COLUMBUS, Ohio—Even during a growing season when 1.5 million fewer acres of soybeans and corn were planted in Ohio, average farm incomes in the state are likely to increase compared to last year, according to an agricultural economist with The Ohio State University.
That’s primarily because of higher government payments made to farmers nationwide in 2019, said Ani Katchova, an associate professor and chair of the farm income enhancement program at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
Across the country, government funds paid to farmers through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) more than doubled this year to $10.7 billion. That money is intended to help compensate farmers for a decline in demand for crops and livestock sold abroad...
Tip 1: One-Day Insect University: A daylong exploration of the world of insects is planned for Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, Ohio. The event will feature pollinators, landscape and garden insects, the role of citizen and community science, a bug zoo, an optional tour of The Ohio State University’s Museum of Biological Diversity, and more. Registration is $35, which includes morning refreshments, lunch, all sessions, and the optional museum tour. The event is sponsored by the Department of Entomology at Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), in partnership with CFAES’ Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens. Ohio State University Extension’s...
I put a roast on to cook in my slow cooker and went to work. When I got home, I realized that the power had gone out at my house at some point during the day. I checked my slow cooker and the power was off, but my roast looked like it cooked fully. Can I still eat the roast?
Great question! However, I’m sorry to say that unless you are able to tell how long the roast was in the slow cooker without adequate heat, it’s best that you toss it out, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Generally speaking, perishable foods that have been at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for two hours or more will need to be discarded to avoid the development of harmful bacteria that could cause a foodborne illness....
Tip 1: Tax school soon in session: How to deal with the new tax law (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) for both individuals and businesses is among the topics to be discussed during the upcoming Tax School for Tax Practitioners workshop series offered throughout Ohio in late October, November, and December. Register at go.osu.edu/2019taxschools two weeks prior to the school date and receive the early-bird registration fee of $375. After the school deadline, the fee increases to $425. Registration includes all materials, lunches, and light refreshments. The workshop series is one of two tax education options that Ohio State University Extension is offering this fall. The second option is Ag Tax Issues, a daylong webinar that will be broadcast Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m...
What is a pawpaw, and is it healthy for you?
The pawpaw is the largest edible fruit that is native to the United States, grown indigenous in some 26 states nationwide including Ohio. The majority of pawpaws are grown from the Great Lakes to the Florida Panhandle, with mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states being the primary growing region. Grown on trees, pawpaws ripen in the fall and are generally harvested from late August to mid-October.
Not to be confused with papayas, the skin color of ripe pawpaws can range from green to brown or black on the outside and is yellow on the inside, with a ripe pawpaw about the size of a large potato. The meat of the fruit, which is soft and mushy like an avocado, has been described as tasting a little like a rich, custardy tropical blend of banana,...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Hiring migrant farm workers will become cheaper and easier as a result of several upcoming changes to the process, according to a labor economist with The Ohio State University.
The new rules on getting visas for temporary foreign workers will allow agricultural employers to pay migrant workers an hourly wage based on what other domestic workers employed in the same position in the area are paid.
“That should help keep costs down for farmers,” said Joyce Chen, an associate professor in Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
The current formula for calculating wages requires farms to average the hourly wages of both U.S. supervisors and their field workers to generate an hourly wage for temporary...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—With so many Ohio fields left unplanted this year, farmers should consider the risks to next year’s crops, soil experts from The Ohio State University warn.
If wind or rain carry away the topsoil of a bare field, it can take years to rebuild that topsoil, said Steve Culman, a soil fertility specialist with Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
Topsoil is the layer richest in microscopic organisms, which fuel plant growth. Besides losing topsoil, not having any living roots in a field can cause microscopic fungi in the soil to die off, harming the soil’s ability to support a healthy crop, Culman said.
However, it’s unlikely that fields left...
Tip 1: Insects Galore: How pesticides pose a risk to bees and how healthy plants can help prevent landscape pest problems are among the topics that will be discussed at the upcoming Insect University. The Oct. 30 event sponsored by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) will also feature discussions about tracking and managing plant pests and how to protect yourself in nature from Lyme disease and West Nile virus. The daylong event at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, Ohio, includes a bug zoo and an optional tour of Ohio State’s Museum of Biological Diversity. For more information about the event, visit go.osu.edu/insectU or contact Denise Ellsworth, program director of CFAES...
I want to lower my sugar intake, so I’m looking for a sugar substitute for my coffee. What are the different types of sweeteners?
First, I want to congratulate you on your decision to lower your sugar intake. Lowering your sugar intake is a wise and healthy choice, as research shows that consuming too much sugar can increase your risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, some cancers, and heart disease.
If you want to lower your sugar intake from your coffee to zero, you could choose to drink it black.
But, if you’d rather not do that, you aren’t alone. Some two-thirds of coffee drinkers and one-third of tea drinkers add milk, cream, sugar, flavorings, or other additives to their drink, according to a study from the University...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—They can sprout up anywhere in a field and they increasingly do: weeds, specifically a family of weeds known as pigweeds.
As they harvest, farmers should watch for patches of pigweeds, which are quickly multiplying across the state. A campaign dubbed “No Pigweed Left Behind” is aimed at encouraging farmers to stop those weeds from spreading any further.
This year could be especially challenging because the state’s record rainy spring caused many crop fields to be left unplanted, ideal conditions for weeds to move in.
Ohio is home to five types of pigweed, each of which can cost a grower a lot to eliminate. Farmers and gardeners love to hate weeds in general, but pigweeds are especially problematic because they grow fast, produce a...
