HARDIN COUNTY — The unrelenting rains this spring and summer have created many challenges that the farming community is now sorting through. In order to help with decisions, OSU Extension has created an “Addressing 2019 Agricultural Challenges” Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

COLUMBUS — Ohio governor, Mike DeWine Monday encouraged farmers in 40 Ohio counties to seek potential relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture following the USDA Secretarial disaster designation in their counties or contiguous counties due to rain, flooding or other weather conditions.

The featured speaker at the 71st annual meeting of the Wyandot Soil and Water Conservation District will be Dale Minyo, broadcaster for the Ohio Ag Net and the man behind the wheel of the brightly colored Ohio Ag Net Ram Soy Biodiesel truck.

Local farmer Don Worden and Worden Farms of Crawford County was recently awarded an America’s Farmers Grow Community donation, which he directed to the Crawford County Fair.

In addition to funds given to the Crawford County Fair by local farmer Don Worden, the recent recipient of an America’s Farmers Grow Community donation that he gave to the fair, local 4-H club, Liberty Leaders recently donated funds to help put siding on the dairy beef barn at the Crawford County Fair.

COLUMBUS — Ohio agricultural producers who lost property due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture physical loss loans. The Farm Service Agency offers these low-interest loans to agricultural producers in 21 Ohio counties, the primary damaged area, who incurred losses due excessive rain, flash flooding, flooding, hail, high winds, lightning and tornadoes that occurred between Nov. 1, 2018 and June 13, 2019. Approval is limited to applicants who suffered severe physical losses only, including the loss of buildings and livestock. Applications are due March 2, 2020.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline to file crop acreage reports for agricultural producers in Ohio impacted by flooding and heavy moisture. The new Monday deadline applies to reporting spring-seeded crops to USDA’s Farm Service Agency county offices and federal crop insurance agents.

COLUMBUS — The State Executive Director for Ohio’s Farm Service Agency, Leonard Hubert, reminds producers that the signup period for Lake Erie CREP runs through Aug. 23. CREP is a federal conservation partnership with the state of Ohio through ODA. CREP is designed to address agriculture-related environmental concerns. Ohio’s Lake Erie CREP began back in 2000 with the main objective to improve water quality in all of our rivers, streams and tributaries within the Lake Erie watershed with a special emphasis on the Blanchard and Tiffin Rivers as important tributaries of the Maumee River. These conservation practices will target environmentally-sensitive areas to reduce sediments and nutrients, minimize the risk of flooding, and improve habitat for a variety of wildlife species.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency opened enrollment for the Dairy Margin Coverage program on June 17 and has started issuing payments to producers who purchased coverage. Producers can enroll through Sept. 20, 2019.

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s agricultural economy is experiencing a number of stresses in 2019. Challenging weather and uncertain market conditions are leaving many farmers across the state under considerable financial stress. The reality is no one is immune to financial stress.