| Senate Passes Farm Bill By Veto Proof Margin | |
| Jeffrey Ward, Controller |
May 16, 2008 |
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Congress sent the White House a huge election-year farm bill yesterday that includes a boost in farm subsidies and more money for food stamps amid rising grocery prices. Bush has threatened to veto the $290 billion bill, saying it is fiscally irresponsible and too generous to wealthy corporate farmers in a time of record crop prices. But Congress disagreed, passing the bill by overwhelming margins in both chambers – enough to override a veto. The Senate vote was 81-15, a day after the House approved it 318-106. About two-thirds of the bill will pay for domestic nutrition programs such as food stamps and emergency food aid for the needy. An additional $40 billion is for farm subsidies, while almost $30 billion would go to farmers to idle their land and to other environmental programs. SOURCE: Ohio AgriBusiness Association, Member Bulletin |
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| Wheat Gridding Special Announced | |
| Brian Schweinfurth, Sales Representative |
April 20, 2008 |
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This year, we are offering a great rate on grid sampling your wheat stubble. In addition, our current plans are to have a dual-box application system in place by summer. As a result, we will be able to make one trip across your field, spreading both potash and phosphorus at variable rates. This will result in better time efficiency for OHIGRO, but more importantly, a cost savings for you! For all wheat stubble acres, 2.5 Acre Grid Sampling is just $6/acre! This great rate is only good for wheat stubble jobs completed by September 1st. Turn your orders in soon to guarantee this special pricing. With the cost of inputs to plant corn more than doubling over the past year, now is the best time to use variable-rate technology. We all know that every acre doesn’t have the same fertility needs. With variable-rate technology, we are only using fertilizer where we need it and saving money by not putting it on the acres where we don’t. If you are interested in learning more, or if you have any questions about site-specific agriculture, please give me a call. I can be reached at our Waldo office at (740)726-2429, toll-free at (800)851-6452, or drop me an email at brianschweinfurth@ohigro.com. |
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| Spring Lawn Care – “Don’t Bag It!” | |
| The Conservationist, March 2008, Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District |
April 10, 2008 |
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As the record-breaking snow melts away and grass again becomes visible, thoughts start to turn towards lawn care and mowing. While Spring may seem like the opportune time to fertilize the rapidly growing grass, most homeowners place too much of an emphasis on Spring and Summer fertilization. Some nutrients are needed at this time, however, too much application at this time can lead to runoff of excess fertilizer and burning as well as disease and weed problems. Fall is the best time for the bulk of fertilization, but there are still things that can be done in the Spring to benefit your lawn. Take a soil test of your lawn this Summer to determine the proper fertilization rates. Mowing strategy can go a long way to making the most out of nutrients that are already present in your lawn. Allowing grass clippings to lay instead of bagging them returns a lot of essential nutrients back to the soil. A common myth about grass clippings left on the lawn is that it will contribute to thatch development which can have detrimental effects on a lawn. Grass clippings, however, are over 75% water and decompose rapidly while supplying valuable nutrients to the lawn. In fact, 100 pounds of grass clippings can contribute as many nutrients as 3-4 pounds of synthetic fertilizer. In order to maximize the benefits of grass clippings, plan to set your mower higher and mow more often. Mowing higher promotes deeper root development so the grass stand is healthier as a whole. The typical recommendation would be to mow no more than one-third of the leaf at a time. This obviously leads to more mowing in the Spring, but studies actually show that less-frequent mowing is needed later in the Summer. Making the best use of this organic source of nutrients can reduce the amount of fall fertilization needed which can save money and benefit the environment. For more information on the Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District, visit www.delawareswcd.org. |
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| State Fact Sheets Available! | |
| Jeffrey Ward, Controller |
March
28, 2008 |
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Some interesting and useful information, called “State Fact Sheets,” can be found at www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/. This information is compiled by the US Department of Agriculture and provides data on population, employment, income, exports, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, exports, and counties for each state in the United States. This is a great site to bookmark on your computer! |
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