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OSU Extension

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

Communiqué July 31, 2013

Contents

Featuring the Work of OSUE Field Specialists

Throughout the year we will be spotlighting the work of our field specialists. In this issue we feature Glen Arnold (Manure Nutrient Management Systems)

I am able to focus my time on working with livestock and grain farmers across Ohio on better methods to apply livestock manure to farm fields. Manure application is a highly visible farming practice and generates concern with both neighbors and environmental groups. As wheat acreage continues to decrease in western Ohio, the window of application for livestock manure continues to shrink. Much of my time is spent helping farmers explore the spring or early summer application of manure on growing crops instead of relying almost exclusively on the fall application window. The incorporation of 5,000 to 6,000 gallons per acre of swine finishing manure to an emerged corn crop as a nitrogen sidedress almost completely meets the nitrogen, phosphorus and potash needs of a two-year corn and soybean rotation.

Data from the Ohio Tributary Loading Program has identified increasing levels of dissolved reactive phosphorus as the prime suspect in the recurrence of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and Grand Lake St. Marys. Livestock manure represents a significant portion of the phosphorus applied in these watersheds, and it can be a source of dissolved reactive phosphorus. Grand Lake St. Marys has been labeled a “distressed watershed,” and the resulting new regulations include the banning of livestock manure application during the winter months.

I have conducted research on topdressing wheat with liquid manure and sidedressing corn with liquid manure for more than eight years. My replicated plots are conducted on-farm with quarter-mile to half-mile long plots. I typically apply the manure to my plots; the months of May and June find me driving a tractor and manure tanker around the western and northwestern part of the state.  With each application season, more is learned on better ways to adapt existing manure application equipment to more accurately apply manure.

I enjoy involving county educators with the on-farm manure plots. The plots are a lot of work, but they are invaluable as a teaching tool and as a source of local data.  I also enjoy working with farmers in Ohio to develop new liquid manure application systems that will allow them to apply both swine and dairy manure after the corn crop is planted.

Information and findings of the on-farm manure research projects are shared on the Agronomics Crops Team website and at educational events such as county programs, the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference, Ohio Pork Congress Symposium, the Ohio Manure Science Review, and the Western Ohio Manure Application Technology Field Day.

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OSU Extension July 25 Announcement – Recording Available

The all-OSU Extension presentation on July 25 was recorded – http://carmenconnect.osu.edu/p4u1mb5fq9m/.

The presentation topics included the OSUE strategic plan, signature programs, upcoming regional structure changes, a reminder about the County Commissioners’ Association of Ohio meetings in October and early November, and time for questions.

The recording started just a little late. Items missing from the recording are:

A map of the new regional structure – anticipated to change after January 1, 2014 – is attached for internal reference. More information will be available as the regional director search committee begins its work, and information materials for the public will be developed this fall.

The strategic plan will be launched in January 2014, and the full implementation plan will be reviewed at the OSUE Annual Conference on December 4.

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All-Extension E-mail Listserv – New Address

The all-Extension e-mail listserv has been updated. The new address is all-extension@lists.service.ohio-state.edu. Please begin using this address immediately to send messages to the entire organization.

Anyone who has an Extension appointment (full or partial) is able to post to and receive messages from the all-Extension list. It is not necessary for anyone to subscribe to this list. The list will be refreshed once a week; and anyone who has joined or left Extension in the prior week will be added or deleted from the list accordingly.

As you may recall, at year-end 2012, all CFAES listservs were changed due to an Ohio State-required migration. Since the migration, we have had issues with some OSUE employees not received all-Extension messages. That should be fixed with this update; however, if you know of someone who is still not receiving all-Extension messages, please contact Cheryl Buck (buck.19@osu.edu).

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OSUE Administrative Office Update

As of July 31, Betty Watkins has retired as Dr. Smith’s office administrative associate. Dr. Smith’s new executive assistant is expected to join Extension on August 19. During the interim period, Cheryl Buck is handling Dr. Smith’s calendar and meeting preparation. Contact Cheryl directly if you need to schedule or change an appointment, or if you have questions for Dr. Smith (buck.19@osu.edu; 614-292-4880).

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Reminder – New Ohio State Branding Standards

All entities of the university are to begin using the new Ohio State branding standards immediately. Background information, guidelines and many templates are already posted on the www.osu.edu/brand Website.

CFAES-specific information is posted on the Communications & Technology Website at www.cfaes.osu.edu/commtech/toolboxes. The brand standards, downloadable college logos and various templates are available, as well as a calendar that outlines when additional templates will be released and dates for upcoming information sessions.

A few items to note:

  • The college brand standards show how to apply the university brand to CFAES and all of its mission areas.
  • The university allows very few logos. While colleges have logos, OSUE, OARDC, departments and other units will be identified in new ways.
  • No other logos, internal to the college or university, are permitted.
  • The college is embracing the university’s brand and One University approach, while also implementing a One College approach within CFAES.
  • The One College vision means that every communications piece should include the college logo and show the tie between the college and units, programs, departments and mission areas.

The new visual identity will be implemented over the next 12-18 months, and the university will be releasing additional guidelines periodically. As new standards are released, Communications & Technology will continue to update and expand the CFAES standards as well. If you have questions about the brand, contact Suzanne Steel at steel.7@osu.edu or Kim Brown at brown.3384@osu.edu.

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Request for Volunteers for the Universal Design exhibit during Farm Science Review

Please consider volunteering to help tour visitors through the Universal Design exhibit during Farm Science Review (FSR) on September 17 - 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the McCormick Building on Friday Avenue. Choose the day and hours that work best for you.  You can work two hours, four hours -- or more.  Also, help is needed on September 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to make final preparations of the exhibit.  

On-site training will be provided for all volunteers who may not have worked with Universal Design at all or not very much. Check out the video at http://ehe.osu.edu/ud. More information about FSR, including directions, is posted online at http://fsr.osu.edu/. An OSU ID gets you into FSR. If you are not available to help, please share this information with others in your office or volunteers who might be interested.

To sign-up to help or for answers to your questions: contact Pat Holmes, FCS educator, OSU Extension, Montgomery County at holmes.86@osu.edu  or 937-224-9654 ext. 102. 

If you would like to tour the exhibit in advance or bring a group from your county, Pat will be at the FSR site on August 23. Contact Pat to make arrangements for date/time/group size. The exhibit features kitchen, bath, laundry/mud room, AgrAbility garage, gardening tools/raised flowerbed, and an educational space with emphasis on ease-of-use for all ages and abilities. Additional lighting has been added this year, and plans are in place to add new photographs/signage in the rooms along with some rearrangement of exhibit areas.

Universal Design is a philosophy based on the idea that products and environments can be attractively designed to meet the needs of all ages and abilities. Use of Universal Design principles uses exterior and interior features to maximize safety and independence for everyone. The Universal Design housing display is located in the McCormick Building at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center - home of Farm Science Review, 135 SR 38 NE, London, OH 43140 just south of I-70. This is an ongoing collaborative project involving the following partners: OSU Extension; The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology; The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences; Dave Fox Home Remodeling; and Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse.

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Conflict Management  Workshop for Managers, Supervisors, and Team Leaders - September 26

Leaders set the tone for others within their respective organizations or companies on dealing with conflict. Leaders who increase their knowledge of conflict management have a stronger capacity to help others develop their own conflict skills and abilities. Leaders will leave the workshop with specific information and tools that can be immediately utilized by themselves and others within their organizations or departments.

Description and Objectives:
Conflict is a part of our daily lives at work or at home. How we manage conflict has a direct impact on how fulfilled we feel about work, the quality of work, and the quality of work from our respective teams or units. Effectively dealing with and using conflict as a positive tool is a major component of success in current or future leadership roles.  

Leaders of organizations and units also realize the impact of conflict on an organization's or team's culture. Do we have an environment that allows for differences of opinion to be openly shared? Do you or your team members have the knowledge and skills to work through conflict situations rather than allowing conflict to undermine the team's or unit's effectiveness? This workshop will provide participants with a greater understanding of how conflict affects their work and strategies to develop one's conflict management skills. Participants will also complete the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) assessment to identify their preferred mode of conflict management and understand individual and team implications to their style.

Jeff King will be facilitating this workshop on September 26 from 9:15 a.m. to noon in room 105, Agricultural Administration building. The fee is $60 per participant, which includes the TKI assessment. To register and make your payment, go to https://www.regonline.com/seriesleadership

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Personnel Update – April through June 2013

The OSU Extension personnel update for April through June 2013 is here

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