SUSTAINABILITY NEVER GOES OUT OF SEASON
CUSTOMERS PREFER U.S. SOY BECAUSE IT’S SUSTAINABLE.
But as demands for sustainability continue rising, meeting those demands remains a journey of continuous improvement. Which sustainable practices do you do now? Which ones could you adopt to improve your sustainable footprint? Show your commitment to sustainability with a free truck magnet available at unitedsoybean.org/sustainability
Ttodd Hesterman
Ohio Soybean Association Chairman
Henry County soybean farmer
A Letter From the Chairman
he past few months have been busy for the farmer leaders of the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA)! In early February board members from the Ohio Soybean Council and OSA met for a joint board meeting to hear from experts on the Farm Bill. Delegates were also busy preparing their resolution submissions for Commodity Classic. After helping set the policy agenda on federal issues, the OSA policy committee got to work on setting the agenda here in Ohio. Then they headed to Washington, D.C., to lobby Ohio’s members of Congress on trade, the farm bill, and biofuels. Be sure to check out pages 8 and 12 for more on Commodity Classic and Washington, D.C., visits.
In addition, OSA and the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association recently urged Congress to again reject the steep reductions to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative proposed in the Trump Administration’s budget. The president had proposed a 90-percent cut, which would reduce funding from $300 million to $30 million. Thanks to the work of Ohio’s Senators, they were able to battle the attempts to cut the funding and it was restored to the full $300 million in the government spending measure.
Ohio’s corn, soy and wheat farmers have been strong supporters of the program for almost a decade. Since 2009 the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has provided more than $300 million annually in water quality improvement efforts and generated more than $2 billion for previously unfunded restoration work over the past eight years. These investments protect the public health and the environment. We can’t fix what we don’t understand and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds go a long way toward helping us understand the complexity of our water quality dynamics.
Sincerely,
Todd Hesterman
Ohio Soybean Association Chairman
Henry County soybean farmer
President
Allen Armstrong, Clark County
First Vice President
Scott Metzger, Ross County
Vice President
Ryan Rhoades, Marion County
Treasurer
Kerrick Wilson, Preble County
Secretary
Jennifer Wilson-Oechsle, Van Wert County
Chairman
Todd Hesterman
trustees
Jerry Bambauer, Auglaize County
Trish Cunningham, Knox County
Bret Davis, Delaware County
Adam Graham, Logan County
Caitlyn Heimerl, Industry Affiliate Ex-Officio
Patrick Knouff, Shelby County
Jeff Magyar, Ashtabula County
Jeff McKanna, Hancock County
Cindy Parker, Miami County
Derek Reusser, Holmes County
Jeff Roehm, Highland County
Luke Ryan, Lucas County
Andy Stickel, Wood County
American Soybean Association
Board Representatives
Jerry Bambauer
Bret Davis
Scott Metzger
Staff Credits
Kirk Merritt-Publisher
Jennifer Coleman-Editor
Katie Bauer-Contributing Editor/Staff Writer
Kayla Weaver-Contributing Writer
Donovan Harris-Design Director
Brent Warren-Senior Designer
Barry Falkner-Photo Quality/Proofer
Tony Green-Advertising Production
Ohio Soybean news is published six times a year by the Ohio Soybean Association, 918 Proprietors Rd., Suite A, Worthington, OH 43085. Phone: 614-476-3100. For address corrections contact Ohio Soybean News at 918 Proprietors Rd., Suite A, Worthington, OH 43085.
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Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservation must be made by the first of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of advertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising from claims or actions against the publisher because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.
For Advertising Sales Contact:
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SUSTAINABILITY NEVER GOES OUT OF SEASON
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
Customers prefer U.S. soy because it’s sustainable. But demands for sustainability continue rising. Conducting split- or spring-applied fertilizer applications helps reduce runoff and makes nutrients available when crops need them. Adopting this practice is another step forward in improving your sustainable footprint. Show your commitment to sustainability with a free truck magnet available at unitedsoybean.org/sustainability
ASA DuPont young Leaders e xplore Issues, Participate in Leadership training
The 34th class of American Soybean Association (ASA) DuPont Young Leaders completed their training, Feb. 25 –March 2, 2018 in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show in Anaheim, Calif.
“The ASA DuPont Young Leader Program has provided the soybean industry and all of agriculture strong and wellconnected leaders,” ASA President John Heisdorffer said. “The program fosters innovation, provides a forward looking training opportunity that fosters collaboration and strengthens the voice of the farmer. We are grateful to DowDuPont for their commitment to this program and for helping secure the future of the soybean industry.”
The 2018 class of ASA DuPont Young Leaders includes: James Wray (AR); Rick Dickerson (DE); Jonathan Snow (DE); Joshua Plunk (IL); Chris Steele (IN); Chris Gaesser & Shannon Lizakowski (IA); Kevin & Kim Kohls (KS); Jared & Kimy Nash (KS); Clay & Lindsey Wells (KY); Caleb & Jordan Frey (LA); Walter & Kristen Grezaffi (LA); Brian & Michelle Washburn (MI); Scott & Polly Wilson (MI); Adam & Melanie Guetter (MN); James Locke (MS); Tyler Clay (MS); Dane Diehl & Erica Wagenknecht (MO); Kevin & Heather Kucera (NE);
Scott Langemeier (NE); Philip & Lindsay Sloop (NC); Logan Ferry (ND); Justin Cowman (OH); Kevin & Brianna Deinert (SD); Jordan & Samantha Scott (SD); Charlie & Bettye Jane Roberts (TN); AJ Teal (TN); Tanner Johnson (WI); Pat & Sheri Mullooly (WI); and Ann & Jeff Vermeersch (Ontario, Canada).
“The ASA DuPont Young Leaders Program was such a great experience that brought together sharp, like-minded ag professionals to learn about key issues facing the soybean industry and what we as growers can do to solve them,” said Cowman. “The knowledge I gained and the relationships I built during the course of this program will better me as a person, my farm operation, and hopefully the soybean industry.”
While in Anaheim, the Young Leaders participated in leadership and marketing training, issues updates and discussion and were recognized at ASA’s annual awards banquet.
“It is critically important that our industry have strong leaders who are well-equipped to advocate for policies that benefit farmers,” said Krysta Harden, Vice President, External Affairs & Chief Sustainability Officer, Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™. “I am so proud of these young leaders who are stepping forward to ensure the farmer’s voice is heard.” u
The 2018 class of DuPont young Leaders completed their training at Commodity Classic in Anaheim. PHoto: Joe MurPHy
ohio Farmer Leaders Advocate for trade and other Priorities in D.C.
Farmer leaders of the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) recently visited every Ohio congressional office to advocate on behalf of issues that affect soybean farmers’ bottom line. Topics of conversation included trade, the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill, Renewable Fuels Standard and biofuels, and infrastructure funding.
“Every year farmer leaders from soybean and other agricultural organizations around the country go to see their state’s representatives in person, and time and again we’ve seen those personal relationships pay off for our members,” said Allen Armstrong, OSA president and Clark County soybean farmer. “Emails and phone calls throughout the year on issues are important, but it’s just as important to look our elected officials in the eye and shake their hand.”
One of the first topics addressed during these meetings was the importance of continued positive trade with China and other NAFTA partners, as well as with other Asia-Pacific countries through bilateral or multilateral agreements. Additionally, farmer leaders emphasized farmers’ priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill negotiations, including maintaining the current crop insurance program and reauthorizing ARC and PLC, and giving farmers a choice to sign up for either program on a cropby-crop basis.
See a complete list of OSA’s Legislative and Policy Priorities for 2018 in the following information. u
From left to right: Jeff Magyar (oSA board member), Kirk Merritt (oSA executive Director), Adam Graham, Jerry Bambauer, ryan rhoades, and Jeff McKanna (oSA board members) on Capitol Hill.
2018 Legislative & Policy Priorities
2018 Legislative & Policy Priorities
Water Quality & Nutrient Management
• The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) strongly supports implementation of the 4R concept of nutrient management – Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place. Properly managed fertilizers supporting cropping systems that provide economic, social, and environmental benefits.
• Supports policies backed by science and research-based discoveries to create practical regulations.
• Supports allowing current policies, regulations, and research the time needed to achieve expected outcomes.
State Funding
• Ohio Department of Higher Education: OSA supports full funding of the Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio State University Agricultural Research and Development Center, and the Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at Lake Erie.
• Ohio Department of Natural Resources: OSA supports funding for the Clean Lake Erie Fund and continued funding to be utilized for feasible practices to reduce phosphorus in Lake Erie.
• Ohio Department of Agriculture: OSA supports the funding the Department needs to fulfill their required duties.
Rural Development
• Supports efforts to increase broadband access to rural Ohio in order to help improve quality of life and create strong and competitive farming operations.
Biobased Products & Biodiesel Use
• Supports and encourages the increased purchase and use of biobased products by state agencies
• Supports the usage of biodiesel by state vehicles and heavy equipment and encourages the Ohio Legislature to explore the impact of a biodiesel requirement or incentives on all fuel sold in Ohio.
• Supports fuel quality standards to protect consumers from unknowingly purchasing substandard fuel to maintain the integrity of the fuel supply, and protect the reputation of biodiesel as a high quality, high performing fuel.
Transportation
• Supports timely and consistent inspections of bridges in rural areas, and adequate funding for bridge maintenance
• Supports higher truck weight limit implementation when technology shows that increased limits are appropriate due to modern equipment
• Supports resources allocated toward the upgrade of inland water systems and harbor management
Jobs and Economic Development
• Encourages the state of Ohio to develop funding specifically for attracting and promoting food and agricultural companies to Ohio
• Encourages funding for beginning farmer through special young farmer loans, Farm Credit Associations, and other sources.
Leadership At Its Best Class Graduates in Washington
Farmers from 13 states recently graduated from the 2017–18 American Soybean Association (ASA) Leadership At Its Best program in Washington, D.C. The Leadership At Its Best program is sponsored by Syngenta and develops leadership, communication and advocacy skills in farmers who have already shown potential to be strong leaders through the positions they hold on their state soybean association boards. This select group of farmerleaders participated in the first part of the Leadership At Its Best training this past summer in Minneapolis, Minn. Their final training focused on how to advocate, in Washington, on issues important to soybean farmers. The class participants concluded their trip with a day of Hill visits with their state associations.
Leadership At Its Best Program participants are nominated by their state soybean association. This year’s class participants included: James Hereford,
“The Leadership At Its Best program continues to be a great program. For those wanting to take their leadership and advocacy skills further there is no better opportunity than this intensive program. For myself it was much more than learning the talking points, shaking the hands of congressman, etc. They taught us how to engage and shape the conversation, say what needs to be said, and do it in a way that is direct with open discussion. This program provides a way for farmer leaders to engage our representatives with maximum efficiency and persuasion to advance our concerns in agriculture.”
– Ryan Rhoades, Prospect, Ohio
Gurley, AL; Derek Helms, Arkadelphia, AR; Jim Martin, Pontiac, IL; Tim Bardole, Rippey, IA; Andy Alford, Bowling Green, KY; Jamie Beyer, Wheaton, MN; Gip Carter, Rolling Fork, MS; Brett Medlin, Indian Trail, NC; Gregg Gussiaas, Carrington, ND; Ryan Rhoades, Prospect, OH; Joshua Kayser, Emery, SD; Don Holbert, Dandridge, TN and Tony Mellenthin, Menomonie, WI. u
Ohio soybean farmers consistently rank state and federal regulation as their top concern.
The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) provides leadership for Ohio’s soybean farmers in promoting effective policies and legislation. OSA represents its members at both the state and federal levels, and works cooperatively with its national affiliate, the American Soybean Association. Soybean checkoff dollars cannot be used for lobbying and legislative activities. That’s why your OSA membership is vital to making the soybean industry in Ohio successful and profitable for years to come.
The Ohio Soybean Council was founded in 1991 to manage the Soybean Research and Promotion Program, commonly referred to as the soybean checkoff. Soybean farmers pay one half of one percent of the bushel price to the soybean checkoff when they sell soybeans. Half is sent to the United Soybean Board and half is invested right here in Ohio in soybean production research, marketing and promotion, new product development and education to maximize profit opportunities for soybean farmers.
ohio Farmer Leaders Help Set Federal Policy Agenda For American Soybean Association
More than 8,000 farmers, agriculture leaders and ag advocates converged on the Anaheim Convention Center to Grow Beyond as the 2018 Commodity Classic took place Feb. 27–March 1 in California. Commodity Classic is America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show.
Preliminary numbers are out — this year brought 8,055 registered attendees including a record number of nonexhibitor, first-time attendees (1,533) and more than 150 media representatives. A total of 3,646 farmers from across the nation and several foreign countries were on hand to take part in a robust slate of educational sessions, tour the large trade show and hear from a wide range of experts and thought-leaders in agriculture. Attendance numbers are subject to a final audit.
As a part of Commodity Classic, the American Soybean Association held its annual policy development session. Farmer leaders from across the country, including delegates from Ohio, participated in this important discussion to help set the federal policy priorities.
“This year in particular is important for us as soybean farmers to come together and talk about what issues are the most important and where we stand on them. Not only is the Farm Bill up for renewal, but there’s also been a lot of talk on trade and biofuels” said Scott Metzger of Ross County.
Metzger serves as a Director for the American Soybean Association and is the First Vice President for OSA. He was one of the ten delegates who participated in this year’s policy discussion. Ohio’s other delegates include: Allen Armstrong (Clark County), Jerry Bambauer (Auglaize County), Trish Cunningham (Knox County), Bret
Davis (Delaware County), Adam Graham (Logan County), Todd Hesterman (Henry County), Ryan Rhoades (Marion County), Kerrick Wilson (County), and Jennifer Wilson-Oechsle (Van Wert County).
Other highlights of the 2018 Commodity Classic included:
▶ A keynote address by Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, who also took part in a Q&A session on the Main Stage on the trade show floor
▶ A slate of more than 40 educational sessions on topics ranging from soil health to farm policy, from trade to pollinators, from high-yield strategies to cover crops and more
Jennifer Wilson-oechsle, Adam Graham and Kerrick Wilson attend the annual policy development session at the 2018 Commodity Classic.
▶ A huge trade show featuring 367 companies commanding a total of 1,894 booth spaces
▶ A three-day showcase of innovation, technology, equipment and groundbreaking ideas that are changing the face of agriculture and food production
▶ Dozens of opportunities for farmers to network and learn from each other
The 2019 Commodity Classic is scheduled for Feb. 28–March 2, 2019 in Orlando, Fla. Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is presented by the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. u
Scott Metzger and Bret Davis participate in policy discussions during the 2018 Commodity Classic.
The Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) and soybean checkoff are working with scientists at The Ohio State University and Extension to find new and better ways to manage insects, diseases, weeds, nutrients and water quality all while maintaining your profitability. It can be challenging, however, to stay on top of everything. Soybean Rewards is a program developed by OSC to help keep the flow of information between farmers and researchers moving. To see how, visit soybeanrewards.org.
Brought to you by Ohio soybean farmers and their checkoff.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DIG DEEP TO SEE HOW SOYBEAN RESEARCH HAS BENEFITTED OHIO FARMERS.
Precision Ag reviews Gains Momentum at Commodity Classic
Farm life is often romanticized as being an old-fashioned and quite simple way of life. But take a look around today’s farms and it’s easy to see technology has impacted even some of the most rural “off the beaten path” places in America. While they have yet to get a handle on the weather, those who work in agriculture — whether it be farmers or plant scientists, mechanical engineers or software developers — have been developing ways to make growing crops more predictable.
At the forefront of predictability in farming is precision agriculture products that provide an increasing amount of consistency, control and feedback to farmers every step of the way. Looking at new technology with today’s commodity prices and input costs brings out the pressing question, “Is it worth it?” The Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) and checkoff program are helping farmers answer that question with last year’s launch of PrecisionAg r eviews.com — a
website dedicated to farmer reviews of precision ag products.
The most recent influx of reviews on the Precision Ag Reviews (PAR) site was a direct result of OSC’s involvement and promotion at Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California, earlier this year.
“There really is no better place to connect with technology driven, forward thinking farmers than the Commodity Classic. We were able to initiate reviews at our booth and gain a lot of attention for the unique features of our site with farmers from across the nation,” said Todd Tucky, Owner of Heartland GIS.
In addition to the booth set-up with stations for farmers to post reviews on the PAR site while at the conference, OSC was included in the What’s New series of sessions. OSC presented the features and purpose of PAR to nearly 600 attendees.
The combination of promotions resulted in nearly 300 product reviews being added and a significant spike in general web traffic on the site. OSC hopes to keep the momentum going online as more farmers
At the Commodity Classic, earlier this year, Summer McCracken represented oSC and presented on Precision Ag reviews to nearly 600 farmers during the What’s New Session series.
see the value of having an unbiased, non-sales driven, review and rating of products from fellow producers that understand the demands of technology in an agricultural setting.
“We had great success getting individuals to leave reviews when asked in person. We hope that momentum will continue online as farmers see the benefits and realize the value they add to the community when they leave a review. It’s really all about farmers helping farmers; that has been our goal with this from the beginning,” said Dave Dotterer, OSC Board member from Wayne County.
For questions concerning PAR, please contact Barry McGraw, Ohio Soybean Council project lead, at bmcgraw@soyohio.org u
ohio Soybean Council Foundation Awards $47,500 in Scholarships
The Ohio Soybean Council Foundation (OSCF) recently announced scholarship recipients for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Now in it’s eleventh year, the OSCF Scholarship Program was created to encourage undergraduate students to pursue degrees in one of the many academic fields that support the future of the soybean industry including agriculture, business, communication, economics, education, science and technology, as well as to support ongoing graduate-level research. Since 2008, the OSCF scholarship program has awarded $310,000 in scholarship funds to students studying agriculture or a related field at Ohio colleges or universities.
Undergraduate scholarships of $3,000 each were awarded to Wyatt Jones, Tanner Matthews, Kayle Mast, Abby Motter and Mikayla Storck. A $1,500 scholarship was awarded to Monica Pennewitt as she will be graduating in the winter of 2018. The annual $3,000 FLM Harvest Scholarship, awarded to students in the field of agriculture communications or business, was awarded to Lea Kimley. The annual $5,000 Bhima Vijayendran Scholarship, named in honor of a Battelle research scientist who has made tremendous contributions to the soybean industry, was awarded to Matthew Klopfenstein. The Robinson W. Joslin scholarship was awarded to Rex Tietje. The annual $3,000 scholarship was created to honor a long-time leader in the soybean industry both in Ohio and nationally, who passed away in May of 2016.
Graduate scholarships of $5,000 were awarded to Will Hamman, Emma Matcham, Krystel Navarro, and Linda Weber.
“Congratulations to the 2018–2019 OSCF scholarship recipients,” said Bill Bateson, OSC board member, soybean farmer from Hancock County and scholarship selection committee member. “These students are bright and have
already contributed to the success of the soybean industry. We cannot wait to see what they do in the future.”
Graduate Winners
Will Hamman of Columbus, Ohio, is pursuing his Master of Science in Horticulture and Crop Science at the Ohio State University. His research consists of two major segments, one focusing on seeding rates for different management zones and zone delineation. A second part focuses on how soybeans change their plant architecture as well as how changing the seeding rates affect harvest loss and combine fuel use when soybeans are harvested.
undergraduate Winners
Wyatt Jones of Salem, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Agriscience Education.
Lea Kimley of South Charleston, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Agriculture Communication.
Matthew Klopfenstein of Haviland, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Agricultural Engineering.
tanner Matthews of Ohio City, Ohio, is a sophomore at the Ohio State University studying Agricultural Systems Management.
Kayle Mast of London, Ohio, is a sophomore at Wilmington College studying Agronomy.
Abby Motter of Mansfield, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Agriscience Education.
Monica Pennewitt of Wilmington, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Plant Pathology.
Mikayla Storck of New Carlisle, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Agribusiness and Applied Economics.
rex tietje of Deshler, Ohio, is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Agricultural Systems Management.
emma Matcham of Columbus, Ohio, is pursuing her Master of Science in Agronomy at the Ohio State University. Emma is determining which components of field variability have an impact on ideal seeding rate. She is also looking at how to delineate homogenous zones based on those variables and how to set seeding rates for each zone.
Krystel Navarro of Wooster, Ohio, is pursuing her Doctorate in Plant Pathology at the Ohio State University. Her research uses an amplicon-based metagenomics approach to study oomycete populations in Ohio and to determine the effects of environment, agricultural practices, soybean cultivar, and soil physical properties in species diversity and abundance.
Linda Weber of Wooster, Ohio, is pursuing her Master of Science in Plant Pathology at the Ohio State University. Her research is focused on the management of soybean diseases, mainly through studying the effectiveness of host resistance. Her research also involves several other disease issues, from preventing the spread of fungicide resistance to the screening of soybean cultivars for resistance to a certain set of pathogens. u
Better for the economy. Everybody. the Environment.
Made from a combination of soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, biodiesel is the only EPA-designated advanced biofuel in commercial production nationwide. It’s also the first to reach one billion gallons of production annually. More importantly, it can be safely used in most diesel engines less than 15 years old without modification. Biodiesel is non-toxic, biodegradable and safe to handle too.
The biodiesel industry supports 64,000 jobs nationwide.
The economic benefits translate to dollars and cents.
The soy-based biodiesel industry does more than just keep energy dollars in this country. Approximately half of U.S. biodiesel is made from soybean oil. U.S. production of biodiesel increases the demand for and the value of U.S. soybeans by 11 cents per pound, or an extra 63 cents per bushel of soybeans.
Biodiesel fuels U.S. jobs and development opportunities, not to mention demand for soybeans. And when crops used to produce biodiesel are grown in the same country where the fuel is consumed, each gallon of biodiesel reduces our dependence on imported crude oil by a gallon. That’s just a couple of ways responsible, renewable biodiesel benefits our nation, our state, and our families and friends. soybeans are:
80 percent meal
20 percent oil
The environmental benefits make common
sense. {
Biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions from 57 to 86 percent according to the EPA. Biodiesel also significantly reduces emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons and sulfates compared to traditional petroleum diesel fuel. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy found that biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 79 percent.
How are other states supporting biodiesel?
Ohio isn’t the only state to identify biodiesel as an environmental and economic opportunity. States including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania have implemented laws and incentives to promote the demand for soy-based biodiesel. Those laws and incentives include:
Education and promotion
Price preferences
Required state usage
Alternative fuel taxes and tax exemptions
Development grants
Biodiesel is a smart choice every season of the year.
Did you know that you can use up to a 20 percent blend of biodiesel year-round, in even the coldest of climates? Biodiesel will gel in cold weather, just like regular diesel fuel. But B20 can be treated for winter use, in similar ways that No. 2 diesel is treated.
no. 1
SOYBEANS ARE OHIO’S NUMBER ONE CASH CROP
4.8 M ACRES HARVESTED ANNUALLY
24 K
ROUGHLY 24,000 OHIO SOYBEAN FARMERS
Where can you find biodiesel?
You can choose biodiesel at the pump at a number of retail locations across Ohio. Find a location near you at soybiodiesel.org.
Investing
e xploration of Modern Farming
Today’s average Ohioan has some understanding of where their food comes from but knows very little about modern agriculture. Spend some time with a farmer and it will soon be obvious there is a lot more to their job than dropping seeds in the ground and watching them grow. Behind every decision they make is an understanding of plant and soil science, technology driven equipment that is engineered to be more precise and efficient than ever before and a plethora of data they analyze to make the right choice for their farm.
Bringing that message to the public is a common goal of the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) and checkoff’s GrowNextGen educational programming lineup; as well as Battelle — a global research and development organization committed to innovation in science and technology — who offered the grant which sparked the creation of the new Exploration of Modern Farming program. Teaming up with e ducationProjects.org for project implementation, OSC is excited to see how many individuals can be reached and benefit from the efforts.
Jeanne Gogolski, a project leader with educationProjects.org, explains the program as a way to get the message out about the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) applications that are involved in today’s agricultural pursuits. OSC’s GrowNextGen program has traditionally focused on connecting classroom teachers with hands-on curriculum and industry connections to help foster interest in agriculture and future careers in the industry. Exploration of modern farming takes that effort one step further, moving the lessons out of the traditional classroom and into broader audiences.
“We know how to get into the classroom and we’ve been doing that well, but we asked ourselves how we get to informal audiences — places where you might come to learn something and have some fun,” said Gogolski. “We’re looking at afterschool programs, the Ohio State Fair, agriculture days at science centers or children’s museum — there are so many options.”
To staff the program, college students were recruited from agriculture programs at The Ohio State University, Wilmington College and Central State University. Each student is asked to commit to at least 40 hours of outreach at events or programs around the state; and while funds from the grant make it a paid experience for them, the benefits reach far beyond. They are gaining their own understanding of the processes involved in modern agriculture and sharing it to contribute to a community of better informed consumers.
Many of the students are also pre-service agriscience education teachers or agricultural communications majors and will gain very relevant experience and resources to carry over into
College student interns completed hands on training for the various activities they will be teaching including making their own biodiesel that is tested in putt-putt boats.
their careers. The activities are hands-on to engage participants in ways that tie together strong STEM concepts and how they relate to soybean production, bio-products and modern agricultural practices.
Topics to be covered include GMOs, where Starburst candies will be used help grasp the concept of genetic modification. The goal is a better understanding of why scientists may need to breed a soybean plant with certain traits to thrive in drought condition or survive problematic pests.
Paper airplane drones controlled by smart phones play a part in another activity that addresses the uses of thermal light photography to monitor plant health and how data collection and mapping can help farmers make decisions about if and where to apply fertilizer and pesticides meaning they can pinpoint application and use less product.
The finer points of biodiesel are revealed in a third activity where participants learn the process before making and testing their own biodiesel in tin boats providing the understanding of the stored energy available from soybean oil.
Soil compaction is the final topic with Scratch programming and MakeBlock components allowing students to use “robots” to test the effects of soil compaction and how different types of “tires” impact the outcome. The activity replicates the trips made through a field over the course of a growing season to plant, care for and harvest soybeans and ways that modern practices reduce the number of trips.
OSC hopes the Exploration of Modern Farming Team will be able to connect with more than 8,000 Ohioans through their outreach activities from April 1st – September 30 this year. February kicked things off with training at Global STEM Academy where the 38 college interns spent their time absorbing information and ideas from educationProjects.org team members and learned more about the GrowNextGen mission for STEM education.
One of the program’s interns, Samantha Wander of Bellville, Ohio, is a Junior at Ohio State who is studying agriscience education despite the fact that she did not grow up on a farm.
“I wasn’t raised on a farm, but I was very active in FFA throughout high school where I learned a lot about agriculture and participated in many contests,” said Wander. “It was such a positive experience that I wanted to help give others the same opportunity and hope to motivate students that will be passionate as well.”
Wander’s application stood out as she wrote about the average person being three generations removed from the farm and how it has created a lot of consumers that do not understand how food is produced or what farming operations look like today.
“There’s a lot of distrust in our food systems and what agriculture means so I look at this internship as a great way to connect with consumers and have a platform to start those conversations,” said Wander. “I’m excited that it’s cutting edge
exceeding their original goal of 35, the exploration of Modern Farming programming will include 38 students from The ohio State university, Central State university and Wilmington College who are studying various agricultural career paths including education, communications and more.
and the applications we talk about are realistic to what is used today on the farm. It’s also a great way for me to gain teaching experience on a small scale and build a professional network before being in the classroom.”
Wander is looking forward to implementing the Exploring Modern Farming program at county fairs, and the potential to break down the concepts for younger kids at COSI Ag Days in Columbus. While it’s hard to pinpoint all the places and events they will be able to attend, the best place to find all the interactive STEM activities will likely be at the Ohio State Fair this summer.
It seems the program will be a win for everyone involved — OSC, Battelle, educationProjects.org, GrowNextGen programming, the student interns, and all those who participate — because they are working toward a common goal to help the public recognize just how much complex science, technology, engineering and math are involved in the world of agriculture. u
Investing
Dicamba effects and Weed Management: What Does it All Mean?
Farming is already filled with risks, but in the 2017 growing season, many producers in Ohio, and across the nation, faced a newly unpredictable component: dicamba.
While dicamba has a long history as an active ingredient in herbicides, it also has the most potential for volatility of any herbicide currently in use. In certain conditions, it can be a successful part of weed management, however, 2017 saw the release of new formulations of dicamba that caused
Dicamba-induced damage typically presents as wrinkled and cupped leaves and stunted growth.
considerable damage to non-resistant soybean varieties planted in neighboring fields.
“It’s probably the biggest issue we’ve seen with herbicide use,” said Mark Loux, professor of weed science at The Ohio State University. “We did conference calls with the Federal EPA and state regulatory agencies — something I haven’t had in my 30 years in this position.”
Over time, many efforts to alter molecules and reduce the volatility of dicamba have had limited success, yet dicamba resistant soybeans and cotton were introduced in 2016 resulting in some producers, primarily in the south, using the varieties along with off-label use of older dicamba formulations.
For the 2017 growing season, new formulations were introduced to reduce the volatility of dicamba. One in the form of an altered salt that would hook to the acidic dicamba and reduce volatility; the other was based on an older formulation with a volatility reducing agent inserted.
“As we came into 2017, the dicamba resistant soybeans were being sold along with these formulations that we’re being told are low volatility,” said Loux. “As we got into the season, really after postemergence application with the warmer weather, the volatility became evident.”
Problems began to emerge and the companies who produced the herbicides began receiving calls about volatility and drift.
“At the university level, we saw some pretty far movement and patterns much more indicative of volatility and revolatilization than spray particle drift,” said Loux. “Volatility can happen with evaporation of spray droplets, but dicamba has been known for years to have the ability to re-volatilize off soil and plant surfaces and move around with prevailing air currents.”
As the issues became more prominent, the EPA got involved putting added restrictions on the label making the involved dicamba formulations restricted use. Arkansas saw tremendous volatility issues and resulted in a cut-off date of April 15th leading to push back from some involved brands.
The solution has been to label the products with required annual training for any applicators. The training on herbicides or dicamba in Ohio is being provided by the companies who sell the herbicides with some other states offering the training online, something Ohio may offer in the future.
“We’re not confident that training is going to solve all the issues,” said Loux.
“Half the beans sold in the state are dicamba resistant, so we have a lot more potential for dicamba use as postemergence in June which has warmer temperatures and being later in the season and resulting in more damage to the crop’s yield potential.”
Even with label changes that significantly limit the window for application, there is still some volatility potential. Despite the complications, Loux believes dicamba can still be an effective part of weed management for marestail and giant ragweed; however, he recommends it be implemented in a pre-plant burndown with alternative herbicides used post-emergence.
“With the given potential for volatility, you have to be a lot more conservative and be very conscious of what else is in the area,” said Loux. “In Ohio, we’re very diverse, so it’s not just soybeans that are at risk, but you could easily see injury to a vineyard, orchard or nursery.”
Whether dicamba is a planned part of your program or not, this time of year — in early May — it’s time to start scouting for weeds to determine timing of post-emergence applications and make any necessary adjustments to your product line up. Part of your timing should depend on label specifications as well with many dicamba products recommended application before weeds achieve four inches and Liberty products recommended before three inches of growth.
“It’s especially important if you have any water hemp or palmer amaranth in your area — those are two that timings very critical on the post — they need to be small when you spray. Ideally, you do some scouting to see if they’re starting to show up in fields they’ve never been before, but you can do a lot of scouting and still miss some,” said Loux.
While the common problem weeds in Ohio are well known, there may be an odd occurrence of burcucumber or morning glory pop up. Generally, farmers will eventually spray every field, but good scouting allows for
Official Dicamba-related Injury Investigations as Reported by State Departments
of Agriculture
(*as of October 15, 2017)
*Total: 2,708
changes in a spray program to accommodate for anything found out of the ordinary.
“Most of the information on a particular field is probably based on past history or resistance, so you’re probably looking for an anomaly. Maybe you’re planning to spray glyphosate and you come out and have water hemp that is probably glyphosate resistant, so you might add some fomesafen,” said Loux.
Another frequent problem Loux sees is when residuals are so good that people are only coming back for giant ragweed and grass and tend to let giant ragweed get too big and try to do it all in one application when infestations would be better managed with an application at six to 10 inches and coming back around three weeks later with a second application.
With a good residual, it may be tempting to push application off closer to when the canopy will provide some weed control, but this will likely allow weeds to grow beyond label recommendations and leave producers behind. It’s also important to scout fields again after post emergence spray application to check effectiveness.
Dicamba damage in 2017 was widespread in the Midwest and surrounding states with ohio receiving 28 reports and damage to around 15,000 acres while Arkansas took the biggest hit accounting for more than one third of the total reports with roughly 900,000 acres involved.
“Reality with palmer amaranth and water hemp is you may not catch it in scouting the first time you have it. The second part of scouting is a trip back through a couple weeks after the post to see if it’s doing what it should,’ said Loux. “If growth doesn’t slow down at all, it’s a sign of resistance and you have a small window to spray something else that may be effective.”
Weather considerations may also play a role in decisions as warmer, wet conditions are occurring more frequently, the winter weed population may have more growth opportunity and come back faster in the spring. Burn down applications and timing may need to be adjusted for weeds like marestail that could start to grow sooner and become bigger and tougher to control. u
©Dr. Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri
Sofia’s Soy Cleaner offers People and Pet-Safe Formula
Not everyone can say they found their inspiration just sitting on the floor, but for Tom Wolski, that’s essentially where it was discovered. Wolski owns Pro Floor Design in Akron, Ohio which specializes in epoxy and polished concrete floors. Over the years, clients often asked for advice on how to clean the floors and a recent customer request for an eco-friendly cleaner to remove black scuff marks from their epoxy floors inspired his latest venture.
Already armed with his degree in chemical engineering, Wolski consulted with a chemist to develop the formula for Sophia’s Soy Cleaner, that not only works on scuff marks, but has proven to be a highly-effective general-purpose cleaner.
During development, soybean oil was selected for a variety of it’s qualities including being a local renewable resource that is readily available thanks to Ohio soybean farmers. Soy had already been recognized as an effective plant-based cleaning option and fit the profile for a simple list of ingredients. With goals to be environmentally friendly in both production and use, Sofia’s contains just five ingredients — water, surfactants, soybean oil extract and co-solvent — which leave behind a luxurious shine without any harsh chemicals or strong fumes.
“We have families ourselves and want to protect them and help conserve the world we live in. We wanted to make sure our process doesn’t create chemical run-off or pollute the air and is safe for everyday use,” said Wolski.
The gentle nature of the cleaner makes it ideal for most surfaces and still cuts through grease and grime with ease making it a great choice for everyday cleaning for everything from kitchen appliances to auto dashboards, bathroom sinks and, of course, floors. The gentle, eco-friendly properties are great for individuals who
tom Wolski developed Sofia’s Soy Cleaner in response to customer demand at his flooring epoxy shop in Akron, ohio.
may have sensitivities or allergies and is safe for use around people and pets.
The characteristics that were achieved in the development of Sofia’s were
Sofia’s Soy Cleaner is an effective multisurface cleaner that includes soybean oil in its simple, people and pet-safe formula.
important to target a younger market that may be looking for alternatives to the current lineup of big brand names that gained their popularity with the baby-boomer generation.
While the product has only been on the market a little over a year, with sales beginning primarily on sofiassoycleaners.com, it was also evaluated by Walmart and is currently available on Walmart.com and being considered for addition to Wal-Mart’s retail stores.
“We’re always excited to see someone take an interest in the qualities soybeans have to offer. Having a cleaning product that is bio-based by utilizing soybean oil and was developed right here in Ohio can be considered a win for the Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio’s farmers,” said Steve Reinhard, OSC Board Member from Crawford County. u
