Program enrollment starting
Enrollment in the next round of the Conservation Reserve Program begins March 14 and will conclude April 15.

The voluntary program allows landowners to take land out of crop production and receive annual payments from the federal government. Financial assistance to establish conservation practices is also available.

Program contracts are for 10-15 years.

In Sandusky County, landowners have enrolled more than 3,600 acres in the program, which benefits wildlife habitat, reduces soil erosion, and improves water quality, said W. Todd Warner, executive director of the Sandusky County Farm Service Agency.

The most common conservation practices in the county, he said, are filter/buffer strips, 1,191 acres; native grass seeding, 708 acres, and wetland restoration, 524 acres.

To be eligible, growers must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to the end of the enrollment period. In addition, the land being offered for the program must have been planted with an agricultural commodity four of the six years from 2002-07.

For information contact Farm Service Agency offices or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/.

Ag-Business Breakfast
Biomass, considered the oldest and most substantial renewable energy source on the planet, can be used for producing electricity, heat, or other forms of energy. Often biomass is thought of as waste, however new uses are still being discovered which is quickly putting this in the same discussion as more familiar forms of renewable energy such as the sun and wind.

Dr. Floyd L. Schanbacher, professor emeritus, department of animal sciences, and director emeritus, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Ohio State University at Wooster, will present “Biomass to Energy: A Shifting Paradigm,” March 17 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the monthly Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum.

The program begins at 8 a.m. with informal networking hosted by the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) at the Agricultural Incubator Foundation, north of Bowling Green.

The cost is $10 per person (cash or check at the door), which includes a delicious breakfast and informal networking opportunities.

The Agricultural Incubator Foundation is located at 13737 Middleton Pike (SR 582) in Bowling Green. Walk-ins are welcome, but guests are encouraged to reserve a seat in advance by contacting Paula Ray at 419-823-3099 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

DEKALB award winner
Oak Harbor High School student Joe Phillips recently received the school’s highest agricultural honor, the DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award, sponsored by Monsanto Company,

Phillips, the son of Jim and Kelly Phillips, received the award for excellence in academics, leadership and agricultural work experience. As the 2011 winner, his name will be recorded on a permanent plaque displayed at the school.

FFA officers elected
The Oak Harbor – Penta FFA Chapter recently elected officers to serve their student organization for the 2011 year. The newly installed officers include President Logan Bahnsen, Vice President Ashley Buhrow, Secretary Brooke Hensley, Treasurer Rachel Kleinhans, Reporter Kyle Cornelius, Sentinel Jordan Miller, Student Advisor Dalton Anderson and Farm Manager James Kurtz.

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