What is something in our lives that takes years to build, only seconds to break, and then forever to repair? No, I am not talking about that one piece of equipment that reliably breaks down each fall. I am talking about trust.

Trust in food production and farming has been a hot topic for as long as I can remember. I served as our county’s beef ambassador nearly 15 years ago and remember getting training from the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association on how to build consumer trust and educate people about beef production.

I grew up alongside the rise of social media and influencers who had it out for production agriculture. It was trendy to make agriculture look bad, as seen in the marketing campaigns of several restaurant chains in the early 2010s. So, like many of you, I had the opinion that the general public does not really trust farmers.… Continue reading

Of all the jobs on the farm, grain marketing often ranks as one of the least favorite and most challenging. Dwayne Wilson is a grain merchandising specialist with White Commercial Corporation. Wilson works with commercial grain businesses, handling futures and helping them manage their risk by establishing a basis and managing spreads. Wilson shares his insights with farmers at grower meetings and informational programs throughout the year, helping them understand the big picture of grain merchandising and the role the commercial grain businesses play. As a general disclaimer, Wilson reminds everyone, “There is a risk of loss in futures and options trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.”

Through the years, volatility and swings in the market have become just as extreme as swings in the weather. Advances in technology have put more information at farmers’ fingertips.… Continue reading

Agritourism has become a popular way for farm families to diversify their businesses, create new sources of income and connect consumers directly with agriculture. From U-pick orchards and farm markets to corn mazes and farm stays, agritourism can take many forms and bring different considerations for each farm.

The new Ohio Farm Bureau Agritourism Guide brings information and resources together in one place to help members better understand agritourism and make informed decisions for their business. Topics include liability protection, risk management, zoning, building and fire codes, ADA and service dogs, vendor’s license, food and beverage sales, amusement attractions and farm stays.

“As interest in agritourism continues to grow, this guide gives our members practical information to better understand the responsibilities that come with opening their farm to the public and what venture may be right for their business,” said Leah Hetrick, director of legal education and member engagement for Ohio Farm Bureau.… Continue reading

Ohio continues to be one of the strongest farmland markets in the Farm Credit Mid-America territory, but the latest data shows that the story is not simply about rising land values.

Location, land productivity, availability, and an increasingly diverse pool of buyers are all shaping what farmland is worth across the Buckeye State. At the same time, farm economics are forcing producers to be more selective about when and where they invest.

According to Farm Credit Mid-America’s latest farmland value benchmark study, Ohio farmland values increased just over 10% during the past year, compared to a 7% increase across the organization’s five-state territory of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and the Delta counties of Arkansas.

“Ohio realized just a little above a 10% increase, so leading the way,” said Jenny Reithman, head of collateral production at Farm Credit Mid-America. “Lots of different reasons for that, including the old real estate adage of location, location, location.… Continue reading

For Ryan Burger, Percheron horses are more than livestock. They are a family tradition that stretches back four generations, a breeding program built throughout decades, and a way of life that has brought his family together year after year.

Burger Percherons, located in Willard, Ohio, traces its roots to the 1920s, when Burger’s great-grandfather purchased the family’s first Percherons. Since then, the operation has continued through multiple generations, with Burger now working alongside his mother and his son, Braxtyn, who recently graduated from high school and has become an important part of the operation.

The family’s connection to draft horses runs even deeper. One side of Burger’s family raised Percherons, while the other had Belgian horses. His grandfather was also known for trading horses and mules with Amish communities.

“My grandpa Burger was a horse trader, so to speak,” Burger said. “He stayed one or two nights with the Amish every other week and traded with them, all kinds of working horses, mules.… Continue reading

With harvest here or nearly here, now might seem like an odd time to be thinking about adding more on-farm storage. It seems unlikely that unscheduled grain bin construction will be added before the 2026 harvest, but could this harvest be used to answer key questions about bin size, layout, and cost? Answers to these questions will require intentional thought and planning before scheduling potential new bin construction. This article will focus on the economic benefits of on-farm storage.

Recent Ohio harvest seasons have demonstrated how quickly market conditions can change. In some years, large crops have led to long elevator lines, transportation bottlenecks, and limited delivery opportunities. In other years, drought-reduced production has resulted in very different market dynamics. These changing conditions reinforce the importance of evaluating grain storage economics annually rather than relying solely on past experiences.

When discussing grain storage, farmers often focus first on the opportunities to capture higher prices later in the marketing year.… Continue reading

The joint initiative, launched in June 2026, committed a portion of proceeds from Kalmbach Feeds products to FVC’s core programs. The $25,000 donation will support programs, such as the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund and the Homegrown By Heroes label, that help active-duty service members and veterans establish financially viable farming operations.

“When we launched this campaign to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary, our goal was to honor those who have served our country and are now choosing to feed it,” said Aimee Koontz, Brand Manager at Kalmbach Feeds.… Continue reading

Seeing disease symptoms in your soybean fields? Bring us your sick soybeans at Farm Science Review!

During Farm Science Review, September 22–24, the OSU Soybean Pathology and Nematology team will have a sample drop off box at the AgCrops Team Tent. We are especially interested in soybean plants showing symptoms that may be associated with sudden death syndrome (SDS) or red crown rot (RCR).

How to bring a sample:

• Collect several symptomatic plants, preferably still alive and showing moderate symptoms.
• Dig up the entire plant and keep the roots and lower stem intact.
• Place plants in a plastic bag, remove as much air as possible, and keep them away from heat and direct sunlight. Do not use moist paper towels.
• Print and complete one submission form for each sample and bring it with the plants.

Then simply drop your samples off at the AgCrops Team Tent (on the east end of Friday Ave).… Continue reading

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Sept. 15 that enrollment is open for the 2026 Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs, with producers able to make elections and sign contracts through Dec. 11. Enrollment for the 2027 crop year will run from Nov. 2, 2026, through March 15, 2027.

The changes follow the allocation of more than 30 million new base acres nationwide, authorized under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. USDA’s Farm Service Agency said eligible acreage exceeded the nationwide 30-million-acre limit, resulting in a 3.69% across-the-board reduction in newly allocated base acres.

The base-acre expansion is the first such increase in 20 years. Base acres are used to determine eligibility and payment calculations under ARC and PLC, which provide financial assistance when commodity prices or farm revenues fall below specified levels.… Continue reading

By early September, we have presented or co-sponsored 11 events this summer. Here are a few photos highlighting August programs.

Looking ahead, we have Ray Archuleta speaking two days: Nov. 10 in Columbiana and Carroll Counties, and Nov. 11 at the Brandt Farm in Fairfield County. Other key presenters will also be on those programs.

Our annual Ohio No-till Conference will be Dec. 2 at Plain City. Speakers include Barry Fisher, Soil Health specialist, and Melanie Wilt on communicating with clarity.

Registration and updated programs for the November events are on our website: OhioNotillCouncil.com/events.

Upcoming No-Till events

Nov. 10, Grazing and Soil Health. Columbiana and Carroll Counties

Nov. 11, Soil Health and Healthy Food. Fairfield County

Dec. 2, Ohio No-Till Conf., Plain City

Jan. 13-15, 2027, National No-till Conf., Indianapolis

March 9-10, 2027, Conservation Tillage & Technology Conf., Ada

For you old codgers like me, remember the Sixteen-Ton song written by Merle Travis in the mid-1940s? It did not really hit the music market until Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded his version of it in 1955. The FBI in the ‘40s quietly told radio stations not to play the song, effectively banning it as being subversive because it described the subjugation of coal miners, which, in fact, was happening. Coal miners worked in dangerous mine conditions, breathing coal dust all day. This is where the medical condition termed black lung disease originated.

Miners were in isolated locations, and their only sources of food, basic living supplies, and fuel were available from the company commissary. The commissary prices were often very high, forcing coal miners to live in little more than subservient conditions, too poor to escape, and without basic medical care. My wife, Jaye, was born in a Kentucky coal-mining camp.… Continue reading

Corn reaching the dent stage is at 88%, ahead of last week’s 81% average, and behind the 85% average. Mature corn for the state is sitting at 32%, above last week’s 22% but below the 43% average. Corn harvested is sitting at 2%, just below the 4% average. Ohio corn condition was rated 69% good to excellent, with 57% good and 12% excellent.

Soybeans dropping leaves has reached 40%, ahead of last week’s 24% but behind the 55% five-year average. Soybeans that have been harvested are at 1% below the 5% average.… Continue reading

Things are going well here, other than we could use a little less rain right now. We’ve been fighting mud while harvesting tomatoes, and at the moment we’re not harvesting because of the rain. Up until now it had been fairly dry, and tomato harvest has been going decently. Yield-wise, tomatoes are really not much different from last year, which is somewhat surprising considering we’ve had more rain this season.

Across the way, corn and soybeans are all turning, and I’m seeing some late tar spot moving into a lot of corn fields. Most of the fields I’ve looked at have some presence of it. I think it’s late enough in the game that many fields won’t see much impact, but there are some earlier fields where it will probably hurt yields a little bit.

As for our operation, we won’t start harvesting corn or soybeans until tomatoes are finished.… Continue reading

Founded by Clark County native Kate Hasting of the Nashville-based country duo HASTING, the festival is a heartfelt tribute to her roots and her family’s deep connection to the local farming community. What began as a vision in 2017 to bring high-quality
entertainment to her hometown has blossomed into a premier event that embodies the spirit of family, friends, and farming.

This year’s festival promises an unforgettable day of live country music, featuring a stellar lineup of national and local talent, inlcuding:

Matt Clarkson Band – 4:30 PM
Hasting – 5:30 PM
Dalton Dover – 6:30 PM
Priscilla Block – 8:00 PM

Hasting Farm Fest offers a community experience designed for all ages.… Continue reading

In the mid-August column, we reviewed the status of the data center proposed for Ashville. The Village of Ashville had passed an agreement, as emergency legislation, to cooperate in the construction of two data centers and an accompanying natural-gas power-generating facility.

Village resident Laura McNamara-Smith and others circulated a referendum petition to repeal the data center resolution. A referendum is a direct vote by the electorate (rather than their representatives) on a proposal, law or public issue. In May, the group turned in enough valid signatures to place the referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot. The petitions were submitted to the Ashville fiscal officer to transfer to the board of elections.

In a June letter, the Village fiscal officer informed the board of elections that she was not submitting the petition because it was insufficient and invalid. She explained the resolution is not subject to referendum because it passed as an emergency measure and was an administrative action.… Continue reading