to switch from conventional tillage to no-till crops. Soybeans and wheat are the easiest to convert, but for corn, the yield lag may be 10-20%, which makes the conversion unprofitable. However, some farmers and researchers are making the conversion without a yield lag. With less fuel, equipment, and labor needed; no-till farming practices become much more profitable than conventional crops. Also, the environmental benefits to building soil organic matter and keeping soil in place are added incentives. Since it is a risky to change and with decreased profit expected, any yield lag prevents most farmers from considering a transition. Even short-term yield losses and lower profit are hard to justify even if someone says your future rewards will be higher. That is why the conversion t...

  Harvest has started and farmers were making considerable progress until the recent rains. Most farmers welcomed the rain since we have been in a major drought. For most corn and soybeans crops, the rain is probably too late, but it may help on late or double crop soybeans (planted after wheat) and for new wheat or cover crops being planted this fall. Of course, fruit trees, lawns, and other vegetation needed the rain. On crop harvest, it’s the first time I heard soybeans being harvested at 5-6% moisture and corn at 11% moisture! Normally, ideal moisture for soybeans is 14% and corn 15%. Harvesting at low moisture reduces yields at least 4-6%, so many farmers stopped harvesting or waited until nightfall to gain moisture. Depending upon how much rain was received, harvested moisture levels now are probably closer to normal. Looking forward to the future, once harvest is complete, farmers will start to plan for next year’s crops. A recent development is the research being done by Ba...

Every two years, Ohio State Economist Barry Ward surveys rural appraisers, agricultural leaders, professional farm managers, farmers, landowners, Farm Service Agency personnel, OSU Extension educators, and others on their knowledge of cropland values and cash rents. The latest survey was conducted from January to April 2024 with 131 participants. Barry had adequate data for only Northwestern and Southwestern Ohio, so not enough data was collected for other parts of the state. Surveys (131) were collected for three land classes: top-producing, average land, and bottom-producing cropland. Bottom producing is NOT river bottom land but the lower producing cropland. Soil type, drainage/irrigation, fertility, size and shape of fields, location, parcel size, farm borders (trees, brush, fence rows), wildlife damage, and proximity to grain markets may all affect cropland values. As a reminder, this survey was conducted in Winter 2024, and since then, crop prices have fallen, and drought concern...

For most farmers, the weather has turned dry with corn and soybeans leaves drying down. A good August rain can add bushels to soybeans and help fill out the corn. While some farmers have received adequate rain this year, the weather patterns have been fickle. Most areas are in a drought now. It seems like the same areas get rain, perhaps too much at times while other areas get missed. A good explanation for this is that good growing crops that got early rain are transpiring more water into the atmosphere, generating more moisture in those areas. Whatever the reason, it can be exasperating for those lacking rain. This year, there has been more sun activity than normal. The northern lights and magnetic fields have dipped into Southern Michigan and Northern Ohio and Indiana. While the light shows may be fun to watch, it also has an affect on our weather. The sun is still the major generator of weather. A prediction was that we could either have a drought early or late thi...

  Solving murder mysteries is a popular game but when it affects your crops, it is serious business! Soybean yields have been stagnating for years. Some farmers get great yields (70-90 bushel/acre), but many farmers average 50-65 bushel/acre. Soybean yields may be 20-30 bushel below optimum, even with good genetics. With depressed crop prices, good soybean yields are essential to making a profit and staying in business. The Allen County SWCD (Decatur, Indiana) held a field day two weeks ago. A local farmer (Nate) approached me after I gave a presentation on how a lack of plant available nutrients increases crop disease. Nate, a trained agronomist, says he noticed a “soybean mystery disease” starting in 2014. It occurs around August 1-10th almost every year but is worse some years. Symptoms: Usually, low areas or compacted areas show up first but also hill tops. It starts on lower leaves which turn pale, yellow, then brown and fall off. Usually, bean pods start aborting from the bot...

New tire technology has the ability to boost crop yields by 7%. Several recent articles in No-till Farmer outlined the benefits and few disadvantages of new tire technology. Most older farm equipment use standard bias tires inflated to 35 pounds per square inch (psi) but now standard radical tires (20 psi), increased flexion tires (16 psi), and very high flexion tires (VF, 12 psi) allow tires to flex which decreases soil compaction and improves yield while saving farmers money on labor and fuel. As the tire pressure goes down from 35 psi to 15 psi, the tire flattens and the side walls bulge. The tire may look flat but new tires are designed that way. The tire foot print expands by 4.5 inches which means the load is spread over a larger surface area, resulting in less soil compaction. Traction improves so more field work can be accomplished faster with less fuel and labor. Less compaction resulted in higher yields. Tire experts tested tires at 35 psi which is over inflated for most new ...

Agriculture is going through a lot of farm stress lately with lower crop prices and high input prices. Several farmers recently commented how stressful they were about buying new equipment or farmland and how to pay for that with today’s prices? Sometimes it helps to know that you are not the only one going through it. Here are some tips for reducing farm stress so that you have a clear mind for making important farm decisions. Sometimes we all make matters worse by dwelling only on the negative. Here are two methods that can help you think clearly so you can deal with your problems. Do any of these two methods for 2-3 weeks. First, Think of any moment that made you feel comforted and content. Close your eyes and relive that moment. Second, think “B-R-A-I-N.” B = Breathe. Breathe deeply 5 times. Release the air slowly. R = Relax. Tell yourself to relax, whether in your head or out loud. Notice areas of tension in your body, and try to release that tension. A = Ask yourself what you nee...

With lower crop prices, many farmers are struggling to make ends meet. Corn is around $3.50 a and soybean $10/bushel, down from a high of $7 for Corn and $15 to $17 for soybeans/bushel. Brazil crop production continues to drive crop prices lower as they expand acreage into the Amazon forest. To survive, farmers will need to cut costs. Here are tips on cutting crop production costs. Reduce tillage. The equipment costs, fuel, and maintenance have gone up with inflation from 25%-81%, depending on the tillage operation since 2010. As a comparison of 2010 to 2023 prices: Chisel Plow $14 now versus 2023 in $20, a rise of 42%. Disk Tandem ($13, $17, +31%), Field Cultivate ($11, $17, +55%), Plow ($17, $24, +41%), Soil Finishing tool ($11, $20, 81%), Sub soil ($18, $27, +50%). Farmers who eliminate at least one tillage pass or go to no-till can save money. Gary Schnitkey, Illinois University Economist reports in the last two years, the profit per farm on going to no-till over just one pass til...