Farm Facts for Fairfield County

for June 27, 2003 ; also seen on Fridays in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette

If you failed to apply for LCP last fall, you have one more chance. USDA's Farm Service Agency State Executive Director, Larry J. Adams, has announced that sign-up for the 2002 Livestock Compensation Program II (LCP-II) ends July 3, 2003. Sign-up for LCP-II, authorized under the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003, began April 1, 2003. Under this expanded program, USDA provides assistance to livestock producers in certain counties not previously covered under LCP-I. LCP-II provides direct payments to livestock owners and producers in counties named as primary disaster areas for damages and losses under a Secretarial or Presidential disaster designation after January 1, 2001, for any natural disaster. LCP-1 provided assistance only in those counties named as a primary county under a Secretarial disaster designation for drought. "These programs have been tremendously successful and are further evidence of this Administration's commitment to providing assistance to producers who are adversely affected by natural disasters," Little said. "USDA is making every effort to ensure that eligible producers are able to participate." As of June 12, more than 107,000 producers had applied for LCP-II assistance based on 11.5 million head of eligible livestock. These applications total more than $203 million and $154 million has already been paid to producers.

Eligible livestock include beef and dairy cattle, buffalo and beefalo, (when maintained on the same basis as beef cattle), and sheep and goats which were owned or subject to a cash lease on June 1, 2002, and have been owned or cash leased by the lessee for a minimum of 90 calendar days.

Sign-up for the Livestock Assistance Program (LAP), also authorized under the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003, will begin in July. LAP will provide $250 million in assistance for 2001 or 2002 grazing losses.

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) has developed a Web site that provides producers with one convenient location for details on new and existing FSA disaster assistance. The Web site can be accessed at www.usda.gov

USDA Announces Sign-up for New Grassland Reserve Program

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that the first sign-up for the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) will begin nationwide on June 30, 2003.  The 2002 Farm Bill amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to include authorization for this program.

"Grasslands provide critical ecological benefits and play a key role in environmental quality, as well as contributing to the economies of many rural areas," said Veneman. "This voluntary program helps protect valuable grasslands from conversion to other land uses, thus helping to ensure this national resource is available to future generations."

Grasslands make up the largest land cover on America's private lands. Privately-owned grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres in the United States. For the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will direct financial resources and technical expertise to help landowners protect and restore these lands.

Applications for participation will be accepted on a continuous basis at local USDA service centers. Once funding has been exhausted, eligible applicants will remain on file until additional funding becomes available. Veneman previously announced that $49.9 million in fiscal year 2003 funds are available to implement GRP.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and Forest Service are coordinating implementation of GRP, which helps landowners restore and protect grassland, rangeland, pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands. The program will conserve vulnerable grasslands from conversion to cropland or other uses and conserve valuable grasslands by helping maintain viable ranching operations.

When properly managed, grasslands and shrublands can result in cleaner water supplies, healthier riparian areas and reduced sediment loadings in streams and other water bodies. These lands are vital for the production of forage for domestic livestock and provide forage and habitat for maintaining healthy wildlife populations. These lands also improve the aesthetic character of the landscape, provide scenic vistas and open space, provide for recreational activities and protect the soil from water and wind erosion.

GRP offers producers several enrollment options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, rental agreements (10, 15, 20 or 30-year duration) and restoration agreements. For permanent easements, USDA makes a payment based on the fair market value of the property less the grazing value. For 30-year easements, USDA pays 30 percent of what would be paid for a permanent easement. For rental agreements, USDA pays 75 percent of the grazing value in annual payments for the length of the agreement.

For restoration agreements, USDA pays up to 90 percent of the restoration costs on grassland and shrubland that has never been cultivated and not more than 75 percent on restored grassland and shrubland (land that once was cultivated).

To participate in GRP, offers must be private land that includes at least 40 contiguous acres. Additional eligibility criteria are described in the "Notice of Availability of Program Funds for the Grassland Reserve Program" that was published in the Federal Register on June 13, 2003, and is available on the NRCS Web site listed below. This notice applies only to fiscal year 2003 funds and will be used for the initial sign-up.

For more information about GRP and other conservation programs, contact your local USDA Service Center, listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture, or online at http://offices.usda.gov/. Information, including Federal Register notices and rules, also is available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002.

Current Weed Control Issues By Jeff Stachler, OSU Extension Specialist

Following are several guidelines and updates on weed issues currently being experienced in Ohio.

1. In fields that have had no weed control yet this spring, most perennial broadleaf weed species and many perennial grass species are currently in the bud to early flower stage. This stage is excellent for long-term control when using glyphosate. To control Canada thistle and quackgrass use at least 0.94 pound acid equivalent (lb ae)/A of glyphosate (28 ounces/A of Roundup WeatherMax or 40 ounces/A of 3.0 lb ae/gallon glyphosate formulations). For most other perennial broadleaf weeds use at least 1.5 lb ae/A of glyphosate (44 ounces/A of Roundup WeatherMax or 64 ounces/A of 3.0 lb ae/gallon glyphosate formulations). If horsenettle, groundcherry species, common and honeyvine milkweed, and a few others are present, consider rates higher than 1.5 lb ae/A.

2. The delay in planting due to the wet weather in SW Ohio, especially where the glyphosate-resistant marestail (horseweed) exists has created extremely large marestail plants (> 2.5 feet tall). In these fields, the best way to control the large marestail is to use two passes of tillage. The next best option is to consider 1.5 lb ae/A of glyphosate or greater and add Classic at 0.75 to 1.0 ounce/A or FirstRate at 0.45 ounce/A before planting. Another option, if you have a good crop insurance plan, is to consider not planting these fields and work them when you get a chance. To ensure good coverage of the weeds, consider 20 to 25 gallons/A of spray volume.

3. To control large (> 2 feet in height) annual weeds where no prior weed control has been done, apply at least 1.5 lb ae/A of glyphosate before planting. To ensure good coverage of the weeds, consider 20 to 25 gallons/A of spray volume. Using 10 to 15 gallons/A may not allow for adequate plant coverage for good control.

4. For Roundup Ready soybean fields with no residual herbicides applied and they were planted before May 20th, the weeds will grow rapidly with these hot temperatures. Make sure you are applying the appropriate glyphosate rate for the weed size and species that are in the fields. The higher the glyphosate rate used, the less likely weeds are to become glyphosate-resistant.

5. In corn fields that still need a postemergence application, check the corn stage before applying herbicides. The hot temperatures this week will cause corn to be more susceptible to dicamba injury. Once corn is greater than 8 inches tall, it can be injured by dicamba. Using the lowest rate possible, drop nozzles, and a surfactant when mixed with other herbicides will help in reducing corn injury from dicamba. Once corn reaches the V6 stage (6 collars), no ALS-inhibiting herbicide should be applied broadcast over the top of corn as significant yield reduction may occur due to the pinched-ear syndrome.

6. Carefully scout any soybean field that had marestail present at the time of the burndown application. Due to the cool and wet weather, marestail continued to germinate until the end of May. Many of these plants are beginning to bolt, so control should be very easy at this time. Use glyphosate at 0.75 lb ae/A on Roundup Ready soybeans, Synchrony STS at 0.5 ounce/A on STS soybeans and add additional Classic to get to 0.75 ounce/A of total Classic, adding MSO and a nitrogen source to the mix, or FirstRate at 0.3 ounce/A on normal soybeans to control these small marestail.

7. According to the atrazine label, fields with applications of atrazine after June 10th should not be rotated to soybeans.

For a listing of upcoming programs, meetings and events, visit the AG CALENDAR

Previous Issues of Farm Facts

updated on June 25, 2003 by Stan Smith

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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.
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