Agronomy and Farm Management

Slug pressure has become an increasingly common and frustrating challenge in crop fields in recent years, driven by wetter springs, heavy residue, and changing production systems. In this episode, we dig into why these slippery pests seem harder to manage than ever. With Kelley Tilmon joining us, discuss the limitations of traditional control options and what growers should realistically expect from different management strategies. From scouting and risk factors to cultural, biological, and chemical tools, we’ll break down what we know and how to make informed decisions when slugs start putting your stand at risk.

For mo...

Join Bruce and Josh as they talk with Greg LaBarge is a field specialist in agronomic systems and a professor at Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, Ohio. Greg discusses the Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator and how farmers can use this research based tool to help make decisions on their operation. The tool can be found here: https://www.cornnratecalc.org/

After a grueling winter, spring is arriving across Ohio and we are itching to get the planters rolling. After looking at where this past winter landed in the books, we talk with Dr. Aaron Wilson about what we can expect for this season. With drought conditions lingering in some parts of the state and heavy rains across others, we have our fingers crossed for a good growing season. Will Mother Nature deliver? Tune in to find out.

Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.ed...

Amanda Douridas is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Madison County. Her on-farm research has focused on nutrient management and adapting to changing weather patterns within cropping systems. In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk to Amanda about a research project for target spray for pre and post application.

Two farmers, Fred and Josh Yoder, discuss one conservation focused research project developed by a group of farmers in Ohio. They are part of a multi-state, four-university effort to discover how to increase conservation adoption on farms. Our farmer-led team is working to improve real-world, on-farm performance of conservation practices to ensure they better generate the outcomes – e.g. profitability, yield stability, and protection from extreme weather events – that farmers need.

To learn more about this project, visit: https://ftgup.org/.

On this episode, Bruce and Josh have Clint Schroeder, Program Manager for the OSU Farm Business Analysis program, and Justin Baum, Clinton County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator for OSU Extension. Clint and Justin discuss how farm managers can determine their cost of production and use the Crop Cost tool from the University of Minnesota in their decision-making process.

https://farmprofitability.osu.edu

https://cropcost.umn.edu

After a brief weather outlook/lookback we get into discussing weather myths and conspiracy theories. Dr. Aaron Wilson takes us through a few common ones. What are chemtrails? Are we seeing weather modification in Ohio? These are a couple of the big ones we talk about. Listen in and see what you think.

For more on weather modification, you can utilize noaa.gov. You can also connect with the State Climate Office at climate.osu.edu.

On today’s episode, Bruce and Josh talk with Dr. Logan Minter, Associate Professor in the OSU Department of Extension and associated faculty with the Department of Horticultural and Crop Sciences, statewide Field Specialist for Specialty Crops, and the Ohio Integrated Pest Management Program Coordinator. Dr. Minter discusses the opportunities farms may have in diversifying their portfolio with specialty crops and some considerations before implementing specialty crops. He also discusses the new research study publication, ePlus, which can be found here: https://go.osu.edu/eplusreports

We continue our discussion with Eric Richer, OSUE Field Specialist, by digging into more hurdles of organic grain production. From nitrogen sources to paperwork, we take a realistic look what farmers can expect in an organic system compared to conventional.

To dive deeper into this topic, we recommend attending the 2026 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference January 7-8. For more details, visit: https://offer.osu.edu/events/2026-OrganicGrainsConference.

Transitioning to organic production is not a consideration farmers can take lightly. The intensive management, restrictions on inputs and changes in marketing must be well understood. To help us wrap our heads around that process, Eric Richer, OSUE Farm Management Field Specialist, joins us to dive into the opportunities and challenges organic production presents in Ohio.

To dive deeper into this topic, we recommend attending the 2026 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference January 7-8. For more details, visit: https://offer.osu.edu/events/2026-OrganicGrainsConference.

To renovate or not to renovate? That is the question many pasture managers face, especially after two dry summers. With a large commitment of time and money, it is a question that should be carefully considered. To help us do so, Dr. Emma Matcham, State Specialist for Integrated Forage Systems, walks us through the process from start to finish. We consider stand evaluation, timing, seeding methods and more as we discuss the nuances farmers face in making this decision.

Additional resources:

Giving new life to tired pastures: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0159
Forage...

This episode comes to you from the 2025 Farm Science Review at Ask the Expert, where Bruce sits down with Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management & Director, Income Tax Schools at The Ohio State University, to discuss his thoughts on Crop Inputs, Farmland Values/Rents, Tax Law – 2025 & Looking Ahead.

We continue our discussion with Dr. John Fulton on how to increase the reliability of harvest data. This time we focus on the in-field practices. With bigger machines, it is getting more difficult to collect high res data. Tune in for recommendations on things such as how long passes should be and more to increase the quality of your yield data.

For more resources on harvest data, visit: https://digitalag.osu.edu/precision-ag/research-focuses/harvest-technologies.

Join Josh at Ask the Expert at the 2025 Farm Science Review with Garth Ruff, Beef Specialist for OSU Extension. In this episode, Garth discusses the current state of the beef markets.

Farmers write some big checks based on harvest data. How confident are you in the quality of that data? We’re getting into the weeds with Dr. John Fulton about how to ensure confident decisions can be made based on what is collected in the field this fall. In the first of this two part series, we talk about how yield measurements are collected in the combine, provide advice on calibration and discuss how unintentional mistakes can lead to big missteps with input decisions.

For more information on calibration, visit: https://digitalag.osu.edu/precision-ag/research-focuses/harvest-technologies.

In this episode, Josh Winters, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator, talks about the research, “Discovering Agricultural Producers’ Communication Preferences in the Appalachian Region of Ohio”. In this research, Josh discovers the way that farmers in this region prefer when obtaining educational information, promotional materials, program types, and the barriers to digital connection.

Tar spot concern continues to grow across Ohio as it shows up in more and more fields each year. Each year farmers and researchers wonder if this will be the season it really explodes, causing widespread economic damage. For a background on Tar Spot, check out episodes 123 and 101.

In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Karhoff updates us on the latest research and treatment recommendations for managing not only Tar Spot but Gibberella ear rot and the vomitoxin it causes. Each disease has certain weather conditions and infection timing that are critical components to successfully managing it in field...

Join Bruce and Josh as they introduce Ellen Essman, who recently joined the OSU Extension’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program. Ellen Tells us about herself and what she is looking forward to helping with in her new role.

Dr. Aaron Wilson is back online to share exactly where this spring came out in the rankings. It might surprise you! We also provide an outlook on what we can expect from Ohio’s weather for the rest of the growing season season and what that means for crop health.

Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at wilson.1010@osu.edu.

Trevor Corboy is the current Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator for OSU Extension Brown County.  Trevor resides in Brown County with his wife Rachel on his family’s which was establish in the 1850’s farm.  Here he is active in raising Angus cattle, Boer and Nubian goats, hay, and grain products. Trevor currently provides leadership as one of the four co-leaders with the small farms team for OSU Extension. In this episode, Trevor will give you a peak at what the Small Farm College consists of through OSU Extension.

Each planting window brings the same question- Should I plant corn or soybeans first? Perhaps you have heard it referred to as the Battle for the Belt. Dr. Osler Ortez joins us for an update on his research based competition with soybean specialist Dr. Laura Lindsey to determine when the best windows are for planting corn and soybeans. They are also looking at where the largest yield losses occur when planting is delayed. These results can help farmers make decision on when to switch between corn and soybeans based on the calendar, maturity and conditions.

Follow updates...

Bruce Clevenger is an OSU Extension Field Specialist in Farm Management which is a state-wide position teaching and conducting research as a member of the OSU Farm Office Team.   His background was 28 years as a county Extension Educator in NW Ohio focusing in field crop, farm management and specifically farm drainage and drainage water management.

Bruce’s Email is: Clevenger.10@osu.edu

Additional Resources: https://u.osu.edu/hshw/

We are once again joined by Dr. Aaron Wilson to share an outlook on what we can expect from Ohio’s weather for the spring planting season. We reflect on drought recovery, the heavy rains over the first weekend in April and what the summer is shaping up to look like.

For drought resources, visit: go.osu.edu/Ohio_drought. Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to...

Kendall Lovejoy, OSU Extension Educator for Fulton County, joins the podcast to discuss some research he has been doing related to the starter phosphorus fertilizer on yield and economics. In this podcast, Kendall will share his findings and locations to discover more information about his various studies.

Additional Resources:

Dr. John Fulton and Alex Thomas share the latest on utilizing drones to seed cover crops. They have done extensive research evaluating seeding capabilities, timing and stand establishment and share the results with us. We also talk about what it takes to become a licensed UAV operator, the challenges and advantages of seeding with UAVs and the future of availability considering tariff restrictions.

For more information, find research results in the 2023 and 2024 eFields reports: https://digitalag.osu.edu/efields. You can also visit the Digital Ag homepage: https://digitalag.osu.edu/home and check out their social...

Christie Welsh currently serves as direct Marketing specialist with the with OSU South Centers in Piketon, Ohio to provide education training for Ohio’s producers and farmer. Christie has a strong interest in the economic development of rural Ohio and is especially interested in family farms and agribusinesses with this region. To connect with Christie, email her at Welsh.183@osu.edu

Dr. Alyssa Essman gives us the rundown on which weeds we need to watch for (hint- it’s still waterhemp) and management strategies for success. We talk about some cost effective options that still allow for a diverse selection of herbicides to mitigate further resistance development. Over the top application of dicamba is still illegal so we asked her about that as well. Tune in for insight as you make preparations for spring.

For more from the weed science program, visit https://u.osu.edu/osuweeds/, catch their articles in the CORN newsletter and find them on so...

Christine Gelley is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator in Noble County. She specializes in forages and pasture management, where she is the team leader for OSU Extension’s Integrated Forage Management Team and is the Vice President for the Ohio Forage & Grasslands Council. Christine talks about the challenges forage and beef producers are facing from the 2024 drought in southeastern Ohio.

Additional Resources:

Interpreting a Soil Test Report- https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/agf-0514
Fertility Management of Meadows- https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-5
Understanding Value in Lime- https://ohioline.osu.edu/fa...

The 2024 eFields report is here! With 260 on-farm research sites across 42 counties, there is sure to be something of interest to everyone. In this episode, we highlight a few of the projects included in this year’s report.

To view the online version, visit: digitalag.osu.edu/efields. For a print copy, contact your local OSU Extension office or email digitalag@osu.edu.

To suggest topics for 2025, email Amanda at douridas.9@osu.edu and let us know what you want to hear about!

Robert Moore is an attorney and research specialist with the Agriculture and Resource Law Program at The Ohio State University. Prior to joining OSU, Robert and his wife, Kelly, owned Wright & Moore Law Co. LPA, a law firm in Delaware, Ohio focusing on legal services for farmers and landowners. After 18 years of private practice, he joined OSU Extension. Robert’s area of focus is farm succession planning, business entities and taxation.  Over the years, Robert has worked with many farm families in designing and implementing succession plans for their family farming. Today, Robert joins Bruce and Josh talking about Pre...

On this week’s episode of the Agronomy and Farm Management Podcast, Bruce and Josh talk with Barry Ward. Barry works for The Ohio State University in the Department of Extension and is the Leader of Production Business Management.  Ward’s focus includes land economics, farmland value and cash rental rates, farmland lease issues, crop economics and budgets, machinery economics, and tax issues.

Ward is also the Director of OSU Income Tax Schools.  He organizes and co-teaches the schools for tax professionals as well as providing tax education on critical issues for Ohio’s agricultural sector.

Additi...

While fertilizer prices have come down somewhat, crop prices have many farmers considering where to cut budgets. Fertilizer can be an option and in this episode we talk about how to do it strategically. We cover where to start with soil testing, how lime might be your cheapest option and where to cut P and K if need be.

P & K Fertility Decision with Tight Margins
Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations
Ohio Agronomy Guide
Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator

Soil Testing Resources:
Soil Sampling to Develop Nutrient Recommendations
Interpreting a Soil Test Report<...

On this week’s episode of the Agronomy and Farm Management Podcast, Bruce and Josh talk with Michael Langemeier, Director of Cropping Systems for the Center for Commercial Agriculture in the Department of Agricultural Economics Department at Purdue University. In this episode, Michael talks about his recent work, “The 2024-2025 Financial Downturn: Who is The Most Vulnerable”. Check out the additional resources below to learn more!

Additional Resources:

https://ag.purdue.edu/commercialag

https://farmprofitability.osu.edu

go.osu.edu/farmstress

Dr. Aaron Wilson joins us for a look back at the growing season and a look forward into what we can expect. Reflecting on all the weather we’ve experienced this year so far really brings home how crazy this season has been. Ohio is still suffering from drought. Aaron attempts to answer the question of when we might see relief.

For drought resources, visit: go.osu.edu/Ohio_drought. Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GD...

On this week’s episode of the Agronomy and Farm Management Podcast, Josh moderates a discussion with Chris Dean, a graduate student at The Ohio State University in Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering under the mentorship of Dr. Scott Shearer. Chris talks about the advancements in artificial intelligence. His work focuses on leveraging advanced technologies to enhance agricultural efficiency and sustainability while contributing valuable insights and innovations to the field.

For many parts of Ohio, water management used to mean draining water off a field. Today, with drier summers, it can mean a wider range of activities. Dr. Vinayak Shedekar is the state specialist for agriculture water management. He has conducted extensive research in not only drainage, but many aspects of field water management.

In this episode we will talk about current trends in water management, what research is underway and what farmers can expect from the future of the drainage industry. For more information, please visit: go.osu.edu/agwater.

Join Bruce on this unedited episode from Ask the Expert at the 2024 Farm Science Review! Bruce sits down and talks with Mike Estadt, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator from Pickaway County, about the carbon markets and its potential for farming operations.

The 2024 Farm Science Review is quickly approaching. Make plans to join us September 17-19 at the Molly Caren Ag Center, home of the Farm Science Review. It’s all hands on deck with this episode as the four podcast hosts join forces to share what agronomy and farm management related topics you can find at this year’s show. Highlights include the Agronomy Plots, Ask the Expert and Digital Ag field demos.

To purchase tickets, visit your county Extension office or buy online at fsr.osu.edu. The program, including presentation schedules, will be posted on the webs...

On this week’s episode of the Agronomy and Farm Management Podcast, Josh moderates a discussion with Bruce and Kane Lewis, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator in Scioto County, to discuss both Quicken and QuickBooks. Both Quicken and QuickBooks are different accounting software’s that can be used for farm businesses.

*Disclaimer – our discussion today is strictly for educational purposes on how we believe the software is applicable to farm record keeping.  We are not implying an endorsement or judgement on any commercial software names mentioned.

Agrivoltaics is combining agriculture and solar energy production. In partnership with Savion Energy, we were awarded a Department of Energy grant to investigate the feasibility of forage production, grazing and impacts on solar health at the Madison Fields solar site near Rosedale, Ohio.

In this episode we share the details of the project and what we have learned so far in our first growing season. You can follow along on our progress at Energize Ohio.

To find details on upcoming field days, please visit: https://agcrops.osu.edu/events.