COLUMBUS, Ohio — Extension specialists with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University will use more than $1 million in new funding to help farmers develop nutrient management plans and to assist fertilizer service providers gain certification in a national nutrient stewardship program.
The initiative — funded by $531,000 in grant money and $531,000 in local cash matches from various agencies and industry groups — targets Ohio’s western Lake Erie watershed, home to rich agricultural land dedicated to field crop production and an important source of nitrogen and phosphorus that can affect the lake’s water quality downstream, said Greg LaBarge, Ohio State University Extension field specialist for agronomic...
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Recent storms and flooding in most parts of Ohio have taken a toll not just on field crops but also on backyard gardens and landscapes.
Pam Bennett, horticulture educator with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University, said wet conditions can lead to three main concerns for gardens: root death, diseases and weeds.
“Hopefully by now, the water has drained. If not, you may have some trouble with your plants,” said Bennett, who is also the state Master Gardener Volunteer coordinator for Ohio State University Extension, the college’s outreach arm.
“Plant roots need oxygen; they need that air in order to grow. When they sit in water for a period of time, that leads to root rot and lack of...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio 4-H is expressing support of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s decision to cancel all live bird exhibitions at county and independent fairs in 2015 to protect Ohio’s $2.3 billion poultry industry from the current avian flu outbreak affecting the United States.
The cancellation, announced today (June 2) by Agriculture Director David T. Daniels, covers poultry and waterfowl exhibits and also extends to the Ohio State Fair and all other gatherings of birds for show or for sale, including auctions and swap meets.
“We appreciate Director Daniels’ leadership in protecting Ohio’s poultry industry,” said Bruce McPheron, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and...
WOOSTER, Ohio — Hanging baskets are a great choice to decorate porches, decks and patios with color and fragrance. They are also a good gardening alternative for people with small spaces or who prefer not to go the flower bed route.
To make the most out of your hanging baskets this season, it’s important that you select the right plants for your home and that you take proper care of them, said Bob McMahon, associate professor and coordinator of the greenhouse and nursery management program at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), the associate’s degree-granting school of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
“Hanging baskets take three to four months to grow to marketable size. They take a...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In 2014, farmers across the United States harvested 14.2 billion bushels of corn from 83.1 million acres, for a total value of $51.9 billion.
Everything about corn is big in the United States. Corn is the No. 1 crop grown in the country, while America leads the world in production and consumption of this vital grain, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Grown by Native Americans well before the arrival of Europeans, corn has been part of the agricultural landscape, food traditions and culture of what is now the United States for millennia.
Despite its enormous influence and popularity, there are many things you may not know about corn — and others you think you know but are, in fact, incorrect. Here are some facts and myths about the...
Regional 4-H program will kick off March 17 on Ohio State’s Columbus campus.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A group of elementary and middle school students from Circleville City Schools will help kick off this year’s 4-H Ag Innovators Experience by taking on the “Water Windmill Challenge,” March 17 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center on The Ohio State University’s Columbus campus.
Developed by Ohio 4-H specialist Bob Horton, the challenge was selected by the National 4-H Council and Monsanto to be the 2015 4-H Ag Innovators Experience for eight Midwestern states. Approximately 10,000 students — mostly 4-H members but also nonmembers — will take part in the challenge, including some 1,200 Ohio youth.
“Water...
WOOSTER, Ohio — In 2012, Cody Bower enrolled in the very first class of the renewable energy program at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI). One year later, he had full-time employment in his field of study.
“After my first year, I enrolled in a summer internship through Ohio State ATI at the city of Wooster’s Water Pollution Control Plant,” said Bower, a graduate of Northwestern High School in Wayne County, Ohio.
“I was taught various laboratory procedures, and part way through that summer, I was offered a full-time position as an assistant operator. It was very amazing to be gainfully employed by my 20th birthday because of the opportunities granted to me by the renewable energy program.”
In the coming fall, Bower...
Faculty couples talk about the benefits and pitfalls of working together
COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s not unusual for true love to blossom among the books on a college campus.
At least, that was the case for several faculty couples who share how #BuckeyeLove is flourishing in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.
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“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, / And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” — William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
When One and One Make One (Couple)
Elena Irwin and Brian Roe, for example, are economists in the college’s Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics and juggle their home and work...
WOOSTER, Ohio — Linda Saif, a scientist in Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and the College of Veterinary Medicine, has been awarded the 2015 Wolf Prize in Agriculture for her work on viral diseases of critical importance to farm animals, food safety and human health.
Saif is the first Ohio State scientist and the first woman to receive this recognition, awarded since 1978 by the Wolf Foundation of Israel. The award will be presented at a ceremony to be held at the Knesset — Israel’s parliament — in Jerusalem on May 31.
In addition to agriculture, the Wolf Prize is given for achievement in the fields of chemistry, mathematics, medicine, physics and the arts. Past recipients include Stephen Hawking and...
National meeting will take place Jan. 8 in Savannah, Georgia
WOOSTER, Ohio — University, government and industry experts will come together to share the latest research findings and techniques on a method whose popularity is rapidly growing and showing promise among U.S. vegetable growers: grafting.
The Third National Vegetable Grafting Symposium, “Growing New Roots for the Vegetable Industry in the U.S.,” will take place Jan. 8 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia. It will be held in conjunction with the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, which runs from Jan. 8-11.
Registration is open online at www.seregionalconference.com/registration. PAT and CCA continuing education credits will be available.
“...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Pork is in shorter supply and more expensive this year due to a disease that has slashed the number of hogs slaughtered by about 5 percent and reduced the availability of the most popular holiday pork product: the seven-pound spiral-cut half ham.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) was first found in the U.S. in 2013 and has killed millions of piglets since, impacting the number of hogs reaching market, said Steve Moeller, a swine specialist with Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
A member of the coronavirus family, PEDv causes intestinal disease in swine of all ages and high mortality in young pigs — especially among pre-weaned pigs, for which mortality is almost 100 percent. The...
WOOSTER, Ohio — Poinsettias are America’s favorite Christmas ornamental plant. Whether you prefer traditional red, white, pink or any of the marbled and speckled varieties now available, you want to make sure you select the right poinsettia and take the proper care so it can thrive during the holidays and beyond.
“When you go to the store, inspect the plants carefully and make sure that you don’t see leaves that are dried out, that are sagging, that have obvious signs of damage,” said Luis Cañas, an entomologist and expert on greenhouse ornamentals with Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
“Then approach the plant, gently turn the leaves and take a look at the underside of the leaves, which is...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three of the six Ohio State University faculty elected this year as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) are from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Election as Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers in recognition of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Founded in 1848, AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society.
The new Fellows from CFAES are Bruce McPheron, dean of the college and vice president for agricultural administration; Dan Herms, professor and chair of the Department of Entomology; and Esther van der Knaap, associate professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
New Fellows...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a months-long stalemate, the United States and India reached a deal Nov. 13 that would revive World Trade Organization negotiations and help push global customs reforms expected to add $1 trillion and 21 million jobs to the world economy, according to figures from the International Chamber of Commerce.
The key issue behind the dispute: India’s stockpiling of food to ensure its 1.25 billion inhabitants have enough to eat. Under the deal, India agreed to withdraw its veto of WTO reforms but asserted its right to stockpile food without observing the trade body’s usual rules on agricultural subsidies.
Ian Sheldon, an international trade expert with Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, said India...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two lucky and grateful birds from the Buckeye state have been chosen this year for the presidential turkey pardon, which will take place Nov. 26 in the White House.
Cooper Farms, located in western Ohio, is providing the turkeys for the annual Thanksgiving tradition. The honor of supplying the birds is bestowed upon the chairperson of the National Turkey Federation — a position currently held by Gary Cooper, chief operating officer of the family-owned poultry operation.
These “presidential” birds, as well as the millions of other turkeys raised in Ohio each year, benefit from the internationally recognized research in breeding, nutrition and animal health conducted by researchers at Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and...
WOOSTER, Ohio – Experts from industry and academia will share their expertise on emerging green energy opportunities during a daylong workshop to be held Nov. 12 on the Wooster campus of Ohio State University’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
The annual Renewable Energy Workshop will include presentations, case studies, a trade show and tours of local green energy operations dealing with a variety of technologies — solar, biomass, anaerobic digestion and bioproducts. It will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting at the center’s Fisher Auditorium, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster.
Registration, which includes continental breakfast and lunch, costs $40 per person if paid before Nov. 4. The cost goes up to $50 if paid after that date. Registration for...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is one of the largest and most interconnected colleges at one of the biggest universities in the U.S.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. CFAES offers students unique tools to build successful careers working in fields and tackling issues that are among the most recognized and meaningful in today’s world: affordable and safe food production, clean water, alternative energy, environmental restoration, disease prevention, health, and many more.
Despite its scope, CFAES also provides students the advantages of a small-college experience: small classes, many opportunities for interaction with faculty, substantial student support, meaningful undergraduate research,...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Before the autumn semester of 2013, animal sciences major Katiann Scherer hadn’t played a minute of team handball in her life. But thanks to an intramural sports experience at Ohio State University, she is now working to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic women’s handball team and a chance to compete at Rio 2016.
A native of North Canton, Scherer graduated in May from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and quickly prepared for her move to Auburn, Ala., where the U.S. handball program is based. She attended tryouts in March and was invited to join the team’s residency program beginning in July, where she will train year-round and play in domestic and international events.
“I wanted to be involved in a team...
WOOSTER, Ohio – Ohio State University Professor Emeritus Mo Saif, former head of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences’ (CFAES) Food Animal Health Research Program, has been appointed to the board of directors of the newly created Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research.
Authorized by Congress as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the foundation will leverage public and private resources to increase scientific and technological research, innovation and partnerships critical to boosting America’s agricultural economy, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Studies have shown that every dollar invested in agricultural research creates $20 in economic activity,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement announcing...
WOOSTER, Ohio -- Ohio State University President Michael Drake visited the Wooster campus for the first time yesterday (7/23) as part of the Roads Scholars Tour. The group of university faculty, staff and students had lunch made with food grown by local area farmers. They also learned about a variety of research and outreach projects taking place at OARDC, as well as about the educational mission of Ohio State's Agricultural Technical Institute. Below are videos of the gathering.
WOOSTER, Ohio – If knowledge truly is power, Ohio State University plant pathologist Sally Miller believes that sharing knowledge can help alleviate one of the most pressing issues facing millions of people in the developing world: being able to grow enough food to eat and make a living.
Miller most recently traveled to the West African nation of Senegal, where she taught at an international workshop on invasive species identification and management in the tropics, May 12-15, in the capital city of Dakar.
In Senegal, which is roughly the size of Nebraska, droughts are common and soils are poor, Miller said. Despite these adverse conditions, more than 60 percent of the country’s 13 million people, as in most developing countries, make their living by farming.
“We know...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Charity McMullen was nervous as she prepared to travel from Columbus to the Central American nation of Honduras in early May. This wasn’t just her first time traveling outside the United States. It was her first time on a plane.
A third-year agriscience education major from the Appalachian community of Warsaw, Ohio, McMullen took part in the Honduras community development and delivery study abroad program, offered during May session by Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
While McMullen said she saw the trip as an excellent opportunity for personal growth and to put to test her “adventurous” nature, she highlighted the academic merits of this type of college experience.
“This trip will...
NORWALK, Ohio -- More and more farms are plugging into the sun to meet their energy needs.
Farmers can learn about the benefits of solar energy systems from other farmers as well as industry and university experts April 21at a program organized by Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The free program, which runs from noon to 1:30 p.m., will be held at the Huron County office of Ohio State University Extension, 180 Milan Ave., Suite 1, in Norwalk. Lunch will be provided. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college.
“More than 100 Ohio farms have installed on-site photovoltaic solar systems to generate their own electricity,” said Eric Romich, a field specialist in energy development and leader of OSU ...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State University researchers have developed a way to predict the resistance or susceptibility of trees to sudden oak death disease, providing forest managers with the first effective method to manage trees in infested natural areas and in adjoining areas where the disease is expected in the future.
A forest disease caused by the invasive fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, sudden oak death was first detected in California in 1995. It has since killed millions of tanoaks and trees of several oak species on the West Coast. It is also a potential threat to the valuable Eastern oak species, some of which are known to be highly susceptible to the disease.
“This is the first time...
University experts offer training to help growers deal with damage.
WOOSTER, Ohio -- This is not the type of cold that helps make your favorite ice wine.
The prolonged and extremely frigid temperatures experienced in Ohio earlier this year have destroyed a majority of the crop of popular wine grape varieties grown in the state, according to a survey recently conducted by Ohio State University’s Grape Team.
“Following the extreme minimum low temperatures experienced in January and February across Ohio, many vineyards were affected, and vines sustained extensive bud damage and likely trunk damage depending on the location and the variety grown,” said Imed Dami, associate professor and state...
