Plan to attend the Precision Ag Field Day to be held August 23 at Kellogg Farms, 17392 Township Road 50 near Forest. Aaron Heilers, project manager for the Blanchard River Demonstration Farms will give an overview of the water quality and nutrient management goals of the three farms in Hardin and Hancock County. Greg LaBarge, OSU Extension agronomist will discuss how Edge of Field research is addressing nutrient management issues in Ohio. Kirt Wells will show how farmers can get started with precision data management to make their farming operation more efficient while Kevin Ward will explain how precision agriculture equipment can be used with the smaller producer. Both Wells and Ward are from Findlay Implement Company.
Logan Haake, Legacy Farmers Cooperative and Kyle Haselman, Haselman Ag Management will show how farmers can utilize their precision ag data in making accurate soil sampling and fertilizer recommendations. Mike Gilkey, 3D Aerial and John Fulton, OSU Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering will answer questions about how drone technology is collecting imagery to help grain producers make crop health management decisions. During lunch, Megan Burgess, USDA-NRCS will share information about cost share opportunities and local programs that farmers can use to improve nutrient management problems and address conservation issues. Harold Watters, OSU Extension agronomist and Mark Badertscher, Hardin County OSU Extension Educator will explain how producers can make adaptive nitrogen management decisions to meet the needs of their growing corn crop. There will be vendors displaying their precision ag equipment and services at this event and field demonstrations of this equipment in the afternoon.
This Precision Ag Field Day will start with registration at 8:00 am. Parking will be provided in a field near the event location with shuttles providing rides from the field to the shop area where morning sessions will be held. Shuttles will then move people from the shop back to the field area in the afternoon for demonstrations and program wrap-up. Coffee, juice and donuts will be provided by Ag Credit with the program starting at 8:30 am. Lunch will be provided courtesy of vendors, Ohio Farm Bureau, and OSU Extension. Fertilizer certification credit will be available to farmers and commercial applicators for participating in the entire field day. This is one of the final fertilizer certification programs being offered before the September 30, 2017 deadline for all farmers and commercial applicators who apply fertilizer to 50 or more acres of crops for sale. CCA credits are being requested for Certified Crop Advisers who attend this field day. Although the Hardin Precision Ag Field Day is free to attend, registration is required at go.osu.edu/hardinprecisionagday or by calling the Hardin County Extension office at 419- 674-2297 by August 16 in order to plan for meals and other event arrangements.
