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Ohio Ag Manager

Upcoming Events

Mar
05
2013

Farm Management Webinars Announced

OSU Extension is pleased to announce a series of farm management webinars to be held in the upcoming two months. These webinars are designed to deliver current educational information for farmers, landowners, and other interested participants.  There is no pre-registration required for these webinars. Just log on from the comfort of your home or business! Attend all or any of the meetings by logging on to: http://carmenconnect.osu.edu/ohioagmanager.  The following is a description of the upcoming webinars. Financial & Tax Implications of Oil & Gas Leases - Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. David Marrison, Associate Professor & OSU Extension Educator, will be the featured speaker for this webinar. Don’t get caught blindsided by the taxes which will be due from signing an oil & gas lease. Learn how the IRS handles oil & gas payments. Learn which payments are subject to ordinary income taxes versus capital gain; about the percentage depletion deduction; and how signing a lease may affect your CAUV status. Learn what questions to ask and receive financial planning tips for managing the potential income from these wells. Navigating the ACRE/DCP Decision in 2013 – Monday, March 18, 2013, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Chris Bruynis, Assistant Professor & Extension Educator will be the featured speaker. With the passage of the 2012 American Taxpayer Relief Act, Congress extended many provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill. Farmers now ca...
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Feb
18
2013

Conference to Help Small Farm Owners Live their ‘Small Farm Dream’

Small farm owners who want to learn more about how to make their farms work better for them or expand their operations, or those new to agriculture who are looking for ways to utilize acreage, can attend workshops and presentations on these and more issues during a small farm conference March 23 in Zanesville, Ohio. The "Living Your Small Farm Dream" conference and trade show is designed to help participants learn more tips, techniques and methods for diversifying their opportunities into successful new enterprises and new markets as a way to improve economic growth and development on their farms, said Mark Mechling, an Ohio State University Extension educator in agriculture and natural resources. "It may be a person who is new to agriculture, or someone that may have acreage that they aren't using to the fullest, or even someone who has newly acquired land and may not know what to do with it," he said. "What we try to do with this conference is to give participants a smorgasbord of ideas that may interest them by offering a wide variety of sessions in which they can learn more in-depth about an issue, gain resources and learn how to finance a new venture." The conference, which will be held at the Muskingum County Convention and Welcome Center, 205 N. Fifth St. in Zanesville, kicks off with a keynote address on "Planning and Goal Setting," presented by Mike Hogan, an OSU Extension educator. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of Ohio State University's College ...
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Feb
18
2013

Conference to Help Small Farm Owners ‘Open Doors to Success’

Small farm owners who want to learn more about how to make their farms work better for them by increasing profits, increasing marketing efforts, expanding operations, or adding new educational or agritainment amenities can attend workshops and presentations on these and more issues during a small farm conference on March 8-9 in Wilmington, Ohio. The "Opening Doors to Success" conference and trade show is designed to help producers learn more tips, techniques and methods and to increase their awareness to make their small farm operations more successful, which can lead to increased farm profits, said Tony Nye, an Ohio State University Extension educator. "This intensive conference will provide participants the opportunity to choose from a diverse variety of seminars that can help their farming operations be successful," he said. "The conference is a great opportunity to network and learn from other producers, Extension experts and representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture." The conference kicks off with a panel discussion of Ohio producers who will talk about "Opportunities and Challenges to Running a Successful Small Farm Operation." The group will address issues surrounding labor, financing, deciding on a farm specialty, dealing with customers, and whether or not to add agritainment or education components to a farm. The conference, which will be held at Wilmington College, Boyd Cultural Arts Center, 1870 Quaker Way in Wilmington, will feature 2...
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Jan
28
2013

Ohio State University to Host Statewide Farm to School Conference March 13

Educators, farmers, food producers, businesses and anyone else interested in creating or expanding a Farm to School program can learn from the experts on how to do so during a Farm to School conference March 13 in Columbus. With the support of the Ohio Departments of Education, Health and Agriculture, the Ohio State University Extension will host the Farm to School conference as part of its goal to continue to expand the successful program, which works to increase students’ access to healthy foods and to help them learn more about food, health, nutrition and agriculture, said Julie Fox, director of the Ohio Farm to School program. The conference theme is “Let’s Grow! Farm to School,” and will feature three keynote presentations, 10 panel sessions, a curriculum showcase, a salad bar showcase and other displays designed to illustrate opportunities farmers, schools and community leaders have to work together to increase students' knowledge and access to healthy foods. The keynote presentations highlight three national experts including Anupama Joshi, executive director, national Farm to School Network; Deborah Kane, national director of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Program; and Debra Eschmeyer, director of policy and partnerships, FoodCorps. OSU Extension Director, Dr. Keith Smith and other leaders in Ohio will also join in the day of information sharing, networking and fun. “This event is going to be something special, thanks t...
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Jan
15
2013

Two Farm Tax Webinars to be Held

By David Marrison, Associate Professor; Chris Bruynis, Assistant Professor and Larry Gearhardt, OSU Income Tax School Director Due to the many changes made by the fiscal cliff legislation, OSU Extension will be hosting two “Farm Tax Webinars.” The first will be held on Tuesday, January 29 from 9:00 to 11:00 am and on the second session on Wednesday, February 6 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Farmers are encouraged to choose whichever session fits their schedule best and to connect via the internet at their home. This webinar will be a great way to learn the latest on farm taxes and the impacts of the fiscal cliff legislation. The following topics will be discussed during this two hour webinar: Fiscal Cliff Legislative Update Farm Bill Extension-what does it mean? Acre & SURE Program Updates New Income Tax Brackets (Income & Capital Rates) Section 179 Extension & Increase Special Depreciation Increase Payroll Tax Increase Filing Status delay due to Form 4562 2012 Weather-Related Sales Crop Insurance and Disaster Payments Weather Related Sales of Livestock Estate Tax Issues New Federal Income Tax Limitations ($5 million, portability, 40%) Elimination of Ohio Estate Tax- 1/1/2013 Miscellaneous Farm Issues CAUV Tax Increase Explanation in Counties Across Ohio Oil & Gas Lease & Royalty Income Hunting Lease Income Conservation Easement Deduction This program is being offered by the OSU Income Tax School Program of OSU Extension. The s...
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Dec
26
2012

2013 Agricultural Policy and Outlook Conference Preview Meeting – December 3, 2012

Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management OSU Extension, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics On Monday, December 3, 2012, Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences kicked off its 2013 Agricultural Policy and Outlook Conference Series with a special preview meeting hosted by Bruce A. McPheron, Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College. The preview meeting, which included over 125 attendees from the State of Ohio, was held at Ohio State’s 4-H Center. The event featured presentations and Q and A with experts from AEDE, who discussed issues the food and agricultural community should expect in 2013. The event focused on policy changes, as well as market behavior with respect to farm, food, energy resources and the environment. The full schedule of event speakers, including topic overview briefs, presentation files, and presentations can be found online at: http://aede.osu.edu/programs-and-research/agricultural-policy-and-outlook-conferences The Dean's preview event kicks off a series of county meetings to be held statewide in early 2013. More information on these meetings can be found here: http://aede.osu.edu/programs-and-research/agricultural-policy-and-outlook-conferences/county-meetings If you would like more information, or if you have any questions on the Agricultural Policy and Outlook Conference Series, please contact Dr. Matthew C. Robert...
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Nov
13
2012

2012 Agricultural Tax Issues Workshops to be held across Ohio on December 17, 2012

by: David Marrison, OSU Extension Educator Tax practitioners with an interest in farm income taxes will have an opportunity to attend a one day farm tax workshop scheduled for Monday, December 17, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in ten locations across Ohio. This workshop will be taught by Dr. Phil Harris, Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin via tele-conference. This program has been designed for tax practitioners who have a significant number of farm clients and therefore need a substantial amount of information on agricultural tax issues. Participants will hear an audiotape of a live lecture given by Phil Harris, supplemented with a showing of the slide presentation Dr. Harris used during his lecture. Dr. Harris will be available for questions during two conference calls during the day, and OSU faculty will be in the meeting rooms to answer questions. Registrants will receive a valuable 203 page supplemental book. The summer drought caused havoc across Ohio for crop producers. This year’s tax school will examine how to handle crop insurance and disaster payments as well as the special provisions to delay income from weather related sales of livestock. Some of the additional topics which will be included in discussion are: Repairs versus capital improvements; Improvements by a tenant; Sale of sand and gravel; Depletion; Information reporting issues; and Income in respect of a decedent. The Agricultural Tax Issues program has been ac...
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Oct
15
2012

Ohio State University Extension is hosting a workshop on shale energy development on Nov. 10.

"Shale and You: A Workshop for Landowners and Communities" will be held at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center, 7033 Glenn Highway, Cambridge, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Registration is $10 and must be received by Monday, Nov. 5, by the Guernsey County office of OSU Extension in Old Washington, Ohio. Registration forms with the office's address and other details can be downloaded (PDF) at http://go.osu.edu/shaleandyouPDF or by going to http://shalegas.osu.edu and clicking on the "Shale and You" event under "Upcoming Extension Events." "What we hope to do is help landowners and community leaders make the best decisions possible," Hall said. "We're not attempting to discuss the pros and cons of such development -- that's something for individuals and policy-makers to consider. As an educational institution, OSU Extension simply aims to provide relevant information to help inform those who are dealing with shale energy development." The workshop will include presentations by OSU Extension educators on: • Update on Ohio Shale Development and Activity, by Chris Penrose, OSU Extension educator in Morgan County. • Community and Strategic Planning, by Eric Romich, OSU Extension field specialist in energy development. • Tax Issues for Communities and Landowners, by Dave Marrison, OSU Extension educator in Ashtabula and Trumbull counties. • What to Do When "Sudden Wealth Happens," by Polly Loy, OSU Extension educator in Belmont County. • Leasing...
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Sep
23
2012

2012 OSU Income Tax Schools to be held across Ohio in November & December

by: David Marrison, OSU Extension Educator & Interim Director for OSU Income Tax School OSU Extension is pleased to be offering the 49th Annual OSU Income Tax Schools at eight locations across Ohio in November and December. These two-day schools are designed for individuals who have some experience preparing and filing federal and state tax returns for individuals and small businesses. Instruction will focus on federal tax law changes and on the issues that tax preparers may encounter in 2012 preparing tax returns. Highly qualified instructors will explain and interpret tax regulations and recent changes in tax laws. The tax school locations are as follows: Columbus – November 13-14 Bridgewater Banquet & Conference Center (10561 Sawmill Parkway, Powell, OH 43065) Fremont – November 15-16 Ole Zim’s Wagonshed (1375 State Route 590, Gibsonburg, OH 43431) Kent – November 19-20 Kent State University-Student Center (Summit Street, Kent, OH 44242) Dayton – November 27-28 Presidential Banquet Center (4548 Presidential Way, Kettering, OH 45429) Ashland – Nov. 29-30 Ashland University-Convocation Center (820 Claremont Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805) Lima – December 4-5 Old Barn Out Back (new location-3175 W Elm Street, Lima, OH 45805) Chillicothe – December 6-7 Ross County Service Center (475 Western Avenue, Chillicothe, OH 45601) Zanesville – December 11-12 Ohio University-Zanesville Branch Campus Center (1425 Newark Road, Zanesv...
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Sep
11
2012

Annie’s Project Workshop Locations Announced

By:  Gigi Neal,  Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, OSU Extension, Clermont County Feed the livestock, go to work, run kids to their 4-H meeting and sports practice, go to your civic/church meeting, cook, clean, do the farm chores and make a thousand decisions.  Whew, what a day and that was just a portion!  Just imagine if you had the tools to assist you in making farming decisions with your partner to help build a more successful enterprise and balance life.   Annie’s Project is the answer for all women wanting to strengthen their role in the agricultural business.   Annie’s Project emphasizes empowering farm women to become better stewards of the land and business partners in the agricultural world through decision making and building networks throughout the state.    Annie's National Network Initiative for Educational Success (Annie’s) is a six (6) week course founded on Risk Management Education for Farm and Ranch Women through production, financial, market, human resources and legal risks.  These session’s foster problem solving, record keeping and decision-making skills in farm women.  Many of the women develop a lasting camaraderie with the other women in the class through conversation and discussion, which further enhances learning. OSU Extension will be offering the original Annie’s Project workshops focused on the five areas of risk facing today’s farm businesses.  These workshops are tentatively scheduled in t...
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Sep
11
2012

Farm Management, Marketing and Economics Events at the 2012 Farm Science Review

By: Barry Ward,  Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, Ohio State University and and Peggy Hall, Ohio State University Extension Even though new equipment and machinery dominate the Farm Science Review each year, economics and the bottom line always play the major role in your decision making.  The Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics together with Ohio State University Extension will offer several activities, exhibits, presentations and opportunities to interact with Agricultural Economists, Farm Management Specialists and Extension Educators at this year’s Farm Science Review, September 18th through the 20th at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London, Ohio. The Farm Business Office The Farm Business Office at the Farm Science Review is located in the Francine Firebaugh Building and will give Review goers the opportunity to interact one-on-one with Ohio State University Extension Farm Management Specialists, OSU Agricultural Economists, and OSU Extension Educators. Review goers can seek advice on various farm business and management topics including budgeting, cash rents, flexible cash rent arrangements, land purchase issues, input buying, farm transition planning, estate planning, retirement planning, farm record keeping and analysis, tax management, human resources management, risk management issues and more. OSU Extension Enterprise Budgets will be available along with “Ohio Farm C...
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Sep
11
2012

Ohio State Offers New Major in Sustainability

Beginning this fall, undergraduate students at Ohio State University with an interest in sustainability can put their passion into practice by choosing a new sustainability major. The new Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability (EEDS) major (http://eeds.osu.edu) is being offered jointly by the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE) and the School of Environment and Natural Resources. Both are part of Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Link to full story:  http://extension.osu.edu/news-releases/archives/2012/july/ohio-state-offers-new-major-in-sustainability

Jul
10
2012

OSU Extension to Host RTRP Exam Preparatory Classes

by David Marrison, OSU Extension Educator Beginning January 1, 2011, all paid preparers must have a Preparer Tax Identification Number. Existing PTIN holders must pass a competency exam by the end of 2013. Attorneys, Certified Public Accounts and Enrolled Agents are exempt from the testing requirement. In addition to a competency exam, IRS Registered Tax Return Preparers will be required to take continuing education in the future. OSU Extension and the OSU Income Tax School Program are pleased to announce that we will be offering assistance for individuals who are preparing to take the new Registered Tax Return Preparer (RTRP) competency test in 2012. We will be offering two educational options to help tax practitioners prepare for these tests. The first available option is a study at home option. Through a partnership with Fast Forward Academy, participants can study at home and access an on-line test bank of questions. The cost of the at home materials is $99 for the study guide and access to a 200 question test bank or $179 for the study guide and access to a 700 question test bank and unlimited practice exams. The second option is to attend one of four one-day preparatory workshops across Ohio in August & September. These workshops will be held on: OSU Extension Office (Bowling Green, OH)- August 28, 2012 Bridgewater Banquet & Conference Center (Powell, OH)- August 29, 2012 Kings Island Conference Center (Mason, OH)- September 5, 2012 Geauga Cou...
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Apr
25
2012

OSU to host Second Annual Ohio Oil and Gas Law Symposium

The second Ohio Oil and Gas Law Symposium will take place on Friday, May 25 at Longaberger Golf Club in Nashport, Ohio.  The day long program, hosted by OSU Extension’s Agricultural & Resource Law Program, aims at enhancing legal education for attorneys–particularly attorneys working with landowners.  The agenda addresses current legal issues in shale energy development and consists of: Preemption of Authority over Oil and Gas DevelopmentJohn K. Keller; Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Columbus Water Law Considerations for Oil and Gas DevelopmentBrian P. Barger; Brady, Coyle and Schmidt, Ltd., Toledo Accommodation of Split EstatesWilliam J. Taylor; Kincaid, Taylor and Geyer, ZanesvilleAlan Wenger; Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell, Ltd., Youngstown Negotiating Pipeline Easements and Managing the Threat of Eminent DomainCraig Vandervoort, Sitterley and Vandervoort Ltd , LancasterSteven A. Davis; Crabbe, Brown and James LLP, Lancaster Recent Changes in Oil and Gas Leases and Leasing Richard Emens; Emens and Wolper Law Firm, Columbus The Current State of Ohio Injection Well RegulationTom Tomastik, Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources Panel Discussion:  Emerging Issues in Ohio Oil and Gas LawEric Johnson; Johnson and Johnson Law Firm, CanfieldMatt Warnock; Bricker and Eckler LLP, Columbus Jonathan Airey; Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Columbus To register and learn more about the Symposium, visit http://regonline.com/OilandGasLaw2012.  ...
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This post is a reprint of a post by Peggy Hall that originally appeared at Ohio Agricultural Law Blog.
Feb
06
2012

Management for the Future

by Chris Zoller, OSU Extension Educator

An excellent learning opportunity takes place on March 14 when OSU Extension – Tuscarawas County and the Tuscarawas County Farm Bureau sponsor a workshop, Farm Strategies for the Future, at the Dutch Valley Restaurant near Sugarcreek. Registration is at 9:30am, with the program to follow from 10am – 3pm.

A dynamic group of specialists will discuss what changes farm managers can expect to see in the next decade and how they can adopt and implement these developments.

Presentations will include:
Dr. Scott Shearer, Chair of the Ohio State University Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering, will discuss farms of the future and the emerging technology to manage these businesses.

Chris Bruynis, OSU Extension Educator, ANR, will provide an overview of the Farm Bill and crop insurance and how farmers can use these tools to minimize risk.

Dr. Jerry Lahmers, Veterinarian and member of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, will describe recent developments of the board and the impact on livestock producers.

Dale Arnold, Ohio Farm Bureau, will address the present and emerging energy issues and what they mean to agriculture.
Leah Finney, Ohio Farm Bureau, will provide an update on laws and regulations for roadway use by farm trucks.

Please contact the Tuscarawas County office of Ohio State University Extension at 330-339-2337 for registration details and to make a reservation.

Information presented above and where trade names are used, they are supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Ohio State University Extension is implied.

Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA.

Keith L. Smith, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director, Ohio State University Extension TDD No. 800-589-8292 ( Ohio only) or 614-292-1868