Winter Application of Phosphorus and Potassium to Farms

The following appeared in the January 26, 2010 edition of the CORN Newsletter:

A lot of fertilizer has been going on fields in the last couple of weeks, and though it is certainly not an optimal time, there is one advantage to application now with the wet autumn in 2009: compaction is minimized on frozen soils compared to saturated ones. However, just like manure applications on frozen or snow-covered ground, the possibility of commercial fertilizers moving off-site in runoff increases greatly when P and K do not migrate into the soil profile (perhaps more so since commercial P and K sources are water soluble by design). Environmental concerns notwithstanding, fertilizer inputs are a significant part of a crop enterprise budget, and losses from the field equate to losses on a balance sheet.

Consider if an application of P and K to particular fields is even necessary by checking a recent soil test against the Tri State Fertilizer Recommendations for the planned crop and crop rotation. Also strongly consider an application setback from sensitive areas (ditches, waterways, streams, etc.) of at least 200 ft, especially on sloping land where surface movement is accelerated. For more information, there is an Extension Fact Sheet on phosphorus best management practices available online: http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/pdf/0509.pdf.

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Release of 2010 Crop Insurance Products

The farmdoc Crop Insurance section has been revised and released for the 2010 spring-planting crop insurance year (which will include Ohio). The on-line Premium Calculator is currently available for use. Also, the FAST Crop Insurance Decision Tool is available for quick download from the Crop Insurance section.

For access to both of these resources, use the toolbar in the ‘iFarm Tools’ area. The farmdoc Crop Insurance section can be found at:

http://farmdoc.illinois.edu/cropins/index.asp

Transferring Your Farm Business to the Next Generation

This two day workshop has been designed to help families plan for the transfer of their family business to the next generation. This workshop will challenge you to actively plan for the future. These sessions will help answer the questions that often arise when planning for the future: Who will manage the business in the future? How much money will I need to make it through retirement? How do I treat each offspring fairly when it comes to dividing up our farm? How will I know if my kids are ready to take over the farm? What are the legal hoops that need to be jumped through to pass the farm on without hurting the financial standing of the farm? How can we plan so the farm will be profitable for multiple generations? Is there enough equity in the farm that I can retire without selling out? This workshop will help you develop a plan for the future, discover ways to increase family communication, make plans for retirement, and learn strategies for transferring management skills and the farm’s assets from one generation to the next.

The workshop teaching team will include: Dr. Bernie Erven, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at The Ohio State University, Peggy Kirk Hall, Attorney and Director of the OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program, Paul Wright & Robert Moore, Attorneys at Law and former OSU Extension Specialists, and Chris Bruynis, Greg LaBarge and Bruce Clevenger, OSU Extension Educators.

March 15 & March 18, 2010

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

at OSU Extension Defiance County Office

Registration fee is $85/per family (for two attendees).Additional family members can attend for $30 per person. Registration includes morning refreshments, lunch, one family resource notebook, and program handouts. Pre-registration is required by March 12 and registrations are limited to the first 45 attendees. Make checks payable to OSU Extension, Defiance County and mail to 06879 Evansport Road, Defiance, OH 43512. If you have any questions please call 419-782-4771 or email Bruce Clevenger at clevenger.10 This workshop is being sponsored by the OSU Maumee Valley EERA Extension offices in Allen, Defiance Fulton, Henry, Hancock Lucas, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Williams Counties. Registration begins at 8:45 a.m.

Iberdrola Renewables Sets Up User Friendly Website For NW Ohio Wind Farms

The following website: http://www.iberdrolarenewables.us/bluecreek/index.html is now online and contains all of the application documents that we submitted to the Ohio Power Siting Board. Iberdrola Renewables has set up this website to make the information publicly available in an organized, easily-accessible way. Please share with any interested parties.

Farm Property Rights

The following article was published by the OSU Ag Law Program, Peggy Kirk Hall, Director:

With the many recent snow we have received lately, many people have been able to enjoy riding their snowmobiles and four-wheelers. However, in so doing we must be aware of private property owner’s rights and respect those rights. This past week I have received some calls from property owners complaining about people on recreational vehicles trespassing on their property and damaging crops.

One of the main concerns is damage to wheat, which is planted in the fall, then goes into dormancy until the warm weather in the spring. Driving on it during the winter months may cause damage to the crop. Mainly, when snow and ice is compacted on top of the plants it may damage the crown and/or prevent oxygen from reaching the root system causing the plant to die. Estimates of approximately 40% crop loss can be attributed to plant damage and compaction by driving on wheat plants in the winter months. This estimate may increase or decrease depending on the condition of the soil (frozen or wet), and if the snow is compacted into ice.

Although the total acres affected by a single snowmobile driving across a field is very small, it’s still the responsibility of the driver to obtain permission from the property owner in order to prevent violating any trespassing laws.

Ohio law addresses many questions raised about farm security. Is there any recourse against four-wheelers who destroy farm crops? How can a farm owner be compensated for harm caused by trespassers? When addressing acts of harm to farm property, it is important to understand the difference between criminal and civil actions. Criminal laws define our duties to behave a certain way in the community. Civil laws define our private rights. Where someone intentionally destroys or harms property, that person may be breaking a criminal law and also violating the individual rights of the property owner. The person could be subject to legal recourse under both criminal and civil laws.

In addition to fines or imprisonment, criminal charges might include a request for compensation to the victim of the crime. But if the individual is not charged with a crime or compensation is not ordered or is inadequate, the property owner can bring a civil action against the individual. Where the property owner’s harm is not resolved through informal processes such as mediation or arbitration, the civil action would likely result in a court trial.

Reporting Crimes. The local sheriff’s office or police station is the primary law enforcement agency to which a property owner should report a crime. The Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, also has limited law-enforcement authority and may be willing to investigate or file charges when hunters or fishermen trespass or harm farm property.

The criminal trespass provision in Ohio law states that a person may not, without permission, do any of the following:

- Knowingly enter or remain upon the land or premises of another.
- Knowingly enter or remain on land or premises that are lawfully restricted to certain persons, purposes, modes, or hours.
- Recklessly enter or remain on another’s land or premises when notice against unauthorized access has been given by actual communication to the offender, or by posting or fencing the property.
- Negligently fail or refuse to vacate land or premises after being told to do so by the owner.
A person who violates this law is guilty of criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. In addition to fines and imprisonment, the court could order restitution to the property owner for damages caused by the criminal trespass.

Destruction of Crops and Timber
A law specific to farm situations is the law on “destruction of crops.” The law states that a person who, without permission, recklessly cuts, destroys, or injures crops, trees, vines, bushes, shrubs, or saplings growing on the land of another is guilty of a fourth-degree misdemeanor. “Recklessly” means that the offender realized the risk of harm that would be caused by his or her actions and acted with complete disregard of the harmful consequences. A person who violates this law is subject to a maximum imprisonment of 30 days and a maximum fine of $250. The crop and timber destruction law requires payment of damages to the property owner. In this case, the damages are severe, triple the amount of total loss to the property. These are referred to as “treble damages,” which are intended to punish the offender for reckless behavior.

Under Ohio law, a property owner has the right to use reasonable force to defend himself/herself or another person against a trespasser and would not be liable for harm caused to the offender. However, defense of property is not a valid legal justification for injuring or killing a trespasser. A property owner who harms or kills a trespasser who is not threatening a human being could be liable to the trespasser or his/her family.

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Soybean Rust – Close to Ohio in 2009 but no Cigar

Dr. Anne Dorrane, OSU Extension Pathologist, recently discussed how close soybean rust came to Ohio in 2009. Excerpted from the January 12, 2010 CORN Newsletter:

Soybean rust was a big topic again at the end of 2009. First detections in Kentucky were in early September and followed a month later on late planted soybeans in Southern Indiana. What was most impressive this year – was the amount of rust that built up in the southern states at the end of the season. A limited number of Mississippi producers had yield losses directly due to soybean rust based on reports from Dr. Tom Allen, their field crop pathologist. In addition to the soybean, the amount of kudzu that was also infected is also becoming an issue. The good news is that again, not all kudzu is susceptible to the current strains of soybean rust we have right now. And the kudzu patches that are Susceptible are getting placed on maps to make the scouting easier in the future.

The biggest announcement that was made at the 2010 APS National Soybean Rust Meeting held in December was that the sentinel plot system would change. And this is a good thing. We know more, we can be more efficient at scouting now that we know where to look and those of us in the north can get better and knowing when to look. There is no point in searching in Ohio, if the southern states are negative. For 2010, we will again be monitoring the maps and commentary from our southern colleagues at the Soybean Rust website (http://sbr.ipmpipe.org/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi). We will continue to monitor in Ohio as soybean rust continues to approach the middle tier of states. Hopefully it will continue to miss us or arrive to late to have an impact.

Public Invited for Input About Specialty Crop Priorities

Producers, educational institutions and consumers are all invited to a meeting at the Ohio Department of Agriculture to offer input on how the department can best promote the specialty crop industry in Ohio through the 2010 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Seminar Room A, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, created by the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 and later amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill), authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grant money to the 50 states and the U.S. territories to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery crops and horticulture, including floriculture.

Contact Amalie Lipstreu, Sustainable Agriculture senior program manager, with any questions pertaining to this meeting at 614-466-6198.

01-11-2010 SCBG Public Meeting.doc

Upcoming Ohio State University Program: Cap & Trade

OSU AED Economics’ annual issue conference is coming up Feb-22. Registration information is now online for:

Cap & Trade: The Implications of Carbon Regulation & Trading

The program is 9:15-3:30 at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center Auditorium. Speakers and panelists from The Ohio State and industry will discuss issues including:

• What we know about climate change
• Legislative Options and Mechanics of Cap & Trade
• Allowance distribution, allocation, and the use of revenue
• Impact on Industry
• Green Jobs
• Trade Implications of Cap & Trade
• Impact to Ohio and U.S. Economy

Registration is $65 for the day’s program, materials, and lunch with reduced rates available to OSU personnel.

For more information and to register, go to http://aede.osu.edu/programs/outlook and follow the link to the program.

Please share this with any of your clientele or colleagues who may be interested.

If you have questions, please get in touch by email or phone: econograms or 614-292-2701

Iberdrola Renewables Files Official Application for Wind Turbines in NW Ohio

Iberdrola Renewables has officially filed their application with the Ohio Power Siting Board for wind turbine development in Northwest Ohio. The application is available to view in its entirety via: http://dis.puc.state.oh.us/CaseRecord.aspx?CaseNo=09-1066. The application is over 2500 pages.

According to Project Manager Dan Litchfield, "Compared to other applications that have been filed already, our application demonstrates the commitment we have to developing projects responsibly and doing things the right away." Iberdrola, much like the other wind companies working in this area have extensively researched the project area and found that is a great place to generate wind energy.

One or two hard copies available for viewing at the Iberdrola Renewables office in downtown Van Wert and at local libraries within a few weeks.

Agronomy Technology Day Planned

The Van Wert County Extension Office, in partnership with agribusinesses, will be hosting an Agronomy Technology Day on January 16, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Van Wert County Extension Office.

Farmers are invited to attend this free agronomy technology educational program. “The meeting will focus on several current agricultural topics as well as review some of the great research conducted at Farm Focus in 2009,” said Van Wert County Extension Educator Andy Kleinschmidt.

One of those hot topics that will be addressed is an update on the mold situation in corn. “The moldy grain issue is huge right now, and to address this issue OSU Pathologist Dr. Pierce Paul will provide a videocast update with the latest information on how to deal with moldy grain,” said Kleinschmidt.

Other topics to be covered include: foliar fertilizers and fungicides for corn and soybeans, Kixor herbicide update, marestail and giant ragweed control, corn and soybean seeding rates, and tillage.

This Agronomy Technology Day is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided, so please RSVP to the Van Wert County Extension office at 419-238-1214 or kleinschmidt.5@osu.edu by January 14.

Full podcast here: