News Releases
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Dec. 22, 2017
I’ve been watching my diet this year and eating better. But with the holidays in full swing, I’m worried about derailing all of my hard work. What can I do to stay healthy during the holidays and still have fun?
While holiday celebrations are traditionally associated with rich, decadent foods, you can still enjoy holiday get-togethers without breaking from your commitment to have healthy eating habits. It just takes a little planning.
For example, if you are attending a holiday party that involves food, eat a small, healthy meal beforehand.
This will help you feel more satisfied and make you less likely to overeat. And when you get to the party, start with the vegetables as a way to satiate your hunger, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, trade...
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Dec. 20, 2017
LONDON, Ohio — With so much focus on fertilizer these days, where and when it’s applied, a conference will be held in January to inform people about the many approaches and technological advances that can make it easier.
The 2nd annual Precision University Jan. 11 in London, Ohio, will feature presentations about technology that can help farmers apply fertilizer in a way that prevents it from running off the land and ending up in Lake Erie or other waterways.
The conference is being hosted by Ohio State University Extension and the Digital Agriculture program team in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of CFAES.
Starting in September 2017, those who apply fertilizer on...
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Dec. 14, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Landowners interested in beginning a farm can take an eight-week intensive course starting in January to help them realize their ambition.
The New and Small Farm College is offered by Ohio State University Extension and helps landowners explore options for land use, obtain basic information about farming enterprises, and plan an agricultural or horticulture enterprise. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.
The course is one night a week for eight weeks. Classes are offered at two locations: Hamilton (Butler County) at OSU Extension’s Butler County office, 1802 Princeton Road; and Portsmouth (Scioto County) at Shawnee State University’s Massie Hall, 940 Second...
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Dec. 14, 2017
I really love to drink eggnog this time of year. But as I learn more about raw eggs and their link to Salmonella, I’m worried. Is it safe to drink eggnog?
Eggnog is a favorite holiday drink for many people, but because it is sometimes made with raw eggs, you should be aware of the risks and ways to improve the food safety of what you are drinking. This is especially true if you have a weakened immune system or are a young child, a pregnant woman or an older adult.
Eggnog is a popular sweetened dairy-based drink that is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, whipped eggs and spices. According to a 2007 report from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, consumers drink some 122 million pounds of eggnog, with peak sales occurring the week before Thanksgiving,...
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Dec. 13, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Anyone with access to the Internet, any time, anywhere, can take a series of free online introductory courses in environmental science at The Ohio State University.
Three new Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are available for anyone interested in learning more about Earth’s environment and sustainability. The courses are part of the Introduction to Environmental Science series offered by the Canvas Network.
The first course in the series, Earth’s Environment: Soil, Water, and Air, introduces students to environmental science, environmental literacy and the scientific process.
The series’ second course, Energy and Earth: Fossil Fuels, Alternative, and Renewable Energy, explores human energy production and use and their impact on the...
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Dec. 12, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In rows of petri dishes, soybean roots bathe in fluorescent light, an unremarkable site unless you work in the laboratory where they grow.
The simplicity of the setup belies the complexity of the research that went into creating the roots. For decades, the genes of the seeds that produced these roots have been tinkered with to create a plant that resists a common and highly destructive soybean disease: Phytophthora root and stem rot.
Statewide, the disease accounts for $50 million in losses every year, ranking it as one of the top three most vexing soybean diseases for Ohio farmers. Phytophthora sojae thrives in wet, warm soil, particularly poorly draining soil, which is common in northwest Ohio.
The soybean roots growing in Leah McHale’s lab at The...
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Dec. 12, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio— Despite the gush of rain in the early part of the season, corn made a comeback and led to surprisingly high yields in Ohio this year.
The state’s soybean farmers were not so fortunate: yields were down an average of four bushels compared to a year ago.
Though the U.S. Department of Agriculture had estimated Ohio’s average corn yield would be 173 bushels per acre, many farmers harvested 200 plus bushels per acre, said Allen Geyer, a research associate with Ohio State University Extension. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.
“Everyone has been pleasantly surprised about yields. Price-wise, that’s a whole different story,” Geyer said.
On...
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Dec. 8, 2017
My office is having a holiday potluck next week – do you have any tips to make sure I don’t do anything that will make my co-workers sick from eating my food?
It’s the holiday season and in offices across the country, coworkers are gathering together to celebrate. With that in mind, it’s a good thing that you want to take extra precautions to make sure that your world-famous seven-layer guacamole and cheese dip that you bring in to share with your office mates won’t send them home sick.
The best way to make sure that doesn’t happen is to adhere to good food safety guidelines. In fact, it’s a good idea to adhere to good food safety guidelines anytime you prepare food – whether it’s a small dish just for yourself or a meal you...
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Dec. 8, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio —After statewide bans, multiple lawsuits and countless disgruntled farmers nationwide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has required the makers of dicamba, a controversial weed killer, to revise its label.
The label changes and new training requirements shift more responsibility into the hands of farmers to ensure if they apply dicamba, the herbicide does not spread to neighboring fields. The problem is the weed killer has been shown to easily go airborne and move far from its intended area, harming or killing plants and other crops along the way.
“You can do everything right on the day you apply it, then later that day or the next morning, it can still move,” said Mark Loux, an Ohio State University Extension weed specialist. OSU Extension...
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Dec. 6, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Farmers who want to tap into the state’s surging craft brew industry now have a guidebook to help them grow a key ingredient: barley for malting.
Since raising barley for beer is considerably different from growing it to feed animals, grain experts from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University have just published a guide on growing it for malting. In Ohio, winter barley is planted in early fall and harvested in late June, typically avoiding high temperatures that can increase protein content in the grain.
Barley for beer needs to be low in protein and high in carbohydrates. Barley for feed animals, which is what most of the barley grown in Ohio is used for, is the opposite: high in protein and low...
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