Garth Ruff, Ohio State University Extension Beef Specialist, joins us to talk about some aspects that freezer beef producers need to take into consideration to become a profitable operation. Garth also shares a new tool developed by Stan Smith and himself through excel called the “Freezer Beef Budget 2024”. This budget accounts for costs, assets, and the retail value of the beef the producer is charging.

To learn more about the budget, you can visit your local extension office or visit: https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/enterprise-budgets#2024

Dr. Aaron Wilson joins us for our quarterly weather update. We look back on yet another warm winter and what that means for agriculture. We also discuss what spring weather patterns look like and how that may affect planting.

Sign up to receive quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu/. Check out CoCoRaHS.org to learn more about becoming a reporter!

Clint Schroeder joins us to talk about the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) for the 2024 crop year through the USDA Farm Service Agency. These two programs provide financial protections for farmers in the event of substantial crop price drops. Clint explains how these programs can be used a safety net for Ohio farmers and the resources to connect with to elect into these programs.

Temperature ups and downs over the winter have us wondering what impact it will have on potential wheat yield. Dr. Laura Lindsey, Soybean and Small Grains Specialist, walks us through getting wheat off to a good start, evaluating it in the spring and how much correlation that has with yield. She also shares the latest research and technology developments to look for in the future.

For advice into the growing season, subscribe to the C.O.R.N newsletter.

Dirk Dempsey is the Agriculture and Natural Resources OSU Extension Educator for Pike County. Dirk is also the 8th generation in his family to tend to the land on their family-owned farm in Jackson County. In this episode, Dirk talks about joys of being involved in his family operation, their experiences, and the keys to their success through direct marketing.

Our topic for this podcast is on-farm research and the 2023 eFields report. The eFields program is OSU Extension’s on-farm research network. Ohio farmers are encouraged to learn with us by partnering to conduct trials and share data through the annual report. Elizabeth give us a summary of the 2023 report and we talk with Wayne Dellinger and Nick Eckel, county Extension Educators and fellow contributors, about projects they have conducted over the years. 

You can view the 2023 report, along with previous years, at efields.osu.edu. The Knowledge Exchange provides unique ways to sort through all eFields research projects: kx.osu.edu/efields.

Cody McCann and Cody Lovercamp both work for the USDA Risk Management Agency where they oversee the policy language for the livestock policies and the underwriting standards branch. McCann and Lovercamp discuss topics like, what is Livestock Risk Protection? How does it work?  When can you, as a producer, receive these options.

To learn more about Livestock Insurance products follow the link below: https://www.rma.usda.gov/Policy-and-Procedure/Insurance-Plans/Livestock-Insurance-Plans

Clint Schroeder is the manager for the Ohio Farm Business Analysis and Benchmarking program for OSU Extension.  He works one-on-one with Ohio farmers to evaluate their farm business. Participating operations will get financial ratios and benchmarking reports as well as enterprise analysis if they participate in that portion. Clint explains how to get in touch with the program and how it can benefit your operation.

With this episode releasing right before Thanksgiving, we wanted to celebrate by diving into how the food eaten during the first thanksgiving over 400 years ago came to be. While farming was simpler in a lot of ways, it is intriguing to consider what the pilgrims were up against trying to survive in a new land and how the Native Americans had adapted to raise and protect crops without today’s modern technology. This is a fun one to put on in the car with whole family as you head to Grandma’s house. Happy Thanksgiving!

Further Reading:
Soils: https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/what-type-of-farming-challenges-did-the-pilgrims-face/

Livestock domestication: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3491550?seq=7 

First foods: https://modernfarmer.com/2016/11/foods-at-first-thanksgiving-meal/

All across Ohio, farmland is leased for crop production, livestock grazing, hunting, etc.  Is your lease in writing? If not, it’s likely not enforceable.  Peggy Hall, J.D., Director of The Ohio State University Extension Ag Law Program shares elements of a farmland lease that keep it simple and functional.  How is hunting permission and hunting leasing different?  Does the landowner have protection if something bad happens?  Did you know agricultural easements can be an option to reach farmland preservation and farm transition goals?  Peggy explains how.