Well, this week, Wednesday, Nov. 15, is the start of the West Central Ohio Dairy Luncheon Series. We’ll be meeting at the Pizza Hut on the south side of New Bremen at 11:30 a.m. for lunch with the program to begin about noon. Yes, lunch is “on your own.”
This month’s topic is “Milk Quality” with Luciana Da Costa, Assistant Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. She will discuss the importance of, and how to improve/maintain, milk quality. No reservations are required. Come on over, have lunch together, and get an update on an important topic! Hope to see ya there!
This year’s Ohio No-Till Winter Meeting will be held at Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Speakers will address slugs, voles, marketing opportunities, resistant weeds, federal policy, and adapting planting equipment, among other topics. Lunch and CCA credits will be available. Also included on the agenda is plenty of time to network, awards, and business meeting.
Early registration is $40 before Dec. 1. At the door registration will also be available, but for $60. You can get more information, a copy of the agenda, and make reservations at the website: https://ohionotillcouncil.com/. The link for this Winter Meeting is on the right-hand side of page.
There was an interesting article on the Ag Law Blog last week. According to Peggy Hall and Ellen Essman, Attorneys with OSU Extension, beginning Nov. 15, 2017, livestock, poultry, and horse farms must comply with reporting requirements for air releases of hazardous substances from animal wastes under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), section 103.
The law requires entities to report releases of hazardous substances above a certain threshold that occur within a 24-hour period. Farms have historically been exempt from most reporting under (what I’m gonna call) CERCLA, but in the spring of 2017 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down the rule that allowed reporting exemptions for farms. As long as there is no further action by the Court to push back the effective date, farmers and operators of operations that house beef, dairy, horses, swine, and poultry must begin complying with the reporting requirements on November 15th.
The EPA specifically names ammonia and hydrogen sulfide as two hazardous substances commonly associated with animal wastes that will require emissions reporting. Each substance has a reportable quantity of 100 pounds. If a farm releases 100 pounds or more of either substance to the air within a 24-hour period, the owner or operator must notify the National Response Center. Other hazardous substances are also reportable …
Now, farmers do NOT have to report emissions from the application of manure and fertilizers to crops. However, a farmer must report any spills or accidents involving these substances when they exceed the reportable quantity.
There is quite a bit more information in this Ag Law Blog: Compliance options on reporting releases, and what owners and operators of farms with animal wastes need to do now. There are also links to EPA regulations and a reference guide on air quality conservation methods. You can find this Blog at farmoffice.osu.edu; click on “Ag Law Blog.”
Well, we finally got the corn off a week ago, before all the rain and storms. It was a big Friday night/Saturday, but the corn’s in the bin, the full wagon for the corn burners is in the garage, and the tractor and other equipment are put away. I even got to haul a couple loads to the elevator for our neighbor who does the combining for us! Always fun!
