The Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network is offering tours for businesses, organizations and students interested in learning about the latest water-quality technology. The three northwest Ohio farms have been testing new and innovative conservation practices that reduce and prevent nutrient runoff since the project launched in 2016.

“With such a wide variety of practices on all three farms, we have valuable real-world data to share with anyone interested in water quality and nutrient management efforts being made in Ohio,” says Aaron Heilers, Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network project manager.

Ohio Farm Bureau and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recently signed an agreement to continue research on the demo farms in the areas of edge-of-field monitoring, drainage water management, cover crops and economic analysis — and will begin new research on precision agriculture, subsurface nutrient placement, application timing and strip tillage.

Tours can be scheduled for one or all of the demonstration farm sites and are perfect for employee outings, extended education and field trips. To schedule a group tour, email or call the Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network at [email protected] or 937-726-7506.

Farm Bureau receives national recognition

Ohio Farm Bureau had more winners than any other state in the American Farm Bureau Federation County Activities of Excellence awards.

The awards celebrate unique, local, volunteer-driven programs that serve as models of innovation for local program development. The winning counties receive a grant to fund participation in the Farm Bureau CAE Showcase at the 2022 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention and Trade Show on Jan. 7-12 in Atlanta.

AFBF received more than 75 entries across all membership categories, with only 18 activities nationwide being selected to present at the convention.

Ohio’s winners included Knox County: Date Night at the Orchard; Jackson-Vinton County: Drive-Thru Breakfast with Santa in the Barn; Wayne County: Land Use Actions for the Future of our County; and Wood County: Hop Around Wood County.

Learn more at ohiofarmbureau.org.

Get latest outlook, updates with ag law webinars

“Farm Office Live” returns virtually this fall and winter as an opportunity to get the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, ag economics, farm business analysis and other related issues from faculty and educators with the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State University.

Each “Farm Office Live” will include presentations on select ag law and farm management topics from OSU experts. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and interact with presenters via webinar features. Viewers can attend “Farm Office Live” online each month on Wednesday evening from 7 to 8:30 p.m., or Friday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m., or catch a recording of each program.

The dates of offerings for this fall and winter include Nov. 19, Dec. 15, Dec. 17, Jan. 19, Jan. 21, Feb. 16, Feb. 18, March 16, March 18 and April 20.

Topics to be addressed over the next few months include legal trends for 2021, legislative updates, tax issues that may impact farm businesses, crop input costs and profit margins, cropland values and cash rents, interest rates, farm business management and analysis updates, and farm succession and estate planning updates.

Register at go.osu.edu/farmofficelive.