COLUMBUS, Ohio — Relentless rain and lingering chill have stalled the start of Ohio’s 2025 planting season, leaving many farmers scrambling to make up for lost time in fields that were too wet to work.
With corn planting at 72% as of June 2—still trailing the five-year average of 87%—Ohio farmers are racing against time and field conditions as they make crucial decisions about the 2025 growing season.
To help navigate this difficult start, researchers and educators with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and its outreach arm, Ohio State University Extension, are stepping up efforts to provide timely, research-based guidance.
From crop selection and nutrient management to insurance options and long-...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — That jar of homemade jam or crunchy home-canned green beans might look delicious on the pantry shelf, but if it wasn’t preserved using tested, science-backed methods, it could pose serious health risks.
Improper food preservation techniques can lead to the growth of harmful pathogens, including Clostridium botulinum, the toxin that causes botulism, a potentially fatal illness. To help Ohioans preserve food safely this season, Ohio State University Extension is offering a suite of free webinars, hands-on pressure canner testing, and science-based resources across the state.
Kate Shumaker, an OSU Extension educator and registered dietitian, leads the statewide Extension Food Preservation Team. Together, the team provides trusted guidance to help families...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ticks are creeping into more corners of Ohio every year — and with them, the threat of serious illnesses.
Now, a new service from The Ohio State University is helping protect people and pets by identifying ticks and the diseases they carry.
Ohio State has launched the Buckeye Tick Test, a new pathogen testing service that offers comprehensive identification and disease screening for ticks found on humans and animals.
The Buckeye Tick Test, Ohio’s first service allowing residents to mail in ticks for analysis, is an interdisciplinary project led by Ohio State’s Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The lab is directed by Risa Pesapane, an associate professor with joint appointments...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – If you’ve ever regretted ordering a spicy meal, take note: A new study identifying molecules that suppress the heat of chili peppers hints at the possibility of adapting these compounds into an “anti-spice” condiment for food that’s too fiery to eat.
The research helps explain differences in chili pepper pungency, or spiciness, by identifying three compounds in a range of pepper samples that chemical analysis predicted, and study participants on a tasting panel confirmed, are linked to lower heat intensity.
The findings have multiple potential applications: customized chili pepper breeding, a pain-relief alternative to capsaicin and, in homes with a range of culinary spice sensitivities, a new condiment to put in...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chris Zoller has been named assistant director of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) for Ohio State University Extension in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) effective May 12.
Zoller has served as interim assistant director of ANR since December 2023 and brings more than 32 years of experience with OSU Extension, having served as an Extension educator in Tuscarawas County since 1992. In that role, he conducted programming in farm management, succession planning, livestock production, farm financial management, forage and agronomic crop systems, and energy use on livestock farms.
In his new position, Zoller will provide leadership, administration, guidance, and vision for OSU Extension’s ANR...
COLUMBUS, Ohio –As Ohio celebrates In-Demand Jobs Week from May 5–9, Ohio State University Extension’s 4-H Career Cards exemplify how The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) is preparing youth for high-demand careers that support the state’s evolving workforce needs.
Ohio 4-H, the youth development arm of CFAES through OSU Extension, empowers young people with leadership, citizenship, and life skills across all 88 counties in Ohio.
Many of the careers highlighted—such as agricultural economists, food scientists, and precision ag specialists—connect directly to fields where Ohio employers are actively seeking qualified professionals. By introducing these pathways early, Ohio 4-H encourages youth...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gabriel E. Lade has been appointed to a five-year term as the holder of the C. William Swank Chair in Rural-Urban Policy at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), pending final approval by The Ohio State University Board of Trustees.
This prestigious appointment recognizes Lade’s outstanding research and leadership in agricultural, environmental, and rural-urban economics. As the newest faculty member in the CFAES Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE), Lade brings to the role a national reputation for impactful research, a strong commitment to student mentorship, and a collaborative spirit.
“Dr. Lade is a leading voice in understanding the...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Michelle Anderson, program manager in the Office of Faculty and Staff Affairs at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), and Jesse Buxton, fiscal officer for Ohio State University Extension, have been named recipients of Ohio State’s 2025 Distinguished Staff Award — the university’s highest staff recognition.
Presented annually to only 12 individuals across Ohio State, the Distinguished Staff Award honors exceptional staff whose outstanding service, leadership, and dedication embody the university’s shared values.
Michelle Anderson: A transformative leader in faculty and staff support
Since joining CFAES in 2019, Anderson has played a vital role in strengthening faculty and staff...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — It wasn’t your average day of leadership training.
There were no lectures, no slideshows — just 23 high school students, nine agricultural professionals, and a high-stakes simulation designed to challenge how the next generation of agricultural leaders think, collaborate, and lead.
The result?
A bold new approach to learning, where Ohio 4-H youth joined forces with industry mentors to tackle real-world issues in agriculture during the first youth-focused “Wargame” event at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
The March 7 event was led by Campbell Reese, a 17-year-old Geauga County 4-H member and National 4-H Council Roth Scholar, as part of her capstone project with the...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Brian E. Roe, the Fred N. VanBuren Professor of Farm Management and associate chair in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE), has earned one of The Ohio State University’s highest faculty honors: the 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award.
Senior leadership from the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge (ERIK) surprised Roe with the award, which recognizes faculty who demonstrate exceptional scholarly activity, research impact, and creative work that brings distinction to the university.
Roe is widely regarded as a global leader in food waste research. His pioneering use of behavioral economics in agricultural,...
