Ohio’s farmers committed to clean lakes and streams

It is vital that Ohio improves the quality of its waterways and, in particular, reduces the algae blooms in areas such as the western basin of Lake Erie. Our residents deserve clean water and in the public interest, The Columbus Dispatch has taken great strides to communicate the issue to readers.

Farmers share the concern about the quality of Ohio’s waterways and enjoy taking their families fishing in Ohio’s lakes and canoeing in Ohio’s rivers. Passion for the land and environment is a value shared by all Ohioans including farmers. Farmers not only take pride in putting food on kitchen and dining room tables, but also in sharing our abundant water resources.

Water quality issues did not become a problem overnight. In fact, different phosphorus related issues were present in the 1970s and were successfully solved with the aid of Ohio’s farmers, who made voluntary improvements to how they farmed their land. So history shows that farmers have improved their farming practices to address water-quality problems and they are rising to the challenge once again.

There are many sources of phosphorus that are beyond farmers’ control. For example, industrial pollution, private septic systems, municipal waste from failed sewer systems and urban storm runoff are other, non-agricultural sources.

Research is critical because many questions remain regarding nutrients such as phosphorus getting into waterways. For example, algae blooms are occurring in areas with little to no agricultural activity and outside the state’s population centers.

Farmers are taking action and funding research to do their fair share to help keep our waterways clean. With an investment of more than $1 million, Ohio’s agricultural organizations –including the Ohio Soybean Council, Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program and the Ohio Corn Marketing Program – have partnered with The Ohio State University (OSU), OSU Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service to do on-farm, edge-of-field testing to determine the best way to keep nutrients on the farm to better ensure we have healthy watersheds.

This research project, already in progress, will determine new insights into how phosphorus is used in agriculture, how it leaves farm fields and how much of it is actually entering Ohio waterways.

Equipment is being placed in strategic locations throughout the state to collect continuous and extensive data. OSU researchers and the USDA will examine previous water quality studies, collect new data and validate the best possible farming practices to keep phosphorus on the fields. The results will serve as the basis for developing farmer decision-making tools that will help to reduce the impact on the environment and help keep nutrients on the field to feed the crops as intended.

While the research will help better identify issues and lead to more definitive solutions, farmers are not sitting idle and waiting for the results. Farmers across Ohio have been and will continue to take action to contain nutrients on their farmland.

Overall, the use of phosphorus has declined in Ohio. With better crop varieties and more advanced farm equipment, farmers strive for precision when applying the right source of fertilizer at the right time, right place and right amount, thus producing more with less. This is known as 4R Stewardship. Tools and resources – from in-person classes to online seminars – assist farmers in how to implement 4R Stewardship.

To help reduce the loss of fertilizer from fields, farmers are creating customized nutrient management plans that account for different soil types, crop rotations, water flow and nutrient needs. These are just a few examples of how Ohio farmers are continuously working to manage resources efficiently and reduce waste.

Just as farmers work tirelessly to produce bountiful crops each year, we dedicate that same commitment to addressing water quality. Clean water is everyone’s business.

Respectfully submitted by:

Brent Hostetler
Farmer representative of Ohio’s corn, soybean and wheat organizations
Plain City, Ohio

Ohio Corn Planted = 7%

Ohio Soybeans Planted = 1%

There were four days suitable for field work in Ohio during the week ending May 5 according to the USDA and NASS. Reports from central and northern Ohio see farmers spraying and planting at full speed though southern Ohio still seems to be getting inundated with significant amounts of rain.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – While many factors and sources affect water quality, Ohio corn, soybean and wheat farmers want to be part of the solution and do their part to maintain and improve the health of Ohio’s waterways.  Ohio farmers share the same environmental priorities as their fellow citizens and are committed to doing the right thing for their farms, their families and all Ohioans.

As a result, farmers and other agricultural organizations are investing nearly $1 million to commission a study to investigate phosphorus use in farming.  This three-year project, led by The Ohio State University (OSU), OSU Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), will determine how phosphorus is used in agriculture, how it leaves farm fields and how much of it is actually entering Ohio waterways.

How phosphorus moves from fields to waterways has never before been explored in such detail in Ohio.

“Farmers have answered the call to address water quality challenges in the past and they are committed to do so again,” said Terry McClure, Ohio farmer from Paulding County.  “However, the issues we face with phosphorus today are different than those in the past.  That is why research is a vital part of developing the necessary tools for every region, every farm and every watershed.”

Equipment has been placed in strategic locations at the edge of farm fields throughout the state to collect continuous and extensive data.  OSU scientists will examine previous water quality studies, collect new data and provide farmers the information they need to make the right decisions for the environment and their farms.

Farmer and agricultural organizations that have provided funding for the research include Ohio Corn Marketing Program, the Ohio Soybean Council, Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program, The Andersons, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Luckey Farmers Cooperative, Nachurs, Paulding County Farm Bureau, Schlessman Seeds, Trupointe Cooperative and the United Soybean Board.

To date, all funding partners have committed over $950,000 to support the project.  In 2012, the initial research funding was matched when OSU received a Conservation Innovation Grant of $999,987 from USDA.

“While this research project will provide tools for farmers, it’s important to remember there are multiple sources that contribute to the water quality problem that are beyond farmers’ control, including private septic systems, urban storm runoff, industrial pollution and municipal waste from failed sewer systems,” said Mark Thomas, Ohio farmer from Stark County.  “Ohio’s corn, soybean and wheat farmers are dedicated to doing their part to improve Ohio’s waterways because clean water is everyone’s business.”

About The Ohio Corn Marketing Program
The Ohio Corn Marketing Program was approved by an affirmative vote of Ohio’s corn producers. The voluntary, self-help program allows for the collection of a half cent-per-bushel assessment by all first purchasers of the grain. Funds from the program can only be invested for research, market development, education and promotion purposes. Visit www.ohiocorn.org for more information.

About Ohio Soybean Council
Headquartered in Worthington, the Ohio Soybean Council is governed by a volunteer farmer board, which directs the Soybean Promotion and Research Program.  The program’s primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development, education and promotion projects through the investment of farmer-contributed funds (checkoff).  www.soyohio.org

About Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program
The Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program Board works to improve wheat production, wheat qualities and to strengthen markets for wheat in Ohio as well as wheat export markets. OSGMP supports educational programs in the state and funds research programs to create better crops and open new markets. For more information, visit ohiosmallgrains.org

DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio’s corn farmers experienced extreme weather during the 2012 growing season, yet in spite of historic challenges a plentiful yield was produced, according to the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association (OCWGA). The results of the 2012 season are borne out in the annual crop report released recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Facing what published reports cited as the broadest and most intense drought since 1956; corn farmers in Ohio and across the Midwest faced significant obstacles. In Ohio, the USDA declared an emergency state of drought for 85 of Ohio’s 88 counties.

“Ohio’s corn growers are resilient and work hard from planting to harvest to produce a quality, bountiful crop each year,” said OCWGA President Brent Hostetler. “Corn growers met obstacles along the way, but best farming practices and improved technology helped them contribute to our nation’s eighth-largest crop in recorded history despite the drought.”

Each year, improvements are made in agriculture, from more advanced seed varieties to more effective and efficient machinery, according to Hostetler.

While there is no doubt the drought has affected the crop and supplies are tighter than in years past, the United States will still have over 500 million bushels of unused corn. That is enough corn to fill the Empire State building 18 times. Even with the reduced amount of corn, farmers were still able to fill all the needs for consumers, livestock producers and the food industry, as well as continuing to bolster the country’s domestic fuel supply through ethanol.

Ohio’s corn farmers certainly won’t forget the drought of 2012 anytime soon, but they are already looking forward to spring and the opportunity to sow a new crop.

About Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association
The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association (OCWGA) advocates on behalf of tens of thousands of corn and wheat growers throughout the state. OCWGA works in our state and national capitals to best represent the public-policy interests of Ohio’s grain farmers and focuses on domestic and international issues that affect the success of Ohio’s corn and wheat markets. For more information, visit ohiocornandwheat.org

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He was born in Lima, OH November 25, 1940. Bill was the son of Egon Jr. and Dorothy (Knierim) Berg.

Bill graduated from Blume High School in the class of 1958. Youth activities included 4H and FFA where he served as chapter president. After graduation, he attended Ohio State University. On November 28, 1963, he married Judith Truitt Berg.

Bill was a lifetime activist for agriculture. He farmed with his father Egon for more than 30 years and began farming with his brother Jim in 1989. Bill and Jim farmed more than 1400 acres of corn, soybeans, and winter wheat as W&J Farming Partnership. Berg retired from the United States Postal Service (Wapakoneta) in 1992 with more than 30 years of service.

Appointed in 1997, Bill has been serving on behalf of his fellow farmers as a board member of the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association for 16 years (then called the Ohio Corn Growers Association). Bill’s commitment to his work was unquestionable. He tirelessly carried the agriculture message to Washington DC year after year, where he sat face-to-face with congressmen and senators to lobby for sound agriculture policy on behalf of his fellow farmers.

Bill hosted meetings in his county and on his farm for elected officials, foreign corn buyers and his fellow farmers to tell the agriculture story. He served at the national level as a member of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Production and Stewardship Action Team, working on issues such as US Transportation Infrastructure (Locks and Dams), and Environmental Issues (balancing food production with a clean US water supply).

Most recently Bill served as Vice Chairman of the NCGA Growers Services Action Team focusing on increasing membership in the organization, communicating Agriculture’s message to consumers and lawmakers and providing scholarships to college students studying agriculture. Bill’s service and respected leadership in Ohio and US Agriculture built a large network of friends across the country.

Berg was president of the Auglaize County Advisory Committee and a member of the Endowment and Legislative Subcommittees of the Extension Advisory Committee. Bill held many positions with the Auglaize County Cattlemen’s Association, and was chairman of the Auglaize County Cattlemen’s Food Stand at the Auglaize County Fair for more than 20 years; where he enjoyed seeing many of his lifelong friends. He was honored as the Auglaize County Cattleman of the year in 1995. Berg also received the Ohio Extension Agents Association Appreciation Award in 2001. The award was in recognition for the leadership and support of the Ohio State University Extension Educational Programs. Other memberships include the Ohio Soybean Association and Ohio Farm Bureau.

Bill was a life member of St. Paul United Church of Christ of Wapakoneta. He served on the church council and was council president numerous times. Bill enjoyed being Mr. Fix-It with other members of the congregation. He especially enjoyed playing in the Bell Choir and on the Dart-Ball team throughout the years and cherished the fellowship that was characteristic of those groups. Bill was an active bowler for over 50 years in the Wapakoneta area.

Survivors include wife Judith, and daughter Trudy Berg (Mike Redix), Houston, TX and son William Kess (Amy Joy) Berg, Chesterfield, MO; brother James F. (Carol Bauer) Berg, brother John E. Berg, Wapakoneta, OH, and sister Judith A. (Berg) Mason, Louisville, KY; nephews Mathew Berg, Scott Hittepole, Monte Berg and niece Bridget Hittepole.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 P.M. Thursday October 25, 2012 at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 101 South Perry Street, Wapakoneta, OH. Pastors Jeff Davis and Becky Sunday will be officiating. Friends may call after the service until 7:00 P.M. in the Timmermeister Hall at the church. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the St. Paul Adult Bell Choir or the St. Paul U.C.C. Living Endowment Fund.

·  The ethanol industry has supported nearly 13,000 jobs and invested more than $2.6 billion in the state since 2008 through the construction and operation of ethanol facilities.

·   Ethanol plant operations are pumping an estimated $433 million in economic output and generating an additional $103 million in direct income for Ohio households every single year.

·   Current ethanol operations directly or indirectly employ 1,562 people across the state.  For every 1 of the 280 jobs directly involved in ethanol operations, another 4.57 jobs are created in rural industries.

New Ohio Corn Marketing Program Officers Named

DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Corn Marketing Program (OCMP) has announced new officers for 2012 who will collectively represent and promote the industry success of Buckeye State corn and work on behalf of the state’s corn growers.

2012 OCMP Officers

• Chairman Paul Herringshaw — Bowling Green
• Vice Chairman Mark Schwiebert — Hamler
• Secretary Brian Harbage — South Charleston
• Treasurer Les Imboden — Ashville

“I’m confident that our new officers will help develop and expand markets for corn to financially safeguard Ohio’s corn producers,” said OCMP Interim Executive Director Tadd Nicholson.

The new officers are responsible for monitoring and taking action regarding trade, education, transportation, risk-management, industrial-demand and market-development issues of the sector.

Economic Impact of Ohio Corn

• Supports nearly 34,000 jobs
• Generates nearly $359,000,000 in labor income
• Contributes nearly $1,500,000 to the state’s GDP (value-added)

Ohio produced an estimated 511 million bushels of corn in 2011.

About The Ohio Corn Marketing Program

The Ohio Corn Marketing Program was approved by an affirmative vote of Ohio’s corn producers. The voluntary, self-help program allows for the collection of a half cent-per-bushel assessment by all first purchasers of the grain. Funds from the program can only be invested for research, market development, education and promotion purposes. Visit www.ohiocorn.org for more information.

NEWS RELEASE
December, 2011

Contact: Jack Irvin
Dir., Research & Community Affairs
614.306.8605 | jirvin@ohiocornandwheat.org

Ohio Corn Marketing Program Board Member Tapped for Asian Leadership Mission

DELAWARE, Ohio — Paul Herringshaw, a corn grower from Bowling Green, Ohio, will represent the Ohio Corn Marketing Program as part of a high-level leadership mission to three key Asian markets – Japan, China and Vietnam – from November 29 to December 9 to experience an array of export challenges and opportunities for corn and processed corn products.

“We will have the opportunity to meet with several industry leaders and farmers in each of the countries that we visit. It will be most interesting to see China’s impact on the world market directly,” said Herringshaw. “We’ll also have the opportunity to answer any questions or concerns that that these buyers and end users have about the U. S. corn crop.”

The mission is an opportunity for collaborative learning, as growers gain firsthand exposure to the dynamics of developing and defending export markets and at the same time, share their insights about the supply and quality of the new U.S. corn crop with key customers.

The mission will provide an especially broad understanding of Japanese customer needs, based on a schedule that includes a full range of corn end-uses from livestock feeding and starch processing, to an ingredient in foods such as the newly introduced ramen noodles with 20 percent corn content.

Port tours will allow mission members to assess how infrastructure issues affect corn and corn product shipments to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, China’s Pearl River Delta and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

In addition to Ohio, the mission roster includes participants from states representing more than 62 percent of U.S. corn production, which include Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

“Japan is the chief U.S. corn export customer, but it is also a mature market that may be in transition,” said Tom Sleight, vice president of operations at the U.S. Grains Council, which organized the mission.

“In contrast, China is the No. 1 growth market in Asia and the big variable in today’s world trade environment. China’s demand is potentially colossal. Vietnam is still an ‘infant’ market but it is a good representative of the demand developing in Southeast Asia, where the United States has struggled to gain a foothold.”

About The Ohio Corn Marketing Program
The Ohio Corn Marketing Program was approved by an affirmative vote of Ohio’s corn producers. The voluntary, self-help program allows for the collection of a half cent-per-bushel assessment by all first purchasers of the grain. Funds from the program can only be invested for research, market development, education and promotion purposes. Visit www.ohiocorn.org for more information.

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State Sen. Karen Gillmor at the Friday launch of From the Earth

DELAWARE, Ohio – From the Earth (FromTheEarth-Bioproducts.com), a new website that allows Ohio state agencies and institutions of higher learning to research and locate bioproducts that are manufactured and distributed by Ohio companies, was recently launched at the first annual Ohio Bioproducts Symposium.

Currently, no other state in the nation has a program similar to From the Earth.

The online resource is designed to help procurement agents in their efforts to abide by Ohio Senate Bill 131 that was signed into law Feb. 27, 2010. It established a bio-based, product-purchasing program requiring state entities, colleges and universities to give purchasing preference to bio-based products when the products are comparable in price, performance and availability.

“Bio-based products have less impact on the environment than petroleum-based counterparts because they are biodegradable, comprised of renewable resources and have decreased disposal and cleanup costs,” said Tadd Nicholson, Director of Government and Industry Affairs, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association. “Thanks to From the Earth, procurement agents now have an easy-to- access resource to locate bioproducts that are made from corn, wheat and soybeans and are manufactured by Ohio companies.”

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), bioproducts are defined as commercial or industrial products, other than food or feed, composed wholly or in significant part of biological products including renewable agricultural materials such as plant, animal and marine or forestry materials. They are used to replace or reduce petroleum-based materials used in manufacturing products.

From the Earth’s list of USDA BioPreferred-designated products include items in the following industries:

• Cafeteria and Food Service • Construction and Maintenance • Furniture and Furnishings • Housewares and Cleaning• Industrial Supplies • Landscaping and Agriculture • Office Supplies • Personal Care and Toiletries • The Great Outdoors • Utilities

The launch of the From the Earth website was the highlight at the Ohio Bioproducts Symposium. Additional topics discussed included Ohio’s bioproduct procurement goals for state agencies, best practices from Ohio companies who have shown success in the bioproducts market, and the effects of Senate Bill 131 on Ohio’s economy and the impact it has on the public sector with regard to bioproduct purchasing procedures.

Event speakers included Sen. Karen Gillmor, R-Ohio; Ron Buckhalt, program manager, U.S. Department of Agriculture, BioPreferred Program; Rocky Black, deputy director, Ohio Department of Agriculture; Jeff Westhoven, administrator, Office of Procurement Services, Ohio Department of Administrative Services; Cathy Horton, president, Nutek, LLC; Keith Masavage, chief of strategy and operations, Univenture; and Christopher Montgomery, , Bricker & Eckler, LLP.

Companies may submit their bioproducts to be listed at the From the Earth website; however, all products must first be a BioPreferred-designated product. To submit bioproducts for approval by the USDA BioPreferred program, visit www.biopreferred.gov.

About From the Earth

From the Earth is a bioproducts resource program sponsored by the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association for Ohio state agencies and institutions of higher learning to research and locate bioproducts that are manufactured and distributed by Ohio companies. For more information, visit www.FromTheEarth-Bioproducts.com.

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What: From the Earth (FromTheEarth-Bioproducts.com), a new website that allows Ohio state agencies and institutions of higher learning to research and locate bioproducts that are manufactured and distributed by Ohio companies, will be launched at the first annual Ohio Bioproducts Symposium. The online resource is the first of its kind in the nation.

When: Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Where: Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center Bob Evans Auditorium A (145)
2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, OH 43210

Why: From the Earth is designed to help procurement agents in their efforts to abide by Ohio Senate Bill 131, which established a bio-based product-purchasing program requiring state entities, colleges and universities to give purchasing preference to bio-based products when the products are comparable in price, performance and availability.

Who: In-person or telephone interviews are available with the following speakers:

•  Sen. Karen Gillmor, R-Ohio

•  Ron Buckholt, program manager, U.S. Department of Agriculture, BioPreferred Program

•  Rocky Black, deputy director, Ohio Department of Agriculture

•  Jeff Westhoven, administrator, Office of Procurement Services, Ohio Department of
Administrative Services

•  Cathy Horton, president, Nutek, LLC

•   Keith Masavage, chief of strategy and operations, Univenture

•    Christopher Montgomery, associate, Bricker & Eckler, LLP

Contact: Michelle Leitzy
Clary Communications
mleitzy@clarycommunications.com
614.481.7534