COLUMBUS, Ohio—A wetter than normal summer and fall in Ohio led to the worst spread of a toxin on corn in at least a decade, according to a grain disease expert with The Ohio State University.
And next year’s crop may be at risk as well. The fungus that produces the toxin can survive the winter, particularly if stalks or other plant material from the 2018 corn crop are left on the surface of the soil, said Pierce Paul, an Ohio State University Extension specialist in corn and small grain diseases. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
The extent of vomitoxin across Ohio and the rest of the Corn Belt led some farmers to receive a lower price for their crop, Paul said.
High moisture levels spur the...
WOOSTER, Ohio—What will Ohio’s recent weather—wet last year, warmish this winter—mean for the coming maple syrup season?
It’s one of the topics at this year’s Ohio Maple Days program, an educational event for syrup producers set for three dates in three locations: Jan. 17 in Fulton, Jan. 18 in Fredericksburg, and Jan. 19 in Middlefield. The program will be the same at all three locations.
Last year, Ohio ranked eighth nationally in maple syrup production, with a reported yield of 90,000 gallons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Weather effects, new maple science
Featured speaker Tim Perkins, director of the University of Vermont’s Proctor Maple Research Center, will...
Tip 1: Hoppy Together: Ohio’s hop industry is growing by leaps and bounds—the crop goes to make craft beer—and this week many of its members are meeting in Columbus. The Ohio Hop Conference (go.osu.edu/Ch5G), set for Jan. 9–10, will have sessions on topics such as maximizing yields, managing pests and diseases, sensory traits, harvesting, and drying. The event’s co-sponsors are the Ohio Hop Growers Guild; Ohio Farm Bureau; and The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Media members can learn more about the conference, Ohio’s hop industry, and CFAES’ research in support of the industry by talking with Brad Bergefurd, horticulture specialist at The Ohio State University South Centers in Piketon....
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has appointed a professor with additional experience leading a local government as the new chair of the Department of Plant Pathology.
Along with an extensive academic career, Tom Mitchell, a professor of fungal biology and molecular genetics in the department, led and served on the board of trustees of Liberty Township in Delaware County, north of Ohio State’s Columbus campus.
In that role, Mitchell served a population of nearly 20,000 residents, managed a budget of over $11 million, oversaw 72 employees, and led negotiations on union contracts.
“The experiences I had as a township trustee are far different than any I would normally encounter as an...
I’m making a batch of holiday goodies, and I’m using several kinds of festive decor on the cakes, cookies, and pies. Some of this glitter and sparkly stuff is very pretty, but I’m wondering if it’s really safe to eat.
That depends on what the label on its packaging says.
When baking fancy cookies, cakes, cupcakes, or other foods for the holidays—or for any occasion—it’s important that you are aware of which decorations are edible and which ones aren’t.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer alert this week that some glitters and dusts promoted for use in foods might, in fact, contain materials that should not be eaten.
In fact, the FDA says consumers might want to avoid using glitter and dust to decorate cakes...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The soggy truth? Ohio had a really wet year.
After an exceptionally rainy fall in Ohio, the state is on track to have its third wettest year ever, said Aaron Wilson, climate specialist with Ohio State University Extension and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
Early September the remnants of Hurricane Gordon moved across Ohio triggering upward of 8 inches of rain in southern Ohio. While October rainfall was closer to average, in November, umbrellas came out again – and often.
With a high rainfall count heading into winter, even if December winds up with average or even below average rain, total rainfall for 2018 likely will be the...
WOOSTER, Ohio — The Ohio State University’s 2019 Greenhouse Management Workshop, set for Jan. 17-18 in Wooster, will dig all around a plant’s roots. The theme is “Root Zone Optimization.”
Peter Ling, associate professor in Ohio State’s Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, said this year’s program is unique because it will focus exclusively on the root zone.
Ling has organized the annual workshop, which is designed for commercial growers from Ohio and beyond, for each of its now 21 years.
Chieri Kubota, professor in Ohio State’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, said root zone optimization means surrounding a plant’s roots with the best possible chemical, physical and biological...
Tip 1: Important Farm Bill Changes. The new Farm Bill will provide dairy farmers with a stronger safety net against low milk prices and high feed costs. More federal dollars will also be spent to spur international trade of American agricultural products. Both changes could help farmers at a time when revenues from selling milk, corn and soybeans have dipped and markets have shrunk. Learn what agricultural economists in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University, think about these changes and more in the federal bill now awaiting the President’s signature. Contact either Carl Zulauf, professor emeritus, at carzul1980@gmail.com or 614-314-1439, or Ben Brown, manager of the CFAES farm management program, at brown.6888@osu.edu or...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dairy farmers have a stronger safety net against low milk prices and high feed costs under the new federal farm bill, and more federal dollars will be spent to spur international trade of American agricultural products.
Both changes could help farmers at a time when revenues from selling milk, corn and soybeans have dipped and markets have shrunk.
Under the new farm bill, dairy farmers will pay lower premiums for a federal program that provides them payments when the margin between milk prices and feed costs dips below a certain level set by the government. The top level of coverage was raised from $8 to $9.50 per hundred pounds of milk, which will increase payments to dairy farmers.
“This is not a trivial change,” said Carl Zulauf, an...
My grandkids and I have a tradition of spending a Saturday afternoon this time of year baking pies, cakes, and cookies for the holidays. I’ve always let my grandkids lick the spoon from the raw cake batter and raw cookie dough, but now my son is telling me it’s not safe to do so. Why is that?
While many people (including me!) might love the taste of raw cookie dough or raw cake or brownie batter, eating it can make you sick. That’s because the raw eggs and uncooked flour that go into many recipes can contain bacteria such as E. coli or salmonella, which can result in a bad case of foodborne illness.
Most people know that raw or undercooked eggs can cause salmonella poisoning, which can result in fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea, but fewer people are aware...
